Using Electronic Resources to Expand Professional Development Experiences

As budgets shrink and departmental belts tighten, it is getting harder and harder for some agriculture teachers to convince their administration to send them to off-site professional development sessions. Because of the nature of what agriculture teachers do, they need professional development that is often very specific, technical, and is not likely to be found in an after-school session or in-service day. There are state conferences and NAAE convention, but even these opportunities, while typically rich in professional development opportunities, only happen once a year. Add to the budget issue schedules of agriculture teachers, already cram-packed with FFA activities, SAE visits, and other requirements of their challenging jobs. Even if they do manage to fit in one, or even two during the course of a year, that still leaves a lot of territory to be covered. While it would be ideal to think that teachers could attend hands-on, in depth professional development sessions tailored to their needs, the reality often lies somewhere a bit short of that. Enter NAAE's of Practice (CoP). It's an online, professional networking website that NAAE hosts and manages specifically for helping agriculture teachers connect with one another to share everything related to professional development. Something for Everyone Communities of Practice is wide open, and that's one of the wonderful things about it, said Alissa Smith, NAAE Associate Executive Director. you need it to find one great lesson idea, use it for that. If you need it to help figure out how to set up an alumni chapter, you can use it for that. If you just need it as a sounding board for a professional question or problem you're having, it is great for that too. It's a space for agriculture teachers, full of stuff shared by agriculture teachers. That means it's got professional development agriculture teachers want and need, not what other people think agriculture teachers want and need. The most common way use CoP is to find lessons, ideas and inspiration, said Craig Kohn, an agricultural educator at Waterford Union High School in Waterford, WI. When am in a rut for planning a lesson, CoP is the first place turn for ideas and inspiration. I think agricultural educators are the most effective and underutilized tool in elevating and improving the rigor and relevance of agricultural education, he said. To do so, we need an engaged national team of instructors who are willing to collaborate to create advanced, inquiry-based lessons' that will engage our students in ways that no other subject can. CoP is definitely an invaluable and irreplaceable tool in coordinating the efforts of instructors across the country. How it works CoP is free, and open to anyone who is an agricultural educator or who has a professional interest in agricultural education. Anyone can view the site or download resources, but a person must register to contribute. Registration involves filling out an online form that includes professional information, areas of expertise, and the registrant's connection to agricultural education. Currently about 20 percent of all agricultural educators in the United States are registered users on CoP. I find it fascinating to hear from others around the country - to network, share resources, collaborate with one another, etc., said Cathy Shoaf Berrier, agriscience educator at Ledford High School in Thomasville, NC. Berrier is also the volunteer facilitator for the biotechnology community. CoP is organized by topic areas, called communities, and each area is overseen by a volunteer, usually an agricultural educator, who has expertise in that area. Facilitators contribute materials to their communities, make sure questions are answered in a timely manner, generate activity, and generally ensure their community is running smoothly. I use CoP often and felt the desire to give back, said Berrier. …