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Online Professional Development - Book Cover Look Inside
Bestseller!

Online Professional Development

Design, Deliver, Succeed!

Based on proven principles of professional learning and instructional design, John D. Ross’s book provides a path to assessing your needs, the cost, design, and results.

Full description

Online Professional Development - Book Cover Look Inside
Product Details
  • Grade Level: K-12
  • ISBN: 9781412987127
  • Published By: Corwin
  • Year: 2011
  • Page Count: 208
  • Publication date: June 13, 2011
Price: $44.95

Review Copies

This book is not available as a review copy.
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Description

Description

Much-needed direction for navigating online professional development

Although many educators are on the fast track to embracing online professional development (OPD), choosing the best solution is not as simple as pushing a button. OPD expert John D. Ross's practical framework will guide you through asking the right questions and making sound development and purchasing decisions. The book's process is founded on proven principles of professional learning and instructional design. You will benefit from others' experience and expertise while efficiently charting a cost-effective course to success. This reader-friendly guide provides a path to answering these fundamental questions:

  • Why online professional development?
  • How much does it cost?
  • How do I get started?
  • What does high-quality online learning look like?
  • What technologies are right for me?
  • How do I put it all together?
  • Did it work?

Included are an OPD decision matrix, a step-by-step planning and implementation framework, "buyer beware" guidelines, and real-life case studies from successful OPD providers. Whether you want to purchase or create OPD, this time-saving resource will help you understand your financial options and confidently chart your course to success.


Key features

(1) Features a step-by-step planning and implementation framework to guide readers in developing or purchasing online professional development to meet their specific professional learning needs.

(2) OPD Decision Matrix guides readers in evaluating costs versus benefits in developing online learning communities.

(3) Includes original case studies based on experiences of exemplary providers of OPD.

(4) "Caveat Emptor" boxes provide checklists and interview questions for potential purchasers of OPD.

(4) Appropriate for both consumers and producers of Online PD
Author(s)

Author(s)

John D. Ross photo

John D. Ross
John Ross has been helping educators from the classroom to the state board room better understand how technology integration enhances school improvement efforts for more than a decade. Spearheading the 2004 launch of an online professional development environment for an educational non-profit, Dr. Ross has since designed and delivered online professional development that has gone to many thousands of educators in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. He has connected with educators across the nation through podcasts, webcasts, webconferences, social networks, dabbling in Second Life, and his blog.

Dr. Ross is the subject-matter expert for Principal Connections Online, an expanded, Web-based version of the popular training on technology integration for K-12 leaders. He worked with the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) to design and develop the free, Web-based Data-Based Decision Making Tool: A Resource for Teachers (www.edvantia.org/dbdm), a comprehensive guide for developing and implementing school improvement efforts; and also developed the Web-based version of the K-12 Total Cost of Ownership, or TCO, Calculator (www.edvantia.org/tco), which is based on the work of the Integrated Technology in Education Group. He served as the director of the Institute for the Advancement of Emerging Technologies in Education and as the director of technology for the Appalachia Regional Comprehensive Center (ARCC), both funded by the U.S. Department of Education, where he has educators at all levels investigate and incorporate new and emerging technologies in support of their work.

Dr. Ross is a frequent presenter in the field of educational technology at state and national conferences and has served as a consultant and trainer for teachers, administrators, and policymakers. He teaches an online graduate class he created about technology integration for Bethel University based on the textbook he co-authored with Dr. Katherine Cennamo from Virginia Tech and Dr. Peg Ertmer from Purdue. The textbook, Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use: A Standards-Based Approach, is the first to address the revised National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) developed by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). Dr. Ross was a classroom teacher for 10 years and holds a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction and instructional technology from Virginia Tech.
Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

About the Author

1. Why Online Professional Development?

The OPD Framework

Asking the Right Questions

Why Online Professional Development

Caveat Emptor: Talking to Vendors

Determining Your Need for Online Professional Development

Take Action: Conduct a Needs Assessment and Create Your Vision

Conclusion

2. How Much Does It Cost?

Outcomes

Take Action: Determine Your Desired Outcomes

Measuring Your Outcomes

Support

Security

Required Technology

Ease of Use

Risk

Caveat Emptor: Supporting Your Outcomes

Economies of Scale

Conclusion

Take Action: Set Your Mission

3. How Do I Get Started?

Take Inventory

Caveat Emptor: Facilitation Models

Caveat Emptor: Partnering for Success

Conclusion

Take Action: Gap Analysis to Describe Your Needs

4. What Does Good Online Learning Look Like?

Why Instructional Design?

