Professional+Development

Professional Development

**Mobile learning and Professional Development**
Teachers participate in professional development (PD) to increase their knowledge around pedagogy but often PD is a one day affair and information is presented in isolation."Researchers have reported that traditional forms of PD provide little support for teachers to translate their learning into practice, and have recommended restructuring PD opportunities to promote teachers’ interdependence and collaboration rather than their dependence on outside experts" (Schmoker, 2006).

Mobile learning presents educators with the ability to access PD at a time and place that works for them. "Though mobile learning is still an emergent field, educators are starting to recognize the potential of mobile technologies to deliver PD that is job-embedded, ongoing, sustainable, flexible, personalized and available anywhere at any time" **(UNESCO Mobile Learning for Teachers in North America**, 2012). Rather than presenting a one size fits all PD, teachers are now able to access PD that applies to their practice, moving it forward.

In a transformational school, staff members use their Personal Learning Network (PLN), using tools such as Twitter, Facebook, nings, RSS feeds and Google Reader, that they can connect with on their mobile device. Connecting with other educators who share a similar passion is important when teachers work in a small school, a rural area or in a school with a low-incident subject, with no other colleagues working in the same content area. "One advantage of social networking sites is that they allow for personalized learning: in most cases, the teacher self-selects the people or groups with whom to connect, depending on his or her own needs and interests" (UNESCO) Mobile devices also allow other teachers into your classroom, virtually. Most cell phones have camera and video capability. It may be difficult to meet face-to-face.