Continuing Professional Development amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Now that the Coronavirus pandemic is challenging education delivery, the teachers must work hard to capacitate themselves and look for meaningful continuing professional development (CPD) endeavors. Everyone now is shifting to remote learning or gaining knowledge, interacting, and connecting with others while at home. 

In the Philippines, all professionals must have specific CPD points as a requirement for the renewal of their licenses under the mandates of the CPD Act of 2016 (RA No. 10912). Teachers must have 45 units of CPD activities in two major areas - ethics and professional development. 

Today, there is a limitation with the face-to-face CPD activities, either self-directed (offered by non-CPD providers), professional (offered by CPD providers) and academic, and lifelong, formal, informal or non-formal learning. However, there are still online learning activities that credited CPD points. Organizations and entities are now offering online training, seminars, and continuing education, either for free or with minimal charges. 

In venturing with any online CPD activities, ensure that the providers are legit, the topics/activities are interesting and useful in the profession, there is technological support; the learning opportunities are maximized, there are meaningful feedback and reflections on things learned, and the capabilities are transformed to the next level. Though venturing on CPD activities may sound costly and taxing, there are still ways to maximize every opportunity that comes along. Nowadays, some free webinars and courses may provide additional skills to maximize the quarantine season. It is just a matter of time and readiness to learn, relearn, and be transformed. 

Teachers should not be boxed with the traditional form of learning. Though teachers are lifelong learners, they need to be transformed, empowered, and calibrated from time-to-time. Yes, webinars' conduct may help orient and reorient teachers to be prepared in the new normal in education. Still, the question is, do they transform themselves to the professionals they dream of becoming after the webinars? Do their teaching practice has been uplifted or revolutionized by the training online? On the other hand, do the teachers apply what they have learned and become equipped with the necessary competencies of today's teaching? 

More importantly, the government and other sectors must provide support for the teachers in preparing them with the new normal in the delivery of instruction and providing the necessary technology tools and support IT structure as well as support groups or organizations. Education is a public good and its everyone's business.