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Using protocols

The National School Reform Faculty® (NSRF®) is a professional development initiative that focuses on increasing student achievement through skillful use of collaborative professional learning communities called Critical Friends Groups use protocols and activities that result in meaningful and efficient communication, problem solving and learning.

From site: "We reveal the winners of our first The Scientist Video Awards, picked by professional judges and our readers. You can watch the winning videos and runners-up below, and read comments from our professional judges about what makes each video great."

From the website: "Moodle Meets are free, one week online courses, or "Professional Learning Potlucks", led by experienced educators. Moodle Meet topics focus on the resources and skills needed to use technology in the classroom as well as on the skills needed to teach and learn in a virtual environment."

Lots to wrestle with here: Bottom line - be wise, professional, kind, and have integrity. If we all followed these, there would be on problem

Understanding and applying technologies to the teaching of writing - as well as understanding concepts associated with them such as copyright and fair use - has become the professionally responsible way to teach writing . professional organizations such as NCTE NWP IRA ISTE the Center for Media Literacy and others have moved quickly and clearly in the past few years to show that integrating technology across content areas, including the teaching of writing, is critical for creating students who are literate in a variety of ways.

Good advice to those who plan professional development

This item will be referenced in my paper, but is not a part of the 3 item diigo annotated bibliography. This professional learning community blog discusses how PLC's and Communities of Practice can enable e-Learning community members to engage more with each other, to help define/discuss/debate e-learning theory, pedagogy and practice.

This item will be referenced in my paper, but is not a part of the 3 item diigo annotated bibliography. This professional learning community blog discusses how PLC's and Communities of Practice can enable e-Learning community members to engage more with each other, to help define/discuss/debate e-learning theory, pedagogy and practice.

"In the book, Atwal challenges the more traditional means of providing professional development for teachers - usually involving the implementation of government imposed initiatives, rather than individualised professional learning opportunities. The challenge is finding space to deliver a more dynamic learning environment for teachers - a thinking school that is fundamental to improving children's learning experiences."

Quantum Victoria will deliver an online professional development module that will equip teachers with the skills and tools necessary for teaching in 21st century learning environments. This embedded professional development opportunity will focus primarily on project-based learning (PBL) and the effective integration of ICT in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. ... [more]

Join #UKEdChat at 8pm(UK) on Thursday to discuss Sharing Professional Development & Up-Skilling Others

This year my school district in Vermont ventured into a sort-of BYOD/1:1 hybrid program. We realized the importance of allowing our students access to technology to enhance their learning, but the infrastructure wasn't in place to tackle a traditional BYOD. .. Instead, we chose to be creative with our technology and professional development.

The importance of creating an online presence for both students and teachers and the tools to achieve it.

some wonderful professional development opportunities for teachers

Revealing the beauty of Twitter content to teachers! http://t.co/TPgxmonjS9 #edapps #ukedchat

Editorial about a recommendation by the AFT Pres to develop a professional certification for teachers.  It's about time...

Mark & Michelle, thank you for your comments. When I posted this I knew the words "standardized test" would be a flashpoint. It is for me too. With nearly 40 years in the classroom, teaching a creative art (music) to all different levels (kindergarten through college and well beyond), I have often railed against reducing any education, any student, to a number. Very little in what I have taught can be measured with a pencil-and-paper test. What I see here is different than this. It is the union that she is saying should be the "gate-keeper" to our profession, rather than some generic government standard test. Yes, tests would be a part of the certification, but from what I read, so would much more, including actual classroom work. The certification would be similar to the AMA for physicians or the Bar for attorneys. These are certifications designed and administered by the profession - not the government - and validate a candidate's readiness to practice. Yes, I too am strongly against the government, or any organization outside of our profession, to certify, to validate, a teacher's ability to do the job. But we have to admit there is a problem with teacher certification and validation. There are people who simply should not be in the classroom (haven't we all seen them?). It is very difficult to remove folks who are dragging the respect for our profession down. Yes, there is remediation. Yes, it should be a difficult process to remove someone in order to protect against administrative abuses. But what is talked about here is the profession policing itself - something that the teacher's unions, in general, have steadfastly refused to do. What the AFT Pres is suggesting is that the best thing we can do to raise the status of teaching as a profession is to take action ourselves to make it happen. Really, if we in the profession do not do this, then it will be imposed from those outside who do not know what we do, how we do it and why we do it.

You are still talking about a standardized test. Let's face it--doctors have to have specific knowledge to do their job. Whether or not they are creative or engaging is not as important as their knowledge base. The same with lawyers--knowledge of the law is essential, and everything else is secondary. However, in teaching, although educational theory and knowledge of their subject area is important (and already tested, by the way) the most essential aspect of teaching is how you can creatively engage students, interact with parents and peers, and stay organized and motivated. These things CAN'T BE TESTED. Right now, teachers already go through extensive training, evaluation, and continuing education. Do you REALLY think that a standardized test will really improve teaching? I know a lot of university professors who can easily pass a test, but few of them can teach worth beans.

ASCD article on the importance of professional learning networks