Professional development

SAMR is a professional development model, created by Dr. Ruben Puentedura, that provides a technique for moving through degrees of technology adoption. When used in teacher professional development sessions, you can help your teachers overcome some hurdles they may have in technology implementation, as well as learn some new strategies along the way.

Every teacher is in favor of tools that can help students succeed. Yet, many districts and administrators fail to make that case to the rank and file when adopting new education technology. Instead, they either mandate that the product be used and encroach on the teachers’ autonomy or make a short announcement about the new tool with little to no instruction on how it works, which means few, if any, teachers are using it later in the school year. Here are some ways to avoid either scenario and make sure that you get the most return on your investment.

So, what can educators do to combat that isolating feeling of being stuck on your own classroom island? Here are five (realistic) ideas to make those critical peer-to-peer connections and build professional relationships that will help you grow.

Worldwide, more and more students are taking advantage of virtual education options. As students, parents, and educators embrace the individualization and flexibility of online learning, this growth is likely to continue. With this in mind, it’s becoming critical for school and district administrators to have a plan in place to offer virtual options for students and, even more importantly, to make sure that students are set up for success in these programs.