Why Don’t More Teachers Implement What They Learn in Professional Development?

Some estimates of annual spending on professional development (PD) for teachers run as high as $8 billion per year–perhaps $18,000 per teacher per year. Yet a recent study found that only 30 percent of teachers improve substantially after their participation (The New Teacher Project, 2015). Many teachers attend PD but do not implement what they learn. Why not?

Research offers us some insights into why teachers implement or fail to implement programs, and suggest that the challenge is more likely to lie with the PD than with the teachers. For example, while over 90 percent of teachers experience workshop-type training session each year, they have only minimal exposure to other, more effective, forms of professional development (Grigg, Kelly, Garmoran, & Borman, 2013; Darling-Hammond et al., 2009). Even though research studies show that teachers need between 50 and 80 hours of instruction, practice, and coaching support to master new programs and practices, they usually receive far less time (Banilower, 2002; Yoon et al., 2007).

Even if the PD lasts long enough for teachers to learn the new material or approach, the content also has to make sense in the context of teachers’ work in the classroom. Does a new instructional approach align to existing educational standards? Do teachers have enough time to plan and prepare to implement something new? Research suggests that both of those factors affect implementation (Penuel, Fishman, Gallagher, Korbak, & Lopez-Prado, 2009). Teachers may also be more likely to implement an approach they perceive to be effective (Lane et al., 2004; Lane et al., 2001) and if they feel the PD addresses a real need in their classroom (Anders, 2009).

On the other hand, teachers are less likely to adopt approaches that are highly complex or take a great deal of time to implement (Gresham, 1989) or that they consider overly general and not applicable to specific needs in their classrooms (Anders, 2009). When researchers ask teachers themselves about obstacles to implementation, teachers frequently cite a shortage of time to prepare or to practice using a new approach (Mumtaz, 2000; Afshari et al, 2009).

Considering this list of what helps and hinders the implementation of PD can help districts plan for success. When planning to prepare teachers to implement a new program or set of instructional practices, district PD providers can ask themselves:

• Do the instructional programs or strategies align well to existing pedagogical practice in the district?
• Do the instructional programs or strategies speak to a real need that teachers experience in the classroom?
• If the planned PD consists of a workshop, are there multiple follow-up opportunities for teachers to practice the skills they are supposed to learn?
• How many total hours of PD are teachers receiving on this topic?
• Do teachers have the opportunity to work with one another and/or with a coach to support implementation?
• Do teachers have paid time to prepare to teach using the new strategies, practices or materials?

It’s not easy for any of us to make big changes in our professional practice. Teachers, like any group of professionals, deserve the time and support to successfully adopt programs and practices that research has shown to be effective for students.