In the first of a four-part blog series about our ongoing CEM support package, we looked at the online training course we’ve created and how we’ve designed the package to align with the DfE’s Standards for Teachers’ Professional Development. If you missed it, you can read it here. In this blog, we’re going to explore the quarterly webinars and why we’ve included them in the support package.
CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT – THE EVIDENCE
When the title of CPD was adopted, there was already an acknowledgement that training for in service teachers should be more than just one-off workshops. This was at the forefront of our minds when creating the support package and the resources and tools to assist teachers. We wanted to provide a service that was much more personal than simply an online training course.
The work of Richard Mayer (2009) demonstrates that programmes that include direct communication to learners are more effective than those that don’t. To that end, we host quarterly CEM training webinars which allow colleagues to directly engage with our experts at EBE. Like the online training course, access to the quarterly webinars is available for ALL STAFF in our support package.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF THE WEBINARS?
The webinars are spaced throughout the school year, with dates and times scheduled and notified in advance. Times vary to accommodate the schools from around the world that subscribe to our packages – from 9am UK time so schools in East Asia can join live, to late evening for those in the Americas.
All staff are invited to submit questions at any time by emailing our dedicated CEM support inbox. These teacher questions form the basis of the webinars and we prepare sample data to answer these questions in the context of our experience of the hundreds of schools we’ve worked with. Our webinars also include a live chat function, so colleagues can respond and engage with other like-minded professionals from around the world.
We also know that teachers are incredibly busy people and can’t always join the webinars live. All of the quarterly webinars are recorded and distributed to package subscribers, so they can listen on-demand. We also include a list of the questions answered and start times in the recording so you can listen in to the specific answers that interest you. Recent webinars have included a range of questions from how to effectively use Individual Pupil Reports to discussing best practice examples of how to share CEM assessment data with colleagues.
FIND OUT MORE
You can find out more about our ongoing CEM support package and the tools and resources included by clicking here. Our Essentials support package, which includes access for ALL staff to the online course and quarterly webinars, costs just £450 (exc. VAT) for the year – with no travel and no cover costs.
You can also get in touch by emailing cem-training@evidencebased.education
REFERENCES
Mayer, R. E. (2009). Multimedia Learning. 2nd ed. New York, U.S.A: Cambridge University Press
