Louisiana Takes Instructional Support Online with Peer Connection

The Office of the Governor of Louisiana has chosen PBS TeacherLine's Peer Connection to provide ongoing support for professional development education operated by the state. PBS made the announcement Thursday at FETC 2010 in Orlando, FL.

Peer Connection is TeacherLine's online suite of tools and strategies for education leaders who provide professional development as part of teachers' daily routine. Many teachers struggle to find the extra hours in the week for to pursue their own ongoing knowledge in order to become better, more effective educators. The subscription-based resource contains standards-aligned materials for preK-12 math, reading, instructional strategies, and instructional technology that allow coaches and mentors to optimize the professional growth of such teachers.

The Governor's Office also said it expects its decision to join Peer Connection to benefit the Nonpublic School Early Childhood Development Program (NSECD), which the state created in order to serve at-risk students. NSECD is training its own specialists to use the site and expects to implement its widespread use in the 2010-2011 school year.

"Our monitors will be able to build resource networks for teachers and their principals to ensure a supportive learning community no matter where they are located," said Petrouchka Moise, director of NSECD. "Peer Connection provides quick access to a wealth of information that is well-organized and presented in a user-friendly way, so it's easy for busy teachers to find high-quality resources they need."

In addition to the Governor's Office initiative, several Louisiana school districts have also signed with Peer Connection for their own professional development programs.

About the Author

Scott Aronowitz is a freelance writer based in Las Vegas. He has covered the technology, advertising, and entertainment sectors for seven years. He can be reached here.

Featured

  • mathematical formulas

    McGraw Hill Launches AI-Powered ALEKS for Calculus

    McGraw Hill has added ALEKS for Calculus to its lineup of ALEKS digital learning products, bringing AI-powered personalized learning support to the calculus classroom.

  • laptop displaying a phishing email icon inside a browser window on the screen

    ED Grant Portal Target of Phishing Campaign

    Threat researchers at BforeAI have identified a phishing campaign spoofing the U.S. Department of Education's G5 grant management portal.

  • red brick school building with a large yellow "AI" sign above its main entrance

    New National Academy for AI Instruction to Provide Free AI Training for Educators

    In an effort to "transform how artificial intelligence is taught and integrated into classrooms across the United States," the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), in partnership with Microsoft, OpenAI, Anthropic, and the United Federation of Teachers, is launching the National Academy for AI Instruction, a $23 million initiative that will provide access to free AI training and curriculum for all AFT members, beginning with K-12 educators.

  • young educators collaborate with AI tools on laptops and tablets

    Survey: Younger Educators More Likely to Embrace AI Tools

    While educators across the United States agree that AI has enhanced classroom engagement, enthusiasm for AI's benefits is strongest among young teachers, according to a recent survey from learning technology company D2L.