9 Reasons Why Teachers Are Choosing Online PD
over Face-To-Face PD
A 2009 study concluded that teachers who have attended professional development courses both online and in-person, have ‘preferred to participate online than participate in face-to-face professional development’ (Thomas, 2009).
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This was again supported by research the following year - check out the Fisher and colleagues’ 2010 findings here.
With teachers’ schedules becoming busier than ever, online courses pose a necessary time-saver. However, ironically, face-to-face PD still appears to be the dominant choice of teachers. Before considering the 9 advantages of online PD as opposed to face-to-face PD, a disclaimer is required: these advantages assume that the online PD in question is of high quality. We're referring to online PD that is self-paced, practical, interactive, well facilitated, and that contains well assembled, relevant content that teachers can directly implement into their classrooms. Quality PD results in positive change to classroom practice
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How often have you attended PD which, despite being focused on good ideas, produced zero changes in your classroom? When I ask this question to teachers the common response is, after the obligatory eye-roll, “too often!”
But most teachers agree that the only ‘PD worth doing’ is PD that creates significant change to classroom practice. After all, what is the point of learning about the latest research-backed ideas if the PD does not guide participants through the logistics of how to implement those ideas?
But most teachers agree that the only ‘PD worth doing’ is PD that creates significant change to classroom practice. After all, what is the point of learning about the latest research-backed ideas if the PD does not guide participants through the logistics of how to implement those ideas?
9 advantages of (quality) online PD for teachers compared to the face-to-face equivalent.
1. Implementations
The most likely reason an online PD course induces classroom change is because of the requirement of classroom implementations. This means that as teachers progress through the course, many of the ideas upon which the course is based are implemented - while the course runs. Moreover, the implementation experiences are shared online with colleagues along with collegial feedback.
Compare this to a face-to-face scenario in which participants are mostly passive recipients of information and in which implementations - if they occur at all - only happen after the course has ended and with no built-in accountability.
The mandate of making implementations integral to online PD is inline with the study ‘Online vs face-to-face: Educator opinions on professional development delivery methods’ by Teresa Thomas which concluded that ‘Teachers in online courses responded more positively that their teaching methodology had changed due to the courses they had taken’.
Compare this to a face-to-face scenario in which participants are mostly passive recipients of information and in which implementations - if they occur at all - only happen after the course has ended and with no built-in accountability.
The mandate of making implementations integral to online PD is inline with the study ‘Online vs face-to-face: Educator opinions on professional development delivery methods’ by Teresa Thomas which concluded that ‘Teachers in online courses responded more positively that their teaching methodology had changed due to the courses they had taken’.
2. Self-reflection
Having teachers self-reflect prior to implementing new strategies is vital. Why? Because successful implementations are predicated on teachers understanding why they are implementing the strategies in the first place. Fourteen years experience running face-to-face and online PD tells me that there are features inherent to the online environment in regard to having teachers self-reflect that superior to the face-to-face equivalent, namely the ability to require all participants to respond to targeted questions based on strategically arranged content.
3. Equality of voice for participants
Effective PD needs to be interactive, i.e. participants need to contribute. One issue with interactive face-to-face PD is that within any given audience, almost without fail, there are one or two ‘alpha personalities’ with the need to share at every opportunity. At the same time, there are always several participants who are reluctant to share anything at all. By the end of most face-to-face days, everyone has a good understanding of the views of the few extroverts and zero understanding of the views of nearly half of the participants. Tragically, it is often the introverts who hold especially insightful views, perhaps because they spend more time reflecting and less time talking.
Yet, in a quality, interactive online PD everyone has an equal voice. It’s as if everyone is an extrovert - everyone is able to share fully because personality plays no part in participants’ responses.
Yet, in a quality, interactive online PD everyone has an equal voice. It’s as if everyone is an extrovert - everyone is able to share fully because personality plays no part in participants’ responses.
4. No 1pm Brain Drain!
In a face-to-face day, information overload always occurs. If the brain hasn’t shut down by 11am it will have by 1 or 2 pm! Online PD never induces brain drain because an online participant will take a break when needed.
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5. There are no online passengers
In a face-to-face day, it’s quite easy to be a ‘passenger’. Passengers are polite, happily talk to new people, join in on required discussions, love the provided lunch, but they are not engaged. I had one very polite teacher leave the room eight times in a day to take phone calls. Turns out he was selling property. He received his hours for the course but learned nothing. I suspect, except for especially high-quality face-to-face PD, the percentage of passengers is high. And that amounts to a lot of wasted time and money!
Conversely, in the online world, once you log in you can’t be a passenger - you’re a pilot.
Conversely, in the online world, once you log in you can’t be a passenger - you’re a pilot.
Logistical advantages
6 Preparation for missed lessons
When attending face-to-face PD teachers need to create detailed lesson plans for casual teachers to follow. We all know how time-consuming these can be to create. Obviously, this does not apply to online PD.
7. Lost time for classes
The lessons taken by casual teachers often taught ineffectively. Therefore, when returning from the course the teacher is usually required to re-teach some of the work. In other words, time is lost. Again, this does not apply to online PD.
Cost-effective advantages
8. Casual relief cost
A quality online course might cost around $500, which, initially, may sound expensive. However, if this equates to two face-to-face days at $200 each then we are really comparing the $500 with around $1200 for the face-to-face equivalent once you factor in the casual relief costs. And this doesn’t factor in travel and accommodation costs which some teachers must incur.
9. Travel and Accommodation
Many teachers are regional or international school teachers in locations where face-to-face PD rarely visits. Travel and accommodation expenses for such teachers can increase the cost of the PD by factors of four or more. Again, such costs are not incurred by online PD.
But what about the advantages of face-to-face PD?
Let’s face it, some face-to-face PD is exceptional, based on relevant, practical ideas with numerous resources and strategies participants can implement ‘the next day’. And by default, face-to-face PD has some advantages over online. For example, a presenter can ‘read the room’ and deal with issues that arise in the moment more fluidly in a face-to-face environment. And there are the in-person social and networking aspects of face-to-face that cannot be matched online. (And let’s not forget the free lunch!) However, in my experience, these advantages simply do not outweigh the benefits of online PD that have been addressed in this article.
Have your say
Have you experienced online PD for teachers that aligns to the advantages above? Perhaps you’ve experienced some frustrations with face-to-face PD … or with poor quality online PD? Whatever your experiences, I’d love to hear from you. Otherwise, have a read of the article 5 Advantages of Team-Based Professional Learning
