Technology tools have improved professional development (PD), making it more accessible and tailored to the needs of individual educators. While the benefits are undeniable, more technology isn't always better. When school districts introduce new systems at a rate that makes it impossible for teachers to keep up, the result is often technology overload. As educators struggle to find ways to take full advantage of the new features and use them productively, it can lead to confusion and inefficiency.
The good news is that there is a better way. While it may seem counterintuitive, limiting the number of tech-based tools is often the best option for maximizing the effectiveness of PD. Instead of having information scattered across different systems, a learning hub like MobileMind consolidates various tools into a single, unified space, making it easy for teachers to access what they need.
When discussing technology tools in PD, we usually focus on their benefits: increased engagement and motivation, personalization, and activity-based learning, just to name a few. What's often overlooked is what can happen when districts ask educators to use several disparate technology systems to achieve their PD goals.
A study by Instructure found that while school districts used more technology tools during the 2022-2023 school year than the previous year, that didn't translate into increased use by teachers and students. While it's unclear exactly why educators used fewer tech tools even when districts introduced new ones consistently throughout the year, a reasonable conclusion is that the number of resources available became overwhelming.
Learning the ins and outs of multiple PD and EdTech tools can interrupt a teacher’s workflow and become an additional administrative burden, which can take away from the PD experience. Using different tech tools is often inefficient (because they lack integration) and can lead to data silos and inefficiencies (because the systems don't talk to each other), forcing educators to manually transfer information between systems, which can slow their PD progress.
MobileMind unifies all a district's PD needs, including communication, training, and tracking, in one central location. Let’s look at what this comprehensive learning hub has to offer.
Course Creation
From micro-courses to learning paths tailored to meet the specific needs of individual educators, MobileMind gives districts the technology tools that they need to create the PD program best suited to their requirements. If districts want to build courses from the ground up, the learning hub gives them the flexibility to do so. However, if they’re short on time or prefer a more collaborative approach to course design, they can use and adapt courses from the MobileMind Community. There's even a ReadyMade Marketplace with pre-built, customized micro-courses and other features that districts can use to build or strengthen their PD programs.
MobileMind's community-based approach has many benefits, including encouraging collaboration and enabling districts to share resources and best practices. Another useful feature is one-click cloning, as districts can add premade courses to their learning paths. This feature can be a lifesaver for busy districts, as it can significantly reduce the time and effort required to develop a comprehensive professional development program.
Districts can also leverage the power of AI to create courses tailored to their needs. With just a topic and a few notes outlining the goals of their desired course, MobileMind's Content Genie can quickly design an asynchronous PD course. The learning hub also offers AI pedagogy courses and learning paths that teach educators the foundational elements of AI and how to best use it in the classroom.
Guided Learning
Putting what we've learned into practice is one of the most effective ways to ensure that we've truly mastered a subject, and MobileMind applies this theory to its guided learning technology. Instead of accumulating knowledge in isolation, teachers apply what they've learned in their technology environment.
So, if they're using Google Docs to learn how to better collaborate with their students, with MobileMind's guided learning, they receive step-by-step instructions within Google Docs and can participate in hands-on challenges within this technology environment, essentially learning by doing. This job-embedded training uses competency-based education to enable educators to demonstrate their mastery of skills through practical education and ensure that they can apply them in the classroom.
Gamification
While theoretical learning has an important place within PD programs, a constant focus on lectures and textbook-based learning can suck the life out of PD and lead teachers to disengage. That's where gamification comes in, with its digital badges, micro-credentials, and leaderboards that help keep educators motivated and engaged with PD courses.
Digital badges and micro-credentials reward teachers for their hard work and are tangible symbols of their accomplishments. Districts can use MobileMind's Badge Studio to create digital badges that represent the skills that educators have acquired. These give district leaders a quick way to view a teacher’s skill level and motivate them to keep going until they meet their PD goals. For educators, digital badges are like a virtual resume. They can display these credentials in their professional profiles to let others know what skills they've acquired.
For those who enjoy a bit of healthy competition, MobileMind's leaderboards are a fun feature that encourages active participation and engagement, motivating teachers to complete more courses and improve their skills. Gamification has many benefits, including that it can significantly increase motivation, leading to improved learning outcomes and making the PD process more interactive and enjoyable.
ReadyMade PD
For busy school districts looking for a convenient and quick way to build their PD programs, MobileMind offers a solution: ReadyMade PD. This feature includes pre-built micro-courses and learning paths that districts can easily customize based on their needs. Doing so goes a long way toward reducing the burden on district leaders who might find themselves struggling to create and update PD content.
ReadyPD includes courses on popular EdTech tools like Google WorkSpace for Education, Microsoft Education, and Newline. MobileMind and its partners keep these courses up to date so they're always relevant and accurate. These resources can save districts time and ensure that educators have access to high-quality, up-to-date PD content.
While having a range of tech tools at their disposal can help teachers, it can sometimes become too much if they have to spend all their time learning how to use multiple platforms and systems. MobileMind is the logical solution for school districts that want to centralize all elements of their PD programs. It can replace numerous tech tools and streamline PD for educators.
MobileMind provides personalized professional development through ReadyMade Marketplace. Get pre-built learning paths, micro-courses, and badges for EdTech training with one click. Schedule a call to learn more.