Online Teaching Eligibility and Requirements
Providers of TxVSN Approved Professional Development
Online courses provided through the TxVSN must be taught by teachers with Texas certification in the course subject area and grade level. In addition, Texas Education Code Chapter 30A requires that any teacher providing instruction for an online course delivered via TxVSN first complete professional development.
Quality professional development for online teachers is important to ensure quality teaching and learning. Research demonstrates that a teacher’s skill in face-to-face teaching does not necessarily transfer to an online environment, because in online instruction the teacher must combine both instructional and subject-area knowledge with a working knowledge of rapidly evolving online tools for communication and collaboration, content management, and assessment.
For this reason TxVSN professional development for new or experienced online instructors emphasizes the iNACOL National Standards for Quality Online Teaching. Based on the original Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Standards for Quality Online Teaching, the iNACOL standards serve as a comprehensive set of criteria for online instructors. Participants in this standards-based professional development learn research-based strategies for online course content development and adaptation, instructional design, technology tools, assessment strategies, and course management. In the rapidly changing world of online learning, this combination of subject area knowledge and standards-based training provides Texas students with a quality interactive online learning experience. The TxVSN Central Operations has reviewed and identified providers of standards-based professional development.
TxVSN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY
Building on the SREB
Standards for Quality Online Teaching, the
Guidelines for Professional Development of Online Teachers report presents extensive guidelines that can assist state virtual schools as they hire, train, support and evaluate online teachers. The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Standards for
Online Professional Development publication provides standards for planning and evaluating online professional development courses and programs.