Using “Badges” for sustainable Professional Development for Teachers

Presented by: Mark Glynn

Nobody can deny the benefits of professional development opportunities for teachers. However the challenge is not the training itself but providing teachers with the opportunity for professional development in a sustainable manner. The cost of substitution cover and travel to and from training events make the option of providing classroom based training for teachers no longer viable. Advances in technology address these challenges by providing the opportunities for flexible learning while at the same time making the management and tracking of the training more efficient. This paper outlines how the teachers can avail of a wide variety of training currently available from a multitude of sources. The training can be structured so as to provide individual teachers with the opportunity to explore personal learning pathways while at the same time allowing management to maintain an overview of the skills developed by their employees. Developing different learning pathways through Moodle will facilitate the training of teachers with different skill sets and career goals. Upon completion of their learning activity teachers will be awarded with a “badge” that will automatically added to the teachers professional development portfolio.

Presenter Biography:

Head of Learning Innovation Unit in Dublin City University. Mark manages both organisational and pedagogical projects to improve the learner experience.

Twitter: @glynnmark

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