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Week 4 Blog: Professional Development

 PD Structure

I had previously given little consideration to using a TPACK model in any form for this technology integration plan. The structure that TPACK offers, with an emphasis on Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge, will provide Strong Tomorrows site coordinators with a framework for technology integration. For education professionals, TPACK may not have enough specificity in the way of implementation, but since most coordinators have backgrounds in social work, this seems like an excellent bridge for their experiences. Its “staged approach to professional development” provides a scaffolded structure in which site coordinators can learn and gain skills for implementing digital best practices (Shi, et. al, 2025).  Following the model, sessions would be chunked into sections with one focused on technology training, one on inclusive practices, one on modifying content for digital content, and then 3 sessions that combine these focuses and culminate with immediately usable artiacts (Shi, et. al, 2025). Additionally, the PD must align to best practice and include elements of active learning, reflection, connection to content knowledge, and adequate time to implement new practices (Siyam, et. al., 2025).


Student Connections and Vision/Goal Alignment

The set of skills that coordinators need to have a meaningful impact on student learning are parallel to the skills that students need. Site coordinators, then, need to feel confident in their ICT skills so they can effectively “model the digital behaviors and skills” that their students need (Siyam et al., 2025, p. 3). One goal for the Technology Integration Plan is for the organization to develop a Portrait of a Learner which standardizes digital literacy outcomes that “align with community needs” (OET, 2024, p. 17). This portrait, then, will connect teacher expectations directly to student outcomes.


Existing Structures

Strong Tomorrows site coordinators meet monthly for a team huddle. This time is used to meet a variety of needs, but it is an established time that can be leveraged for full team professional development. Additionally, because of the partnership that the organization maintains with Tulsa and Union Public Schools, existing, high quality training on digital learning can be leveraged with no additional expense to the organization. Finally, existing grants include provisions for funding needed trainings, so this money could be leveraged for additional trainings that might be needed to meet the unique needs of this group. Strong Tomorrows accomplishes a great deal with limited resources, and working within these existing structures aligns with their business strategy.


Transforming the Community

Strong Tomorrows serves an underserved, marginalized population. Juggling school work and being a parent is an enormous amount of pressure for a teenager. This in conjunction with a number of other systemic failures, puts PPY at a greater risk of not finishing high school.  Effective implementation of digital pedagogy can be transformative for these students by creating more accessible and equitable learning environments (Shi, et. al, 2025) Accessing information and creating knowledge are central to accessing power, and minority and marginalized groups need educational structures that prepare them to use technology for “sustainable social futures” (Darvin, 2019, p. 225). The goal of this TIP is to provide a structure for ensuring all students have adequate internet access and then to close the digital use gap that these marginalized students experience. This aligns with assessments like the PISA, which  measures students' abilities to navigate digital environments, evaluate online information, and solve problems in technology-rich contexts. Closing the digital use divide for PPY students through this TIP directly supports their preparation for these expectations. This will help ensure that a historically marginalized population is not further disadvantaged by a lack of opportunity to develop the higher-order digital skills these assessments measure.


References


Darvin, R. (2019). Youth, technology, and the hidden curriculum of the 21st century. Youth and Globalization, 1. 210-229.

Office of Educational Technology, U.S. Department of Education. (2024). A call to action for closing the digital access, design, and use divides: 2024 National Educational Technology Plan. U.S. Department of Education. https://tech.ed.gov/netp/

Shi, Y. R., Sin, K. F. K., & Wang, Y. Q. (2025). Teacher professional development of digital pedagogy for inclusive education in post-pandemic era: Effects on teacher competence, self-efficacy, and work well-being. Teaching and Teacher Education, 168, Article 105230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2025.105230

Siyam, Y., Siyam, N., Hussain, M., & Alqaryouti, O. (2025). Evaluating technology integration in education: A framework for professional development. Discover Education, 4, 53. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-025-00448-z

Comments

  1. LaurenApril 10, 2026 at 10:29 AM

    Hello,
    Great post—I like how you connected the TPACK framework to a group that may not come from traditional education backgrounds, and how you emphasized scaffolding PD in a way that is practical and usable. Your focus on leveraging existing structures like monthly huddles and partnerships is also really strong and realistic. I also appreciated your emphasis on equity and how digital learning can help support marginalized students in meaningful ways.

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