Using a theory-driven approach to design a professional development workshop.

Area of Science:

• Health Education
• Program Planning
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Theory-driven approaches enhance program planning effectiveness.
• Integrating behavioral science theories into professional development is crucial for impactful training.
• Systematic application of theory in educational design is often underutilized.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a theory-driven approach for designing and evaluating professional development workshops.
• To model the use of behavioral science theory as a teaching strategy.
• To enhance educators' capacity for theory-informed program development.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Theory of Planned Behavior to structure a 6-hour professional development workshop.
• Employed theory modeling as a core teaching strategy.
• Focused on practical application of behavioral theory in program design.

Main Results:

• The workshop significantly increased participants' intention to use theory in program design (P <.0001).
• Demonstrated a feasible method for integrating behavioral theory into workshop content.
• Participants showed increased confidence in applying theoretical frameworks.

Conclusions:

• Educators can systematically use theory, such as the Theory of Planned Behavior, to develop, implement, and evaluate professional development.
• This methodology is applicable to workshops, staff training, and curriculum development for professionals and consumers.
• Theory-driven program planning leads to measurable improvements in participants' intentions and potential practice.