Thaddeus Ryan Komorowski
Call to Action
This slide presentation serves as a call to action for educators, instructional coaches, and administrators to reconsider how they invest in their teachers and a template of how professional development can be "reimagined".
The "Why"
Traditional professional development often falls short in producing meaningful change because it lacks engagement, relevance, and ongoing support. To promote real teaching improvement, educators need a new, interactive, and engaging form of professional learning that mirrors the kind of dynamic instruction we want to see in classrooms. This modern approach fosters active participation, collaboration, and continuous growth. One essential component of this transformation is the integration of ePortfolios into teaching. ePortfolios not only encourage student reflection and ownership of learning but also serve as a powerful tool to support the continuity of education from one grade to the next. They allow teachers to track student growth, showcase accomplishments, and use the portfolio as an authentic assessment tool that provides a deeper understanding of student progress beyond traditional testing methods.
Today’s classrooms are evolving—and our approach to professional development must evolve with them. This presentation introduces a new vision for professional learning, one that moves beyond traditional, one-time workshops and embraces a model grounded in sustained support, active engagement, and meaningful application.
At the heart of this shift are five essential principles (listed below) for effective professional learning.
The "What"
Before the beginning of every new school year, Crowley ISD hosts professional development. The first few days are spent at your specific school to review the topics that each principal deems necessary. For the next few days, you are required to sign up for "sessions" to introduce different topics. These "sessions" are first-come-first-served and many times fill up quickly, and you are forced to find a "session" that does not interest you or that does not apply to your content area. I see the value of the quick nature of "tips & tricks" form of professional development. Still, it often lacks application in the classroom to make real and lasting improvement in teaching instruction.
I wanted to take that concept a step further with an introduction to "What are ePortfolios" and "Why they are beneficial in education." Capitalizing on Duarte’s storytelling techniques highlights the issues with passive learning and the advantages of adopting a hands-on approach, as well as the benefits of using the COVA model (Choice, Ownership, Voice, and Authentic Learning experiences). After that introduction, the professional learning can move to each specific school, and the principal will lay out the plan for 10-15 minutes of ongoing support and coaching during their conference time to incorporate ePortfolios into their teaching and which platform they will be using.
The "How"
I created my presentation using Google Slides and the accompanying material. I added my personal anecdotes from my experiences in Crowley I.S.D. and my teaching experience at previous school districts. I have attended many "Ed-Camps" and technology conferences that employ the workshop model. I have even presented at various Ed-Camps myself. In reflection of the long-term effectiveness of improving teaching instruction, I see the "one-off" nature of these trainings. In this presentation, along with my innovation plan, I am promoting a more consistent and ongoing approach to professional learning, improvement, and growth.
Click on the screenshot on the left to download a Google Slide with presenting notes. The screenshot on the right is an example of using QuickTime Player to create the video.
The video below shows the ideas behind the "reimagined" Professional Development and the process of creating the presentation.
Connection to Innovation Plan
This "Call to Action" presentation is an essential part to the implementation of my innovation plan. My innovation plan requires each teacher to create their own ePortfolio, enabling them to gain technical functionality and apply it to implement ePortfolios for all students in their respective classrooms. Through this "Call to Action," I am attempting to encourage administrators to reimagine how effective professional learning needs to be accomplished.
References
Fink, D. (2003, Aug 05). A Self-Directed Guide to Designing Courses for Significant Learning. The University of Oklahoma
https://www.bu.edu/sph/files/2014/03/www.deefinkandassociates.com_GuidetoCourseDesignAug05.pdf
Harapnuik, D. (n.d.). ADL/EDLD 5313 goal & 3 column table. It’s About Learning. Retrieved November 17, 2021,