Critical Issue: Promoting Technology Use in Schools

Strategies for Professional Development Time

Watts and Castle (1993) discuss five strategies for professional development time:

Freed-Up Time. This strategy does not alter the school day, the school calendar, or the teaching schedule. Rather, it uses various short-term interventions that allow teachers to be released from their teaching responsibilities for blocks of time so they can focus on professional development activities. This approach requires the use of substitute teachers, administrators, teaching assistants, parent or community volunteers, or college interns to cover classes for the teachers.
Restructured or Rescheduled Time. This approach alters the time frame of the school day, the school calendar, or the teaching schedule. Schools may schedule early-release days for students, rework the teaching schedule so that there are longer periods and more planning time, create a first period for teachers before student arrival, or extend the school year for teacher professional development time.
Common Time. This strategy involves scheduling common planning periods for teachers who have similar grade levels, subject areas, or disciplines so that they can collaborate and plan together.
Better-Used Time. Instead of scheduling faculty meetings for administrative or informational purposes, this time is used for collaboration and professional growth. This strategy also can involve restricting time required for nonprofessional duties.
Purchased Time. The school district uses funds to pay teachers for professional development programs held during the summer or on evenings, hires additional teachers to reduce class size and increase planning periods, or provides a bank of substitute teachers who are available for half-day or full-day assignments.

Purnell and Hill (1992) also suggest the use of volunteer time, in which teachers are encouraged to use their own time for professional development activities. Teachers often will contribute their own time if they believe their efforts are appreciated and if they can see improvements in their students as a result of the professional development.

Some strategies for finding professional development time can be implemented quickly because they do not require major restructuring. These strategies may include the following: using substitutes so teachers are free to attend workshops or observe other classes, providing a common scheduled lunch and planning periods for teachers working on joint projects, scheduling time for the educational technologist or instructional specialist to work with individual teachers, ensuring that professional development time is used for professional development activities instead of for routine lesson planning, and encouraging teachers to take courses and workshops on their own time. Teachers, educational technologists, and technology coordinators can use these strategies as a foundation for brainstorming additional ways for their schools to find time for professional development.

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