What professional development opportunities are available for differentiated instruction?

One thing that online courses has done is to eradicate the physical barriers a student had to fight with. Earlier, beet teachers for every subject were present only in the cities of their residence, hence confining their knowledge only to students in their locality. But now, this is not the case. You can access the best knowledge, faculty and experiences sitting on your desk. Internet is indeed a boon if used correctly.

Online courses are one of the most convenient ways of learning. Most of these courses are self placed therefore a learner can learn as per their convenience. Most of the platforms have started using various methods for explanation such as graphics, sounds, audio, video embedded in the course so that the learner isn't bored.

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I know a bunch of people who switch to online learning to get rid of the instruction mode which they usually are forced to accept in normal classroom settings. So I think: the more we let go the Idea of "Instruction", the more we will start learning as a genuine option of collaboration, where every participant brings in their genuine expertise in whatever, so that a tremendous learning experience for everyone will emerge.

Taking an online course ease out the process of differentiated instruction.It makes us to connect you with well established educators and helps us to enhance the pedagogy of our subject.I had taken a NPTEL course on 'Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry' from a professor of IIT Bombay and 'Introduction to Stereochemistry' through SWAYAM portal.These courses provided indepth explanations and enlightened me with certain gamification techniques on Chemistry.Reallly I loved the approaches by these professors and it was an amazing experience I had.

Podcasts and online courses offer teachers various benefits in the 21st-century learning framework. They provide flexible learning opportunities, allowing educators to access updated content, innovative teaching methods, and diverse perspectives. These resources can enhance professional development, expand teaching strategies, and deepen subject knowledge. Podcasts, for instance, offer on-the-go learning, while online courses often provide certifications and networking opportunities, fostering continuous growth and adaptability in the rapidly evolving educational landscape.

In fact As a result of the rapid development in the means of learning and acquiring knowledge, the transmitted experience and rich experiences have become more effective because they come from their sources and from several methods that have been tried, and their length is also proportional to the urgent need of teachers who are unable to attend online courses. It is also a continuous tool that brings new developments up to date

I don't understand anymore the differentiation between the tasks of a "teacher" or "instructor" and a "learner". Why do we need the "teaching" thing nowerdays? Let's start with sharing what we know and can do: our knowledge and competencies with and through each other as a genuine way of collaboration, because this is what the world needs from us in the age of AI. The counterpart of "learning from" is not any more "teaching at". Also the responsability for becoming a skilled and wise human lies in my own hands. So don't look for teachers & teaching any more but for collaborators to learn together and thrive.

As long as you have the proper technologies and access to the internet, you have the opportunity to improve yourself. Webinars and podcasts are improved means of communication which utilized the enamor of its traditional ancestor, the radio and television. This only goes to show that learning is possible for people from all walks of life.

I personally prefer face to face learning, but doing so takes me away from where I’m needed most…my classroom. As a parent I can’t attended them after school either :/

You can start a conference at any time anywhere you want to start it. Spread the idea on monday, open a "string of communication" throughout the week to visualize the conference taking place on friday - and then come together online, bring together the most inspiring people from inside your network and let everyone be an active and colearning part of the event. Be agile!

I totally agree, workshops and conferences provide great opportunities to meet, interact with and learn from experts in the field. Membership of professional bodies would also help to keep one abreast of tends, best practices, latest and ongoing researches. There are financial implications however, and sometimes, traveling may be involved, but the benefits outweigh the inconveniences.

There are certain skills that can be learned best through cooperation and hands-on experience. Workshops and conferences are perfect avenues for both learning and networking. I found it very helpful for retaining information and building connections.

Learning by observing expert colleagues (and then receiving reciprocal observation feedback) can be highly beneficial as the specifics of school culture, behavioural expectations and even individual personalities can be consistently approached in real time.

This method of learning is more practical. Teachers can observe and practice even in their classrooms and in an environment where they are comfortable. It also helps the teacher to subconsciously learn from both the mentor and the learners. Learning from experienced hands on the job is easy to grasp.

There is no better professional development than having an experienced, patient instructional coach in your corner. The personalized rapport that a coach makes is huge for teachers, especially those new to the profession.

Without the help of my own coach or mentor, I believe I would not strive to be a better coach or mentor myself. An educator should have room for coaching and mentoring from others within their field and even more so their students. Learning is not a singular experience, therefore it has to be constantly reviewed and improved. The right coach or mentor can do wonders in an educator’s career and education itself.

This is my favourite! Science gave us the knowledge (for decades now), that learning ist always and ever self-directed. No matter what else ist happening around a learner, no matter how much effort is invested in teaching - in other words: instructor-directed learning does not change or eliminate the fact, that learning itself is always self-directed, self initiated, self organized, self-accountable, self-determined and self-reflected. You cannot switch of these fundmental characterics of human learning, you can only facilitate and support or block and complicate them.

I have found that as my experience and knowledge base in education has grown, so has my confidence in providing myself with professional reading. By self-directing what I am interested in I enable myself to be fluid in my inquiry process.

Regardless of how you choose to get your professional development, you need to make sure the information is from credible, research-based sources. I receive a daily influx of emails and social media posts on professional development offerings. It can be difficult to know what is worthwhile and the best fit for me. Taking a little time to research the source and read a few reviews will help ensure your PD time is well spent.