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Online programs can provide valuable access to continuing education or certification opportunities for teachers and other professionals. However, to be successful, this type of program, whether in developed or developing countries, must overcome the time constraints of both the learners and the course facilitators, as well as the other challenges involved in moving from a face-to-face to an online environment. This chapter outlines our experience in creating, evaluating, and adjusting a specific course in mathematical concepts for special education teachers. We found that a program, which capitalizes on frequent and quality contact among classmates around support structures that have been built into the course design, can produce a sustainable model for online professional development of teachers and which does not overtax the time of course facilitators, can be created. Once created, and shared, these models can be adapted for fields as diverse as teacher education and health sciences that are crucial for both developing and developed countries alike. |
