Because every district’s, school’s and employee's 21st century skills knowledge differs, it is crucial that you understand the state of your participants' 21st century skills before they start to develop new skills.
In order to customize your PD program on an individual level so it can be as effective as possible, an assessment is often a good place to start. Look for assessments that ask questions through multiple formats and are focused on the application of 21st century skills in the classroom. Also, you will want an assessment that provides a report to the individual so they can see exactly where his or her strengths and weaknesses lie.
By understanding your participants' training gaps, you are ensuring that each individual will be learning new skills. This will prevent some participants from spending time on skills they have previously mastered and others from missing crucial fundamentals.
Next week we will be discussing how to develop 21st century skills.
P.D. Tips courtesy of Atomic Learning
