As online learning continues to shape professional development in education, understanding how educators engage with digital learning resources is essential. This analysis explores two key questions: Which types of online learning modules are most commonly used across different educator roles? and How do educators describe their engagement with these learning modules?
By examining usage patterns, we can identify which formats are most effective for different roles, such as teachers, administrators, and support staff. Additionally, analyzing educators’ descriptions of their engagement provides insight into how these resources are used in practice, including lesson planning, instructional strategies, and collaboration. Together, these findings inform strategies for improving professional development and ensuring that online learning modules effectively support educators’ needs.
Which types of online learning modules are most commonly used across different educator roles?
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# Proportion-Based Bar Chart with Viridis Colorsggplot(module_counts_normalized, aes(x =reorder(Module, Proportion), y = Proportion, fill = Role)) +geom_bar(stat ="identity", position ="dodge") +coord_flip() +scale_fill_viridis_d() +scale_y_continuous(labels = scales::percent_format()) +# Convert to percentagetheme_minimal(base_size =12) +labs(title ="Use of Online Learning Modules by Role",x ="Online Learning Module",y ="Percentage of Role Using Module",fill ="Role") +theme(legend.position ="bottom",legend.justification ="center",axis.text.y =element_text(size =10),axis.text.x =element_text(size =10),plot.title =element_text(face ="bold", size =14) )
The analysis of professional development engagement among educators reveals clear preferences for different types of online learning modules based on roles. Online Modules emerge as the most frequently used resource, with teachers being the predominant users. While other groups, including Central Office Staff, School Executives, and Support Staff, also engage with online modules, their usage rates are noticeably lower in comparison. This suggests that self-paced, structured learning formats are particularly well-suited to teachers’ professional development needs.
In contrast, RESA Presentations appear to be more favored by administrators, including Central Office Staff and School Executives. Their higher engagement with these modules indicates that RESA Presentations cater specifically to leadership training, policy implementation, and administrative decision-making. This distinction highlights the need for professional development resources that are tailored to the responsibilities of different roles within the education system.
Other resources, such as Recorded Webinars and Live Webinars, exhibit a more balanced distribution across roles, with School Executives and Support Staff displaying relatively higher participation in these formats. Wikis and Websites are also widely used, particularly by Central Office Staff, which may reflect their preference for reference-based and collaborative tools.
However, some module formats receive minimal engagement across all groups. Resources such as Calendars, Documents, and Promotional Videos show low adoption rates, suggesting that these formats may not be as effective or widely embraced for professional learning. Their limited use could indicate a preference for more structured, interactive, or collaborative training methods over static informational content.
Implications for Professional Development
The findings underscore the importance of role-specific professional development strategies. Given that teachers overwhelmingly favor Online Modules, this format should remain a primary method of educator training, ensuring accessibility and flexibility in learning. Meanwhile, administrators benefit more from leadership-oriented resources, such as RESA Presentations and Webinars, which should be expanded and further tailored to meet their unique needs.
Furthermore, collaborative and interactive resources—including wikis, websites, and discussion-based tools—show consistent usage across different educator roles, making them versatile options for professional development. Expanding the availability and accessibility of such resources can enhance engagement and knowledge sharing among educators at all levels.
These insights highlight the necessity of diversifying online professional development offerings to align with the specific learning preferences and job responsibilities of different educator groups. By doing so, professional development programs can be more impactful, engaging, and effective in supporting ongoing learning and career growth.
How do educators describe their engagement with these learning modules?
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wordcloud2(engagement_words, size =0.7, color ="random-light", shape ="circle")
The word cloud provides a visualization of how educators describe their engagement with online learning modules, highlighting key themes that emerge from their responses. The most frequently mentioned words suggest that educators use these resources primarily to enhance classroom instruction, align teaching with educational standards, and support professional development.
One of the most prominent themes is classroom implementation and student learning. Words such as classroom, students, teaching, and learning indicate that educators engage with these modules to refine their instructional practices. The frequent appearance of terms like instruction, lesson, and curriculum suggests that educators use these resources to develop, adapt, and improve lesson plans.
Another key focus is alignment with educational standards. The prominence of terms like standards, core, and common suggests that many educators use online modules to ensure their teaching aligns with required curriculum frameworks, such as Common Core. The presence of assessment, instructional, and evaluation further reinforces the role of these modules in guiding educators through structured, standards-based instruction.
Engagement with these modules also reflects an emphasis on professional development and collaborative learning. Words like development, training, enhance, and improve indicate that educators view online modules as valuable tools for professional growth. Additionally, terms such as resource, planning, strategies, and prepare suggest that educators use these materials for structured lesson planning and instructional improvement. The mention of plc (Professional Learning Community) and staff underscores the importance of collaborative learning, where educators discuss, refine, and implement teaching strategies with colleagues.
Another notable aspect of engagement is the focus on pedagogical strategies and higher-order thinking. The presence of Bloom’s (referring to Bloom’s Taxonomy), instructional, and assessment suggests that educators engage with these modules to strengthen their understanding of effective teaching methods. Words like apply, understand, and implement indicate that educators are not only acquiring knowledge but actively integrating these concepts into their teaching practices.
Implications for Professional Development
These insights suggest that online learning modules play a critical role in supporting educators’ instructional practices. The emphasis on lesson planning, assessment, and student-centered learning indicates that professional development resources should prioritize practical applications rather than purely theoretical content. The significant mention of collaboration and shared learning experiences highlights the importance of integrating opportunities for peer discussion and feedback within professional development programs. Additionally, the strong focus on educational standards and pedagogical strategies suggests that these modules should continue to align with curriculum frameworks while offering flexible tools for instructional enhancement.
