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This study examines the strategies used by teachers during a series of self-directed online learning (SDOL) experiences. Over a period of four months, the authors met with 12 practicing elementary teachers three separate times. During the meetings, the teacher participants informally used the internet for their professional learning in literacy. Their online navigations were captured using screen-recording software. Immediately following their navigations, a virtual revisit think aloud was conducted where participants verbalized their thoughts aloud while viewing a screen-recording of their navigation. Semi-structured interviews with each participant were conducted following the three meetings. Data were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. Findings relate to the cognitive and behavioral strategies in which participants engaged during their SDOL experiences.

This study used a survey method to explore the perceptions of online professional development (PD) from a sample of Canadian teachers. Ninety-two practicing teachers completed an anonymous online survey between July and September 2020. Results were analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Findings highlight Canadian teachers' previous experiences with online PD, their perceptions of different approaches to online PD, and their motivations for participating in online PD. Investing in teacher PD is a critical factor in maintaining quality education in Canada and across the globe. Generating feedback directly from teachers can contribute to PD opportunities that are conducive to teacher learning.

This case study used screen-capture technology and a cued retrospective think aloud called the "virtual revisit think aloud" to understand teachers' self-directed online learning (SDOL) experiences. Three elementary teachers were involved in a series of in-depth, one-on-one SDOL sessions where they informally used the Internet for their professional learning. Nine think aloud transcripts and three interview transcripts were analyzed using qualitative methods. Additionally, nine 20-minute screen-capture recordings were analyzed using a time sampling observation analysis in which participants' web-based actions were tallied in 10-second intervals. The analyses led to four main themes related to participants' cognitive processes as well as overall trends of participants' web-based actions. Findings from this study provide preliminary insight into the feasibility and value of SDOL over time.

This paper presents findings from a systematic review of 11 studies examining online teacher professional development (oTPD) in Canada between 2000-2020. A thematic content analysis of the articles led to four main themes associated with research on oTPD: 1. knowledge exchange; 2. reflective practice; 3. multifaceted learning opportunities; and 4. just-in-time support. The study contexts, research methods, and other relevant study characteristics are also reviewed and discussed. The results shed light on the current research trends on oTPD in Canada and highlight the need for continued research in this area. Data from diverse research methods across Canada's geographical regions can contribute to greater insight into the types of oTPD occurring in Canada and how various platforms and professional development opportunities can best support teachers' professional learning.

As elementary teachers increasingly turn to online environments for their literacy-oriented professional learning, evaluating website quality is of growing importance. Using screen capture recordings of participants' navigations, the purpose of this study was to identify the types of online learning environments that elementary teachers use to enhance their literacy practice as well as to evaluate website quality. Findings reveal that teachers access ten main types of online environments. Those that were resource-based were accessed with the highest frequency despite having the lowest quality. Implications for the design of online learning environments as well as self-directed learning are explored in depth.

The aim of this study was to collect and analyze research on inclusive education from the perspective of parents of students with intellectual disability (ID). The review examined characteristics and trends related to geographical origin of research, design, data collection, publication source and year, source of data, age of individuals with ID, and research focus. The initial database search produced a total of 2,540 non-duplicated articles published between 1994 and 2019. In total, 63 articles were included from the initial search and a subsequent ancestry search. The results show a significant increase in publication on the topic in the final one-tenth of the review time parameter, suggesting a continued upward trend. The majority of articles were qualitative in design, used interviews and surveys to collect data, and focus on the perspectives and beliefs of parents on inclusive education. Gaps in the existing set of research included a lack of family perspectives beyond that of mothers (e.g. father, grandparent) and a limited focus beyond perspectives and beliefs, to that of parent experiences of inclusive education.

In secondary English classrooms, poetry is often a text that is least liked because it is viewed as being “inaccessible,” reserved for the elite, and/or too abstract. Part of the reason for this also lies in the traditional, colonial structures of introducing poetry such as relying on canonical texts and close reading analysis. Yet, outside of the classroom poetry is used in more accessible and engaging manners. With the advancements of technology, there also includes multimodal ways in which to read and write poetry that could be much more interesting for both educators and youth. This paper opens a discussion to consider multimodal and aesthetic responses to including poetry such as using digital apps like PhoneMe, a free accessible platform that allows users to post their written poems, record themselves reciting poems, and pin their poems directly on to an interactive digital map. The uniqueness of PhoneMe—a layered multimodal approach—can provide a more engaging way to teach and learn poetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students with autism spectrum disorder have been shown to benefit both academically and socially from inclusion in general education classrooms, but concerns remain about the persistence of separate special education settings around the world. Using special education program placement data from the Canadian province of Ontario and census data summarized geospatially according to school board boundaries, the purpose of this study was to describe the trend in inclusive classroom placement for students with autism spectrum disorder over a 12-year period, as well as to establish any relation between staffing of educational assistants and population density with inclusive classroom placement. Descriptive analysis revealed a notable increase in the number of students with autism spectrum disorder in inclusive placements, and a corresponding decrease in the number of elementary students in specialized placements. Correlation analysis revealed an inverse relationship between staffing of educational assistants and population density with inclusive classroom placements at the secondary level, suggesting differences in the experience of inclusive education for older students. Interpretation of the findings underscore the importance of identifying variables associated with inclusive classroom placement, and the advantages of adopting a geospatial approach are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers of students with disabilities require a vast set of knowledge and skills for effective practice. While preparation programs provide a broad array of content and experiences through course work and guided practice, the wide scope of knowledge and skills required for beginning teachers, in conjunction with increased accessibility to online learning tools, creates an opportunity to enhance and augment teacher education beyond traditional delivery. We investigated an online module using practice-based videos with embedded training and assessment on learning stages in special education. We assessed the skills of pre-service students from three universities in the United States and Canada before and after online training in the stages of learning, specifically in self-appraisal and accuracy of identification related to instructional planning and assessment. Participants’ high self-assessment of their knowledge and skills did not match their skills in identifying the learning stages or appropriate instructional approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]