Week+3

=**Week 3 - Professional Development**= Professional Development is probably the one key factor in how well or how poorly technology will be implemented and used. There are many ways that professional development can happen, especially today. PD can now take place in an asynchronous manner (like this course), in a face to face setting, in a synchronous virtual environment, conferences, courses, or even self-paced through linear training modules.

In my experiences with offering many Professional Development Opportunities there are a few things that I see as common indicators of successful PD:
 * **Time** - it is offered at a time in which the participants can think of little else other than the tasks at hand.
 * **Relevance** - the skills or applications being taught have some clear relevance to what the trainee does..for example...don't just teach me digital photography, show me how it can make what I am doing in my math class more meaningful, relevant, or help the kids 'get it'
 * **Practice** - there is some type of support or larger infrastructure in place that will allow the skills be be practiced or implemented
 * **Follow-up** - there is some type of follow up activities that make the PD ongoing, not just a 'flash in the pan'


 * [[image:assignment.jpg]]Assignment 1 - Asynchronous Discussion: Staff Development**

Please Read the following two articles:
 * [[file:TeacherPreparation.pdf]]
 * [[file:Teacher Learning That Supports Student Learning Teacher Learning.pdf]]

After reading the articles, please use the "Staff Development " discussion thread to discuss the following questions:
 * What staff development models are in place at your place of work?
 * What types of PD models have worked best for you in your profession?
 * What alternative methods of PD do you see in the future?

This discussion will be worth 10 points and should be checked on a daily basis. Postings should be made no later than Monday, February 2 at noon.* Your contributions would show that you have a) read, b) researched and c) reflected on this week's learning activity and discussion.*

There are so many neat tools out there that can be utilized to conduct professional development in schools or businesses. Please take a look at each of these tools, play with them for a few days, and then share in the "Cool PD Tools" discussion thread ways you see these tools being used for professional development purposes.
 * [[image:assignment.jpg]]Assignment 2 - For fun....exploring PD Tools**

[|Skype - www.skype.com] This free web-based communications tool can be used to conduct conference calls and video chats with no more than a computer and a connection to the Internet.

[|Atomic Learning - www.atomiclearning.com] This site provides video tutorials on many popular applications and is becoming very popular in schools across the country.

[|Moodle - www.moodle.org] Moodle is a free course management software (CMS) that is catching on in many learning communities K-16. Courses can be created, exported, then shared with the world.