Citation

Greytak EA, Kosciw JG, Boesen MJ. J. School Violence 2013; 12(1): 80-97.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/15388220.2012.731586

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Ensuring a safe and welcoming school environment for all students, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students, is an important responsibility of educators. Yet research indicates that educators regularly fail to take action in the face of anti-LGBT bias and are often not equipped to address these issues. Professional development training programs are becoming a popular method for developing educators' capacity to support LGBT students and combat anti-LGBT bias. However, little is known about the effectiveness of these training programs. This article reviews the current literature on in-service professional development regarding LGBT issues and examines findings from an evaluation of a district-wide training program.

RESULTS suggest that a brief training can be effective in changing beliefs and self-efficacy. The findings also demonstrate the different needs and training effects for various groups of educators (teachers, administrators, and school-based mental health providers). This article then provides recommendations for research and practice.

Language: en

Keywords

LGBT youth; educators; bullying and harassment; professional development; training evaluation