The best results are achieved if the skills are broken into segments, with no more than two hours per training session, followed by an opportunity to practice and to come back to the trainer with questions. It is critically important to recognize that training staff who do not have immediate access to a similar machine, software, and level of connectivity for in-depth practice is a waste of time and resources. Professional development is best provided through collaborative learning opportunities. Ample time must be provided on a continuous basis to assimilate, accommodate, implement, and evaluate new instructional and operational approaches. Providing resources and professional development opportunities and the time for the key educators in the district gain new skills and understanding and then become mentors for other teachers or administrators is an effective technique for professional development.
Many districts rely on one-shot workshops and conferences for professional development.
Unfortunately, the impact of such activities in minimal unless there is effective follow-through. Follow-through strategies include teacher reports about insight gained through the experience and teacher mentoring of other teachers who did not attend the workshop or conference. It has also been found that the use of online mailing lists as a follow-up to workshops or conferences substantially increases the impact in the classroom. Technology facilitates and expands access to resources and professional development opportunities, which may or may not be related to the use of technology. Educators should be encouraged to forward high quality posts from external discussion groups to internal discussion groups.