Professional Learning
Nebo School District teachers, Poulsen and Blake, have traveled throughout Utah to districts and schools to provide training and information about OER. Paulsen has also presented at various conferences in the state and in California.
Blake is active in the Utah Science Teachers Association and presents at the Career, Technology and Education (CTE) conferences and UCET. Sarah Young, the STEM liaison for the state, and Ricky Scott, the state science specialist at USOE, continue to champion this project and provide support to any district, school, or teacher hoping to learn more about OER.
According to Poulsen, one of the key benefits of the OER materials, especially for new teachers, is that the core instructional content directly ties to the state’s curriculum standards and it is not a generic textbook where one size fits all. The OER materials provide a great starting place that is more manageable for newer teachers. Teachers are part of the Professional Learning Community (PLC) and are collaborating about content on a monthly basis.
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Professional Learning
Educators – teachers and administrators – need to be able to choose the technology tools and resources most appropriate for their instructional practices to best meet the needs of students. This necessitates professional learning opportunities in content, programs and applications, as well as ongoing, sustained on-site support for teachers. Sustainable professional learning models, geared specifically to support teachers in student centered, digital learning environments can positively impact the teaching and learning experiences.
SETDA’s Professional Learning Overview
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“A strong Professional Learning Community (PLC) within your school and beyond is essential for collaboration”
- Tracy Poulsen, Spanish Fork High School