However, practitioners are counted among the experts and achieve greater prominence as workshop leaders . Content experts from outside the system are still welcome and encouraged. It is rarely known if the training even impacted practice in any way. Learning plans, developed by participants, result in much richer evaluation data about the professional development experience . Professional development has a greater chance of positively influencing practice since learning goals are selected by the participants, based on issues that are personally significant.
Participants determine goals and the criteria and means for evaluating learning.
Learning is documented throughout the entire process. Enhanced student achievement may result from participants' learning. Professional development informs evaluation of student progress but should not be used to define student progress since many complex factors impact student achievement Administrators determine appropriate professional development activities based on their perceptions of participants' learning needs. Administrators play an important role in exposing participants to information and ideas through an inquiry- based system of training, allowing participants to become involved in determining professional development activities . As opportunities increase for professional learning that move away from traditional approaches to inquiry-based approaches, the potential will increase for significant and lasting school change and increased student achievement.