If you are a professional, you must constantly reskill yourself and update your skills. There are four major trends in professional development that you should consider. These include Personalized learning, Online learning, job-embedded learning, and collaboration with peers. You should also be aware of the latest developments in technology.
Personalized learning
Personalized learning is a way to address individual needs, whether those of working professionals or students. According to educational psychologist Benjamin Bloom, personalized instruction outperforms group instruction 98% of the time. Personalized learning also helps students access more relevant information. Personalized learning is a good way to ensure students get the knowledge they need to succeed.
Personalized learning helps students develop skills that are crucial for adulthood. It teaches them problem-solving and decision-making skills as well as social and emotional competencies. Additionally, it gives students the flexibility to choose the learning style that best suits their needs.
Job-embedded learning
A growing number of educational institutions and organizations are beginning to use job-embedded learning as an effective tool to improve teacher and administrator development. This method involves active learning while participants are in the work place, reflecting on their experiences and developing new insights. Then, participants share their findings and lessons learned with others. This approach is becoming increasingly popular and has several advantages.
The success of job-embedded professional development depends on its implementation. A successful implementation promotes responsive, dynamic coaching and data-driven planning. It should also reflect the specific needs of the school/district, and it should be built into a continuous improvement process.
Online learning
Online education has many benefits, but it also has its challenges. One of the biggest is that there is no physical face-to-face interaction. In order for online classes to be successful, they need to be interactive and have the right learning methodology. In addition, online programs can be less personalized.
Online courses are available to a growing number of people. Several universities have created online programs to meet this demand. Many people are utilizing the tools of the Internet to learn new skills and improve their careers. However, creating compelling online offerings is still a challenge for many providers.
Many educators use online learning as a way to engage with their peers. Online communities can foster relationships and motivate learners to learn. Some sites allow students to join chat rooms, or Slack groups, to share information with peers. These online communities can also provide a virtual campus where students can network and reinforce their knowledge with like-minded people.
Collaboration with peers
Collaboration with peers is a highly effective method of learning, and it offers a number of advantages to companies and individuals alike. It exposes learners to diverse perspectives, builds better communication skills, and promotes professional development. Furthermore, it can help businesses overcome skill shortages by leveraging the collective knowledge of employees.
Increasing collaboration through the use of technology has enhanced learning opportunities. Free collaboration tools like Stixy and Google groups have increased the amount of learning that can be done online. Other tools, like Mikogo, allow participants to meet virtually and collaborate in real time. Some research shows that online collaboration can lead to more challenging viewpoints and planning exchanges. However, these methods do not work well for every classroom setting, and some teachers may find that it is best to introduce students to each other before collaborating with them.
The process of collaboration between colleagues is essential for teachers to learn effectively. The benefits of peer collaboration include shared learning, reflection, and transference. Teachers can also learn from each other’s experience, which helps them apply the new practices to their classrooms. They can also share teaching materials and lesson plans.
Assessment of progress
Assessment is a crucial aspect of teacher professional development. It must be deeply connected to the teacher’s fundamental approach to education, and it cannot be achieved by a special workshop or occasional in-service day. Research has shown that teachers respond poorly to “one-shot” experiences in professional development. In order to maximize the impact of professional development, assessment must allow teachers to explore fundamental questions about teaching and learning.
Moreover, a performance-based assessment can highlight where professional development needs to be improved. For example, a team of fifth-grade teachers was charged with developing a performance-based assessment for a module on ecosystems.