What are your thoughts about effective professional
development strategies?
Professional development is extremely important to teachers
and their ability to prepare all students for the ever changing world. Staying
up to date with new technologies and developments in education is imperative
for teachers, but to do so requires time outside of the classroom working with
colleagues and in professional development classes or sessions. PD needs to
occur on a regular basis instead of just one session at the beginning of the
year to be more effective for all involved. I personally think it is very
important for teachers to receive professional development that relates to
their content area. I have worked in schools where I had to sit through many PD
sessions that really did not relate to my content (art) in any way. I tried to
make the best of these sessions and pick up some teaching strategies or
management techniques but overall could not wait for the session to end. I really do think that Virginia Beach City
Public Schools (VBCPS) has a great way to implement professional development,
since they have chosen that a few PD sessions will be district wide and then
left the rest up to the individual schools so that the PD is more relative to
all.
What is the PD
strategy or strategies you plan to use in your Technology Initiative?
The PD strategy that I plan to use in my Technology
Initiative will consist of Coaching and Mentoring. Working with the Computer
Resource Specialist (CRS) and all teachers interested in incorporating the iPad
into their classroom, I believe that this will be a very effective way to learn
to use the iPads effectively. Teachers will be teaching and learning what works
and does not work from each other. The more technology savvy teachers could be
more of mentors along with the CRS.
Please also share any literature or resources you are
using to refine your focus and develop your plan.
There are an abundant amount of resources online that I am
trying to go through to determine which ones may be the best to start out with.
Some of the resources that I am looking at currently are:
There is a huge list of materials that can be delivered
online and also through iOS devices for self-directed learners and self-paced
learners working with mentors and coaches.
This is a beginner’s guide for i-devices in Education. This
site also discusses the challenges of how to effectively deploy these devices
in schools.
This site is specifically about iPads in Art Education.
You are so right about teachers being required to sit through pd that is not relevant. That's why it is so important for teachers to collaborate and decide what is needed for their classrooms and school.
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