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Executive Function Professional Development: A Curriculum Review

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Executive Function Professional Development: A Curriculum Review

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Topic Introduction

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Name of Presenter: Danielle Thompson, Ed.D.

E-mail: dani.thompson@drexel.edu

Supervising Professor: Dr. Joy Phillips

Current Place of Employment: Salem, MA Public Schools

Title of Position: District Science Coach K-8

Bio: Danielle Thompson holds the unwavering belief that all students can grow and succeed in the field of science and engineering.  In her role as science coach she works with teachers kindergarten through grade 8 to deepen content knowledge, strengthen instruction specifically in the area of making content accessible to diverse learners, and promote learning across all classrooms.  Danielle introduces best practices in the area of science through demonstration lessons, co-teaching, peer observation, professional learning communities, and professional development workshops.  She also works to build teacher capacity to interpret and use a range of assessment tools to plan lessons, address individual student needs in science and engineering, facilitates data-dives, curriculum planning, and student intervention grouping and instruction.  Danielle monitors progress towards meeting school-wide student achievement goals set within the improvement plan.
Dr. Thompson recently completed her doctorate in Educational Leadership and Management, Learning Technologies at Drexel University.  She obtained her master's degree in Elementary Education, Math, Science, and Technology from Worcester State University.  Danielle earned her bachelor's degree in Education and Child Studies from Smith College.

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This study explored to what extent teacher professional development on executive functions, a student’s cognitive ability to regulate academic behavior (Dawson & Guare, 2010), is meeting the needs of teachers as adult learners. Primary and elementary school teachers are continually engaged in professional development to refine and advance their craft. The purpose of this instrumental case study was to explore the extent to which a school district’s professional development on executive functions is providing teachers with the knowledge they need to support students’ growth of execution functions and meeting the teachers’ needs as an adult learner. The researcher investigated the design of an existing executive function professional development curriculum and reviewed teacher perception of the impact of the training on their understanding and practice.

The researcher obtained the existing executive function curriculum used by the school district and conducted a review. Primary and elementary school teachers from the selected district were asked to participate in a Qualtrics survey to collect qualitative data about the perceived impact of the curriculum on their understanding of executive functions and their classroom practices. Based upon the data collected, analyzed, and interpreted, recommendations were made regarding the use of the existing executive function professional development curriculum to enhance skill development in students.

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The study was guided by the following research questions:

1. How do teachers in a rural K-12 school district located in the northeastern United States perceive the impact of the existing curriculum on their understanding of executive functions and their classroom practices?

2. To what extent does the existing curriculum reflect current research in executive functions and brain development?

3. To what extent does the existing curriculum utilize elements of effective teacher professional development and adult learning?

Conceptually the researcher framed the literature review around three topics: research on executive functions, adult learning theory, and teacher professional development.

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The purpose of this instrumental case study was to determine how a K-12 school district’s curriculum for teacher professional development of executive function skills meets the needs of adult learners in a rural northeastern United States community. Student academic performance is under extreme scrutiny, and executive functions play a crucial role in aiding an elementary school child’s achievement (Molfese et al., 2010). School administrators face significant pressure to make sure their schools are performing at a level that prevents them from falling into state corrective action, which mandates documented plans to address deficiencies in an educational program(s) within the school (Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, n.d.). Teachers are tasked with the job of finding the correct tools or interventions to support learners with executive function difficulties to raise student growth to achieve annual yearly progress (Sulla, 2017). Understanding how the school district’s executive function professional development curriculum addresses executive functions and to what extent it meets the needs of their teachers as adult learners will provide the administrators with context for creating future professional development within the district.

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Practical Perspective​

∙ Understanding the perceptions of teachers regarding professional development and application of knowledge   and skill obtained regarding executive function​

Research Perspective​

∙ Limited research connecting executive functions and professional development​

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This study focused on the problem that teacher professional development in executive functions, a student’s cognitive ability to regulate academic behavior (Dawson & Guare, 2010), is not meeting the needs of teachers as adult learners.

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| Grade Level Taught | Respondent Years Taught
| Kindergarten | KA: 2-4 KB: 2-4 KC: 15+
| Grade 1 | 1A: 5-10 1B: 10-15 1C: 5-10
| Grade 2 | 2A: 10-15
| Grade 3 | 3A: 10-15 3B: 2-4 3C: 10-15
| Grade 4 | 4A: 10-15 4B: 15+ 4C: 10-15 4D: 5-10
| Grade 5 | 5A: 15+ 5B: 15+

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Based on the course review and analysis, as well as the data collected from the survey, the researcher recommends the following:

·      Continued review of course content materials to make sure the most current research is available to participants.  Utilization of local experts on the topic of executive function and brain development/neuroplasticity.

