ICTs an Teacher Competencies

After reading this article on presenting different approaches to teacher professional development:

Modelos and best practices in Teacher Professional Development

And Read this other article

ICTs and Teacher Competencies 

I would like to answer theses questions...

Identify the types of teacher professional development you have experienced or observed as a teacher, researcher, school/institution/organization leader, education-related practitioner, or policymaker? 

I have experienced the three broad categories:

• Standardized TPD programs
• School- centered TPD
• Individual or self- directed TPD

• Standardized TPD programs: This year in the school where I work as an assistant of P5 Primary, we had a workshop titled "A practical guide to effective differentiated Learning" by Dragonfly Training. The presenter shared some skills and knowledge with a large group of educators (early year´s teachers and lower school´s teachers) via face to face.  This Standardized TPD focused on the exploration of an idea (strategies to teach with differentiated learning) and the demonstration and modeling of skills. We enjoy the 10 activities the presenter taught us, they exposed teachers to new ideas, new ways of doing things and also new colleagues. 
• School- centered TPD: It is called Site- based TPD. This year, we are starting this kind of professional development in this semester, from August to December. It focuses on the specific, situational problems that the coordinator encounter.This is called Collaborative project Groups, and each teacher chooses one of the seven groups. They were: 

• Strategies for differentiating instruction

  Creating challenging and engaging authentic assessments

  Strategies for Assessment for Learning

  Strategies for critical thinking in the classroom

  Developing 21st Century Skills in the Classroom and beyond

  Teaching for understanding (transfer learning)

  Strategies for developing student well-being

  Strategies for implementing academic support

In the next months, teachers have to find periods of time to coordinate the research and develop of their project. This type of TPD allows more flexible, sustained and intensive TPD. It means time and labor- intensive, which also give rise to challenges. Some of the objectives include ongoing growth toward overall excellence in teaching and learning.

• Self-directed TPD: In self- directed TPD, teachers are asked to determine their own professional development goals, select activities that will help them attain these goals. I have seen the tutor of my class using new resources and video which help them to improve engaging lessons. 

How effective are these different types of professional development for teachers? How can these teacher professional development programs or sessions be made more effective? What lessons can you learn from this reading?

These types of professional development for teachers are really effective because help teacher to improve their practice of teaching and learning. Allow them to learn about new strategies, tools, technics, resources, tools. Also, through the help of a monitor, of a peer, or of a video, he or she can see a modeling how to apply for new ways to show new topics to their students. This Professional Development Program could be more effective if always a coordinator or encharged follow or monitor the use of the knowledge received. Also, school management should be involved in the practicing of the learned concepts, skills or attitudes. Also, these types can be integrated, I mean all the topic can be related or be part of the same program. 

Lessons that I learned from this reading... 

1. These three types of TPD have strengths, limitations and cost considerations. 

2. Use all types of TPD doesn´t mean that the school is the best. Each type should be evaluated before being considered.