Factors That Influence Cost: Professional Development Release time and substitutes. Will professional development sessions occur during the school year or when classes are not in session? Periodic, hands-on training reaps far greater benefits than short, one-time training sessions, sometimes referred to as "one-size-fits-all training," but periodic training carries a burden of time. If teachers must miss class time for training, the cost of substitutes must be included in your technology budget. Trainers. Many vendors provide trainers for their products, while some schools rely on faculty members to provide training. Higher education faculty are also a training resource. These options add costs and should be considered in your technology budget. When and where do those faculty members serving as trainers receive their own training and preparation time? Will this take them away from instructional time? Getting the Most for Your Money This school story is based on the experience of a real school. Choose the download option that best fits your connection. Slow modem (Text and graphics only) Flash presentation with audio (requires Flash plug-in) Materials. Whether using your own staff as trainers or hiring trainers from vendors or other outside sources, the cost of materials is often overlooked. Materials for training can include consumables such as paper, photocopies, manuals, toner, and other supplies as well as the actual hardware and software that are the focus of the session. If all teachers in a subject area, school, or district are to be trained on specific hardware or software, are enough machines or licensed copies of the software available for the session? Online delivery. Professional development can be delivered online, but don't expect to avoid all costs by not using face-to-face instruction. Online professional development requires access to computers and participants may have to use school equipment. The cost of these sessions would still normally be funded by the district. Schools or districts that plan to provide professional development in this format will incur costs associated when purchasing or developing content as well as when delivering content and providing support.