Unlocking the Benefits of Professional Development in K–12 Districts

When K–12 districts introduce new classroom technology, the hardware or software is often the easiest part of implementation. The bigger challenge is managing change among the people expected to use it. Without a clear change management strategy, teachers may resist or underuse a new tool, relying on a few basic features or avoiding it altogether. That can prevent both educators and students from realizing the full benefits of the technology.

Professional development is essential to overcoming this hurdle. Even when time and budgets are tight, quality PD is critical. Training, combined with personalized coaching, gives teachers the skills and confidence to use new tools effectively and integrate them meaningfully into instruction.

One common goal for instructional technology coaches is to help teachers progress along the SAMR model: substitution, augmentation, modification and redefinition. Without adequate support, teachers often get stuck at substitution. They may use a digital display as a glorified whiteboard, unaware of its interactive features or uncertain about how to use them in daily lessons.

That’s where intentional change management comes in. PD should do more than provide basic onboarding of features. It should demonstrate how the technology can support instructional goals. Teachers need to see examples of student engagement with the tool, and they need support translating those examples into their classrooms. One effective strategy is to begin with the outcomes you want to see — such as students collaborating at a display — and work backward to design PD that fosters those outcomes.

PD is especially impactful when it connects to specific classroom behaviors. For example, interactive displays encourage teachers to move around the room, collaborate with students and facilitate dynamic learning. However, teachers unfamiliar with these tools may hesitate to put those behaviors into practice. Providing opportunities to practice these behaviors with peers or coaches can help teachers build confidence and increase the likelihood they will model these behaviors with students.

Personalized coaching is also important. Most districts have a wide range of readiness among their teachers, from enthusiasts who embrace the latest tools to those who resist change for as long as possible. Many teachers fall somewhere in the middle: They’re open to new approaches, yet they want to feel prepared and skillful in the classroom. When PD is limited to merely demonstrating features, teachers miss out on the rich opportunities for individual development that personalized coaching can offer.

Involving teachers in the selection process for new technologies is another important way to set them up for success. After all, technology upgrades aren’t just IT projects or curriculum decisions, they’re districtwide initiatives. That means instructional and technical teams must collaborate.

Providing teachers with the opportunity to test and evaluate new tools increases buy-in and helps districts select tools with features that teachers truly value. IT staffers might prioritize specs and integration, while teachers might focus on instructional features and whether a device feels intuitive to use. For example, many districts have deployed interactive flat-panel displays, but we’ve seen very few take the extra step of putting various panels in classrooms so that teachers can evaluate them before the district makes a decision.

This collaboration also benefits IT teams. When educators provide feedback and help to shape implementation, tools are more likely to meet classroom needs. That, in turn, increases adoption and boosts the ROI for technology purchases. When instructional and technical teams collaborate from the start, districts are more likely to invest in tools that work for everyone.

Change management can make all the difference in the success of a new classroom technology initiative. Inviting teachers’ input, providing ample opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge, and facilitating collaboration between teaching and technical staff can lead to the best outcomes for everyone.