Professional Development
in the 21st Century
Learning is finding out what you already know. Doing is demonstrating that you know it. Teaching is reminding others that they know just as well as you. You are all learners, doers, teachers. Anon.
Cultivate
Cultivating a global shared vision for 21st Century Professional Learning is imperative. Students’ expectations are that their teachers will provide them with the ICT knowledge and skills which will empower them to function effectively now and in a future marked by increasing change, evolving technologies, and the phenomenal growth of information. Likewise, educators expect they will be provided with professional learning opportunities that will support them in transforming their classrooms into digital-age learning environments. These opportunities must focus on the knowledge and skills educators need so that they can provide digital-age learning at all levels and across all content areas.
Focus
❏ Increase in understanding of various frameworks to support Coaching, Mentoring, and Leadership in Professional Development
❏ Consider the forecasts for the future of Professional Development and its impact on learning.
❏ Survey through a Needs Assessment and related resources to support 21st Century Teaching and Learning
❏ Review and refine a Needs Assessment to align with Professional Development opportunities for 21st Century Teaching and Learning
❏ Explore various models of Professional Development to support 21st Century Teaching and Learning
❏ Integrate or embed resources and models into Professional Development Action Plans that align with Needs Assessment Results
❏ Plan for ongoing engagement in a portal designed for educators to become active participants and contributors to a PLN.
Plan
In order to plan for intentional professional development, a school or a district must begin with a Needs Assessment to determine where teachers are and to project what their goals are in terms of becoming digital-age teachers. The NCLTI Readiness Assessment, (North Carolina Learning Technology Initiative) has developed rubrics that districts and schools can use to provide a realistic assessment of the daily impact of programs and services on the teaching and learning process, an objective comparison of an individual program with state and national standards and recommendations offers an opportunity for self-assessment. The NCTLI is based on Technology Standards & Performance Indicators for Students & Teachers (ISTE NETS-S, ISTE NETS-T), the NC IMPACT Guidelines, Texas Star Chart, and NC Learning Technology Initiative (NCLTI) Framework for Planning. This rubric provides a global perspective of school media and technology programs at both the building and system levels. . One section of this survey is based on Professional Development and includes six components to be measured,
Professional Development
PD1 Professional Development Experiences
PD2 Models of Professional Development
PD3 Educator Capability
PD4 Participation in Technology-‐ Driven Professional Development
PD5 Levels of Understanding
PD6 Student Training
A rubric is provided for a teacher to advance toward the target in each of these areas to demonstrate levels of readiness for 21sr Century professional development with the 4 tier rubric ranging from
Early (Starting) Technology
Developing Technology
Advanced (Prepared) Technology
Target Computing
Having educators individually assess where they see themselves in terms of technology professional development and the Target Computing descriptors, individuals can set up their own professional growth chart and districts can set up a fully developed professional development plan to meet all teachers’ needs.
NTLI believes that one of the most effective ways to determine how well school technology programs are meeting the needs of students, teachers, staff, and the community is through self-reflection and discussion by the school leadership team. There are other Technology Needs Assessments such as Profiler Pro, which assesses individuals’ levels of readiness and a composite score for a group so that professional development can be offered individually, in small groups, and system-wide.
Secondly, having a roadmap and a vision are essential in order for 21st century professional development to be successful. These provide educators with a shared language and understanding of digital-age needs and conditions that must be developed to ensure a 21st Century Learning Environment and Culture. A variety of resources must be carefully considered and prioritized collectively and individually, followed by successful strategies for addressing challenges that might arise.
Frameworks for Professional Development will be explored to provide participants with shared language and an understanding of digital-age needs. Participants will collaboratively develop essential conditions that must be in place to ensure a 21st Century Learning Environment and Culture. The essential conditions must be prioritized collectively and individually followed by the development of strategies. A variety of resources should be explored so that professional development attendees can add these to their cache of implementation tools. To offer further support, challenges and successes will be identified and shared, and then future-focused strategies will be developed so that participants will leave the workshop with a plan for moving forward in their professional development endeavors.
Needs Based
With the increase of technology, various types of professional development can be provided to meet educators’ needs including, but not limited to:
· Face-to-face
· Blended learning
· Online
· Just-in-time
· Personal Learning Networks
· Social Media
·
All 21st century professional development opportunities must be:
- Engaging
- Purposeful
- 21st Century Skills-Focused ,
And must:
- Offer opportunities for continued learning before and beyond the event
- Lead participants in developing an Action Plan-
- oriented for applying knowledge and skills learn
- Offer opportunities for communication and collaboration
- Provide opportunities for technology exploration and integration.
Following these simple steps will result in a robust and vibrant 21st Century Professional Development experience.
How Can STI Help You?
Email: sales@sti-k12.com
Website: sti-k12.com
Location: 739 N University Blvd, Mobile, AL, United States
Phone: (800) 844-0884