Professional Learning Strategies: Connecting and
Communicating Ideas
My professional learning strategy for Strengthening CTE Collaboration focuses on shifting from isolated, compliance-based meetings to active, structured collaboration through CTE PLCs. Using blended learning in Canvas, the PD engages teachers in hands-on, technology-enhanced activities, including project design, peer feedback, and structured protocols, to align CTE projects with TEKS and industry standards. The plan includes ongoing support, modeling, and reflection cycles to ensure teachers can apply new strategies in real classrooms while building trust and shared responsibility within their teams, ultimately creating a sustainable culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
Ongoing and Sustained Learning
My presentation, Time to Rethink PD is to inspire meaningful change among teachers, it's essential to paint a clear and compelling picture of my vision of what a collaborative CTE environment can look like. I will ask the audience to imagine teams of educators regularly coming together to review student work, engage in professional and constructive discussion, and refine instructional strategies based on shared goals. In this new reality, CTE is no longer seen as a standalone program but as a central hub of leadership, innovation, and professional growth within the school community. I would also visually enforce this vision by sharing photos of real world classrooms, quotes from participating teachers, and student work or teacher lessons from collaboration.
The Story Behind The Story
I believe professional learning is often ineffective because it uses a one-size-fits-all approach that fails to address the unique instructional and industry-specific needs of CTE teachers, who require both content expertise and effective teaching strategies. Teachers also lack the time and ongoing support needed to implement and master new practices, as highlighted by Gulamhussein (2013), while the Mirage report (TNTP, 2015) shows that much PD does not consistently lead to improvement. I see promise in our district’s shift toward content-specific, hands-on CTE workshops and believe we need to invest in targeted, sustainable PL that bridges gaps for industry-trained educators. By promoting and developing alternative PL that strengthens both industry knowledge and teaching practice, I can advocate for a model that better supports CTE teachers, aligning with my servant leadership approach to advance instructional quality on our campus and within the district.
For this Professional Learning Plan, I will be implementing a structured, blended professional learning plan that transitions CTE teachers from isolated, compliance-based meetings to active, collaborative PLCs. This plan includes co-designing industry-aligned, TEKS-based projects with CTE teachers. It focuses on practicing structured collaboration through protocols such as project tuning and peer feedback. Teachers will participate in ongoing reflection and refinement cycles. The plan also incorporates technology-enhanced, hands-on learning in Canvas so teachers can apply new strategies directly to their classroom practice. I will also implement ongoing support systems to ensure teachers have the time, feedback, and coaching needed to build confidence and consistency in collaborative, student-centered instruction.
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The goal of using this approach is to create deep, lasting, and transformational learning—not just knowledge transfer. CTE teachers are both learners and leaders, and Fink’s model addresses their cognitive, emotional, and reflective needs. In practice, learning outcomes are written across six dimensions: foundational knowledge, application, integration, human dimension, caring, and learning how to learn. Activities are intentionally tied to real work, such as implementation plans and mentorship design, ensuring relevance and practical application. Reflection and leadership growth are central to this approach, woven throughout the course rather than treated as side notes, to support CTE teachers in growing as reflective practitioners and collaborative leaders.
BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal)-Overarching Unit Goal: By the end of the year, CTE teams will work together to design hands-on, industry-focused learning that builds teacher effectiveness, gets students more engaged, and prepares them for careers.
9 Month Learning PD Model Timeline
The 9-month Strengthening CTE Collaboration PD model guides CTE teachers through structured, ongoing learning that blends hands-on, technology-enhanced activities with collaborative PLC practices. Teachers engage in co-designing industry-aligned, TEKS-based projects, participate in reflection and feedback cycles, and practice using collaborative protocols to strengthen instructional alignment and real-world connections. This model provides consistent support and coaching across the year, ensuring teachers can confidently apply new strategies in their classrooms while building a sustainable culture of collaboration.
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Strengthening CTE PLCs Through Collaboration
Strengthening CTE Teacher Collaboration Models
Professional Development Outline
The following is a comprehensive outline for an alternative professional development (PD) plan focused on CTE Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and strengthening collaboration. This outline aligns with best practices from Darling-Hammond et al. (2017), Fink’s Significant Learning framework, and the goals of innovation-based PD from Gulamhussein, A. (2013).
