NCPEA Education Leadership Review is a nationally refereed journal published two times a year, in Winter (April), and Fall (October) by the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration. Editor: Kenneth Lane, Southeastern Louisiana University; Assistant Editor: Gerard Babo, Seton Hall University; Founding Editor: Theodore Creighton, Virginia Tech.

The effective use of education knowledge can accelerate and enhance nationwide efforts to eliminate achievement, proficiency and system-based gaps, but how do you go about converting research knowledge into every day practice? How can knowledge generated from research be developed, applied and effectively used in preK-12 public education?

This paper describes a promising professional learning model used to convert relevant education knowledge into every day practice and build instructional leadership and organization capacity. This model, to Practice from Theory Professional Learning Action Network (the PT PLAN) was developed to support and guide the transformational work of school districts in the central region of California. This work benefits practitioners and researchers in education and other organizations who are looking for an effective approach in converting theory to practice and advances our understanding of research knowledge transfer in education.

The professional learning model used to convert research knowledge to practice was built on the theoretical underpinnings of knowledge utilization, closing the knowing-doing and system-based gaps, adult learning theory, communities of practice, skilled facilitation and coaching, and the use of quality processes and tools as an important leadership competency.

The literature is filled with varying and differing definitions of research dissemination and knowledge utilization. Many researchers distinguish between conceptual use of knowledge, which Huberman (1992) described as “changes in levels of knowledge, understanding, or attitude,” and instrumental use, “changes in behavior and practice” (p.6). For this paper, knowledge utilization means not only the dissemination of research information, but also the integration of approaches designed to promote conceptual and instrumental use. The term “knowledge utilization” generally refers to the systematic application of professional wisdom and findings of high quality research to improve education outcomes for students. Knowledge utilization activities are typically dynamic and structured interaction among key stakeholders, including researchers, developers, disseminators, technical assistance providers, practitioners, and policy makers (Kohlmos & Joftus, 2005). Hutchinson and Huberman (1993) described a shift in the perspectives on knowledge use from one where the flow of knowledge is a one-way process purported in Havelock’s 1969 research-development-dissemination-evaluation model to the perspective where the user “acts upon information by relating it to existing knowledge, imposing meaning and organization on the experience and, in many cases, monitoring understanding throughout the process” and is viewed as “an active problem-solver and a constructor of his/her own knowledge, rather than as a more passive receptacle of information and expertise” (p. 2).

Additionally, there has been a major shift from thinking about knowledge residing with individuals to thinking about knowledge as embedded in a group or community. Intellectual communities play an important role in which practitioners do their work to profoundly improve outcomes for students. Senge (1990) specifically speaks to this point as he described the importance of “learning communities” as places “where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free, and where people are continually learning how to learn together” (cited in Garvin, 1998, p.49). Wenger and Synder (2002) contended that knowledge is developed as people actively participate in practices of a social community such as a work team.

School systems must continuously improve and find new ways to significantly accelerate student learning. Before districts and schools can improve their capacity to help students learn, they must first become “learning organizations - skilled at creating, acquiring, and transferring knowledge, and at modifying [their] behavior to reflect new knowledge and insights” (Garvin, 1998, p. 51). Transformational work requires large-scale systems change where schools and districts learn from each other. Fullan (2006) refers to this as “lateral capacity building” and views it as “absolutely crucial for system reform” (p. 10).

The organizational form adopted as a core component of the professional learning model (PT PLAN) is what Wenger and Synder (2002) describe as communities of practice, networks of professionals that exist to develop members’ capacities, build and exchange knowledge, translate and transfer best practices, and solve “problems of practice.” Professional learning leadership practice communities were used as an approach to move beyond “pockets of excellence” within and across districts to create greater alignment, integration, consistency and coherence throughout systems. Wagner et al. (2006) describe these leadership practice communities as an approach for “developing individual leaders’ capacities and for generating higher performance throughout the system” (p. 77).

The PT PLAN addresses the challenges of knowing-doing and system-based gaps. As Pfeffer and Sutton (2000) espoused, just knowing is not enough - knowledge about how to enhance organizational performance must be converted into actions consistent with that knowledge.

Cornerstone to the professional learning model is the knowledge and use of adult learning theory, skilled coaching and facilitation, and quality processes and tools (Bens, 2005; Tague, 2005; Hargrove, 2003). The important points of adult learning theory noted by Speck (1996) and the National Staff Development Council’s (NSCD) Standards for Staff Development (revised 2001) provided the foundation for the selection, design, and delivery of professional learning processes, activities, and tools. Skillful facilitation and coaching is at the heart of the PT PLAN. The model draws upon the method of masterful coaching and the guiding ideas of triple loop learning (Hargrove, 2003). Facilitation and coaching competencies were central to building participant capacity and converting knowledge to action. A facilitative approach was adopted that focused not only on each participating member taking ownership for leading, but all members becoming skilled facilitators as well. Skillful facilitation was viewed as a core leadership competency (Bens, 2005).

The journey began with the award of a Fund for the Improvement of Education federal grant to a California-based non-profit support provider (Pivot Learning Partners [PLP] formerly known as Springboard Schools) in collaboration with the Central Valley Educational Leadership Institute (CVELI) at California State University, Fresno. Recognizing that districts in the central region of California have limited access to external support for improvement due to their isolated locations, small size, and generally tight budget constraints, the PLP/CVELI partnership focused on creating a comprehensive professional development opportunity that specifically targeted resource-poor districts that may be unable to afford such improvement without the economies of scale that the Network approach provides. The Central Valley Leadership Network (CVLN) was formed and this three-year project focused on developing, applying and using knowledge generated from research (Leadership Cycle: A Mental Model for Change) to advance transformational work in preK -12 public education.

The PT PLAN model provides educators at multiple levels of the system (school site to the central office) with a networked approach to high quality professional development and on-site coaching and skilled facilitation follow-up. The PLP/CVELI Partnership provided participating educators through PT PLAN access to the latest in research-based knowledge and practice and ongoing guidance and support to institute fundamental changes needed over the long-term in their districts. The partnership played a critical role in research knowledge utilization as external intermediaries, partner consultants.

The professional learning model (Figure 1) adheres to the NSDC Context Staff Development Standards in which (a) adults are organized into learning communities whose goals are aligned with the participating districts, (b) the primary focus is to build capacity of skillful leaders who guide continuous instructional and organizational improvement, and (c) resources are provided to support adult learning and collaboration.

Figure 1. Professional Learning Model

Based on findings derived from an array and comprehensive set of monitoring and evaluation instruments and methods used to collect data over the course of the journey and implementation of PT PLAN, the following are lessons learned:

Evidence suggests that what happens in school systems matters, and quality practices at all levels of the system profoundly impacts student achievement. American education is filled with instances in which students with similar backgrounds and traits achieve very different results. Educator proficiency is an absolute requirement for student proficiency, and the extent to which society develops and uses its human capacity is a chief determinant of its prosperity (Auguste, Hancock, & Laboissiere, 2009). So often compelling and promising knowledge research remains compelling only on paper - never really utilized, never converted to action or change in practice. Understanding the professional learning approaches that are high impact and useful in converting knowledge to leadership actions and building organization and instructional leadership capacity are essential to closing the knowing-doing and system-based gaps that significantly impact students’ life chances and the nation’s economy. This paper presented one promising professional learning model, to Practice from Theory Professional Learning Action Network (the PT PLAN).