Who would have thought? Because of a volcanic eruption...in Iceland, there is a large scale grounding of airplanes in Europe and as a result many presenters aren't able to get themselves to schools around the world to deliver their allocated professional development (PD) sessions.
Fig. 1 is an illustration of volcanic ash dispersion up to 20,000 ft, issued at
7 am on 18 April. Advisory charts are issued every six hours, for up to 18
hours ahead, by the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre. Met Office, UK.
7 am on 18 April. Advisory charts are issued every six hours, for up to 18
hours ahead, by the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre. Met Office, UK.
However, in this day and age of e-learning that really isn't a huge problem. Presenters can upload their documents and powerpoints to a filesharing site, upload relevant videos to Youtube, use Skype to present their presentation, liaise with their clientale via email, take part in discussions with teachers using forums set up on a moodle page, upload information on their presentation to their webpage or a Wikispaces, type their thoughts into a blog, the list goes on...
Is it really all that easy? Well, being social animals, presentations given in person interspersed with humorous anecdotes are by far the most preferable option but I feel that where necessary, given the advances in technology it is possible for PD to be delivered via the internet.
Should PD be a "one size fits all"? I suspect not, what interests a bushy tailed, rose tinted spectacle wearing NQT (newly qualified teacher) may be of no interest (or use!) to one who has taught for 20 years or so. I am very fortunate to be working in a school whereby we can choose our own PD. Options are usually offered for thinking skills, literacy, ICT, assessment, managerial skills....the list goes on. Some teachers actually design their own Personal Professional Development (PPD) session and meet with a colleague(s) to work on something that is advantageous to their curriculum area, and no, I don't mean just catching up on marking.
See below some e-learning suggestions that you may find useful.
Times Educational Supplement Connect, UK
"TES Connect is the central focus for the UK teaching community to share their ideas, thoughts and views outside the staffroom. It is the world's largest social network for a single profession and allows teachers to connect with other professionals to find and share their best classroom resources and advice."Teachers Domain, USA
"Teachers’ Domain is an online library of more than 1,000 free media resources from the best in public television. These classroom resources, featuring media from NOVA, Frontline, Design Squad, American Experience, and other public broadcasting and content partners are easy to use and correlate to state and national standards."Teachers TV, UK
"Through engaging videos, practical resources and an active online community, Teachers TV supports the professional development of anyone working in school, enabling them to widen their skills, develop their practice, and connect with others in the field."Royal Society for Chemistry
"The RSC is the largest organisation in Europe for advancing the chemical sciences. Supported by a worldwide network of members and an international publishing business, our activities span education, conferences, science policy and the promotion of chemistry to the public."Have a look through at the many blogs registered at the International Edubloggers Directory or Science Blogs and find one or ten that interest you and suit your professional development needs.
Whether you are a presenter or a teacher being presented too, avoid at all costs death by Powerpoint (yawn!)
and remember that more often than not the best PD occurs over a coffee in the staffroom or a few beers in the local pub. Have a great week!
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