Online Professional Development

[Eric Lawson]

I have found as a technology integration specialist that my main job is to create professional development for teachers in hopes that they will use it throughout their daily teachings. The problem is always time. I have the time to meet with teachers as I don't teach a class my self, but finding time to touch base with the teachers has been a real issue in my district, especially as I work between two schools. I offer early morning "Quick Tips" classes before the school day, and offer after school courses that are more formal. Attendance is something that can be a problem though. There are days when teachers cannot get there due to other commitments and then there are days that I have too many sitting in a class to really instruct all of them as they are at so many different levels.

I recently took two online masters courses from Lesley University and it has inspired me to start a program in my district for online professional development. This way teachers can learn at their own pace and find courses that match their own skill level. It will also be helpful to me to be able to touch base individually with them through email or instant message using our district First Class account. Now, I just have to start creating courses. Yikes!

I know there are some great tools and websites out there that will help me in developing these courses. I have bookmarked LearnTheNet.com and TeacherTube for many of the quick tutorials and videos, but I was wondering if any of you have worked on any type of online professional development courses. I want to create web streaming video tutorials and step-by-step programs that will allow a teacher to use the software as they learn it as well. Any ideas, insight or advice would be gladly appreciated.

[Janice Friesen]

Eric,

I facilitate courses with PBS TeacherLine and Connected University. I have never created a course, but I want to HIGHLY recommend that you get and read a book called: Facilitating Online Learning
http://www.amazon.com/Facilitating-Online-Learning-Strategies-Moder... There are some skills to facilitating a course well that make them worthwhile and keep participants interested and engaged rather than dropping out. It is very different from f2f teaching.

Janice