What does the research actually tell us about effective teacher professional development?

In this featured segment from Education Upgrade, Dr. Derek Riddle explores the research on teacher professional learning, including six design features that shaped the field for decades: format, duration, collective participation, content, active learning, and coherence.

We also discuss research that challenged that traditional consensus and an important factor that can get lost when professional development is designed: the teacher. What motivates teachers? What intellectually engages them? What makes professional learning meaningful? And how much voice should teachers have in determining what they need to learn?

Featured segment from Episode 12 of Education Upgrade: Why Teacher Professional Development Fails, and What Works Instead with Dr. Derek Riddle.

What if professional development wasn't something teachers had to squeeze in after work, but was actually built into the job?

Dr. Derek Riddle and I discuss the time teachers need to learn, collaborate, create curriculum, and continually improve their practice. We compare professional learning in education with other fields, examine the limitations of traditional collaboration and in-service models, and consider what schools might look like if meaningful teacher development were treated as part of the work itself.

We also explore teacher-directed professional learning, four-day instructional weeks, the expectation that new teachers enter the profession already “complete,” and the role school leaders can play in creating a culture of continual professional growth.

Featured segment from Episode 12 of Education Upgrade: Why Teacher Professional Development Fails, and What Works Instead with Dr. Derek Riddle.

What are movies and television teaching young people?

In this episode of Reel Talk, Jake Schulke and Brett Barker discuss how films and television influence the development of values, ethics, and role models during adolescence.

Beginning with the enduring appeal of the rebel archetype and ending with a discussion of modern shows like Euphoria and Breaking Bad, they explore whether entertainment simply mirrors society or actively shapes the beliefs and behaviors of its audience. Along the way, they consider the influence of storytelling on identity, morality, and the choices young people make as they grow up.

This conversation invites educators, parents, and film enthusiasts alike to think more deeply about the cultural messages embedded in the stories we consume—and the values they pass on to the next generation.