With rapid change all around us, and an evolving role for education and schools, finding time to update my knowledge, skills and professional thinking is vital. As teachers it is our firm responsibility to evolve along side policies, current literature, and advances in technology and society. Ingvarson (2005) supports the view that the changes that really matter in education are not structural changes, but those that build teacher capacity and professional culture. I will spend time building shared knowledge and establishing directions in association with DuFour’s (2006) four pillars of professional learning- Mission, Vision, Values and Goals. I am passionate and committed to continual reflection and participation in professional learning to improve my teaching practice. I will to commit to professional learning by attending regular staff meetings; attending staff development meetings; engaging in professional development programs outside of school hours; networking with teaching colleagues; and seeking feedback from colleagues and mentor teachers to improve my teaching abilities. I will engage in professional learning that serves as the bridge between where I am now and where I need to be to meet the new challenges of guiding all students in achieving higher standards of learning and development.

During my pre-service teaching experience, I attended two Professional Development workshops to develop proficiency in working safely with Information Communication Technology (ICT). The two programs, Internet Safety Awareness Presentation, and the Cybersmart workshop, provided me with a repertoire of skills to engender the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in teaching and learning. I have used this understanding to identify the potential risks faced by students such as cyber bullying, identity theft, unwanted contact, and exposure to expensive content. Furthermore, I have engaged in the program ‘iPad Workshop’ to extend my skills and understanding of utilizing iPad’s in the classroom. This program took place during a school placement in a private single-sex boys’ school situated in Brisbane. The school had adopted a whole school iPad program where each class was supplied with ten iPads. The purpose of the ‘iPad Workshop’ was to introduce a range of useful techniques to ensure effective and meaningful use.

As an educator in the digital age, I must recognize the rapid development of ICT and the major impact it has on traditional roles and ideas surrounding teaching and learning. For me to evolve alongside these advances in technology, I must engage in Professional Learning to develop my teaching practice and improve student learning (Artefact One) (Focus areas 6.1, 6.2, 6.4). The purpose of the Internet Safety Awareness Presentation and the Cybersmart workshop was to educate me of the ways children use the internet and emerging technologies, potential risks faced by students online, and a variety of tips and strategies to help students stay safe online. Prior to these programs, it was clear that I had minimal exposure to and understanding of the potential risks faced by children online. It was apparent that many of my peers also lacked awareness in this field. The two programs provided me and my peers with a comprehensive understanding of a modern student’s exposure and use of technology including their online profile, digital literacy, positive online behavior, and personal and peer safety. It is paramount that we, as future educators, can be better equipped with the tools and confidence to engage students on cybersafety issues. Furthermore, we must be aware of the capabilities required to develop good digital citizens and the school’s and teacher’s obligations to minimize and address potential risks.

The ‘iPad Workshop’ introduced me to a number of useful applications and techniques to use on the iPad. This workshop was particularly important for me, as a future educator in the twenty-first century, to obtain an understanding of using iPads to support and extend on student learning. While I was on placement in the school, I was required to attend each phase of the sequential workshop once a week (for three weeks). The purpose of the program was to provide education stakeholders with instruction on how to successfully incorporate the devices into learning processes. The ‘iPad Workshop’ redirected my habitual use of technologies to extend existing practices, to using iPads to create learning experiences that enhance reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills and develop strategies to differentiate instruction.

By engaging in Professional Learning, I was able to design and deliver a range of effective, challenging and meaningful lessons incorporating ICTs (Artefact Two) (Focus areas 6.2, 6.4). I used my acquired understanding of internet safety to facilitate learning experiences to develop student awareness. I was able to navigate students through the infinite amounts of knowledge available via ICTs to craft opportunities for students to create their own education. Integrating the iPad into learning processes was a powerful tool to motivate student engagement, share materials, collect data, assess learning, and make adaptations to lessons to cater for special needs.

Throughout my pre-service teaching experience, I have participated in staff meetings, professional development sessions, formed working relationships with other teachers, and participated in professional conversations to improve my craft. It is through these experiences that I have realised the importance of Professional Learning to update and maintain my skills, knowledge and professional thinking, whilst critically reflect on my teaching practice. As a future educator, I will continue to seek feedback to improve my teaching abilities. I have developed habits of reflection, continually revising each lesson to improve on the next. I will commit to ongoing professional renewal to broaden my expertise and perspectives so I can enhance and enrich learning.

DuFour, R. (2006) Learning by Doing: A handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work. Solution Tree: USA

 Ingvarson, L. (2005). Getting professional development right: Getting it right symposium, Australian Council for Educational Research. Retrieved September 10, 2013, from http://www.acer.edu.au/workshops/documents/Ingvarson.pdf