Active learning in remote professional learning opportunities
Active learning for educators:1
- Engages educators as active, rather than passive, participants
- Requires educators to design and practice focal teaching strategies as part of the professional learning opportunity
- Involves interactive activities and authentic classroom artifacts
- Is relevant to teachers' classroom contexts
- Is embedded in teachers' ongoing practice
- Is research-based and associated with improved student outcomes
Examples include:2
- Coaching to support specific skills
- Ongoing feedback on teacher practice
- Analyzing and reflecting on new teaching strategies
- Engaging teachers in the same learning approaches that their students will use
- Analyzing teaching materials to determine how best to use them and to identify potential challenges
- Practicing new teaching strategies or materials by role-playing with colleagues
- Collaboratively analyzing student work, lesson plans, or case studies
- Reflecting on what was learned in the professional learning opportunity and how it can impact students
1 Darling-Hammond, Hyler & Gardner. (2017). Professional Development Models and Outcomes for Science Teachers.
What Works in Professional Development? The National Science Foundation and the Center for Astrophysics.
2 Darling-Hammond, Hyler & Gardner. (2017).