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Alternative Professional Learning

A Call to Action

The Why

As an educator, seeing our students succeed is nothing more fulfilling. My passion for teaching and desire to see every student reach their full potential is the driving force behind my goal of implementing an ePortfolio system in a kindergarten class. The traditional model of professional development has failed to meet the needs of teachers, leaving them feeling uninspired and disconnected from their students' learning process.
I can create a collaborative and meaningful experience for kindergarten teachers by introducing alternative professional learning.  While professional development has been a common approach to training and improving the skills of teachers, there are several benefits to implementing alternative professional learning methods. Professional development often focuses on providing information or knowledge to educators in a one-size-fits-all approach, whereas alternative professional learning takes individual needs and preferences into account. Alternative professional learning can lead to more meaningful learning experiences that are more likely to result in the transfer of knowledge and skills to students. Additionally, alternative professional learning can be more sustainable and ongoing, focusing on continuous improvement rather than a one-time training event. By embracing alternative professional learning,  a culture of continued learning and improvement can ultimately benefit teachers and students.

My goal is to empower kindergarten teachers to feel confident in their ability to support their students' reading development, ultimately leading to every student reading on grade level by the end of the school year. This is a challenging and ambitious goal, but we can make it a reality with the proper support and resources.
I am grateful for the opportunity to bring my vision to life and positively impact the lives of students and teachers. This project has the potential to not only transform the way we approach professional development but also to shape the future of education for generations to come.

The How

I created my presentation for this assignment using Canva, a graphic design platform. I chose to use Canva because of its user-friendly interface and ability to create professional-looking presentations with little design experience.
My method for creating the presentation involved researching alternate professional learning models and the five key principles of effective professional learning. I took notes on the key points I wanted to include in my presentation and organized them into a logical flow.
Next, I chose a template and began putting in my text, images, graphics, and video. I sourced images from Canvas's built-in library. I used the text tools to highlight and adjust text size, shape, and color. I used the voice recorder to record a voice-over on each slide. 
Once I had completed the design and content of my presentation, I reviewed it a few times to ensure it was clear, concise, and visually appealing. Then I downloaded the presentation using the MP4 video setting. 
Overall, my goal with this presentation was to effectively communicate the importance of moving away from traditional professional learning and towards an alternate model and to demonstrate my understanding of the key principles of effective professional learning. Canva provided the perfect platform to bring my ideas to life and communicate them effectively to my audience. I have included some screenshots of the process below. 

The 'How' Process

Professional Learning Planning

Professional learning plays a critical role in improving teacher effectiveness, student learning, and school culture. This professional learning plan focuses on introducing ePortfolios to teachers, guiding them in creating their own ePortfolios, and implementing them in their classrooms to support student learning and growth. The plan is designed to be effective by incorporating the five key principles of effective professional learning. The outline provides a detailed plan for achieving these goals over the course of five weeks, addressing various components. The plan will foster collaboration, identify and address the audience's needs, utilize instructional design best practices, and provide necessary resources.

Duration

To incorporate the first principle of effective PD, the duration of professional learning must be significant and ongoing. The plan will involve a series of modules over several weeks. It will allow teachers to learn new strategies and grapple with the implementation problems over an extended period. Additionally, the plan will provide ongoing support for teachers to ensure they can implement new strategies effectively.

 

Support During Implementation

The plan will incorporate support for teachers during the implementation stage to address the specific challenges of new classroom practice. This support will include mentoring and coaching sessions that will enable teachers to receive personalized support that meets their unique needs. The plan will also involve opportunities for teachers to collaborate and share their experiences implementing the new strategies.

 

Engagement

Teachers' initial exposure to a new concept should engage them through varied approaches so they can actively make sense of a new practice. The plan will incorporate a range of approaches, including hands-on activities, group discussions, video presentations, and interactive workshops, to help teachers engage with the new strategies and develop a deep understanding of how to implement them effectively.

 

Modeling

The plan will involve modeling as a highly effective strategy to help teachers understand the new practices. The plan will incorporate opportunities for teachers to observe the facilitator model the process of creating and implementing ePortfolios. These observations will help teachers understand the practical applications of the new strategies and enable them to learn from the experiences of those who have already implemented them.

 

Specific to Discipline

The content presented to teachers will be specific to the grade level. The plan will meet the unique needs of kindergarten. For example, the learning management system is appropriate for younger elementary students. This approach will ensure that kindergarten teachers receive relevant and applicable content to their specific teaching contexts, enabling them to implement the ePortfolios effectively.