Take Action: Instructional Design Considerations

Getting Your Hands Dirty

Take Action: Content Development Timeline

Using Media to Help (Or Hinder) Learning

Conclusion

Caveat Emptor: Evaluating Media in Online Content

5. What Technologies Are Right for Me?

A Word About Learning Objects

Presenting basic information via text and images

Demonstrating a process, sequence, or procedure

Hosting asynchronous interactions

Hosting synchronous interactions

Growing a learning community

Monitor learning

Take Action: Exploring Technology Specifications

Infrastructure for online professional development

Caveat Emptor: Is Free Right for Me?

Conclusion

Caveat Emptor: Evaluating a Management System

6. Putting it All Together

Gathering all the pieces

Taking Care of Business

Take Action: What Online Facilitators Should Know and Be Able to Do

Putting the Pieces Together

Take Action: Putting all the Pieces Together

Celebration

7: Did it work?

Formative evaluation

Is it better than face-to-face?

Measuring your outcomes

Take Action: Measuring Your Desired Outcomes

Was it worth it?

One story: The framework in action

Design, Deliver, Succeed!

References and Resources

References

Index

Reviews

Reviews

Quote by Jill Montoya, Online Professional Development Coordinator, Jefferson County Public Schools, Golden, CO:

"The practical applications offered in this book provide valuable resources for developing online professional development that is firmly grounded in best practices of e-learning. Ross provides solutions on how to transform your training program into digitally rich experiences that will engage, enrich, and enhance learning."

"The practical applications offered in this book provide valuable resources for developing online professional development that is firmly grounded in best practices of e-learning. Ross provides solutions on how to transform your training program into digitally rich experiences that will engage, enrich, and enhance learning."

Jill Montoya, Online Professional Development Coordinator
Jefferson County Public Schools, Golden, CO
Quote by Barbara Frank, Senior Policy Analyst, National Education Association Academy, Washington, DC: "A really helpful tool to keep up with the exploding online environment for professional development."
"A really helpful tool to keep up with the exploding online environment for professional development."
Barbara Frank, Senior Policy Analyst
National Education Association Academy, Washington, DC
Quote by Catherine Huber, Principal, West Seneca CSD, NY: "Too often, new technologies take center stage without a real focus on what our learning outcomes will be or how the technology will be implemented. What I appreciated about this book is that it very methodically laid out a plan that could be easily utilized by school districts interested in online professional learning. The templates and the questions are easily transferable to any team or process."
"Too often, new technologies take center stage without a real focus on what our learning outcomes will be or how the technology will be implemented. What I appreciated about this book is that it very methodically laid out a plan that could be easily utilized by school districts interested in online professional learning. The templates and the questions are easily transferable to any team or process."
Catherine Huber, Principal
West Seneca CSD, NY
Quote by John Bell, Leadership and Evaluation Coordinator, Alabama State Department of Education, Montgomery, AL: "In this well-written, easy-to-digest resource, John Ross draws on his years of experience to help educators consider why an online approach might be the answer to their professional development needs.  He carefully outlines the technical questions and processes needed to support a successful effort."
"In this well-written, easy-to-digest resource, John Ross draws on his years of experience to help educators consider why an online approach might be the answer to their professional development needs.  He carefully outlines the technical questions and processes needed to support a successful effort."
John Bell, Leadership and Evaluation Coordinator
Alabama State Department of Education, Montgomery, AL
Quote by Joellen Killion, Deputy Executive Director, Learning Forward, Arvada, CO: "John Ross provides real-life examples and resources that will ensure online professional learning produces changes in educator practice and student learning."
"John Ross provides real-life examples and resources that will ensure online professional learning produces changes in educator practice and student learning."
Joellen Killion, Deputy Executive Director
Learning Forward, Arvada, CO
Quote by James Herman, Director of K-12 Reading and Language Arts, Tennessee Department of Education, Nashville, TN: "John Ross provides a timely and unique look at online learning in this ground-breaking book. His thorough, practical, and state-of-the-art approach to online learning is critical to the future of online professional development."
"John Ross provides a timely and unique look at online learning in this ground-breaking book. His thorough, practical, and state-of-the-art approach to online learning is critical to the future of online professional development."
James Herman, Director of K-12 Reading and Language Arts
Tennessee Department of Education, Nashville, TN
Quote by Charlotte Adinolfi, District Administration magazine, July/August 2011: "This book explores why online professional development is a good option, how to get started, which technologies to use and how to put it all together. Experiences of other educators in the book allow the reader to benefit and create a cost-effective path to success."
"This book explores why online professional development is a good option, how to get started, which technologies to use and how to put it all together. Experiences of other educators in the book allow the reader to benefit and create a cost-effective path to success."
Charlotte Adinolfi
District Administration magazine, July/August 2011
    Price: $44.95

    Review Copies

    This book is not available as a review copy.

    Related Resources

    • Access to companion resources is available with the purchase of this book.

    Other Titles in: Staff Development & Professional Learning | Policy & Planning | Technology