As educators we all dread the words Professional Development (PD). It is just something that makes teachers feel as if they have wasted valuable time that could have been used for something else. As long as students' needs and experiences keep changing, we will still need to engage in PD to learn the tools to connect with them. According to Weidenseld and Bashevis (2013), "teachers report a lack of respect from district personnel in regard to their time and their opinions about PD. (p. 105)." They go on to say that "empowering teachers to select the types of PD and compensating them for time outside the workday would help improve teacher attitudes and participation. (p. 105)."
In the video below, Eric Sheninger says we have to change to meet the students where they are.
First off, I think that learning can occur with so many different resources and in a lot of different places. There is no one right way to learn or to teach. Teachers have to practice their methods and they have to do so in a way that compliments their personality. Brown and Green (2020) say, "As a novice instructional designer developing your own repertoire of instructional activities, it is important to experiment with those that have the greatest potential to positively affect your students' achievement. (p.147)." At the same time, teachers have to think about their learners and how to keep them engaged and motivated.
We can do this with students and adults by including things they will enjoy. Things like videos, activities to collaborate, small projects that can be done quickly. Something I think is a great tool is Padlet. If you have not used it before, you can access a free trial here. This has unique ways to collaborate and share content with others synchronously or asynchronously. I have been designing ways to use it with students for the school year and I could apply that to use in PD sessions also. Below is an example screenshot of something that I am currently working on with Padlet to use as a "Get to know you" activity.
I mentioned videos before, but just watching them can be boring to some. You can help break up the video by using EdPuzzle. If you have not tried it, click here for a free trial. With EdPuzzle, you can take any video and edit it to include questions throughout. You can use YouTube videos with it as well. You can make voice recordings over the videos and include notes also. This is a good tool to keep students and adults engaged.
There are so many more ways to design and present a PD session. I know that my future will include a lot of practice with this. I will leave with a final video that is used often to inspire new educators. I first saw this video as a student in an education course. The video is of Rita Pierson, who was a great educator. She inspired students and teachers throughout her life and continues even after she has passed on. This video works and I would recommend it to any educators that have not seen it before.
Weidenseld, Y., & Bashevis, Y. (2013). Professional Development: Perspectives, Strategies and Practices. Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
Brown, A., & Green, T. D. (2020). The essentials of instructional design: Connecting fundamental principles with process and practice. Routledge.
YouTube. (2014). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwrLVvORugw.
YouTube. (2013). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFnMTHhKdkw.
