Modalities for Professional Learning

This page provides summaries of a variety of ways to approach professional learning as well as resources and links to additional information. When educators feel true ownership of their professional growth, they will spend more productive time pursuing rich and meaningful learning. With structures in place to frame the work, educators are freed to exercise choice and creativity to accelerate their professional growth and explore evidence of impact. Coaches can empower educators by provisioning time and resources, allowing choice of content and process, and encouraging partnerships.

Professional Learning comes in many modalities that allow teachers to opt for PL opportunities that will best meet their needs.  Listed below are a variety of learning modalities and descriptions, as well as links to resources that may help you implement those modalities.

Whole group instruction is about learning together at the same time, in the same space, and with each person focused on the same learning goals. It is most effective for simple training where everyone needs the same information and the information is new for the group.

Examples: 

• • SIS (Student Information System) training for new teachers

  • Procedures and Policies Training

  • Team building

Small group instruction provides a way to differentiate and support teachers. This can be done in a variety of ways:

• • Lunch and Learn: Teachers meet for lunch and learn a single skill or strategy in a casual environment.

  • Tech Tuesday: Technology-related professional learning is provided every Tuesday (for example) either before school or after school.

  • Professional Development Days: Offering sessions with limited capacity to dig deeper and allow for greater collaboration. 

In-person and virtual presentations differ in several key aspects, including the mode of delivery, audience interaction, and the need for additional technological support. In-person presentations allow for direct, face-to-face communication with the audience, fostering a more personal and engaging experience. However, virtual presentations require technology coaches to adapt their presentation style and content to maintain audience engagement in an online setting. This may include incorporating more visuals, using interactive tools such as polls or chat features, and being mindful of pacing and breaks to prevent screen fatigue.

Consider this example:
Suppose the technology coach is presenting a workshop on using Padlet, an online collaboration tool, to enhance student engagement and promote collaborative learning in the classroom.

In an in-person presentation, the technology coach would begin with a slidedeck introducing Padlet and showcasing its features, such as creating boards, adding posts, and customizing layouts. Following the introduction, teachers would be divided into small groups, each with a designated topic related to classroom collaboration. Each group would create a Padlet board based on their assigned topic, brainstorming and sharing ideas, resources, or strategies. The technology coach would circulate among the groups, offering guidance and suggesting ways to maximize the tool's potential for their specific goals. After the group activity, the coach would lead a whole-group discussion where each group presents their Padlet board, sharing their insights and takeaways with the larger group.

For the same presentation delivered online, the technology coach would use a video conferencing platform to share their screen and demonstrate how to create and customize a Padlet board. Teachers would be asked to create their own Padlet boards on their devices, following along with the coach's instructions. To facilitate collaboration, the coach would use breakout rooms, assigning each room a specific topic related to classroom collaboration. Teachers would work together within their breakout rooms to create and populate their Padlet boards, using the video conferencing platform's chat, screen sharing, or whiteboard features to communicate and collaborate effectively. The technology coach would visit each breakout room to provide support, answer questions, and offer suggestions. After the breakout session, the entire group would reconvene, and a representative from each breakout room would present their group's Padlet board, discussing their findings and experiences with the rest of the participants.

Demonstration Lessons
Demonstration lessons involve technology coaches modeling the effective use of technology tools and strategies within a classroom setting, providing teachers with a concrete example of best practices in action. These lessons can be conducted in person or recorded and shared with teachers for later viewing. Technology coaches may collaborate with classroom teachers to design and deliver the demonstration lesson, or they may invite teachers to observe the lesson in real-time. Demonstration lessons allow teachers to see firsthand how technology can be integrated into their instruction, offering practical insights and ideas that can be adapted to their own classrooms.

Demonstration lessons are different than co-teaching. In contrast, co-teaching involves the technology coach and classroom teacher working together to plan and deliver instruction, with both professionals actively participating in the teaching process. While demonstration lessons focus on modeling effective technology integration, co-teaching emphasizes collaboration and shared responsibility in the classroom, fostering a more dynamic and supportive learning environment for both teachers and students.

Before/After school professional learning (PL) can be used for longer PL sessions. Bear in mind that before and after school PL can be tricky because teachers are rushing to get ready for the day or tired from the day so pick your topics carefully. This can be a great time for individualized coaching as well. Professional Learning Days are a great time to plan PL that is differentiated to teachers' needs. Recruit other teachers to offer a variety of sessions over a period of time. 

Summer Growth Opportunities

Provide optional summer sessions for any professional learning that the entire school needs (for example, Google, SIS, any new software or initiatives). Teachers can elect to attend and not have to attend this professional development when they return. Some teachers prefer to have extra time during back-to-school week and some prefer their summers entirely to themselves to rest and rejuvenate. 

Professional Learning Communities (PLC): PLC's are a collaborative approach to professional development in which small groups of educators meet regularly to explore new concepts, share expertise and insights from their teaching experiences, and engage in collective problem-solving. Inquiry and reflection with a specific focus on student outcomes. Teachers can be grouped by interest, by content area, or by grade level and each group determines the topic for their PLC, what they need to grow,  and how they will measure their growth. PLC's are usually long-term: a year or a semester. Examples of PLCs could include:

• • Google Level 1 Certification

  • Book Studies

  • Focusing on strategies and resources to help students grow in struggling areas based on school data

  • Study topics of interest such as equity, social-emotional learning, robotics, or coding

Read: 4 Benefits of an Active Professional Learning Community