Possible Implications for Professional Development

If my research findings are accurate, then professional development needs to pave the way to help teachers embrace integrating technology and improve on integrating digital technologies into their curriculum.  Here are some characteristics of professional development that will support digital technology integration.  The professional development will:

• Incorporate differentiated trainings for learning styles and abilities;
• Have facilitators who offer non-threatening assistance in multiple ways (phone calls, texts, emails, face-to-face meetings, webinars or drop in help sessions);
• Be designed for a diverse audience, keeping in mind that participants are all at different levels and may never all be at same place;
• Offer multiple ways to teach the same information (one-on-one, small group, large group, online learning, and user groups).

Technology is continuing to advance quickly and it will not be going away.  Teachers are going to have new students each year who are more proficient with digital tools than students the year before.  Along with teachers participating in professional development on technology integration, they need to commit to embracing the fact that 21^st century students thrive on digital tools because that is what they are surrounded by outside our schools’ environment.  Teachers need to jump on board and show commitment toward participating in technology integration professional development. If they do not our education community may start to see:

• Leaders pressuring teachers to incorporate digital tools;
• PTAs, who have helped finance digital tools, possibly wanting to see accountability;
• Students losing engagement and motivation in school;
• Parents frustrated with teachers and schools because they want their children to learn 21^st century skills;
• Upset tax payers who do not see their neighborhood schools proficient in academic standards, who think that maybe utilizing technology would help.

It is time teachers embrace digital tools and enhance their teaching and learning using technology.  It is time for teachers to push aside personal doubts and fears and catch up with the world outside our school walls.