Teachers are constantly striving to be better so one generation of teachers will undergo many changes in their careers. This is even more true now that we are living in a digital age. Professional Development looks a lot different now than even just a decade ago. There are many ways teachers can take advantage of the latest technologies to springboard their careers. We thought we’d share with you just a few!

Online Learning

Professional development for teachers used to be limited to universities, evening schools and coursework either at the beginning of a career or alongside part-time teaching work. Nowadays, online courses and online communities have completely changed the game. Online remote courses allow working alongside studying and you can reach your tutor frequently via video calling. With all the resources available online in portals, you can further your knowledge and qualifications from wherever and whenever it suits you. Online teaching communities also allow teachers to share wisdom, experience and advice so that they can pool resources and methods. Teachers, as a result, are more knowledgeable and highly-trained than ever before!

Connections and Networking

It is not just online communities and forums that can help a teacher progress their profession. Social media platforms such as LinkedIn have dramatically increased the number of teachers being headhunted for a specific role. The number of teachers moving schools to hone in on or better use their skills has also increased. Where previously connections and networking were not a large part of the teaching profession, there are now hundreds of thousands of teachers taking online space and increasing their visibility. We do also recognise the value of face to face impressions and #networking which is why we continue to host networking events!

Lesson Plan Sharing in a Digital Age 

Lesson planning has, for a long time, had a negative association with teachers who find it a lot of work that is constant and never-ending. In a recent survey by Teacher Tap, only 8% of 3,387 participants said they enjoyed lesson planning. Lesson planning in the digital age, however, has never been easier. Websites such as Share My Lesson, Edutopiaand TES give teachers access to a wide range of resources, statistics, presentations, games and props to use within their lessons, so they don’t have to come up with the plans completely from scratch. In fact, many communities of teachers under the same national curriculum, share their lesson plans with each other on a frequent basis to share information and ideas and enjoy a more manageable workload.

Online Communities and The Sharing of Information

Before the digital age, teachers could only share their wisdom and experiences when they got a chance to sit down with each other – which any teacher knows is not often! Today, however, it only takes a quick search on any search engine or social media platform to discover whole communities of teachers and head teachers sharing their experiences and tips with each other. There is now an answer to every question you can think of and, no matter the situation, there is nearly always another teacher who has been through a similar experience. It’s simply a matter of finding them! Schools can also better find assistance and outsource things like marketing and prospectus design. Through searching online complementary businesses like school marketing firms, more schools are adding value to their school in this digital age.

The digital age has completely changed the way most teachers navigate their professional development, and will no doubt continue to do so. Are you taking advantage of the latest technologies as well as you could?

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If you want to find out how Blue Apple Education can help you unearth the remarkable in your school you can call us on +44 (0) 330 223 0766 or email us [email protected]