Unit 9 - Professional Development

Throughout this entire course we have talked about technology and its role in education today. We have discussed new tools that can be beneficial to students in the classroom. In addition, we have also acknowledged the fact that our administrators want to try all of these new tools, but rarely provide training or professional development regarding technology.

Chapter 9 of Ashburn & Floden discusses the need for professional development regarding technology in order for meaningful learning to occur. While professional development may be encouraged and discussed constantly, Ashburn and Floden (2006) state “This has been a goal often stated, but seldom articulated, however, with clarity and detail” (p. 181). They go on to discuss the importance of meaningful learning using technology and point out the fact that the skills educators possess regarding technology are often ignored:

“The discussion seldom progresses to consider what knowledge and skills teacher would need to teach for meaningful learning, much less to teach for meaningful learning using technology. Even more rare is consideration of how teachers might acquire such knowledge and skills. Unless teachers are expected to acquire such knowledge and skills in college or on their own, school systems must begin to offer such professional development in order for their investment in technology to enhance pupils’ understanding of key academic subjects” (Ashburn & Floden, 2006, p. 181).

As I have realized, districts can talk about professional development and actually provide in-service days; however, unless these days actually focus on the needs of the teachers, they are pointless. This has been the case in my school district. Often, the in-service days are a waste of time since they do not focus on topics or training that need to be focused on. So, it truly does come down to whether or not teachers are willing to learn technology in their spare time. With this in mind, I can see why many educators are unwilling to give up any additional time to learn a new technology since trends constantly change. However, I also see the value in meeting student needs by appealing to their likes and skills. In the past, I have allowed students to use new forms of technology in order to complete a project with the stipulation that they show me how to use the tool. This has worked with my honors students, and I have found that I have learned a lot about technology from my students.

However, if professional development is not available, I believe that educators should consult the Internet. There are many useful tutorials, websites, and general information regarding new technology available online. In the article “ProD web sites you might have missed,” Joanne Troutner provides a list of websites that educators should utilize for professional development in technology.

Troutner reviews Route 21, http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/route21. Here, she says you can find examples of lessons using technology, curriculum surrounding the use of technology, and video examples of projects created using technology.

She also acknowledges the shift to project-based learning and cites the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)Learning Journey site as a tool to reference. (http://www.iste.org/) Here, there is discussion of how to utilize tools such as blogs and wikis in the classroom.

Since my district continues to pay for 12 graduate credits per year, I plan to take courses that focus on technology in order to provide me with training and professional development opportunities. I may have to sacrifice my time during the summer in order to take these courses, however, not only will I be doing what is best to meet the needs of my students, I will also be gaining additional graduate credits which will eventually result in a pay raise!



Ashburn, E. A. & Floden, R. E. (2006). Meaningful learning using technology: What educators need to know and do. New York: Teachers College Press.

Troutner, J. (2008). ProD web sites you may have missed. Teacher Librarian, 35(5), 35-37. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from Academic Search Complete database.