Alternative Professional Development for Teachers

Donna M. Faulkner
Sonoma State University
EDUC 570
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Introduction
It is generally understood today that the quality of teaching affects student achievement.
Research conducted by Darling-Hammond (2000) found teacher quality directly linked to
student achievement; higher-quality teaching led to higher student achievement. Therefore, in
order for schools to meet goals for student achievement, they must look at developing high
quality teachers. Jones and Dexter (2014) contend teacher professional development (PD) is
critical. The world in which we live and work is ever-changing, and teachers need to keep current
with changes in standards and pedagogy. Additionally, technology has brought about many
changes in education; teachers now have to teach in ways that are new to them (McLoughlin,
2011). Gibson and Brooks (2012) called professional development essential for successfully
implementing any new curriculum. However, a search of the literature on the topic of
professional development for teachers reveals a theme of much professional development not
being effective in meeting their needs (Jones & Dexter, 2014). Traditionally, PD consisted of
formal training workshops or seminars, often conducted by outside consultants who determined
the content and format. Some of the problems with traditional professional development are: the
content not meeting teachers individual needs, teachers not having a choice in their
participation, and not capitalizing upon the resources and strengths in the broader professional

community (Penick Brock et al., 2014). Furthermore, too often formal training is not followed
up, thus diminishing its effectiveness (Jones & Dexter, 2014).
Characteristics of effective professional development that emerge from the literature
include: PD should be centered on teachers needs, should involve active learning, have followup afterwards, and be reinforced over time. Furthermore, it should be delivered using a variety of
formats providing more control over timing and content, and teachers participate voluntarily
(Jones & Dexter, 2014). According to Beswick (2014) and Liljedahl (2014), teachers have
widely varied wants, needs, and attitudes which influence how much and what content they
choose to learn and, therefore, how effective PD will be for them. One size does not fit all when
it comes to teacher professional development. While a single workshop or seminar may benefit
teachers who are open to new ideas, most often it does not provide the follow up or support
needed for substantial learning or bring about significant changes in teaching practice.
Professional Learning Communities
Fortunately, there are alternate means of furthering teachers professional development
which mitigate some of the shortcomings of traditional PD. Professional Learning Communities
(PLCs) have shifted the focus from professional development to learning in an ongoing process.
Stewart (2014) describes the change from passive to active and from intermittent to consistent.
Rather than rely on outside experts, members of a PLC are peers who are given time by
administration to meet regularly in order to share ideas and resources, review student
performance data, discuss strategies, get suggestions for solving problems, and collaborate in
creating lessons. Though shown to have significant benefits, PLCs are sometimes constrained by
directives from the organization, so they may not always be able to address teacher needs (Jones
& Dexter, 2014). Furthermore, according to Stewart (2014), PLC members may need training on
how to collaborate in their meetings to ensure members have equality in participating and to set

behavioral norms. Tang (2009) also suggests school administrators need to ensure time and space
for PLCs; quality takes time.
Communities of Practice
Informal Communities of Practice (COP) have arisen in which colleagues sharing a
common interest voluntarily seek out one another. These COPs are by choice, not organized by
administration, so members have total control over when and where they meet, the content and
the process. They have the flexibility to collaborate on specific needs and can offer just-in-time
support for problems or challenges members have. PLCs and COPs create the space for dialogue,
collaboration, and sharing of ideas that is often lacking within the daily structure at school. They
afford self-directed professional development within a community of peers who will both
challenge and support them (Brady, 2009). In one study, teachers reported valuing informal
collaboration more than formal PD planned by the organization (Jones & Dexter, 2014).
One drawback to these informal COPs is members participate on their own time. When teachers
have very full days already, this may be a deterrent for some to participate. Also, the expertise
available is limited to that of the members of the COP (Jones & Dexter, 2014).
EdCamps
A new type of PD is the edcamp, a type of informal conference in which the participants present
and join in on the sessions of interest to them. Though the content is user-generated, the sessions
offered may not align with what individual participants need. There is an element of chance in
attended an edcamp, because one does not know what will be offered. Also lacking from an
edcamp is the ongoing follow up that research recommends. Nevertheless, participants often
connect during edcamps and form networks to continue their dialogue beyond the edcamp.
Online Independent Learning

The advancements in technology, especially Web 2.0 technology, provide exciting new
opportunities for ways in which teachers can develop as professionals. The Internet makes it
possible for teachers to access professional development anywhere and anytime. This flexibility
not only makes PD more convenient for teachers, but it can also be economically advantageous
saving time and the cost of travel. In addition, teachers who direct their own learning by choice,
are more open to new ideas and likely to derive more out the experience (Liljedahl, 2014).
Digital tools afford educators with means to keep pace with the constant changes in the
field and to extend learning beyond the classroom. Teachers are able to direct their own
professional development, choosing what is most relevant to them when they need it (King,
2011). Many opportunities exist for teachers to independently pursue learning. Some of these are
online tutorials and courses, podcasts, webcasts, videos, news feeds, and other resources found
on professional organization and educational websites (www.nsta.org, www.edutopia.org, for
example) and curriculum publisher sites. The abundance of information on the Internet can be
overwhelming, making it difficult for teachers to know which independent learning activities to
pursue. Furthermore, this type of learning is done in isolation, so teachers do not have the
opportunity to dialogue or exchange ideas (Jones & Dexter, 2014).
Professional Learning Networks
Web 2.0 technology changes online learning into interactive, dynamic experiences in
which users can dialogue, collaborate, create, and share content. Moodle and MOOCs (massive
open online course) allows participants to engage in online dialogue with classmates and
teachers through forums and social networking in addition to having videos and readings, and
online assignments/activities. This extends COPs creates a network amongst participants. Like
COPs, participation in is usually voluntary, but it is often asynchronous. Users can post or
respond to a question and add content whenever and wherever they like.

