Online Resources for Staff Development

Not only is the Internet opening up so many more opportunities for professional development, but it is also opening up new forms of delivering professional development to a huge array of learning styles. There are traditional articles online that give helpful guidance in tech learning but many new sites that use delivery manners that are very cutting edge.

Starting a good lists of online resources is Internet 4 Classrooms. The site focuses on the most common applications used by educators and then offers extensive lists of links to other helpful websites.

A site that just seems to be bursting with online help for developing websites is W3 Schools . HTML, XML, RSS, are just the beginning of the things web developers can learn at this site. Their motto is “The best things in life are free” and the site is dedicated to providing educators with free tools to make the web useful to teaching.

Apple’s website isn’t just helpful to those of us lucky enough to be equipped with Macs and iBooks, but is loaded with many solutions even Windows users can use in the classroom. iPods are definitely Apple’s hottest item and Apple provides extensive support for integrating iPods into the classroom at their education site . The beauty of the iPods in the Classroom section is that it provides actual lesson plans. Even nicer is the fact that you don’t need an iPod to use the lesson plans. Anything that plays mp3 files like a PC or a Palm will work. Heck, I bet even an old cassette recorder listening center would fit the integration ideas provided by Apple. The education site also includes other solutions for including forms of technology into the classroom whether it is made by Apple or not.

Techlearning.com is an extremely comprehensive professional development website that offers technology using teaching assistance in many aspects of the profession. This site focuses more on integration and philosophies behind using technology effectively as opposed to teaching someone how to use iMovie.
Collaboration, conferences, grants, hot topics are all treated with a great deal of depth.

As a very visual and auditory learner, I am very excited about the high quality professional development opportunities now available in video and podcast formats. I have definitely found my niche for learning best online. The great new wireless dsl we just installed at home and the fiber optic lines at school finally make this stuff easily accessible.

Here are some of my favorites: Atomic Learning is the visual learner’s paradise. The site is loaded with tutorial, step-by-step videos in almost every facet of educational technology. For the most part, I am a self-taught computer user. AL fills in the gaps and shows me techniques I am yet to discover. I have found the Microsoft Office lessons to be the most helpful. Best is the fact that as MACUL members we receive free access to the site. It helps not only learn but provide support to other teachers.

The Educational Podcast Network lists all kinds of podcasts that are related to teaching and learning. Currently close to 45 programs are listed under their professional development section. There are all kinds of program options from special education to one of my favorites, a teaching with handhelds show called “The Soft Reset” by former GoKnow developer Mike Curtis and the guru of handhelds in the classroom Omaha’s Tony Vincent.

One thing especially nice about podcasts is the fact that many of the programs come from actual classroom teachers who have a passion for sharing their experience. This type of PD is often the most relevant and easiest to implement. Bob Sprankle’s "Bobby Bucket Show” is a great example. Shows are also easily
burnable to compact discs and an inspirational speech by someone like Elliott Solloway can be dropped on a superintendent or principal’s desk quite easily.

As it gets easier and easier to find help online for professional development, the quality of the products continues to increase. The most exciting fact is that it is only going to get better.