TeachersFirst Professional Learning

Earning Continuing Education Credit for Independent Professional Learning
TeachersFirst is home to a variety of high-quality, free professional learning and development opportunities for K-12 educators. If you read a TeachersFirst blog post, participate in an OK2Ask Twitter chat, or review a Twitter chat archive and try a suggested strategy, you may be able to get continuing education credit.

The form below is designed to help you document a TeachersFirst professional learning activity you've completed independently. Typically, documentation submitted for credit must show that the activity aligns with your professional growth plan and national standards for professional learning. This form includes fields where you can fill in that information.

How to use this form:

1. Contact your principal, administrator or state department of education to ensure that independent study or action research is allowed as a professional learning option for your school, district, or state.

2. Decide what your goal is for this professional learning experience. Are you looking to increase student engagement? Infuse digital citizenship? Use more instructional technology?

3. Find a blog post, upcoming twitter chat, Twitter chat archive, or OK2Ask archive that aligns with your goal.

4. Fill out the introductory portion of the form.

Professional Learning Log Purpose Highlighted

5. Participate in the twitter chat or read the blog post or twitter chat archive or watch the OK2Ask archive.

6. Reflect on the content using the Connect, Extend, Challenge thinking routine and fill out the next section of the form.

Professional Learning Log Summary & Next Steps Highlighted

7. Decide what strategy mentioned in the learning materials you want to try.

8. Use the strategy in a lesson or two.

9. Reflect on your use of the strategy with the Compass Points thinking routine and fill out the final section.

Professional Learning Log Reflection Section Highlighted

10. Print out or save the form as a PDF and follow your school, district, or state's process for submitting independent study or action research for continuing education credit.

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