Better Understanding the Needs and Motivations of Teachers in...

Link to article (By Kathleen P. King and Marlene D. Dunham)
Full title: Better Understanding the Needs and Motivations of Teachers in Online Learning
"...The most telling findings indicate four themes regarding teacher online professional development: learner expectations, learner support and access, incentives, and content.
Online professional development programs can benefit from building on the strengths of this program and addressing the needs of enrolled teachers. Five major recommendations are offered here.

1. Clarity of expectations
2. Intrinsic motivation
3. Support is needed to enhance technology skills
4. Using content as a powerful motivator
5. Exploring collaborative learning further

Online professional development offers the opportunity to engage in content-driven dialogue with teachers across the country, to pursue professional development on the learner?s schedule, to have access to substantial, quality content that applies to the classroom, and to become aware of educational and professional development resources available online. Successful online professional development will benefit from considering the strengths of such online programs and integrating online learners? needs within them. Clarity of learner expectations supports a positive learning experience and course completion. Learner support and online access are telling factors in teachers successfully completing as well..."

This is a very interesting study that will influence the quality and success of distance learning for in-service training of teachers. The full article includes a lot of interesting educational "Juice", especially about the learner expectations, learner support and access, incentives, and content (If you don't have time to read the full article, read the long summary, recommendations, and conclusion ). Great!