Mary Ann Wolf: The Importance of Teacher Professional Development - 0 views
www.huffingtonpost.com/...tance-of-teacher_b_191259.html
ARRA_Education ATTAIN technology_funding stimulus
![](/images/link.gif)
-
ATTAIN builds upon the successful education technology programs that began with No Child Left Behind and focuses more on systemic school redesign through the innovative use of technolog
-
A stand-alone workshop has less than a 5% chance of actually changing teacher practice in the classroom. However, if you add on-going and embedded professional development, provide professional learning communities where teachers interact with their colleagues, and ensure on-going support from coaches and administrative staff, the chance of really affecting teaching and learning increases dramatically -- to nearly 90%
-
y using online resource hubs and other tools for collaboration, i.e. blogs and discussion boards, and including virtual or in-school coaching and mentoring, schools, districts, and states are beginning to see gains in teaching quality and student achievement. The greatest successes are seen with professional development that includes high-quality content, is tailored to the needs of students, takes advantage of the assets of technology, and is embedded in professional learning communities to enable teachers to actively participate.
-
Earlier this month, the Senate introduced their bill to reauthorize the Enhancing Education Through Technology Act of 2001 -- The Achievement Through Technology and Innovation Act (ATTAIN). ATTAIN builds upon the successful education technology programs that began with No Child Left Behind and focuses more on systemic school redesign through the innovative use of technology. I am pleased to see that there is an increased focus on teachers and funding for sustainable and ongoing professional development.