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Professional Development for Educators

Using the itslearning Framework

Laura Buscemi
Peter deBorja
Towson University
May 2017
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Introduction

In order to support teachers, and to help create the most effective learning environment

for students, educators often find themselves attending professional development sessions. These

sessions can contain information regarding new techniques, curricular content, management

strategies or technologies. Due to the changing nature of educational theory and practice,

sessions are held regularly, often conflicting with a teacher’s already busy schedule

(“Professional Development,” 2013). Through the use of the itslearning learning management

system, teachers will be able to attend a meaningful professional development session digitally

during a time suitable to meet their individual needs.

Review of Literature

In order to identify effective educational and assessment strategies, we reviewed and

assessed many articles and studies related to distance education and teacher professional

development. During the development of the methods of instruction and course materials, the

UDL framework was referenced in order to create an engaging and informative environment for

all learners ("UDL Guidelines," 2013).

In developing an effective assessment, the HCPS Danielson model for assessment was

used (see Appendix A). In order to incorporate distance technology and promote effective

evaluations, the decision was made to conduct final teacher observations virtually using Google

Hangouts. The Best Foot Forward Project, sponsored by the Harvard Center for Educational

Research inspiration to the idea of using virtual observations. This ongoing project focuses on

teacher effectiveness, and utilizes the concept of virtual observations in order to improve

fairness, worth and validity of the teacher observation and evaluation system (“Best Foot
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Forward Project”, 2017). Findings conducted following the first year of the implementation of

this project found that the video observation system was effective at “providing detailed,

objective feedback to teachers” (Kane, Gehlbach, Greenberg, Quinn & Thal, 2015) as well as

allowing for an outside perspective during the observational process.

The benefits of a virtual observation also give way to the idea of virtual coaching. An

administrator, or other observer presence within a classroom can often change the behavior of

teachers or students. Virtual observations help to remove personal bias, and can help gain a more

realistic perspective on the learning occurring in a classroom (“Best Foot Forward Project”,

2017). Even considering these benefits, researchers working with the Best Foot Forward Project

did note that video observation can cause confusion in relation to misinterpretation of lesson

features, lack of personal connection, and difficulty establishing a relationship with the observer.

Course Information

Just like the students they teach, educators enjoy educational environments that are

enriching, engaging, and meaningful. The course to be described below has been designed with

the middle school educator in mind, however, the course can be easily adapted to fit any K-12

education professional. During this course, teachers will be exposed to and integrated with the

online learning environment itslearning. This online learning platform allows educators the

opportunity to create comprehensive instructional resources for their students to access during a

traditional face to face classroom experience, or through a distance learning experience on their

own time. By creating an itslearning tutorial course within the actual itslearning program, course

participants will be exposed to the ease and convince that itslearning has to offer, further

prompting interest and motivation to implement the program within their own classrooms.
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Objectives

During this course, educators will participate in various modules designed to familiarize

themselves with the itslearning platform. During the PD experience, educators will create an

innovative, interactive lesson utilizing the itslearning platform, with various web 2.0 tools.

Following the conclusion of the course, educators will be able to successfully implement a lesson

designed and developed using the itslearning platform while being observed via webcam using

Google Hangouts.

Strategies and Activities

During the planning stages of designing this course, the universal design for learning,

better known as UDL was used as the framework to ensure equity in education for all course

participants. The UDL framework allows for flexible instruction that promotes learning across

barriers ("UDL Guidelines," 2013). The three principles of UDL served as the driving force

throughout the course content and activities. During this course, educators will be provided with

multiple means of representation during modules, including tutorial videos, visual representation

of concepts, auditory feedback and written instruction. Students will also be provided with the

opportunity to maximize transfer and generalization of knowledge through the use of already

understood concepts and ideas. During the course, students will have the opportunity to chat

using Padlet, Today’s Meet, and Google Hangouts as a backchannel to gain insight from peers

and guidance from the instructor. Students will also communicate with each other through the

use of a discussion board, promoting peer learning and interaction. The course itself was

designed to scaffold instruction in order to maximize student learning, a concept recognized in

the second principle of UDL ("UDL Guidelines," 2013). UDL principle three is highlighted in

the use of collaboration among peers, engaging and prompt feedback from the instructor using
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Hangouts, and the focus on student autonomy brought about by the itselarning environment

itself. Students will be able to express their knowledge of concepts in ways that are most relevant

to their content and teaching style during the final observation/assessment at the conclusion of

the course.

