Defining and Designing Responsive Online Professional Development (ROPD)

Author(s):  
Jeremy Riel ◽  
Kimberly A. Lawless ◽  
Scott W. Brown

Teacher professional development programs typically do not meet teachers' ongoing, long-term needs that arise. In this chapter, the authors forward a systematic framework called responsive online professional development (ROPD) that can be used by instructional designers to provide continuous, online PD for teachers in the service of curriculum implementation fidelity. The systematic process afforded by the ROPD framework promotes teachers' reflection on their individual classroom practice as they implement new curricula or standards and provides support to teachers as they are implementing new curricula, standards, and pedagogies. Design elements of the proposed ROPD framework are discussed by the authors, and an illustrative example of the implementation and observed outcomes of a previously enacted ROPD Program (GE2PD) are discussed. When compared to conventional PD programs, professional growth from ROPD is emphasized during the implementation process through a systematic approach that intentionally connect teachers with the instructional designers of a curriculum.

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Mohammadi ◽  
Khaled Moradi

AbstractContinuous professional development (CPD) is important for teachers in attaining sustainable education. Accordingly, exploring teachers’ perceptions could be a significant endeavor as teachers’ beliefs impact their classroom practices, thereby, impacting student learning and, thus have educational implications. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate this fundamental issue via establishing professional development workshops to train teachers in order to promote sustainable professional growth. It examined 86 EFL teachers’ beliefs and attitudes toward CPD before and after attending workshops for professional development. The data were collected through a questionnaire and a follow-up interview. Paired-samples t-tests were run to measure differences between responses of pre and post surveys. Moreover, raw frequencies and percentages were calculated in order to prioritize the items the teachers selected in each variable. The findings demonstrate that beliefs about CPD can change. Survey data collected before and after professional development workshops revealed a statistical significant shift in EFL teachers’ beliefs. This finding was also supported by semi-structured interviews. In addition, the results also revealed that the participants perceived customized professional development programs with professional development framework as a beneficial tool to be included in the professional development programs. The study may have some pedagogical implications to be utilized in the educational process directed at sustainable professional development.


Author(s):  
Suha Abdulrazzaq Slim

This study attempts to investigate the willingness of Jordanian EFL teachers to endure taking Online Professional Development Programs (OPD) rather than face to face learning in both private and public schools. Therefore, a qualitative research methodology was carried out to examine the extent to which Jordanian EFL teachers are willing to endure taking Online Professional Development Programs (OPD) rather than face to face learning. Data were collected via online interviews with teachers through e-Learning forums as well as other means of interactive social Medias such as Zoom, Facetime and Microsoft teams during COVID-19 Pandemic in the second semester of the scholastic year 2019-2020. Ten EFL teachers were randomly chosen from forty public and private EFL school teachers to respond to the interviews. The sample consisted of ten teachers who were selected randomly for the interview. The interview content focused on two domains which are: the challenges faced teachers in online learning and the good learning practices experienced by EFL teachers during online learning regarding their experiences through the pandemic. The interviews were taking the form of semi-structured interviews. The findings of the study revealed that the majority of EFL teachers are unwilling to continue taking online professional development programs as they faced many troubles and obstacles through experiencing distant learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic as part of their first hands on experience. Two teachers showed a tendency to continue Online Professional Development Programs in parallel with face to face programs.


Author(s):  
J. Bernard Bradley ◽  
John Rachal ◽  
Lin Harper

Online professional development programs for adults are increasing in frequency. Numerous scholarly articles have been written that offer polemical or anecdotal evidence supporting the effectiveness of andragogically facilitated non-formal professional development courses, including those conducted online. However, few empirical studies have been conducted to validate their usefulness, especially those offered via the Internet. Such non-formal educational programming may be most conducive to both implementing and empirically testing a more purist definition of andragogy (Pratt, 1988; Rachal, 2002; Bradley, 2011). This chapter explores the theoretical frameworks of andragogy, as well as existing experimental or quasi-experimental research studies, with a view toward creating more learner-centered non-formal educational transactions that meet the unique needs of adult learners. Lastly, suggestions for both practitioners and researchers alike are offered to help build the body of evidence-based research and extend practical advice to educators when designing and facilitating virtual learning programs for adults that emphasize professional development.


Author(s):  
Susan Hennessey ◽  
Mark W. Olofson ◽  
Meredith J. C. Swallow ◽  
John M. Downes

This chapter presents qualitative research describing the pedagogy of middle grades mathematics teachers who participated in professional development in conjunction with classroom integration of 1:1 technology. Through a multiple-case study design, the expression and development of teacher pedagogy that occurred as teachers created self-designed action research projects grounded in pedagogical goals is illustrated. The use of action research in these four case studies as a vehicle for professional growth and as a reflective evaluation tool is discussed. When viewed through the lens of the TPACK framework (Mishra & Koehler, 2006), data suggest a technology-mediated shift in pedagogy in the area of differentiation in instruction and assessment in mathematics classrooms. Future implications regarding technology integration, professional development programs, and the use of the TPACK as a descriptive tool are considered.


2016 ◽  
pp. 1457-1485
Author(s):  
Susan Hennessey ◽  
Mark W. Olofson ◽  
Meredith J. C. Swallow ◽  
John M. Downes

This chapter presents qualitative research describing the pedagogy of middle grades mathematics teachers who participated in professional development in conjunction with classroom integration of 1:1 technology. Through a multiple-case study design, the expression and development of teacher pedagogy that occurred as teachers created self-designed action research projects grounded in pedagogical goals is illustrated. The use of action research in these four case studies as a vehicle for professional growth and as a reflective evaluation tool is discussed. When viewed through the lens of the TPACK framework (Mishra & Koehler, 2006), data suggest a technology-mediated shift in pedagogy in the area of differentiation in instruction and assessment in mathematics classrooms. Future implications regarding technology integration, professional development programs, and the use of the TPACK as a descriptive tool are considered.


Author(s):  
Tania Heap ◽  
Ruthanne Thompson ◽  
Adam Fein

AbstractFrom a design perspective, this paper offers a response to the impact, value, and application of a manuscript published by Philipsen et al. (Improving teacher professional development for online and blended learning: A systematic meta-aggregative review. Educational Technology and Research Development, 67, 1145–1174. 10.1007/s11423-019-09645-8, 2019). Philipsen et al. (2019) reviewed what constitutes an effective teacher professional development program (TPD) for online and blended learning (OBL), with our response focusing on its value and application in light of an emergency shift to digital to address a global pandemic. This paper also proceeds to examine limitations in previous research into the subject and future research opportunities to investigate important components that inform the design of a resilient and scalable TPD for OBL.


Author(s):  
Meghan E. Marrero ◽  
Jessica Fitzsimons Riccio ◽  
Karen A. Woodruff ◽  
Glen S. Schuster

Teachers are searching for new venues through which they may meet stringent professional development requirements. Under competitive funding from NASA’s (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Office of Education and the NASA Explorer Schools Project, U.S. Satellite Laboratory, Inc. created a series of live, online, interactive short-courses. In this case study, a mixed methods analysis of a variety of data sources reveals that diverse educators from a variety of classroom contexts view the short-courses as a useful professional development tool, both as a vehicle for a teacher’s own professional growth and for classroom applications. Teachers were particularly interested in the ability to participate in a collaborative community of practice with other educators, instructors, and scientists from across the country, and they found the flexible design of the professional development to be useful. This short-course design offers promise for future professional development opportunities.


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