Coach teachers in and model use of online and blended learning, digital content, and collaborative learning networks to support and extend student learning as well as expand opportunities and choices for online professional development for teachers and administrators
ISTE Coaching Standards (2014)
Resonant Ideas: Online + blended learning and collaborative learning networks
To many people, online learning is synonymous with isolation. The reality, however, is quite different. I have learned through my own experience that online learning does not have to be isolating, and in some ways it is easier to connect with classmates than in a traditional classroom. Since school has moved to remote learning, I have had more in-depth meetings and conversations with my co-workers than I ever did when we were in the same physical building.
In research I did for Online Methods Support Effective Professional Development, I learned that online and blended learning for professional development (PD) can be superior to in-person instruction that is restricted by time and place. Online and blended PD can offer more choice and customization, access to mentors for ongoing advice and instruction, more options for reflection and interaction, and greater convenience for busy teachers.
Online Professional Development offers:
For my Digital Learning Environments Community Engagement Project, I developed an in-person workshop on Pair Programming with online elements that included a Google forms-based questionnaire to assess participants’ familiarity with Scratch and the option to use online Scratch tutorials during the session. I also provided a link to curated pair programming resources for teachers to access after the workshop. I think most educators now expect this blended approach to professional development.
