Replace labor-intensive in-person coaching with a virtual professional learning community to scale professional development¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

In prior ASSISTments implementations, teachers received in-person training plus three one-on-one coaching visits per year with between-session coach access. The report states: "While this model offered valuable support, it was labor-intensive, costly, and ultimately not scalable", and teachers lacked opportunities to build peer networks. The current intervention therefore introduced a vPLC as a scalable alternative that sustains instructional impact while fostering teacher collaboration, reflection, and professional growth across districts and states.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• The vPLC requires facilitators experienced with the platform, an asynchronous community channel (Slack), and structured synchronous sessions to substitute for individual coaching visits.

Constraints¶

• The strategy was developed to support implementation at scale, particularly in rural and underresourced settings where travel and substitute-teacher logistics bar in-person training.

Target Learners¶

• Rural and underresourced middle school math teachers

Target Learning Goals¶

• Scalable professional learning supporting effective implementation of an evidence-based digital math program

Related Strategies¶

• Deliver Getting Ready educator training and coaching through virtual formats
• Scenario-targeted professional development interventions matched to learners' current metacognitive configuration

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Feng, M., Li, L., Brezack, N., Huang, C.-W., Luttgen, K., Grady, J., Yang, S., Lavine, A., Collins, K., & Schneider, M. (2025). Scaling teachers' professional development for ASSISTments: Evaluation final report. WestEd. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED677852