Using a Digital Learning Platform to Increase Levels of Evidence-Based Practices in Global Teacher Education Programs

Advances in online learning have benefited teacher preparation programs through increased recruitment, access, and collaboration. For example, challenges, such as monitoring teacher candidate use of evidence-based practices (EBPs), can be addressed through a digital teaching platform. Collaboration with faculty at the Birkbeck Knowledge Lab in interdisciplinary research, semantic data, and online learning platforms would be beneficial to improve the learning outcomes from the website. Joint research papers and website replication are additional goals.

Project REACH online is a freely available website developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The platform includes information on various EBPs and assessments aligned with professional standards. The assessments, designed to further measure teacher candidate skills, such as applying Universal Design for Learning to instructional plans and field-testing reports. Faculty may benefit from the constant stream of assessment data at their fingertips. The platform may also provide teacher candidates with a vehicle for learning and tracking progress toward goals through feedback requests and digital badges. The platform increases interactions among teacher candidates, graduates, and faculty. It also extends collaboration to content experts and school partners.

Research shows that teacher candidates demonstrate variance in efficacy for teaching. We will systematically implement this platform in teacher education programs globally. Data obtained from platform users will be helpful in revising courses and program sequences to foster greater teacher efficacy and abilities to use evidence-based practices to ensure all students in school settings learn.