New Monthly Feature: Highlights From the Agency’s Professional Learning Redesign

It’s been another full month of exciting action for our Certified Staff and Classified Staff Professional Learning Cadres! A few highlights from each group are below. 

Classified Staff Update 
The Classified Professional Learning Cadre met for the second time in January. 

• The Cadre came to consensus to adopt a vision for their work: “Create differentiated learning pathways for Heartland AEA staff to support the Agency’s mission while developing and enhancing knowledge and skills related to agency work as well as specific to their role in the Agency.” 

• The group engaged in learning and discussion around two important terms related to learning: fixed mindset and growth mindset. Fixed mindset refers to people who believe skills and intelligence are “set,” and you either have them or you don’t. In other words, people with a fixed mindset believe you are not in control of your abilities, and skills are present when you’re born. Growth mindset, on the other hand, refers to the mindset that skills and intelligence are grown and developed. People are in control of their skill development, and people who are good at something are good at it because they worked to build that ability. People with a growth mindset believe in their ability to learn and grow. People who utilize a growth mindset tend to learn, achieve and develop more over time as compared to people who have a fixed mindset. Look for further learning to explore the concept of growth mindset in the future! 

• The group also began the work of identifying possible areas of learning/focus for Classified staff across the Agency. The group reviewed both the Competencies that are the current basis for the Classified staff evaluation, and the Areas of Learning and Key Components developed by the Certified Professional Learning Cadre. The group was also able to add in other ideas/areas of learning that didn’t appear to be addressed by either of the two of areas of learning. The next step for the group is to come to consensus regarding those areas of learning before the recommendations are reviewed by other agency staff. 

Certified Staff Update 
The Certified Professional Learning Cadre has spent the last month primarily focused on continued design, vetting and refinement of learning opportunities matched to the Key Components and Competencies of the identified eight areas of learning/focus for Certified staff. Time has most recently also focused on reviewing learning opportunities available through a variety of external partners, including printed materials, online modules and materials and course offerings. 

As was shared last month, over 100 staff and leaders are currently involved in a pilot of our redesigned Professional Learning System. Feedback from pilot participants will help shape and refine our system for Certified staff prior to full implementation for all Certified staff. Pilot participants completed their first formal feedback survey focused on four specific areas: 

• The functionality of the online platform hosting our learning framework 
• The rigor and match of our professional learning profiles 
• The structure and use of key components, competencies and learning maps 
• Our professional learning system processes Continued thanks to all staff members and leaders as we continue to refine our professional learning system at Heartland AEA. Look for continued updates through The Connection. 

If you have any questions or would like additional information, contact Martha Condon, Director of Professional Learning, at ext. 14416.