Technology integration in diverse contexts: Models of competency-based professional learning in three school districts

Abstract

Innovation in education requires educators to develop new skills, knowledge, and mindsets. Reimagining professional learning approaches to provide educators with the time, space, and resources to develop the necessary competencies is critical to creating optimal learning environments. Three school district leaders from urban and suburban districts in the United States with high populations of second language learners will share their competency-based professional learning model. The district leaders will share their professional learning models and the impact in their unique context. The focus will be based on personalized professional learning to support powerful learning and teaching accelerated by technology. An emphasis will be on personalized professional learning and demonstrations of teacher development linked to student outcomes rather than seat time. Implications will be shared for designing an ecosystem, characterized by high expectations and high support, to impact a culture of learning and innovation.