Educator Professional Learning – Digital Promise

Educator Professional Learning

A graphic of an educator in a yellow shirt with a credential certificate next to them.

About the Priority Challenge

School districts continually prioritize the need to provide training and ongoing support to educators and school staff to help them meet students’ and families’ evolving needs. Oftentimes, though, challenges related to educator buy-in and implementation come with new initiatives, especially those that involve adopting new curriculum or technology and requiring intensive training and professional learning.

In addition to the costs associated with professional learning resources, districts also commonly struggle to provide teachers and school staff enough time for instructional planning and professional learning outside of teaching hours, or to provide sufficient classroom coverage when professional learning opportunities occur during the school day.

Challenge Statistics

More high-quality teachers can influence students to want to learn and be able to understand the work.

—Student

Supporting teachers is crucial for their success in the classroom. A single-day workshop is insufficient; ongoing in-class support is essential for their professional development.

—Educator

Educators need to know how to communicate in a way that is both linguistically and culturally appropriate so that students have a sense of belonging and so they know they are in a nurturing environment.

—Educator

What School Communities Say They Need

Teachers and school staff share ways in which their school and district leaders can better support their ongoing needs and improve their capacity to enact practices that lead to powerful learning for students.

Digital Promise Projects and Resources

Explore the tiles below to learn more about projects and resources that aim to strengthen educator professional learning.

Digital Promise Micro-credentials

Digital Promise Micro-credentials leverage digital credentialing technologies to support learners and organizations.

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Learner Variability Project

The Learner Variability Project seeks to build on learning sciences research to better understand and address the needs of the whole learner, from PreK to adulthood, to personalize instruction.

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Computational Thinking Pathways

This resource empowers all levels of educators to learn about and strengthen their capacity to engage students in computational thinking.

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Professional Learning Opportunities

Digital Promise shares best practices for ongoing professional development for educators around leveraging technology.

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Resources to Support Learner Variability

Resource Description
Learner Variability Navigator

The Learner Variability Navigator helps educators find research-based strategies to personalize learning experiences in order to understand and address the whole learner.

Learner Variability is the Rule, Not the Exception

This paper defines learner variability and explains how a holistic understanding of a learner is needed to personalize instruction.

The IEP Project

Learn about Digital Promise’s IEP Project and access additional resources to write and implement individualized education plans (IEPs) grounded in whole-child, strength-based approaches.

The IEP Project: A Strength-based, Whole Learner Teacher Guide

This teacher co-designed guidebook provides teachers with reflective questions, a sample response bank, strategies from the research-based Learner Variability Navigator, and other resources to write strength-based whole-child IEPs.

Student-Led Mental Health Teacher Professional Development

The Bristol Township School District team identified the challenge of addressing the role trauma plays in student mental health through a deep dive with school and community members including Bristol Cares Coalition, student, staff, and family surveys, and with their Equity Leadership Council.

Resource
Learner Variability Navigator
Description

The Learner Variability Navigator helps educators find research-based strategies to personalize learning experiences in order to understand and address the whole learner.

Resource
Learner Variability is the Rule, Not the Exception
Description

This paper defines learner variability and explains how a holistic understanding of a learner is needed to personalize instruction.

Resource
The IEP Project
Description

Learn about Digital Promise’s IEP Project and access additional resources to write and implement individualized education plans (IEPs) grounded in whole-child, strength-based approaches.

Resource
The IEP Project: A Strength-based, Whole Learner Teacher Guide
Description

This teacher co-designed guidebook provides teachers with reflective questions, a sample response bank, strategies from the research-based Learner Variability Navigator, and other resources to write strength-based whole-child IEPs.

Resource
Student-Led Mental Health Teacher Professional Development
Description

The Bristol Township School District team identified the challenge of addressing the role trauma plays in student mental health through a deep dive with school and community members including Bristol Cares Coalition, student, staff, and family surveys, and with their Equity Leadership Council.

Resources to Support Student Agency

Resource Description
Ciena Solutions Challenge

The Ciena Solutions Challenge fosters student agency by providing resources for educators to facilitate Challenge-Based Learning experiences where students explore big ideas, ask thoughtful questions, and create solutions to challenges that align with their interests and local contexts.

