This article describes the Literacy Design Collaborative, a network of teachers committed to developing literacy-rich instruction in the content areas and building expertise from teacher to teacher. Drawing on research of adult learning and leveraging new technologies, Literacy Design Collaborative provides the design system, tools, and supports…

Learning Forward's Standards for Professional Learning emphasize the needs and responsibilities of adults as learners. This is especially true for the Learning Designs standard, which states: "Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students integrates theories, research, and models of human…

Words matter--the more clearly teachers articulate what is to be learned and the instructional practices to be used--the better they teach and their students are more likely to develop knowledge and skills. How can teachers recognize and address the multiple meanings of words in their planning and reflection process? These authors present four…

As faculty chair of early childhood education at Vanguard University of Southern California, the author was challenged each day by questions: How to provide high-impact online professional learning to adult continuing education students? What barriers exist for adult learners seeking meaningful professional learning? How does practice as a…

The recent proliferation of online learning designs presents a challenge: How can professional learning leaders decide which designs will be the most effective? A first step in considering how to shape professional learning is to understand the fundamentals of what makes learning meaningful to adults. Within a particular context, educators will…

This article presents an interview with Chris Dede, the Timothy E. Wirth Professor in Learning Technologies at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. His research interests include the use of emerging technologies in education, with emphases on online professional development, scaling up innovations, and immersive interfaces for learning. He is…

Effective professional learning requires that staff developers thoughtfully plan to meet varying teacher needs and be responsive to differences--that they model the differentiation teachers will practice in the classroom. Staff developers must be mindful of participants' current learning needs and plan according to their readiness, interest, and…