·      Provide videos of model classrooms in the community that utilize best practices in the development of executive functions in students.  The opportunity for participants to see interventions in action with a student population like theirs will allow them to see how such actions would work in their classroom.

·      Create a repository of interventions used with students for the teachers to draw upon in their classroom and a reflection sheet for those interventions to guide next steps for teachers.

·     Develop a website for the course or employ a learning management system to store materials for the course and provide a way to communicate with the instructor and other participants.

·      Develop a continuing education program for teachers after the course is completed.

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When designing professional development to meet the needs of teachers within a school district, several key elements need to be considered to increase the effectiveness:

·      Provide choice and differentiated learning opportunities

·      Continuous and on going

·      Aligned to teacher licensing requirements

·      Applies to classroom practices

·      Collaborative environment

·      Experiential

·      Employs adult learning theory and principles

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·      Impact of an executive function course tailored to a specific grade level (job embedded)

·      Impact of an executive function professional development that is provided during the academic school year

·      Perceptions of middle school and high school teachers on student executive function skills

·      Surveying teachers regarding their understanding of neuroplasticity
·    A comparative analysis between multiple executive function teacher professional development
·    Evaluate change in practice through student performance pre and post professional development
· Obtain participant portfolios from professional development course to collect data around teacher understanding and application

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This instrumental case study explored teacher perceptions of the effectiveness of current professional development focusing on student executive function skills.  The researcher conducted an extensive curriculum review of the executive function professional development course offered by the school district.  A non-probability convenience sample of teachers was drawn from the primary and elementary schools from the selected school district.  Participants were asked to complete a Qualtrics survey to compile qualitative data.

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For the purpose of this study, the following terms are used:

Adult Learning Theory is the basic concept of behavioral change and experience as it applies to adults engaged in learning (Merriam & Bierema, 2014).

Executive Functions are the cognitive (conscious) skills—inhibition, working memory, shifting, and planning—used to control or organize mental activities that allow individuals to focus, remember details, and execute multiple tasks within a timeline (Dawson & Guare, 2009; Zelazo, Blair, & Willoughby, 2017).

Development Progression of Executive Function Skills begins in infancy and continues until adulthood (Weiland, Barata, & Yoshikawa, 2014).  Working memory, inhibition, shifting, and planning are substantially developed during the elementary years of school (Best & Miller, 2010; Best, Miller, & Jones, 2009)

Digital Native is a person who grows up with technology; their life is fully integrated in the digital world (Prensky, 2001).

Digital Immigrant is a person born before the digital boom who adopts technology later than childhood (Prensky, 2001).

Online Learning Module is a short course of study presented in an exclusively online manner (Brown & Neal, 2013).

Teacher Preparation is the program of educational study developed to prepare students to meet requirements for licensure to teach (Luera, Duran, & Fossum, 2007).

Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to mature, change structurally and functionally, due to experience and to adapt after injury (Ismail, Fatemi, & Johnston, 2017).

Professional Development is facilitated learning to advance skills used in the practice of teaching (Glazer, Hannafin, Polly, & Rich, 2009).

Prefrontal cortex (PFC) is the region of the brain responsible for planning, organization, and regulation of cognition and behavior (Best et al., 2009)

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Limitations existed that may have impacted the exploration of how the existing executive function professional development meets the needs of teachers as adult learners in their understanding of executive function and their classroom practices.  The first was the limited number of participants in the study.  The number of teachers in the primary and elementary school is relatively small in this school district.  The researcher selected this school district because the number of participants was manageable; however, the amount of data collected was limited due to two teachers leaving the district during the survey window and two new teachers who opted not to participate.  The teachers’ willingness to participate in the study also lead to limitations, as one teacher was unwilling to participate.

Another limitation was the teachers’ beliefs about professional development and their knowledge of executive functions.  Traditional professional development practices of reactive fixes, such as remedial content instruction or behavior management, can be a turn off for teachers, creating a negative perception.  Teachers may feel that they are already knowledgeable about executive function, and, therefore, do not need to participate in professional development.  The final limitation is the researcher’s mental model and beliefs regarding teacher professional development.  The researcher was also a peer to several of the primary and elementary school teachers, and her children attended the district primary and elementary schools.

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Contribution to the Literature and Field

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Contribution to the Literature and Field

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School district professional development should:

give teachers a voice regarding their needs, content and preferred learning modality

be continuous in nature

engage school leadership in supporting PD content