Electronic professional development (e-PD) may provide the solution to some of these training issues. It provides teachers with opportunities to participate in quality in-service education while staying in their communities, and even in their classrooms. Having the opportunity to meet the standards of high-quality professional development while living a normal life may encourage more teachers to participate, thus reducing some of the shortages we now face. We are just beginning to see the full potential of e-PD, but to be effective these programs must address the quality standards like those outlined in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001; in other words, professional development today must be relevant, meaningful, useful, and standards-based. These standards include such criteria as being delivered by qualified individuals with appropriate credentials and providing training in the use of technology. Forty states have written professional development standards and thirty nine of those engage in financing professional development opportunities for their teachers (National Center for Education Statistics, 2006). This fact alone highlights the importance of how state and federal governments contribute to quality teacher training.
Ohio, for example, has developed a“Tri-Tier Model of School Improvement”, which aligns resources, information, tools, professional development and technical assistance. This model, found on the Ohio Department of Education website, (External Link) , focuses on six areas: data analysis; best practices; planning; implementation and monitoring; resource management; and high-quality professional development. All of these are integrated for the purpose of improving student achievement, teacher instruction, and overall school performance. Ohio’s professional development plan is built around the needs of educators by responding to the needs of the students. It is also aligned with local, state, and national goals. The state’s standards for professional development are the following: Standard 1–High Quality Professional Development (HQPD) is a purposeful, structured and continuous process that occurs over time; Standard 2–HQPD is informed by multiple sources of data; Standard 3–HQPD is collaborative; Standard 4–HQPD includes varied learning experiences that accommodate individual educators’knowledge and skills; Standard 5–HQPD is evaluated by its short- and long-term impact on professional practice and achievement of all students; and Standard 6–HQPD results in the acquisition, enhancement or refinement of skills and knowledge.
The use of e-PD as a viable source for developing quality teachers is becoming more common, but as with all new ventures, the lack of accepted standards make for a wide range of quality learning opportunities. Some questions to be considered are: What different types of e-PD courses are available? What should administrators and teachers look for when trying to choose a quality e-based course? How should an e-based professional development course be evaluated? The goals of this paper are to help identify good e-PD courses, and to help the reader understand the process of distinguishing electronic high quality professional development programs so they can make informed decisions when considering various e-based opportunities.