Professional Learning

Professional Learning Communities, or PLCs, have become crucial in designing school-wide strategies dedicated to helping students achieve their potential. The resources included in this toolkit are intended to help you meet the challenges presented by today’s educational landscape through effective professional learning and development opportunities.

All Professional Learning toolkit files

A zip file containing all downloadable Professional Learning Toolkit resources  

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What is a Professional Learning Community?

Teachers working collaboratively and holding themselves accountable for the results

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The Changing Role of Teachers

New tasks and challenges call for developing new abilities and setting aside old habits

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Components of a Successful PLC

A comprehensive checklist that details what all thriving Professional Learning Communities have in common

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Developing a Professional Learning Community

How principals can convince their staff that implementing a Professional Learning Community is worthwhile

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Building Leadership

The role of the principal is critical in creating a school-wide environment of collaboration

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Implement Effective Professional Learning Communities

A checklist for principals in creating a culture of continuous learning for their schools

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PLC Peer Observation

Structured peer observations help teachers improve learning for all students

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Mentoring and PLCs

Professional Learning Communities can act as dynamic support systems for teachers

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PLC Teams

Utilize existing team structures and focus on what effective teams do to help all kids learn

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How PLCs Impact Student Success

A PLC gets teachers working together as members of a high-performing, collaborative team  

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The School District as a PLC

The PLC concept can extend beyond teachers and schools when district leaders become emphatic about district-wide learning goals

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Developing a Learning Community

This resource from Microsoft* offers simple steps on launching enriching Learning Communities.

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Learning Communities and Support

This Microsoft* resource offers ‘anytime, anywhere’ approaches to K-12 learning and explores new technology for transforming learning outcomes.

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Building Leader Educator Capacity

This Microsoft* Education Transformation Framework helps fast track system-wide transformation by summarizing decades of quality research.

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Teacher and Leader Capacity

This Microsoft* resource shares research revealing that top schools place an intensive focus on training, mentoring and collaborative working groups.

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Seven Lessons Learned From Implementing Micro-credentials

This Friday Institute for Educational Innovation resource explores opportunities for educators to engage in rigorous professional learning.

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Micro-Credentials and Professional Learning

Micro-credentials create new pathways for professional development: making learning more relevant to a teacher’s needs.  

 

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State Digital Learning Exemplars

This Friday Institute for Educational Innovation resource examines how states are providing digital learning opportunities. 

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Social Network Formation and its Impact on Learning

Written for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation MOOC Research Initiative, this report explores peer interaction in MOOCs for K-12 educators.

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Implementation Stories: Rhode Island

This resource chronicles the experiences of Rhode Island school leaders with the Leadership in Blended and Digital Learning (LBDL) program.

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The Digital Learning Transition MOOC for Educators

The Alliance and the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation offers lessons learned about new approaches to professional development.

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Five Tips For First-rate PD

From specificity to inclusivity, these five tips help simplify and energize the professional learning process.

 

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Rethinking Professional Learning and Assessment

Teacher-created assessments that have students applying skills to meaningful tasks directly connects assessments to curriculum.

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Content-Focused, Expert-Led Collaboration at Achievement First

This ERS brief explores how Achievement First ignites the engine of professional learning. 

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Drafting an Effective Professional Learning Plan

Drafting a professional learning plan is a critical step in setting teachers up for success.

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Finding Time for Collaborative Planning

In this brief, ERS shares practical strategies for how principals can create more collaborative planning time.  

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Frequent, Growth-Oriented Feedback at DC Public Schools

This ERS brief details how DC Public Schools connects professional learning to day-to-day instruction. 

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Comprehensive Curricula and Assessments in Louisiana

In this brief, ERS shares how the Louisiana Department of Education is improving teacher learning.

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Modeling Student-Centered Professional Learning

Professional learning should be teacher-centered: allowing educators to experience student-centered learning strategies in action.

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Supporting Teachers with Design Thinking

Design Thinking can take root in a teacher’s pedagogy, laying the foundation for students to become independent learners. 

 

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Google Classroom for Professional Learning

With Google Classroom, educators from different schools are brought together through profound professional development experiences. 

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Get Cross-functional with Teacher Proficiency

The intersection of support from leadership, peer coaching, and measurable outcomes provide a collaborative forum for teachers.

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Building the Next Generation of Teacher Training

Professional learning needs an inquiry process that encourages and supports educators as they engage in the impact of their development. 

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Four Elements of Personalized Professional Learning

The Future Ready Schools framework for personalized professional learning is poised to meet the needs of today’s schools.   

 

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Building Teacher Autonomy

Establishing a culture of continuous improvement provides the structure teachers need to become empowered and to help students to be successful. 

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Microsoft Technology Planning Resources

Microsoft works with hundreds of thousands of schools and school systems to solve big problems. Here are resources to guide school leaders as they transform schools with a vision to empower students to achieve more.
Useful links
Five Ideas to Go Beyond SAMR

How deep is the learning in your technology integration? Get the latest strategies for incorporating powerful learning by applying SAMR in your classrooms.
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Coping with Change

Change in today's ever evolving world means 'learning'! How can educators today embrace change in meaningful ways? Read Leslie Wilson's insights to learn more. 
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Beyond the Permanent Record

Success can be defined in many ways. Leader, Donna Teuber discusses the ways in which opportunities for success are found through life long learning and day to day striving for excellence. 
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Key Implementation Factors for Edtech Success - Project Red

Project RED III results are in!  Last month at ISTE, we released initial findings. Read about the initial findings. 
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A Visionary Summer Meetup

What do visionaries do in the summer? Learn all about Intel Visionaries and their inspirational learning meetups. 
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Edcamp: Participant-Driven Professional Learning

Edcamps have become a popular option for professional learning in schools. Read Melissa Lim's post to find out what is so special about an Edcamp day. 
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The Sorting Hat

Where can school leaders find and give meaningful support? Donna Teuber discusses the importance of creating an environment that allows all types of educators to connect, reflect and grow.
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The Perfect Blend - Teacher and Technology

When and how to best use technology are critical questions for today's teacher. Read Sam Morris' insights on finding the right blend. 
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Educate & Engage 2016: The Parent-Teacher Conference

With technology changing so rapidly, I often feel like there is a disconnect in terms of what a lot of parents understand about technology and how it is being used in schools today. Organizing this event was a response to that problem.
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The K-12 Blueprint: Produced by Clarity Innovations

Clarity Innovations matches the most promising technology with the evolving needs of education. By merging creativity, technology, and pedagogy, we create powerful learning experiences. Learn More