New Distance Learning Resource
A newly published guide from EDC focuses on how various distance education technologies—both traditional and emerging—can support the actual teaching and learning process.
Distance Education for Teacher Training: Modes, Models, and Methods is the new edition of EDC’s popular 2011 guide by the same name. The completely revised guide draws on data from 188 countries and nearly 700 publications, including lessons learned from the move to online learning during the COVID-19 global pandemic. It is authored by Mary Burns, a senior technology and teacher professional development specialist at EDC.
The guide discusses distance education modes, technology-based models, and the many methods used for distance-based teacher pre-service education, in-service teacher professional development, and ongoing teacher support. It focuses on how technology delivers learning to teachers and its direct and indirect benefits to teachers and teaching.
“Distance education for teacher professional development is ultimately about improving the quality of teaching so that we can improve student learning,” writes Burns. “It is our hope that this guide offers sufficient guidance on improving the quality for teachers and learners within any distance learning system.”
The guide is available in multiple formats to download, either in its entirety or by individual chapter.
Learn more about the guide in a series of blog posts written by Burns:
- “Getting the best out of online learning,” published on Brookings
- “How Good? Online Learning’s Quality Problem,” published on the UNESCO IIEP Learning Portal