Learning to Teach in the Digital Era Starts With Professional Development

It is undeniable that the integration of technology in the classroom has provided numerous new learning opportunities for students. With many schools participating in 1:1 and BYOD programs, students now have access to knowledge from their own devices at any time. Furthermore, technologies such as interactive whiteboards and projectors have greatly increased collaboration and interaction in classrooms, helping to improve students’ critical thinking and problem solving skills.

While technology has made a significant impact on how students access knowledge, the use of technology alone does not directly correlate to student success in the classroom. No matter how many innovative devices and technologies are implemented in schools, teachers still play a significant role in helping students learn and obtain knowledge.

“You’re not going to be successful by just putting devices in the classroom. You really need professional development and you need it early.”—Jean Tower, director of media and digital learning for the Needham Public Schools.

Teaching in the digital era, however, is no walk in the park. Teachers are now faced with the challenge of not only understanding the functionality of technology, but also how to use technology in a way that will improve education and truly enhance students’ learning experiences.

This is where professional development in the digital era becomes extremely valuable to teachers. The purpose of professional development is to provide teachers with learning opportunities that will help enhance their teaching strategies to improve student achievement. While the goal of professional development remains the same, technology has greatly challenged the traditional ways of improving teachers’ instructional strategies and skills.

Professional development in education has been in existence for decades and has proven to help many teachers consistently create optimal learning experiences for their students. However, technology in the classroom has greatly affected the way students learn and the way teachers teach, and too often professional development programs fail to provide teachers with the skills they need to understand how to use technology as a tool for learning.

There are many ways school districts can better prepare their teachers to use technology in the classroom to enhance student learning, and it begins with creating a vision of what school districts are looking to achieve when using technology in the classroom.