Effectively Adapting and Implementing In-Person Teacher Professional Development to a Virtual Format.

Area of Science:

• Science Education
• Teacher Professional Development
• Virtual Learning

Background:

• COVID-19 quarantine necessitated a rapid shift from in-person to virtual learning environments for K-12 educators.
• The transition posed challenges to student engagement, retention, and attention in virtual settings.
• Educator experiences during this period are expected to shape future K-12 educational norms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adapt a materials-heavy, hands-on summer teacher professional development (PD) program to a virtual platform.
• To assess the effectiveness of the virtual PD in maintaining authentic learning experiences and high engagement.
• To compare learning outcomes and teacher preparedness with the in-person version of the program.

Main Methods:

• Transitioned an annual, in-person, hands-on summer teacher PD program to a virtual format in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Maintained interactive and hands-on components within the virtual platform to ensure authentic learning.
• Collected data on participant engagement, retention, workshop ratings, and learning outcomes.

Main Results:

• The 2020 virtual PD program achieved high daily participation and retention rates among in-service teachers.
• Nearly all participants rated the virtual workshops as very good or excellent.
• Learning outcomes in the virtual format were comparable to the in-person 2018 program, with teachers reporting increased preparedness and inquiry-based science teaching skills.

Conclusions:

• Virtual teacher PD can be effectively implemented, maintaining high engagement and comparable learning outcomes to in-person programs.
• The virtual PD model is adaptable and replicable, offering a viable solution for educators facing distance or financial constraints.
• This approach can foster increased teacher confidence and enthusiasm for implementing new educational strategies.