Professional Learning
Technology offers the opportunity for teachers to become more collaborative and extend learning beyond the classroom. Educators can create learning communities composed of students; fellow educators in schools, museums, libraries, and after-school programs; experts in various disciplines around the world; members of community organizations; and families. This enhanced collaboration, enabled by technology offers access to instructional materials as well as the resources and tools to create, manage, and assess their quality and usefulness.
To enact this vision, schools need to support teachers in accessing needed technology and in learning how to use it effectively. Educators need continuous, just-in-time support that includes professional development, mentors, and informal collaborations.
Reimagining the Role of Technology in Education
National Education Technology Plan (NETP)
The NETP is the flagship educational technology policy document for the United States. The plan articulates a vision of equity, active use, and collaborative leadership to make everywhere, all-the-time learning possible. Educators across the country are reading the NETP with their professional learning networks and discussing how technology can be used to support learning and teaching.
Reimagining Teacher Preparation
Advancing Educational Technology in Teacher Preparation: Policy Brief
This policy brief identifies key challenges and solutions to the effective integration of technology in teacher preparation, provides guiding principles on how to move the field toward effective integration of technology in teacher preparation programs, and identifies areas of opportunity and collaboration for stakeholders across the field.
Personalized Professional Learning
Future Ready Schools: Professional Learning Toolkit
The toolkit provides rubrics, checklists and examples to assist district teams as they develop, refine, and evaluate professional learning plans that align with their capacity, learning goals, and standards of professional learning. In particular, the toolkit focuses on how districts can use technology to connect educators and provide tailored professional learning experiences.
Stories from the Field
Sharing Stories of EdTech Innovation
Find stories of innovation happening in schools across the nation. By amplifying great stories and sharing good practices, we hope to connect districts, schools, and educators so they can learn from each other’s experiences.
Want to suggest a story? Send us a message at tech@ed.gov!
Future Ready: Diverse Professional Learning Opportunities
Palisades School District describes how professional learning has shifted as they have undergone digital transformation.
Expanding the Capacity of Education Leaders
Personalized Professional Learning for Future Ready Leaders
Strong leadership is essential to systemic, sustainable change in education. The Future Ready Leaders project provides a systematic review of research and videos highlighting essential policies and practices for successfully leading the transition to digital learning in schools.
Implementing an Open Approach
#GoOpen District Launch Packet
Across the country, districts are choosing to #GoOpen and transitioning to the use of openly licensed educational resources to improve student learning in their schools. #GoOpen Districts are forming teams of educators to curate and create openly licensed educational resources. This resource is designed for districts that have decided to implement a systematic approach to incorporating openly licensed educational resources into their curriculum by becoming a #GoOpen District.