 

How will you foster collaboration?

Fostering collaboration is a critical component of effective professional learning. To promote collaboration in my PL plan, I will use a few strategies to facilitate a supportive learning community. First, I will organize group discussions and encourage teachers to share their experiences and challenges as they implement ePortfolios in their classrooms. I will also encourage teachers to provide feed-forward to each other throughout the process. Finally, I will model collaboration by actively participating in discussions and engaging with teachers.

Overall, fostering collaboration is essential to create a supportive learning community and ensure that teachers feel comfortable sharing their experiences and learning from one another.

 

Who will lead what components?

I will be the primary facilitator and lead for the majority of the components. As the facilitator, I will lead the group discussions, provide hands-on training on creating and organizing artifacts, and offer ongoing support to teachers as they implement ePortfolios in their classrooms. Additionally, I will provide feedback and guidance to teachers as they develop their ePortfolios, helping them to showcase their best work and reflect on their growth and development.

However, there will be some components where other individuals will lead or contribute. For example, when collaborating with colleagues to plan lessons for students to use ePortfolios, all group members will have a role in leading and contributing to the planning process. 

While I will be the primary facilitator and lead most of the components, I recognize the importance of sharing leadership and contributions to create a collaborative learning environment. Involving all group members in the planning, feedback, and discussion process can promote shared ownership and a more meaningful and impactful learning experience.

 

Resources Needed

  • District issue laptop (Macbook Pro/ Dell Laptop)

  • Dependable wireless network

  • Wix or WordPress website registration

  • YouTube ePortfolio videos

  • Seesaw Teacher Account

Professional Learning Course Outline

Module 1

Focus: Introduction to ePortfolios

Week 1 : 1.5 hours

  • Introduce ePortfolios and their benefits

  • View examples of ePortfolios created by students and adults

  • Watch videos about ePortfolios

  • Task: Participate in a group discussion about ePortfolio. How can using ePortfolios benefit student learning and growth? In what ways can ePortfolios support teachers in documenting and reflecting on their professional practice?

Module 2 

Focus: Create Teacher  ePortfolios

Week 2: 2.5 hours

  • Select an ePortfolio platform ( Wix, Wordpress)

  • Create a personal ePortfolio (pages). Facilitator will model how to create a page. 

  • Receive hands-on training (modeling) on creating and organizing artifacts

  • Create Blog post addressing the discussion 

  • Task discussion: In what ways do you see your ePortfolio supporting your future learning, career development, and personal growth?

Module 3

Focus: Feed forward to the Learning Community

​

Week 3: 2 hour

  • Discover the importance of feed forward. 

  • Provide feed forward to 2 colleague’s about the development of their ePortfolio.

  • Task: Create a blog post addressing a discussion question. In what ways do you see your ePortfolio supporting your future learning, career development, and personal growth?

Module 4 

Focus: Plan and review student learning management system

​

Week 4: 3 hours

  • Collaborate with colleagues to plan lessons for students to use ePortfolios

  • Practice navigating the LMS platform (Seesaw).

  • Task:Discussion What are some anticipated challenges you think students will have? How will you address those challenges?

Module 5

Focus: Incorporate student ePortfolios in classrooms

​

Week 5: 1 hour

  • Implement ePortfolios in the classroom

  • Facilitator will communicate with teachers and provide on-going support  weekly based on individual needs. 

  • Document student  ePortfolio progress

  • Task: Reflect on the implementation of ePortfolios in the classroom and the challenges encountered. What were the challenges students/teachers encountered during implementation.

Continued

  • Collaborate with peers to make necessary adjustments. 

  • Continue to document student ePortfolio progress.

  • Discuss how ePortfolios can promote a caring and inclusive classroom community

  • Teachers share students ePortfolios.

  • Teachers reflect on how ePortfolios have fostered a significant learning environment

  • Facilitator provide teachers in the classroom.

Implementing Eportfolios in the Classroom Course

Module 1

Module 2

Scr

Scr

Module 3

Module 4

References

Gulamhussein, A. (2013). Teaching the Teachers Effective Professional Development in an Era of High Stakes Accountability. Center for Public Education. Retrieved from http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/system/files/2013-176_ProfessionalDevelopment.pdf

 

Siebold, D. (2019, June 22). What it's like for teachers to sit through professional development meetings. YouTube. Retrieved February 5, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNV3SAXdu9U&t=1s

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