Because the Internet can span time and distance, online communities, or Professional
Learning Networks (PLNs), can be worldwide. This allows teachers to connect with a wider
body of professional educators with whom to engage in professional dialogue and seek
pedagogical support. PLNs are peer led and collaborative; teachers learn from other teachers and
offer personal just-in-time support to other members. Duncan-Howell (2009) studied the content
of messages exchanged and found teachers generally used PLCs to get help solving real
pedagogical problems or to discuss pedagogical or professional issues. From monitoring the
exchanges, it was apparent teachers were actively using the ideas in their classrooms, suggesting
professional development was taking place. King (2011) and Vavasseur (2008) noted deeper
levels of reflection and more intimate sharing - indicators of learning - in virtual communities.
PLNs can provide a safe venue for asking questions and testing new ideas. This may be
attributed to users being able to participate anonymously, though not all do. Members who
connect via PLNs often form bonds with one another which lead to mentoring relationships and
mutual support (Penick Brock et al., 2014).
Social Media for Learning
Social media refers to the social interaction in virtual communities on the Internet via
Web 2.0 technology. There are many different types of social media, but they are all
characterized by being bidirectional. To varying degrees, they allow users to add content and
interact with other users. A social networking site (SNS) is an Internet site which allows users to
create a personal account (or profile) and build social networks among other users with similar
interests. Users can share information and ideas, photos and videos, and links to websites with
people in their network. Here are some - it would be impossible to list them all - examples of
social media being used for teacher professional development:
File Sharing Sites

Perhaps the simplest use of social media, file sharing sites allow users to publish their
work, view others work, give and get feedback. YouTube is a video sharing website. Teachers
can find videos on nearly every topic and model lessons to help with their professional learning.
Videoconferencing
In a videoconference, groups or individuals in two or more locations can interact through
synchronous two-way video and audio transmissions. Google Hangout., Go To Meeting, and
Skype all offer videoconferencing.

Wikis
A wiki (http://wiki-teacher.com, for example) is a website which allows people to add,
modify, or delete content. Unlike a blog, which has an owner, wikis are collaborative in
ownership.
Webinars
Short for web-based seminar, a webinar allows participants to ask questions and comment
during online seminars and workshops. Webinars combine voice, video, and text messaging and
usually require registration to participate. Webinars may be archived for viewing later by nonregistrants.
Chat Rooms
A chat room is a website which allows multiple users to converse in the same
conversation in real time via text (though some chat rooms are now enabling using webcams).
There are chat rooms for various interests and discussions are scheduled. A popular chat room for
teachers is Teachers.net.
Discussion Boards and Forums

A forum is an online "bulletin board" where users can have discussions in the form of
messages they post to the board. They differ from chat rooms in being asynchronous and being
more appropriate for longer posts. Some forums are public for view and comment, while others
may be limited to a particular group. Within a forum, there can be different discussions, called
threads. Teachers.net has discussion boards for teacher of different grade levels and interests.
Blogs
A blog is similar to an online journal where others may be able to add questions or
comments, if allowed by the person in control (the blogger). Users can create their own blog or
follow others. Blogs can contain text, graphic images, and links to audio, video files, and other
websites. Blogs usually focus on an area of interest. Tumblr is a free blogging platform. Users
can create and post multimedia to their own blog, which may be public or private, and follow
other blogs.
Social Bookmarking
Social bookmarking is an online service which allows users to save, annotate, and share
bookmarks of other websites or web documents. Pinterest is a popular bookmarking site, as is
Diigo which allows users to join interest groups, so it has become favored for PLNs. Diigo has a
special free plan for teachers.
Social Messaging
Social messaging, such as with Facebook, Google+, and Twitter, allows users to post and
exchange short messages, share photos, videos, or links to other websites, with other users.
Facebook and Google+ users may join common-interest groups or circles, while Twitter users
can follow other users and sort for topics designated by the use of hashtags. Because Twitter
limits messages to 140 characters, it is sometimes called a micro-blog.
Aggregators and Curation Services

One may use an aggregator or curation service to consolidate messages by area of

interest, making it easier to updates to all their networks in one location. StumbleUpon finds and
recommends web content to users based upon their interests.
A Holistic Approach
There is no shortage of opportunity for educators to pursue their professional
development beyond the traditional workshops and seminars; no one approach serves all
purposes. McLoughlin (2011) suggests a blending formal and informal types of professional
development to be the best practice. When implementing new curriculum or addressing schoolwide needs, formal professional development is appropriate. However, administrators should
ensure there is follow up and support after formal PD to increase its effectiveness. Also, what
teachers value most is time to collaborate with their colleagues (Jones & Dexter, 2014), so
allowing time and space for PLCs would further learning.
Research indicates the most effective professional development is tailored to teachers
needs, provides flexibility in scheduling, choice in content, and ongoing support afterwards.
Technology, especially social media, makes it possible for teachers to orchestrate their own
professional development; they can control the content, time and place for learning. They can
give and get support from other professionals. Educational leaders may be wise to recognize
informal PD as valid and support teachers in learning how to use technology to effectively use
social media for learning.
In todays ever-changing environment, with the challenges educators face, it is imperative
for teachers to continue developing their practice. The alternatives discussed here, though they
are not guaranteed, can help teachers continue their growth in new and exciting ways.

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