Virtual Instruction Training for Louisiana Teachers and Leaders
Overview
The Louisiana Department of Education partnered with the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) to help equip teachers and school leaders to plan for and strengthen virtual instruction. Starting in October, all educators received free access to three, 90-minute professional learning sessions that model effective virtual teaching and provide educators with tips, templates, and strategies to use immediately in their virtual classrooms. These sessions were taught both live (synchronously) and on-demand (asynchronously), and were offered over the course of 2020-21.
Access the asynchronous sessions through the Louisiana Department of Education website's School Improvement Library.
Each district had a certain number of spaces to ensure that all educators across the state had an opportunity to attend.
Educators left these sessions with an understanding of what effective teaching practices look like in an online classroom; ideas for how to plan, transform, and strengthen virtual lessons; and strategies to improve student engagement and increase student growth in a virtual learning environment.
There were different options for teachers and principals to receive more tailored support based on their role. Sessions for principals and administrators focused on coaching practices and strategies, while teacher sessions will provide more content teachers can directly use in their virtual instruction.
For questions, email niettraining@niet.org.
NIET has provided support for Louisiana educators for nearly two decades and currently partners with 300 schools across the state to provide instructional training, coaching, and professional development support. NIET has been training thousands of educators nationwide over the past several months on effective virtual instructional practices and strategies.
Agenda and Session Information
The following three 90-minute sessions were offered throughout the 2020-2021 school year. In addition to the synchronous sessions on virtual instruction, asynchronous modules are available in the Louisiana Department of Education website's School Improvement Library.
Each district has a certain number of spaces to ensure that all educators across the state have an opportunity to attend. Before registering, please connect with your immediate supervisor to see if seats are available for you to attend. If the number of seats for a district has been met, educators will be able to add their name to a waiting list.
Session 1: Planning for Virtual
- Examine key differences between planning for traditional face-to-face and virtual learning
- Analyze mindsets that impact planning for virtual learning
- Be able to utilize planning resources and the rubric companion tool for virtual instruction to develop high-quality online lessons
Session 2: Virtual Instruction
- Develop an understanding of what effective instructional practices look and sound like in virtual teaching
- Examine how teachers in a virtual setting impact student achievement
- Be able to plan for effective virtual instruction
Session 3: The Virtual Environment
- Analyze how to transition to teaching and learning in the virtual environment
- Understand how to shift an exemplar learning environment to a virtual classroom
- Be able to create and facilitate an effective virtual learning environment