How to teach teachers amidst the pandemic | Education - Phys.org

In a new study published this week in The Learning Professional, a University of Colorado Denver researcher looked at best practices for educating teachers in an online environment, according to Sarah Erickson, University of Colorado Denver.

Photo: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Known as professional learning, this type of learning is different from professional development in the sense that it is typically interactive, sustained, and customized to teachers' needs—not a one-size-fits-all workshop. It is the practice of teachers taking responsibility for their own learning, and practicing what they are learning in their own teaching contexts. 

In the article, researcher Laura Summers, clinical assistant professor in the School of Education & Human Development, outlined a myriad of ways in which we can be the most prepared to engage with our teachers in virtual professional learning.
Why is this so critical to examine now? The pivot to online education due to the coronavirus pandemic was sharp for some—in fact, many teachers began teaching in a purely online format for the first time ever when the crisis hit...

For efficacious virtual professional learning, Summers emphasizes three primary rules: the learning is grounded in social and emotional learning; self-efficacy is at the forefront; and the challenges of a virtual environment are understood.  
Read more...

Source: Phys.org