Student and teacher roles. The course instructor will act first as a guide, supporting and

encouraging users to understand the online learning environment, answering questions and

troubleshooting along the way. As the course unfolds, the instructor will begin to take a back seat

during instructional models, allowing the students to take the reins and control the pace and

direction of their learning. According to Garet, Porter, Desimone, Birman & Yoon (as cited in

Gamrat et al., 2014, p. 1138), providing teachers with the ability to personalize their learning will

help promote the motivation and desire to learn new skills within the itslearning environment.

This drive for self-guidance and efficacy is also recognized in the third principle of UDL ("UDL

Guidelines," 2013). Instructions for each course session will be outlined at the beginning,

providing further opportunities for students to self-pace.

Assessment

As the students in this course are educators within the Harford County Public School

System, they will be assessed using the Danielson model of evaluation. In accordance with this

model, to provide a comprehensive evaluation, teachers participating in the course will first meet

with the course instructor and school principal for a pre-observation conference. This conference

can be conducted with the use of Google Hangouts, or through the use of a traditional face to

face meeting. This meeting provides the evaluators with an understanding of the educators plan,

as well as an opportunity for advanced, informal feedback on the lesson at hand.

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The main assessment of learning will come through the classroom observation conducted

through Google Hangouts. This virtual style observation offers many benefits to teachers and

administrators. In their 2015 report, Kane, Gehlbach, Greenberg, Quinn and Thal noted that

observations conducted virtually resulted in fairer observations with more valuable and detailed

feedback for teachers. The convenience of virtual observations allowed for more time to be spent

on providing coaching and less on travel and paperwork (Kane et. al, 2015). Video observations

also provided more constructive feedback, with greater self-reflection and less defensiveness on

the part of the teacher during the post-evaluation conference.

During the observation, The Danielson Model assesses teachers across four domains;

planning and preparation, classroom environment, instruction, and professional responsibilities.

Within each domain are several subcategories and “look-fors” that administrators are to focus on.

Teachers will be rated across a four point scale, with rubrics available for teachers to view prior

to their observation. In addition to the Danielson Model currently familiar to HCPS teachers, a

course specific itslearning rubric and assessment model will also be implemented. The

itslearning Evaluation Matrix, or IEM (see appendix b), will assess a course participant’s specific

use of the itslearning program and skills during their observed lesson. The IEM focuses on four

categories, designed to work as an add-on to the already comprehensive Danielson evaluation

model. Integration of Web 2.0 tools, Office 365 and seamless integration of technology will all

be assessed using the IEM. The assessment stage will end with a post-observation conference.

This conference allows teachers to use the provided Danielson and IEM rubrics in order to show

artifacts and evidence showcasing how they met their goals in each domain and subcategory.

This post-observation conference will allow teachers, administrators and professional

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development course instructors the opportunity to further grow in both understanding and

knowledge.

Conclusion

During this course, educators will be provided with the opportunity to learn under the

guidance of an experience instructor using the principles of UDL in order to create an effective

learning environment. The teachers participating in this course will be provided with scaffolded

instruction designed to promote self-efficacy, motivation, and professional relationships between

peers and instructors. This course is designed not only to provide educators with an

understanding of how the itslearning platform functions, but to also provide them an example of

an exemplary lesson taught using the very platform they are exploring. Upon the completion of

this course, educators will continue to be exposed to the innovative and beneficial nature of an

online learning environment through a virtual observation.

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APPENDIX A

https://www.danielsongroup.org/framework
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https://www.danielsongroup.org/framework
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Appendix B
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References

Beach, P. (2017). Self-directed online learning: A theoretical model for understanding

elementary teachers' online learning experiences. Teaching And Teacher

Education, 6160-72. doi:10.1016/j.tate.2016.10.007

Best Foot Forward Project. (2017). Retrieved May 01, 2017, from https://cepr.harvard.edu/best-
foot-forward-project
Danielson Group, The Framework. (2013). Retrieved May 01, 2017, from

https://www.danielsongroup.org/framework/

Gamrat, C., Zimmerman, H. T., Dudek, J., & Peck, K. (2014). Personalized workplace learning:

An exploratory study on digital badging within a teacher professional development

program. British Journal Of Educational Technology, 45(6), 1136-1148.

Kane, T. J., Gehlbach, H., Greenberg, M., Quinn, D., & Thal, D. (2015). The Best Foot Forward
Project: Substituting Teacher-Collected Video for In-Person Classroom Observations.
Professional development (2013, August 29). In S. Abbott (Ed.), The glossary of education

reform. Retrieved from http://edglossary.org/professional-development/

UDL Guidelines Graphic Organizer. (2013, February 12). Retrieved April 29, 2017, from
http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines/udlguidelines_graphicorganizer