Technology as a Tool for Professional Development

Background

The Internet, CD-Roms, and tele-conferencing…these are just a few "gadgets" that testify that the age of technology is upon us. As the use of technology becomes more widespread, organizations and individuals are trading old ways for new habits. In education, technology-based professional development is a new, radical concept. Also known as "just-in-time" support, this new approach to professional development offers administrators unique ways to encourage professional growth.

Benefits

Using the more traditional practices of professional development, educators must usually wait until the next workshop or training meeting to develop their professional skills. With technology-based professional development, educators no longer need to wait. Rather, they have immediate access to professional development programs. When confronted with a problem, administrators can go online and obtain the help they need, "just-in-time."

Furthermore, these online programs create a more personalized, individualized learning environment. Unlike workshops where educators of all skill levels are lumped together, technology-based professional development allows them to work on areas they feel are weaknesses.

Examples

Most technology-based professional development uses the Internet. Many online professional development programs exist, as well as distance learning courses offered via the Internet from various universities. Other technology-based professional development programs come in the form of CD-Roms, which can be purchased online or in stores. Some educators use the Internet to engage in online mentoring or peer- coaching. Finally, teleconferencing offers schools across the nation a novel way to converse with one another and exchange information.

Since technology-based professional development is a relatively original concept, new ideas about how to use technology in this form are coming out on a systematic basis. While this field is constantly changing, the future of technology-based professional development looks promising.

Related Links

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What Is It?

Adult Learning: Creating Learning Cultures with Just-in-time Support

"Just-in-time" support is the concept of using technology to assist educators in their professional growth. This article offers twelve practical ideas of how to incorporate technology into professional development.

Log on to Learn: to reap benefits of online staff development, ask the right questions

A resource for those exploring online staff development, it covers the basics, what it looks like, benefits, access, flexibility, cost, as well as potential disadvantages. Good place to start for an overview. (From Journal of Staff Development, Summer 2000 (v21, n3))
Tools & Resources

About Technology in Schools

This is Web site from the state of Pennsylvania Link-to-Learn organization. This site looks at the impact of technology on schools systems at various levels. It also examines technology's impact on budgets, professional development, and management. The site focuses on how technology affects schools, school districts, and the school communities in general.

Professional Development

This website offers excellent resources for those interested using technology to promote professional development. Links are available to the following topics: Professional Development Theory, Resources for Professional Development, Tracking Teachers, and Workshop Resources. (From Texas Center for Educational Technology)

Professional Development: Helping Educators Master Technology

This virtual resource center links decision makers to more than 800 online courses designed to help decision makers and their staff understand and use technology software to improve school management, instruction, and learning. (From Educators' Resource Center. eSchoolNews.com)

Technology Professional Development

This website provides access to different activities created to encourage professional development. Referring professionals to this website is a good way to incorporate technology into professional development programs. (From North Central Regional Education Laboratory)

Using Technology in PD

Learn more about how to use technology to implement your professional development plan. (From North Central Regional Educational Laboratory)

Using the Web to Access On-line Educational Periodicals

This website talks about how to find, access, and use professional development content online and provides over 20 links different journals, periodicals, and magazines available on the web.

Web-Based Staff Development

This website promotes the use of technology in professional development. Resources include links to three different on-line professional development modules and multiple links to staff and professional development courses. (From From Now On: The Educational Technology Journal)
Model Programs

$1.2 Million Grant Seeks to Change Way Teachers Teach and Student Learn

Bowling Green University received an educational grant to improve teaching and learning in the classroom. Peter Woolfolk, a special assistant for communication at the U.S. Department of Education, said a key part of the proposal was Bowling Green's "approach to using technology for professional development purposes, including the interactive use of the Web page." This press release describes in more detail how this university uses technology to facilitate professional development. (From PR Release for Award Announcement)

Mississippi State Department of Education

This website tells the story of instituting a statewide infrastructure for Mississippi’s educational system to increase the use of technology. This report elaborates on using statewide video teleconferencing, on-line professional development for administrators and teachers, and other forms of technology used in Mississippi’s schools.

Organizing Educational Network Interactions: Steps towards a theory of Net-work Based Learning Environments

This article looks at the educational uses of electronic networking. It offers several recommendations and steps to take to broaden the current use of electronic networking. (From http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/Guidelines/Levin-AERA-18Ap95.html)
Selected Research & Articles

2002 Progress Report on the Long-Range Plan for Technology, 1996-2010

This 2002 progress report on Texas’ long-range plan to implement technology into its school system covers two years that brought significant changes in that state's use of technology. It includes details on how technology was incorporated into teaching, learning, educator preparation and development, and education service centers. (From Texas Education Agency)

Professional Development

This website offers links to other websites which focus on technology use in education and professional development. (From TEAMS Distance Learning)

Technology in American Schools: Seven Dimensions for Gauging Progress

A guide for policymakers and educators to use when assessing whether or not their schools provide the conditions necessary for improving student learning with technology. (From Milken Family Foundation)

The Impact of Education Technology on Student Achievement: What the Most Current Research Has to Say

This 11-page document released in June of 1999 looks at some of the large-scale state and national studies, as well as some innovative smaller studies that provide visions for new and effective uses of technology in learning and instruction. (From Milken Family Foundation)