Driving Continuous Professional Development

(VVOB) How does one get started on the online learning platform? 

(Henre) You can simply start by setting aside your fears and anxieties and just give it a try. You can register yourself on the platform and most courses are also open to free self-enrolment. We’ve worked hard through our experience and by working now with thousands of teachers online, to anticipate where users get stuck and have tried to ensure it is easy to get on and easy to navigate. 

(VVOB) For educators who may be less familiar with online learning, what support is provided to help them get started? 

(Henre) Each course includes an orientation module to guide users on their learning journey. There are also some basic video tutorials that can help users navigate the platform. Above all, a lot of thought has gone into simplifying registration and enrolment. A growing number of provincial and district officials is being capacitated to provide practical support. 

(VVOB) Online learning seems a lonely thing, is collaboration possible on the platform? 

(Henre) The platform includes a discussion forum where teachers and school leaders can engage with one another about the content of the online courses they are enrolled in. The courses have been designed with reflection prompts that encourage deeper thinking and sharing of experiences in an online learning community. These are prompts participants can take into their in-person or online Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). Many of the courses now also have downloadable activity sheets that strengthen what happens in a PLC and bridge the gap between online content and classroom practice. 

(VVOB) Can you describe the assessment tools that are found online? 

(Henre) A variety of strategies are employed including those that engage participants in reflection but also extend to formative knowledge checks and pre and post course assessments. All of these are designed to provide teachers and school leaders with opportunities to reflect on their own learning but naturally also provide ways to measure the effectiveness of the online professional development.   

(VVOB) Does the online learning platform track participant progress? 

(Henre) This is one of the biggest advantages of online professional development in that it enables quite granular tracking throughout the learning journey from enrolment to completion. Participants progress through courses can be tracked over time. This can tell us a lot about strategies that can be employed to enhance retention and engagement. 

(VVOB) Many of the courses are SACE-endorsed and offer continuous professional teacher development (CPTD) points. What is the significance of this? 

(Henre) Aside from aligning with professional standards and best practices for the continuous professional development of teachers and school leaders, the endorsement tells participants that courses have been through a vetting process by their council. Additionally, it is a requirement for teachers to accumulate CPTD points as a condition of the registration, so the online courses are a convenient way to stay abreast of new developments in their field and meet their SACE compliance needs. 

(VVOB) How is the online learning platform designed to make CPD courses more accessible and affordable compared to traditional in-person workshops? 

(Henre) Online CPD courses can be done on a mobile device, in one's own time, at one’s own pace and at a place that is convenient. This naturally eliminates travel and venue costs. Learning online also means that you have the flexibility to revisit content that perhaps you didn’t quite grasp the first time around. The platform is mobile responsive meaning content can comfortably be viewed on a mobile device.  

(VVOB) Given South Africa’s varying levels of internet connectivity, how is the issue of access addressed, especially in rural schools? 

(Henre) This is an ongoing challenge. We are working on an enhanced platform that will enable offline capabilities. In other words, users could download the course content when they are in a place that has connectivity, for later access. We have also made application to have the platform zero-rated, meaning it will not incur data charges to access. However, all these efforts have limitations, and we do accept that some users will still experience challenges. Ultimately, the benefits of having access to well-designed online CPD and the savings compared to in-person make a strong case for more and better internet access. 

(VVOB) Based on previous pilots, how has the platform assisted educators to not only participate in CPD but also improve their teaching practice? 

(Henre) When we think of quality CPD it should be relevant to teachers' needs, so courses designed to address knowledge and skills for teaching are part of achieving this objective. If teachers can see relevance to the curriculum and practical applicability of the new knowledge and skills acquired in the online CPD courses this is half the battle. Working with the Departments of Education both nationally and provincially to leverage PLCs as part of a blended approach and embedding this in the course content is key. 

(VVOB) How has the online learning platform benefitted educators and overall, the education system in South Africa?  

(Henre) Offering teachers quality CPD content through an easily accessible online platform has many benefits. It reduces cost, provides flexibility and saves time. We know that South African educators dedicate a lot of time to their ongoing development. We believe this approach improves the return on investment of that time. The feedback we are getting from teachers themselves and from officials is that this is a game changer for teacher CPD. Teachers appreciate the flexibility, the quality content and the fact that this is part of their system of ongoing development. 

(VVOB) How does VVOB envision the online learning platform evolving to keep up with future demands in the education sector?  

(Henre) The platform currently offers 18 courses encompassing instructional leadership, professional learning communities, novice teacher induction, mentorship, early grade reading in IsiZulu home language, learning through play pedagogies and gender equality in early childhood. It is encouraging that teachers keep coming back and many have completed multiple courses. For the future we are looking at improving our offering of African language and bilingual courses. We’ve already started this with a pilot programme now in progress. We will be exploring how we can enhance and ensure the platforms accessibility for users with disabilities. Lastly, we are working with the Department of Education to support the migration of courses to a national online teacher development platform. Part of this is exploring how to connect online CPD data to other data systems so that we start to gain a holistic understanding of teacher participation, teachers’ needs and ultimately the impact on learning outcomes.  

Whether you're a principal, teacher, or part of a school management team, the platform offers relevant, SACE-endorsed courses that are easily accessible on mobile devices, support your professional development and respond to the real challenges you face in the classroom. 

Visit the online learning platform today and join thousands of educators who are transforming their practice and making a lasting impact in their classrooms. Continuous professional development is only a click away.