PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON USING ICT - AN ONGOING PROCESS
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON USING ICT - AN ONGOING PROCESS

Summary/Abstract: Given the fact that the progress in technology is constantly evolving and the new generation is considered to be digitally native we could say that teachers` professional development on using information and communication technologies (ICT) is a must. The new educational policies signal the increase challenges for teachers and schools to fully exploit them for the benefit of teaching and learning. Studies show that one of the most important professional development need teachers report is related to the teaching with information and communication technologies and to use new technologies in the workplace. Taking into account that the continual professional development (CPD) is an ongoing process we conclude that attending to workshops, seminars, and short courses (in service) can be an opportunity for teachers to acquire new skills development in the use of technology in the classroom. A significant number of studies show that the use of ICT in the classroom is ongoing process and teachers need pedagogical and technical support to meet the expectations of the 21st century learners and to successfully face their daily challenges and responsibilities. The aim of this paper is not only to show the importance of keeping up to date when it comes to the use of ICT in the classroom, but also to briefly present a statistical approach regarding teachers participation rate in professional development activities that are focused on the process of teaching using information and communication technologies. We will mainly focus on discussing teachers’ needs for professional development regarding the use of ICT, but also on presenting the barriers to teachers' participation in professional development in Romania.

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