Online Professional Development: Peer Coaching In The Classroom

Given the rapid changes in work practices, such as the use of technology and the increased availability and volume of information it is absolutely necessary for teachers to be computer literate (Phillips, 2008). Teachers must partake in professional development that fosters growth and maintains a continuous level of improvement. Professional development that promotes growth in online technology should encompass a variety of effective instructional strategies.

Online professional development should be designed to explicitly link to classroom lessons. Participating in professional development that is specifically aligned with material the teacher is teaching is a powerful aspect of coherence (Desimone & Garret, 2015). An alignment with

An essential element to professional development involves observations, peer support, and ongoing feedback to empower teachers to have a stronger belief and confidence in their teaching practices (Kennedy & Shiel, 2010). Peer coaching is defined as the assistance of one teacher to another in the development and furthering of teaching skills, strategies, and techniques (Denton & Hasbrouck, 2009). Peer coaching provides a safe environment for teachers to experiment with new strategies and skills and thoughtfully reflect and refine their capabilities (Kohler, Good, Crilley, & Shearer, 2001). Informal observations by a facilitator or coach allow teachers to collaborate and brainstorm ideas to strengthen their ability to meet the diverse needs of all students (Kennedy & Shiel, 2010). Follow-up coaching sessions often enable teachers to highlight strengths and weaknesses of instructional practices being implemented in the classroom, coaches can provide valuable knowledge to reinforce professional development

Professional development should be delivered in a highly accessible way to encourage collective participation and collaboration among teachers, be of sufficient duration, and promote continuity to other in- and out- of school experiences (Desimone, 2009). Some researchers argue that in-service programs should be targeted toward school buildings rather than toward individual teachers. The reasoning behind this proposal is that schoolwide programs have more likelihood of influencing a critical mass of teachers and that teachers thus influenced might be more likely to encourage one another toward new teaching practices. Most programs that serve individual teachers also serve volunteers, while most programs that serve whole schools are likely to have some teachers who are interested in the program and others who are not. Moreover, there is some evidence that people who volunteer for programs are already sympathetic with program goals, even before participating, so they may be more inclined to adopt the program’s ideas than non-volunteers would be (Kennedy,