Research

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 * Professional Development: Traditional Learning vs Virtual Learning  ||
 * Kristy Martin Vander
 * Kristy Martin Vander
 * Kristy Martin Vander
 * **11/28/2011** ||
 * **11/28/2011** ||

ETEC 695

Web based instruction is an emerging tool that uses advanced technology to provide training and supplement teacher learning. The advancement of global networking has made it possible to connect peers who are seeking collaboration on topics within their expert field. E-learning, also known as virtual learning environments (VLE’s) are systems that use modern information and communication technology to support education and training efforts (Tsai R.J., 2008). Budget cuts have limited the number of face-to-face training sessions needed to meet professional training mandated by the state. This paper will explore the effectiveness of professional development for educators using traditional learning and e-Learning. With the expansion of the World Wide Web, developers are finding alternatives to the traditional classroom teaching style. Learning within the four walls of a traditional, teacher-led classroom is quickly being replaced by social networks, virtual learning environments, and other e-learning forums. As technology evolves, district level leaders must make a leap to embrace new advancements in learning and allow educators to experiment freely with this type of medium. Almost every field of interest is making use of e-learning in one way or another. According to Sonwalkar (Sonwalkar, 2002), “Most universities and corporate training facilities now offer some or all of their courses online”. E-learning is revolutionary and it is time for a new and fresh approach. The main advantage of e-learning is the **accessibility** for the individual learner. In the past, training and learning was organized for the convenience of gathering a large group in one location to impart specific instruction from one presenter. But e-learners have an advantage in that they can attend training anywhere there is an internet connection. Learners are able to access their professional development forum from home, work, or on vacation. They can also control the pace at which they progress through material (Quillen, 2011). The traditional form of professional development has been considered best practice because face-to-face training encourages social stimulation and growth within the education community. Learning verbal skills, leadership skills and interpersonal skills, also known as soft skills, are essential in the employability of students and are required for advancement yet are not addressed in e-learning consortiums (Walmsley, March 2003). Unfortunately research has shown that even after participating in a high-quality professional development program, teachers often resist making changes to their existing practices. In fact, even after making changes in their practices there is no guarantee that the prescribed changes will ultimately succeed in increasing student learning or that this increased learning will be easy to identify in the standardized test data. (Johnson, 2006). Another benefit of e-Learning is its **cost effectiveness**. There appears to be little argument that e-Learning is more cost effective than traditional professional development training. In a Dow Chemical case study the company was able to reduce cost of training from $95 per learner/per course to only $11 per learner/ per course by amalgamating electronic delivery: an annual savings of $34 million (Shepherd, 2002). As budget cuts continue to limit district-level training opportunities, Professional Learning Networks (PLNs) take natural, proletariat approach to professional development. PLNs have energized a movement of sorts, as educators create meaningful connections on their own through social networking that encourage innovation and help them model what it means to be a lifelong learner. These PLNs are a compilation of social networking sites and bookmarking sites such as Edmodo, Twitter, Diigo, and Delicious. The past four years alone have seen the launch of thousands of personalized education sites that allow threaded commenting, immediate feedback on teaching methodologies, and extended professional development through videos, blogs, podcasts, webinars, and slide shows (Quillen, 2011). The vast savings that can be calculated by implementing e-learning into the traditional framework of professional development can only be factored by taking into account the technology proficiency of the learner. The learner must be proficient in computer skills, internet surfing, communication, downloading, and other task that are required to successfully participate in a PLN. The final benefit of e-Learning is the **quality of collaboration** among learners. Busy educators who want to ask advice, offer opinions, and engage in deep discussions with colleagues are increasingly turning to PLNs. Some schools are creating their own PLNs to help time-strapped teachers pool their resources. Opportunities to meet with some of the best teachers around the world connect globally to share lesson plans, teaching strategies, student work as well as collaboration across grade levels and departments. Kelly Viera, a reading teacher in Bradenton, Florida has taken advantage of this new medium of communication. Viera says, “I used to stay in my comfort zone and only go to people in my department to find what they were doing in the classroom, but now I interact with other content-area teachers I might not have contact with in other settings.” PLNs work much like a social network in the fact that a question can be asked by posting it on the PLN, wiki, blog or any other e-Learning medium and with a click of the button millions of other educators around the world can read and respond within minutes. The fast-paced interaction of virtual learning can sometimes leave educators overwhelmed with the massive interactions through email and post and prefer traditional learning over the virtual learning model simply for this reason. Educators look forward to the face-to-face interaction they experience during traditional conferences, workshops, and other professional development settings. Face-to-face meetings allow educators to intermingle with other educators usually in a local environment to build those interpersonal skills that are not addressed in an e-Learning situation. In conclusion, e-Learning has made amazing breakthroughs in the education realm. If implemented correctly it can produce great results by deceasing costs and improving performance. Materials used during a professional development course are always available to look back on for reflecting on new ideas and it is open to other educators who would like to participate in the professional development. Because e-Learning is not bound by geography or time, you can control trainings impact on production by training people during down times. In addition, with the current economy, you’re asking educators to do more with less. So e-Learning is a great way to give them the tools and skills needed to enhance their performance.

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