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Examining Professional Development Opportunities Examining Professional Development Opportunities
Effective teachers assume a professional responsibility for their ongoing development and update of pedagogical and
content-based skills. Wiliam (2013) maintains that research from the past decade has identified teacher quality as “the
most important variable in most education systems.” A student taught by a highly proficient teacher is able to learn in
only six months what an averagely proficient teacher enables in one year. The least effective teacher will need two years
to effect the same advancement in student learning. Wiliam argues that teachers need to follow the research and develop
practices that are likely to improve classroom instruction and learning.
National Content-specific Conferences, Workshops, Seminars
Contributors to the Triangle Coalition for STEM Education (2011) present a number of reasons that large national
conferences benefit educators. The positive tone of such conferences highlights the important professional challenges
for educators and situates some of the perceived bureaucratic obstacles in the background. National conferences are
typically able to host an extensive array of speakers and workshops. Acclaimed researchers and practitioners, of national
and international repute, provide a special stimulus for classroom teachers. The forum for sharing and exchanging
ideas at a national conference provides encouragement and opportunity for teachers to reflect on their own current
practice. Networking generates new and valuable contacts with other educators who may offer collaboration, support, or
opportunities to make career moves.
State Content-specific Conferences, Workshops, Seminars
Many state-sponsored opportunities are available for all forms of professional development for teachers. Conferences,
workshops, and seminars include events with a focus on new state initiatives and those that provide a boost for teachers
on the implementation of establishedcurriculum areas.
Local Content-specific Conferences, Workshops, Seminars
Local workshops provide an inexpensive opportunity to meet like-minded professionals and participate in professional
development on a specific topic. Workshops are typically one day in duration and many of them are inexpensive or
offered for free. Harry Wong (2002) stresses the importance of professional development for new teachers. A proposed
model includes an initial workshop over several days, followed by “systematic training over two or three years.”
Face-to-Face Content Specific Opportunities
Face-to-face meetings provide rich opportunities to develop professional relationships with like-minded educators.
The personal bonding that results from such meetings can be a powerful catalyst for continued online collaboration.
Disadvantages include the demands on a teacher’s agenda of being at a specified venue at a designated time. Time
away from family and the classroom may be difficult to manage. Financial outlay may also be incurred for travel and
accommodation.
Courses, seminars, workshops. A variety of face-to-face courses, seminars, and workshops is accessible to teachers
at local, state, and national level. Opportunities are offered by universities as well as academic institutions such as
museums, state education departments, and others.
Online Content Specific Opportunities
Content specific opportunities are available from a range of professional organizations, universities, public institutions,
and individual teachers who have a passion for sharing ideas and materials on the Web.
Courses, blogs, wikis. Blogs and wikis enable educators to share ideas within professional learning communities.
Furthermore, physical location and distance offer no restrictions to communities that can extend beyond schools, states,
or even countries. The sole teacher of a specialist subject is no longer isolated from colleagues when the digital world
enables online collaboration. Ferriter (2009) explains how “thousands of accomplished educators are now writing blogs
about teaching and learning.” Tools are available to improve the efficiency of identifying and viewing examples of relevant
online content from blogs and wikis. Ferriter recommends the use of a RSS (really simple syndication) feed reader. Feed
readers are tools that automatically check for content updates on Web sites of favorite or selected contributors. Much
effort is saved by avoiding the need to manually search a range of blogs and wikis. Examples of RSS tools are Pageflakes
(www.pageflakes.com), and Bloglines (www.bloglines.com). Teachers with word processing skills and ideas to share are
Effective teachers assume a professional responsibility for their ongoing development and update of pedagogical and
content-based skills. Wiliam (2013) maintains that research from the past decade has identified teacher quality as “the
most important variable in most education systems.” A student taught by a highly proficient teacher is able to learn in
only six months what an averagely proficient teacher enables in one year. The least effective teacher will need two years
to effect the same advancement in student learning. Wiliam argues that teachers need to follow the research and develop
practices that are likely to improve classroom instruction and learning.
National Content-specific Conferences, Workshops, Seminars
Contributors to the Triangle Coalition for STEM Education (2011) present a number of reasons that large national
conferences benefit educators. The positive tone of such conferences highlights the important professional challenges
for educators and situates some of the perceived bureaucratic obstacles in the background. National conferences are
typically able to host an extensive array of speakers and workshops. Acclaimed researchers and practitioners, of national
and international repute, provide a special stimulus for classroom teachers. The forum for sharing and exchanging
ideas at a national conference provides encouragement and opportunity for teachers to reflect on their own current
practice. Networking generates new and valuable contacts with other educators who may offer collaboration, support, or
opportunities to make career moves.
State Content-specific Conferences, Workshops, Seminars
Many state-sponsored opportunities are available for all forms of professional development for teachers. Conferences,
workshops, and seminars include events with a focus on new state initiatives and those that provide a boost for teachers
on the implementation of establishedcurriculum areas.
Local Content-specific Conferences, Workshops, Seminars
Local workshops provide an inexpensive opportunity to meet like-minded professionals and participate in professional
development on a specific topic. Workshops are typically one day in duration and many of them are inexpensive or
offered for free. Harry Wong (2002) stresses the importance of professional development for new teachers. A proposed
model includes an initial workshop over several days, followed by “systematic training over two or three years.”
Face-to-Face Content Specific Opportunities
Face-to-face meetings provide rich opportunities to develop professional relationships with like-minded educators.
The personal bonding that results from such meetings can be a powerful catalyst for continued online collaboration.
Disadvantages include the demands on a teacher’s agenda of being at a specified venue at a designated time. Time
away from family and the classroom may be difficult to manage. Financial outlay may also be incurred for travel and
accommodation.
Courses, seminars, workshops. A variety of face-to-face courses, seminars, and workshops is accessible to teachers
at local, state, and national level. Opportunities are offered by universities as well as academic institutions such as
museums, state education departments, and others.
Online Content Specific Opportunities
Content specific opportunities are available from a range of professional organizations, universities, public institutions,
and individual teachers who have a passion for sharing ideas and materials on the Web.
Courses, blogs, wikis. Blogs and wikis enable educators to share ideas within professional learning communities.
Furthermore, physical location and distance offer no restrictions to communities that can extend beyond schools, states,
or even countries. The sole teacher of a specialist subject is no longer isolated from colleagues when the digital world
enables online collaboration. Ferriter (2009) explains how “thousands of accomplished educators are now writing blogs
about teaching and learning.” Tools are available to improve the efficiency of identifying and viewing examples of relevant
online content from blogs and wikis. Ferriter recommends the use of a RSS (really simple syndication) feed reader. Feed
readers are tools that automatically check for content updates on Web sites of favorite or selected contributors. Much
effort is saved by avoiding the need to manually search a range of blogs and wikis. Examples of RSS tools are Pageflakes
(www.pageflakes.com), and Bloglines (www.bloglines.com). Teachers with word processing skills and ideas to share are
