Resource Center: Professional Development Spotlight Web resources America's Learning eXchange www.alx.org Educators who desire training but have difficulty finding applicable coursework in their geographic area may want to consider distance-based or distributed courses. America's Learning eXchange is a searchable database of courses offered through a variety of media, including CD-ROM, television, satellite, and Web-based delivery. Teachers looking for professional development opportunities not available locally may find alternate training with the aid of this Web site. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) www.ascd.org/ The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) is an international, nonprofit, nonpartisan education association. ASCD offers professional development opportunities both online and face-to-face through conferences, institutes, academies, and tutorials and courses. Of particular interest to users of the Web site are the online tutorials, which are free to all users. These short lessons include a combination of text and multimedia elements and cover a wide range of topics, such as standards, performance assessment, curriculum integration, and cooperative learning. National Staff Development Council www.nsdc.org Reflecting 20 years worth of lessons learned in professional development, the National Staff Development Council (NSDC) offers guidelines for the appropriate application and integration of educational technology. These guidelines propose a constructivist approach to professional development and suggest that teachers and administrators collaborate in such activities as action research, conversations with peers about the basic nature of instruction, keeping journals, and projects that involve family and community members in student learning. Additional Web resources Knowledge Loom knowledgeloom.org Principal Connections www.principalconnections.org Conferences Attending professional conferences is a great way to hear new ideas and gather current information about trends and developments. AEL maintains an up-to-date online database of conferences related to educational technology. EdTech Conference Planner www.theconferencecalendar.com Professional Organizations American Association of School Administrators (AASA) www.aasa.org AASA focuses on improving schools and enhancing the effectiveness of school leaders. Among the many current issues and ideas discussed on this Web site are several technology-related topics, including E-rate information and planning for technology. There is also a separate area for emerging issues in instructional technology. AASA also offers links to publications, conferences, and online store with resources for educators. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) www.ascd.org ASCD is an international, nonprofit, nonpartisan education association. ASCD offers professional development opportunities both online and face-to-face through conferences, institutes, academies, and tutorials and courses online. Of particular interest to users of the Web site are the online tutorials, which are free to all users. These short lessons include a combination of text and multimedia elements and cover a wide range of topics, such as standards, performance assessment, curriculum integration, and cooperative learning. National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) www.naesp.org NAESP supports its contingency of elementary and middle school students based on two findings from research: that a child's early years in school are the most crucial, and that the key figure in assuring quality schools is the principal. NAESP provides a wide range of training programs, publications, conferences, and professional meetings that support these prime assumptions. National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) www.nassp.org The Web site for NASSP deals less specifically with technology rather than with support for school leaders and the myriad of topics they face daily. Highlights of this site include links to scholarships and awards for principals and students alike, a bulletin board to share ideas with other school leaders, and links to NASSP publications such as "High School Magazine." Sponsors of the National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society, NASSP has diverse offerings for student leaders which can be accessed through this site. National School Boards Association (NSBA) www.nsba.org This web site serves as a comprehensive storehouse for information created and distributed by the National School Boards Association. Of greatest interest to school board members and other policymakers, this Web site includes articles from School Board news, the Association's twice-monthly publication, NSBA publications, as well as links to NSBA-sponsored meetings and conferences. The NSBA's "Teaching + Learning" Conference is one of the nation's largest and most comprehensive technology conferences for issues concerning educational technology and is well-attended by all members of the education community. References View the reference list for this lesson