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Leveraging Technology for Teacher Efficiency and Effectivenes • CHAPTER 11

instructional modes. For instance, many online professional development courses
include videos of teachers demonstrating best practices in their classrooms.

Teachers rarely see other teachers teaching, so having access to videos of other
teachers’ classrooms has significant benefits. Online professional development also
allows for individualized staff development; teachers can choose staff development
in areas where they are currently trying to improve their practices. This makes
online professional development, particularly when it is also free, a blessing for
teachers and administrators.
Free, high-quality professional development is available from several online
sources. Some may qualify for continuing education units (CEUs). In some
districts, for example, teachers can write up independent or group studies to get
credit for licensure and/or pay increases. Check to see whether your district and/or
state will confer CEUs with evidence of completion of online modules. The chance
to earn CEUs while you learn, at home in your jammies or in a study group, will
keep you motivated! The following resources provide free professional development
for teachers in specific content areas.
ISTE (iste.org) provides members with tools and networks to improve professional
practices. Membership requires an annual paid subscription (included in confer-
ence fees if you attend the annual conference). ISTE published this book and
many others that are useful for teachers who are integrating technology in their
classrooms.

TeachersFirst (teachersfirst.com) offers professional development on technology
integration through OK2Ask sessions. The webinars are hands-on experiences
moderated by teachers. For instance, I took an OK2Ask online workshop on
augmented reality to assist me in writing about AR in this book. During the
session, I saw examples of AR projects, tried out some new technology tools,
explored an AR app, and planned a potential AR lesson. I also met Lula Garcia,
who wrote the AR Voices of Experience for this book.

Annenberg Learner (learner.org) offers online professional development courses in
all content areas for K–12 teachers. A list of courses can be accessed at this page of
the website: learner.org/workshops/workshop_list.html. All materials, video and
print, are free, and teachers can use them in three ways: for self-guided study, as
a study group with a facilitator (guide available online), or as a graduate course

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