Collaboration
The collaboration strategy for this plan is:​
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Small teacher teams (3-5) in CTE pathways to plan together.
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Establish a Consistent Meeting Schedule
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Work together to plan, observe and refine lessons
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Provide instructional coaching within PLCs to strengthen teaching methods
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Audience
Leadership and Roles
The leadership for this professional learning will be:
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CTE teacher leaders who will model instruction and facilitate team meetings
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CTE teacher participants who will co-develop and test new teaching approaches, while evaluating effectiveness
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Admin/Instructional Coaches will provide protected time, monitor progress, support sustainability
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District CTE Coordinator to align vision, provide PD resources, invite industry partners
The intended audience for this alternative professional learning plan includes middle and high school CTE teachers, instructional coaches, directors and campus leaders. The purpose for this alternative professional learning is to encourage teachers from different subject areas to work together more often by sharing ideas, planning lessons, and creating projects that connect to different CTE content areas. This would also help strengthen instructional alignment. This initiative ensures that classroom instruction aligns with curriculum goals, TEKS, and industry standards.
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​The need for strengthening CTE teacher collaboration models is relevant because teachers need time, structure, and support to move from isolation to integrated, collaborative planning and teaching.
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​CTE teachers will use this PD to design and implement industry-aligned, student-centered projects that connect their content to academic standards. They will apply tools like structured feedback and collaborative lesson planning to refine and strengthen their teaching practices. This will help them move from working in isolation to working in teams, increasing student engagement and real-world learning in their classrooms.
Professional Learning Plan
​This implementation overview shows how my instructional design, Strengthening CTE Collaboration, will incorporate a blended digital learning environment in Canvas by guiding CTE teachers through structured PLCs, peer feedback protocols, and co-design of industry-aligned projects to build collaborative skills while actively applying learning in their classrooms.
The teaching methods in this 9 month PD align with the knowledge and skills CTE teachers need in a digital age by modeling blended and online collaboration practices they can use with their students. Teachers experience asynchronous learning, virtual discussions, and digital resource curation, reflecting the realities of modern instructional environments. Active learning strategies (discussion boards, peer feedback, collaborative planning) mirror the digital and collaborative problem-solving skills they will need to foster in students and themselves. Additionally, the course models flexible, technology-enhanced learning, while building teachers’ confidence in navigating digital platforms while focusing on real-world, job-embedded application of collaboration models relevant to CTE.​
Through this coursework, I am committed to creating and sustaining structured, meaningful collaboration among CTE teachers through PLCs. I will support them with framework, coaching, and feedback cycles to confidently align CTE content with academic standards while improving instructional practices.
Duarte, N. (2010). Nancy Duarte uncovers common structure of greatest communicators [Video]. TEDx. https://youtu.be/1nYFpuc2Umk
Fink, L. D. (2003). A self-directed guide to designing courses for significant learning. University of Oklahoma. https://www.bu.edu/sph/files/2014/03/www.deefinkandassociates.com_GuidetoCourseDesignAug05.pdf
Gulamhussein, A. (2013). Teaching the teachers: Effective professional development in an era of high stakes accountability. Center for Public Education.
http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/system/files/2013-176_ProfessionalDevelopment.pdf
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​Goodwin, B. (2015). Does teacher collaboration promote teacher growth? Educational Leadership, 73(4), 82 to 83. http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/dec15/vol73/num04/Does-Teacher-Collaboration-Promote-Teacher-Growth%C2%A2.aspx
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Harapnuik, D., Thibodeaux, T., Cummings, C. (2018). Choice, ownership, and voice through authentic learning [eBook]. Creative Commons License. http://tilisathibodeaux.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/COVA_eBook_Jan_2018.pdf
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Wei, R. C., Darling-Hammond, L., Andree, A., Richardson, N., & Orphanos, S. (2009). Professional learning in the learning profession: A status report on teacher development in the U.S. and abroad. National Staff Development Council.
References
Master's in Education Educational Technology Leadership
- Stephanie Scaletta E-Portfolio is an eportfolio designed to showcase classwork and specific projects for a Master's course. The focus is on highlighting skills and demonstrating work through the featured projects. The eportfolio will also include links to EDLD 5389 and EDLD 5318.