Hey Coach, 

As the pandemic minimizes our opportunities to gather together for school-wide professional development, what are some alternatives for our administration team to consider in order to ensure continuous learning opportunities for our teachers?

Sincerely,
Puzzled about PD

Dear Puzzled,

Great question! COVID-19 has definitely impacted the way we teach and learn in many ways, and this includes professional development for teachers. But don’t worry. There are many safe and effective options. If we’re looking on the bright side, this situation offers us a great opportunity to move beyond the traditional sit-and-get PD. By taking advantage of professional development strategies such as MOOCS, PLNs, and Online PD, we can shift PD for teachers the same way we work to shift education for students - through the power of personalization.

Personal Learning Networks (PLNs)

PLNs are a personalized approach to Professional Development in which educators and experts all around the world are connected to learn from each other. These connections can take place through attending online webinars, reading and commenting on blogs, participating in Twitter chats, curating online content through a bookmarking tool, and more! (You can find several suggestions for growing your PLN in our recent blog post!) PLNs give educators, coaches, and school and district leaders a forum to answer questions, share their expertise, and converse about their work in education. 

A strong PLN is characterized by its three parts--the personalization, the learning, and the network. In terms of personalization, it is especially important that educators find support in the areas with which they struggle. Educators should feel that their personal needs were addressed through the resources they find and the conversations they have within their PLN. That’s when the learning happens. With a PLN, educators gain access to each other’s ideas, resources, and expertise. Learn more about PLNs in Tom Whitby’s Edutopia article, How Do I Get a PLN?

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)

MOOCs are free online courses for which anyone may register. Popular partners include edX, Coursera, and FutureLearn. MOOCs are usually self-paced and structured similarly to traditional courses. They have a syllabus, which includes opportunities to watch pre-recorded lectures, read articles, participate in online discussions, and complete assessments on the course’s content. Find an introduction to the concept of MOOCs in this brief video from EDUCAUSE.

A strong MOOC is characterized by a variety of learning opportunities. Some of the courses even have options for meet-ups to occur with people who are taking the courses at the same time. (These meet-ups can, of course, be held virtually!) MOOCs differ from a traditional classroom experience because they do not have a specified meeting time or due dates. However, we know that an Individual Path is an essential condition of personalized learning and an excellent approach towards achieving mastery.

Online Professional Development

Online Professional Development takes place virtually and does not require face-to-face attendance as a traditional PD session would. As we know, face-to-face Professional Development often comes with costs for travel and substitute teachers. To add to that, many times teachers are stuck in PD that is not useful to them because of the one-size-fits-all approach. With virtual PD, districts can save money while also providing personalized learning opportunities for teachers. 

Online PD can take place in the form of video conferencing, live sessions, or pre-recorded sessions. Whatever the format, the content should address the teachers’ specific needs and there should be opportunities for the teacher to walk away with something they can immediately put into practice. When done thoughtfully, online PD can be an effective approach. If you’re looking for personalized online professional development, we highly recommend our iTeach Professional Learning Roadtrip, which includes four self-paced learning cycles and just-in-time coaching support from KSU iTeach coaches.

I hope this post has introduced some options to ensure continuous learning opportunities for educators everywhere. These organic styles of professional development can be utilized to meet the individual needs of teachers and provide ongoing support, despite the challenges we are facing today. Let us know how it goes - you can find us on Twitter @KSUiTeach, using the hashtag #HeyiTeachCoach!

All the best,
Coach