Free, Virtual PD

Free, virtual PD is a gift to struggling educators who often spend their own money on their students, let alone on PD. As professional educators, we shouldn’t have to shell out funds to get pencils for our students, but I know that I am preaching to the choir here. Still, we do it because the students need it. PD should be as high a priority for educators as purchasing student supplies because we need it, too. And as everyone who knows anyone in education, a successful teacher is one who takes care of herself, as well, and not just her students. We need the camaraderie that comes from interacting positively with our colleagues during PD sessions. We need the intellectual boost that we get from learning new concepts, techniques, and methods. We need the support and good feels that we get from growing our PLN, our tribe, our pack. Yet, the buck often stops at supplies for educators everywhere because PD and conference expenses add up.

First, free, virtual PD allows for educators to interact with other professionals in real-time from all over the globe. Be it via Twitter using #ISTE or #NotatISTE, participating in chats like #MasteryChat, or by using Voxer to communicate about important educational topics at EdCamp Voice, free virtual PD allows us as teachers to still experience the growth and support we need to be all that we can be in the classroom, without having to break the bank in the process. How cool is it that teachers can Zoom, Skype, and Google Hangout with educators from different cultures who have valuable perspectives on education without having to hop on a plane? How important is it for us to continue to expand our worldview, so that it encompasses more than what we see within our classrooms and schools. Free virtual PD allows for this to happen every day with the touch of our fingertips on our own personal devices, and, often without having to leave the comfort of our own homes.

Second, free and virtual often means that resources are shared at these PD sessions by educators who are experts in their own right and passionate about helping out their colleagues, peers, and contemporaries. For example, while not always virtual, EdCamps are always free, which means that educators can attend for nothing and usually expect to walk away with something in hand when the day is done. This is an added bonus. I’ve always said that teachers are scavengers because we glean off the meat of what others create and share. We need to be, for many reasons, the least of which is for cost-saving measures. There’s no shame in gleaning, and EdCamps and free, virtual PD sessions allow for educators to glean without shame.

How can you find free, virtual PD sessions? Start with Twitter and search hashtags with various combinations. Follow individuals and organizations who you know are putting together PD and conferences virtually. Follow local universities and their educational departments. Twitter is an invaluable resource for finding meaningful PD at little to no cost to you, the teacher. Next, look at who professional educators on Twitter follow, then follow these people and companies and organizations, as well. Finally, search EdCamps online. There are hundreds of them all over the globe. Once you get your feet wet with these simple suggestions, you would be surprised at how easy it is to participate in free, virtual PD regularly.