Using Online Professional Development for Teachers of Gifted Students

Gifted education is tricky and many teachers don’t know how to deal with such students. It isn’t often cost effective to implement programs in schools that may host a single or a few gifted children. Little and Housand (2011) discuss the ability to use online education to facilitate learning through multiple school systems in order to raise professional teaching standards and help such students in their precocious development. 

In higher education technology lags behind other industries. The reasons are many but often tradition, skill level, and perception are important considerations. With proper technology professional development in the educational fields has new opportunities. More important, it can help teachers understand their rare students even when such skills are not currently available. There are a few tips when trying to consider the potential success of such programs.

Coherence: The training should match both the goals of the organization, student needs, and teacher needs. The purpose of the training programs should be readily apparent and fit within the national context of gifted learning education. 

Acknowledging Beliefs and Practices: Teachers will need to find relevance with their daily practice and an opportunity to reflect on their beliefs. They need to relate the information to their own work environments. 

Active Engagement and Collaboration: Working with other teachers on professional learning and actively staying engaged with course materials is important. 

Sustained Attention: Single shot education with no follow-up will not likely be remembered. Ensure that attention is supported over time to help in the retaining of information. 

Support from School Administration: School administrators will need to encourage professional development of teachers who work with gifted students.  Time and resources should be allocated appropriately.

Ensuring Quality: Quality professional development is necessary for successful programs. Quality measurements, relevancy, and higher care are needed to make such programs work well. 

The paper highlights the concept that gifted students are relatively rare in the educational market despite a general understanding in the industry. Few teachers actually deal with such students and many schools do not have the resources or support to foster the highest levels of development. Cost can be prohibitive. By helping teachers connect for training from many districts a pool of teachers that have gifted students can work together, lower costs, and provide sound education to this unique population. 

Little, C. & Housand, B. (2011). Avenues to professional learning online: technology tips and tolls for professional development in gifted education. Gifted Child Today, 34 (4).

Putting the Personal Touch on Your Classroom

Humanizing your classroom can help draw students into the social side of learning. Research has indicated that learning is a social process and when students make a connection to their professor and others they are more likely to be retained. There are a number of free or cheap tools that can help you in giving your classroom a personal touch. 

The presentation was offered within an article by Inside Higher Ed.

The Five Best Ways to Build Relationships in the Workplace (Online Classroom)

For the online faculty member, his or her workplace is behind a computer.  Often we feel isolated and alone.  Imagine what it must be like for our students who may need someone to connect to virtually (e-connectivity).  

“It’s not enough for a course to be accessible online, it must also be designed in a way that keys into the digital pulse of current events, trending topics and insider knowledge endemic to the web. The three-quarters of 18 to 29 year-olds who have profiles on social networks are likely wondering why online course offerings aren’t nearly as enticing as the content that they find on their favorite social websites.” (Masoni)

As the current Allstate ad says… “we want more, we just want more”.  Students want a relationship with the instructor.  Students need reassurance there is a real instructor and person behind the text who is active and engaged. Two methods to provide more for your students are to build trust and to model behavior that you expect from the students.

Techniques to Build Trust

 In the online classroom, faculty members need to build trust in an effort to create an effective learning environment.  Without trust, a student – teacher relationship does not exist.  Bowman (n.d.), a human resources expert, posits five techniques for gaining trust.  If these techniques apply in the work world, they could be applied in the online learning environment.

The first is to “establish and main integrity” (Bowman).  Creating integrity in the classroom is akin to three of Spears’ ten tenets of servant leadership, listening, empathy, and awareness (Spears, 2010, p. 27).

 The second technique is to “communicate vision and values” (Bowman).  Communication is a very important aspect of creating a relationship.  Spears states that the servant leader must conceptualize and persuade their vision and values.  “The servant leader seeks to convince others, rather than coerce compliance” (Spears, p. 28).

 The third technique is to “consider all employees as equal partners” and the forth technique is to “focus on shared, rather than personal goals” (Bowman).  Both of these techniques build community.  Here is an opportunity to express true servant leadership. Approach new and old employees (students) with respect and humility.  Spears offered the concept of creating community; however, within this is the element of communication and trust.  If one’s communication is not clear and honest, one cannot develop a community of coworkers or students.  Clear communication can be achieved by selecting words carefully when writing in the online environment.  “Servant leadership suggests that true community can be created among those who work in businesses and other institutions” (Spears, p. 29).  When there is a community, the element of trust appears.

 The final technique is “do what’s right, regardless of personal risk” (Bowman).  This is back to the basic concept of servant leadership. “Servant leadership, like stewardship, assumes first and foremost a commitment to serving the needs of others. It also emphasizes the use of openness and persuasion, rather than control” (Spears, p. 29).

 Modeling Behavior

 Overall, the instructor is modeling the behavior he expects from students online.  The goal is to provide security and responsiveness between instructor and students.  Being comfortable online is the biggest prerequisite to successful classmate relationships.  Showing respect and interacting when needed is the best way for students to “feel” and develop friendships online.  A method to show respect is to address the students by "Mr" or "Ms", rather than the student's first name.    

Conclusion

Bowman may not be in a peer-reviewed literature, but his techniques for building trust are solid and supported within the academic resources.  Servant leadership appears as a strong leadership model to follow when building relationships at work and in the online classroom.

Authors:

Andree C. Swanson, EdD

Paula J. Zobisch, PhD

References

Bowman, D. (n.d.). The five best ways to build and lose-trust in the workplace. Retrieved from http://www.ttgconsultants.com/articles/trustworkforce.html

Latch, C. (2012). Tips to building relationships with your online classmates. Retrieved from http://edudemic.com/2012/03/tips-to-building-relationships-with-your-online-classmates/

Masoni, M. (2010). Why online education needs to get social. Retrieved from http://mashable.com/2010/08/05/online-education-social/

Spears, L. (2010). Character and Servant Leadership: Ten characteristics of effective, caring leaders. The Journal of Virtues & Leadership, 1 (1), 25-30. Regent University. School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship.