PD Magazine 356 OECS PD Magazine NEW (2) | Page 22

The OECS PD Model T he OECS PD Model is an adaptation of the Student at the Center of Learning Framework which puts the student at the centre of all teaching and learning activities. It is founded on multiple research-based models of instruction and principles or tenets of learning that keep the focus on the student, resulting in a solid approach to instruction that meets various standards of quality. The model aims at deeper learning reflected in knowledge, skills and dispositions required for successful academic and civic life from the classroom into life-long experiences. Educators in the OECS recognize a parallel between evidence-based teaching designed for students, as exemplified in the framework, and evidence-based approaches to teacher professional development. Some of the basic principles of evidence-based TPD are that it should focus on the needs of the teacher, ultimately with a view to meeting students’ needs; that it should be continuous; that it may take various forms, times and spaces and that it should result in the teacher’s growth as a professional and a practitioner. Therefore, a technical team comprising members of the EDMU of the OECS Commission, one teacher educator from St Lucia, one ELP National Focal Point from Grenada and one consultant team member from Canada decided to use the Student at the Centre of Learning Framework as the base for the development of the OECS PD Model. The result is a simple adaptation of the original framework. The original model and the adaptation are presented below. 17