When it comes to the actual development of 21st century skills, it is important to respect that your participants all learn differently, just as their students do. You know that classrooms have to be flexible in order accommodate various learning styles. Why would your PD program be any different? Be sure to offer various types of training to your participants so they can learn the what, why and how of 21st century skills.
• What are 21st century skills?
• Why do they matter?
• How can I apply 21st century skills in my classroom?
Also, it is important to realize that your teachers are busy. The types of training that you provide them with all need to be brief, context-specific and available on-demand. Your PD program is an addition to your participants' normal workload, so if you instead choose to provide them with tedious coursework, often containing information that is not applicable to the individual, you may be setting yourself up for significantly decreased participation.
Individualization is not the only key to a successful development of 21st century skills; project-based learning encourages teachers to apply the skills they are learning. As a result of solving real problems through projects with their new 21st century skills, teachers develop a deeper understanding of how they can apply their new skills in their classrooms and more effectively teach them to their students.
Next week, we will be discussing the best ways to analyze progress.
P.D. Tips courtesy of Atomic Learning
