Professional Development: Sustained Professional Development

What is Sustained Professional Development?

Technology provides teachers with many tools for teaching and learning. ITSCO receives numerous inquiries from educators looking or ways to weave these tools into their teaching. To address this need the process of Sustained Professional Development (SPD) was created. It was first implemented several years ago while working with R.L. Stevenson Elementary School in Grandview Heights. Since then the process has undergone continuous refinement and has been applied by ITSCO in many other school districts. It is quickly becoming one of ITSCO's most requested services.

What are the goals of SPD?

The primary goal of SPD is to assist teachers with seamless integration of technology into their existing curricula and teaching practices, in support of student work and learning. Through the SPD process, ITSCO designs training and instruction to align with teachers' individual technology goals and the goals of their school and district. The process spans a period of several months, allowing ITSCO consultants to serve as instructional technology "coaches" throughout the school year.

Where do we begin?

The first step in initiating the SPD process is to contact ITSCO to request a Sustained Professional Development Planning form. An ITSCO consultant is assigned to assist with the planning process. Ideally, all members of the team who will have an active role in the SPD process contribute to the planning, which poses questions designed to generate critical thinking about the goals, timelines, and implementation of the SPD process. It is also a valuable tool for ITSCO to determine the best way to approach the specific needs of the team. Once the plan is reviewed, ITSCO works with the team to set dates for meetings to take place throughout the school year.

Let's Meet!

The number of meetings depends on variables such as availability of substitute teachers and the budget available for SPD, but usually consists of at least the following:

  1. Initial Planning Meeting
    An ITSCO consultant meets with team members to review their plan and discuss a timeline for implementation of their goals. Substitute teachers are needed if this session takes place during the school day.

  2. Technology Awareness Workshops
    Team members are taught to use the technologies they've identified for integration. Substitute teachers are needed if this session takes place during the school day.

  3. Integration of Technology
    Each team member is allotted individual consulting time with an ITSCO consultant. The amount to time varies depending on the total budget for SPD and each team member may determine how and when this time is used. In most cases this time is used to assist a team member while working with students or to assist with a team member's individual interests. Since this time is arranged, it is not necessary to obtain substitute teachers.
  4. Integration of Technology Follow-Up
    Team members use this time to reflect on the SPD process and to plan future steps.