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New Professional Development subscription supports all of a school’s DP teachers

Matthew JamesMatt James, Head of IB Online Professional Development, allows us a glimpse of what’s behind the development and launch of new professional development products. He discusses IB DP Advantage, the latest initiative to be introduced by the IB, currently available on an annual subscription basis for Diploma Programme educators.

An annual professional development (PD) subscription is a new way to think about providing PD to many more teachers. How did you come up with the idea?

Just around the time when the internet was taking off, I began teaching and I set up a simple website for teachers so they could share resources. Even back then, I was struck by how rich the conversations in the faculty office were between lessons – you could learn so much of what worked and what didn’t work in the classroom from others! I thought that if this could happen on a global scale online, teachers could be exposed to limitless informal professional development opportunities. The success of my home-made website led me to work for Cambridge International Examinations and then the National College for School Leadership in the UK, where I oversaw communities of practice and then blended and online courses for teachers.

The natural progression of what I was doing led me to the IB in 2011, to do more on a larger scale. The IB now offers hundreds of online workshops and the programme resource centre forums get more than 130 posts per day! All this activity demonstrates that teachers do share their practice and do co-construct knowledge, as they learn from their peers and develop greater understanding together.

What factors make the internet a great PD provider?

You have to understand what contributes to effective adult learning, what new technologies can offer and how to combine the two. What’s interesting is how teachers have changed their perception of online learning over the last 16 years. Back then, I met strong resistance to the idea. It was often seen as professional development’s ‘poor relation’. But just as the internet and digital technologies have become part of our lives, so the idea of learning online is now accepted as a genuine alternative to face-to-face learning, and in many cases, a preferred way to learn. Cost and convenience are still factors but IB teachers are recognizing that there can be more accountability online. Online learning can go deeper because it is sustained over a longer period. And interactions can be truly global.

Does informal PD serve the same function as traditional face-to-face PD?

Watch and listen to Matt’s video response.

DP Advantage offers videos, mentoring, webinars and e-learning modules. How does this mix of resources offer value from an educator’s point of view?

During IB candidacy, an IB consultant may play a mentoring role, and later, workshop leaders may offer informal coaching. But nowhere else can individual teachers get dedicated ongoing support about working in an IB context, especially if they are new teachers or have taught in other types of schools that are not IB. Our mentors are prepared to help DP teachers with their personal career development and to encourage thinking about their own next step on the ladder. Accessing this type of support from an objective person outside their own school is invaluable. Having additional online resources available within easy reach—like webinars and e-learning—allows teachers to gain a measure of control over their ongoing professional support.

How does DP Advantage support the growing popularity of professional learning communities?

Watch and listen to Matt’s video response.

Collaboration is a key ingredient in DP Advantage. What other IB fundamentals drove its development?

During evaluation, IB schools are recognized for undertaking PD that goes ‘beyond the minimum requirements.’ Extending this concept, we wanted to offer a PD opportunity that could have impact on teachers throughout a school and still be cost-effective. DP Advantage does that: it provides some formality around the many informal online learning opportunities that are out there, all relevant to the DP context. DP Advantage also encourages peer-to-peer learning, which is fundamental to all IB PD.

Can DP Advantage serve as a template for a similar PD package for PYP and MYP?

We are monitoring interest closely this year. So far, it looks very encouraging in terms of replication for other IB programmes. If it proves to be something schools want, we will certainly consider rolling it out for other programmes and in other languages.