Learning Studios Project Library

The Learning Studios Project Library offers resources to help students design solutions to local challenges while developing skills in design thinking, engineering, and digital communication.

YouthMADE Festival

The YouthMADE Festival is a global, two-week celebration of creativity and innovation that showcases youth-led projects in STEM, advocacy, activism and community service, performing and fine arts, media, and more.

Maker Learning Edcamp Resources

Edcamp: Maker Learning brought educators together to share strategies for creating engaging, hands-on learning activities.

Educator Resources for the Ciena Solutions Challenge

This Resource Library supports students and teachers with activities to support their journey with the Ciena Solutions Challenge.

Engaging Students in Challenge-Based Learning Experiences

Educators share ways to engage students in Challenge-Based Learning experiences where students design thoughtful solutions to local challenges.

Empowering Students with the Student Tech Team Toolkit

Learn strategies for starting a student tech team at your school and boosting student engagement and leadership while creating lifelong digital citizens, innovators, and problem-solvers.

Student Agency and Academic Growth: A Case Study from Sylvan Hills Middle School

Sylvan Hills Middle Schools in Atlanta Public Schools transformed the instructional culture of their school by empowering students to analyze their school’s academic data and make decisions to drive powerful learning.

Resource
Ciena Solutions Challenge
Description

The Ciena Solutions Challenge fosters student agency by providing resources for educators to facilitate Challenge-Based Learning experiences where students explore big ideas, ask thoughtful questions, and create solutions to challenges that align with their interests and local contexts.

Resource
Learning Studios Project Library
Description

The Learning Studios Project Library offers resources to help students design solutions to local challenges while developing skills in design thinking, engineering, and digital communication.

Resource
YouthMADE Festival
Description

The YouthMADE Festival is a global, two-week celebration of creativity and innovation that showcases youth-led projects in STEM, advocacy, activism and community service, performing and fine arts, media, and more.

Resource
Maker Learning Edcamp Resources
Description

Edcamp: Maker Learning brought educators together to share strategies for creating engaging, hands-on learning activities.

Resource
Educator Resources for the Ciena Solutions Challenge
Description

This Resource Library supports students and teachers with activities to support their journey with the Ciena Solutions Challenge.

Resource
Engaging Students in Challenge-Based Learning Experiences
Description

Educators share ways to engage students in Challenge-Based Learning experiences where students design thoughtful solutions to local challenges.

Resource
Empowering Students with the Student Tech Team Toolkit
Description

Learn strategies for starting a student tech team at your school and boosting student engagement and leadership while creating lifelong digital citizens, innovators, and problem-solvers.

Resource
Student Agency and Academic Growth: A Case Study from Sylvan Hills Middle School
Description

Sylvan Hills Middle Schools in Atlanta Public Schools transformed the instructional culture of their school by empowering students to analyze their school’s academic data and make decisions to drive powerful learning.

Resources to Support Argumentative Writing and Deeper Discussions With Students

Resource Description
Project Topeka Argumentative Writing Resources for Students and Teachers

Project Topeka brought together cutting-edge tools and high-quality instructional resources from industry leaders to support educators teaching argumentative writing.

Lessons from Project Topeka: Research and Perspectives

Research-based perspectives offer lessons for writing instruction and teacher professional learning.

Deeper Discussion in World History

The project is designing open-access curricular supports to deepen discussions in world history. Curricular materials will be available summer 2026.

Resource
Project Topeka Argumentative Writing Resources for Students and Teachers
Description

Project Topeka brought together cutting-edge tools and high-quality instructional resources from industry leaders to support educators teaching argumentative writing.

Resource
Lessons from Project Topeka: Research and Perspectives
Description

Research-based perspectives offer lessons for writing instruction and teacher professional learning.

Resource
Deeper Discussion in World History
Description

The project is designing open-access curricular supports to deepen discussions in world history. Curricular materials will be available summer 2026.

