PLD for teachers in New Zealand needs strengthening, says ERO

Professional learning and development (PLD) for teachers is crucial for student outcomes, and New Zealand invests heavily in PLD; however, not all PLD is impactful, finds a new report from the Education Review Office (ERO).  

Despite New Zealand’s strengths in providing relevant PLD focused on building knowledge, and motivating teachers to use what is taught, the report found PLD did not always improve teaching practice or shift student outcomes. Teachers also reported that PLD could be difficult to apply practically, and shifting focus in PLD from changing leadership and priorities made consistent development difficult. 

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Released at the end of August, the report titled Teaching out teachers: How effective is professional learning and development? looked at all available PLD for primary and secondary teachers in New Zealand. As research was conducted during the rollout of the English curriculum changes for Years 0 – 6, just under half (44 percent) of primary school teachers reported on externally provided English PLD.  

The report found that external PLD which gives teachers guidance on step-by-step teaching techniques and tools made the biggest difference. Teachers were four times more likely to report an improvement when their teaching techniques were developed by external PLD, and they were even more likely to report improvement when practical tools were supplied. Internal PLD, where sessions are led by school leaders or expert teachers, was found to be effective when it supported external PLD. Teachers were over four times more likely to report improved practice when internal PLD built from existing knowledge.  

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Despite these positives, over a quarter of teachers said PLD did not improve their practice “very much” or “at all”, and a similar percentage said PLD did not improve student outcomes. For internal PLD, over a third reported little to no improvement in their teaching practice, and internal PLD in secondary school was reported as particularly poor at improving student outcomes.  

Though developing teaching techniques was rated as very impactful, it wasn’t often the focus of PLD sessions. Many teachers said they were unclear about how to implement PLD in the classroom and that sessions could be too theoretical. Additionally, leaders reported a high administrative burden when seeking PLD, and the report found access to PLD is inequitably distributed. 

From their findings, ERO recommends investing in centralised PLD and reinforcing best practice guidelines to ensure a good selection of high-quality PLD. It says MoE should continue to track and record impacts of nationally funded PLD to ensure sufficient impact, review providers, and consider national frameworks to help leaders select PLD. It also recommended streamlining application processes and improving access to PLD for small, rural and highest need schools. Finally, in-line with other countries like Australia and Singapore, the report recommends exploring options for making PLD compulsory. 

Ruth Shinoda, head of ERO’s education evaluation centre, said these findings matter because PLD is one of the most powerful levers for improving student achievement. 

“Quality teaching is the single most important driver of student achievement. It affects outcomes more than other factors, including class sizes. Developing our teachers by providing high-quality professional learning and development is one of the most significant ways we can lift student achievement. 

“Our research found that we can do better for our teachers.”  

ERO has released an associated good practice framework titled School leaders’ good practice: professional learning and development, alongside the PLD evaluation report.  

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It provides guidance for education leaders by outlining essential aspects of effective PLD, such as ensuring it is well-designed, well-selected and well-embedded. 

It defines well-designed PLD as building teachers’ knowledge and teaching techniques, motivating them to use their learnings, and providing them the tools to implement PLD in the classroom. Well-selected PLD is evidence-based, relevant to the school community’s needs and focuses on student outcomes. Finally, well-embedded PLD means teachers are clear about how to use their learnings, and expected and supported to do so; any changes in practice and outcomes are monitored. 

The full report on PLD’s impact, and the associated practice guide are available now on the ERO website.  

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