Resources to Support Global Skills and Competencies

Resource Description
Global Competence Professional Development

Explore the variety of free and fee-based resources that Digital Promise offers to help CTE educators boost their knowledge and skills around global competence and to encourage students to do the same—from sample project plans that are geared toward integrating global content into courses to self-paced, online training modules for educators and students.

Incorporating Global Skills

Curated by Digital Promise, these professional development and free resources to assist CTE educators with incorporating global skills into their courses.

Computational Thinking for an Inclusive World: A Resource for Educators to Learn and Lead, Quick Start and Discussion Guide

This quick start and discussion guide helps educators learn about and build capacity to engage students in computational thinking.

Edcamp: Emerging Technology in the Classroom

Edcamps centered on understanding the adoption and use of new technologies in the classroom and how practitioners can influence the researchers and developers of those technologies.

Resource
Global Competence Professional Development
Description

Explore the variety of free and fee-based resources that Digital Promise offers to help CTE educators boost their knowledge and skills around global competence and to encourage students to do the same—from sample project plans that are geared toward integrating global content into courses to self-paced, online training modules for educators and students.

Resource
Incorporating Global Skills
Description

Curated by Digital Promise, these professional development and free resources to assist CTE educators with incorporating global skills into their courses.

Resource
Computational Thinking for an Inclusive World: A Resource for Educators to Learn and Lead, Quick Start and Discussion Guide
Description

This quick start and discussion guide helps educators learn about and build capacity to engage students in computational thinking.

Resource
Edcamp: Emerging Technology in the Classroom
Description

Edcamps centered on understanding the adoption and use of new technologies in the classroom and how practitioners can influence the researchers and developers of those technologies.

Resources to Support Instructional Coaching

Resource Description
Verizon Innovative Learning’s Teacher Training Pathways

This program supports teachers with free professional learning focused on digital skills, remote learning, and digital coaching with opportunities to earn Digital Promise micro-credentials.

Educators Leading the Profession Pilot Mentoring and Coaching Program (ELP)

ELP initially grew out of a collaboration among National Education Association affiliates in seven Midwestern states that came together with the goal of better supporting and retaining early career teachers.

Dynamic Learning Project (DLP)

The DLP pilot launched in 2017 to increase educational equity and impactful use of technology through instructional coaching.

Educators Need Each Other to Thrive: Why Educator Networks Matter

Peer networks and professional learning communities provide valuable resources and support systems for educators.

Bridging Cultures and Computing: Exploring the Relationship Between Appalachian Problem Solving and Computational Thinking

This academic paper helps explain to educators how both computational thinking and traditional ways of solving problems can co-exist in students’ problem solving toolkits.

The Impact of Verizon Innovative Learning Schools Professional Learning

Digital Promise shares ways Verizon Innovative Learning Schools Coaches have supported their educators in integrating technology into the classroom to increase student engagement.

Resource
Verizon Innovative Learning’s Teacher Training Pathways
Description

This program supports teachers with free professional learning focused on digital skills, remote learning, and digital coaching with opportunities to earn Digital Promise micro-credentials.

Resource
Educators Leading the Profession Pilot Mentoring and Coaching Program (ELP)
Description

ELP initially grew out of a collaboration among National Education Association affiliates in seven Midwestern states that came together with the goal of better supporting and retaining early career teachers.

Resource
Dynamic Learning Project (DLP)
Description

The DLP pilot launched in 2017 to increase educational equity and impactful use of technology through instructional coaching.

Resource
Educators Need Each Other to Thrive: Why Educator Networks Matter
Description

Peer networks and professional learning communities provide valuable resources and support systems for educators.

Resource
Bridging Cultures and Computing: Exploring the Relationship Between Appalachian Problem Solving and Computational Thinking
Description

This academic paper helps explain to educators how both computational thinking and traditional ways of solving problems can co-exist in students’ problem solving toolkits.

Resource
The Impact of Verizon Innovative Learning Schools Professional Learning
Description

Digital Promise shares ways Verizon Innovative Learning Schools Coaches have supported their educators in integrating technology into the classroom to increase student engagement.

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