There is no doubt that the coronavirus pandemic (COVID 19) has impacted the way teachers, schools and early childhood services are working and supporting their learners; many teachers are now working in an online learning environment.

The VIT understands that most teachers will have already undertaken significant professional learning to find new ways of teaching (navigating new programs, building digital lessons and assessments, team teaching), and we encourage teachers to continue developing their skills in teaching and learning in an online setting. These skills are not only timely for our current situation, they will be useful going forward - the lessons learned through this experience are likely to encourage the use of online learning as a tool into the future. 

As a registered teacher or early childhood teacher, you are required to engage in at least 20 hours of professional development (PD) activities each year in order to renew your registration. Professional learning can be undertaken in a variety forms, including webinars, online modules, professional conversations, professional readings and research.

Remember, after engaging in a professional development activity take the time to reflect on how the learning will impact your teaching. Ask yourself the following questions.

• What have you learned that you can use to develop your teaching knowledge and /or practice? 
• How have you / will you apply your learnings to your teaching practice?
• What impact has / will the new knowledge have on learning outcomes?

To support your professional learning to work in an online setting, you may find the following resources helpful.  For those who are still unable to meet the requirements during 2020, this will not be an impediment to nor preclude them from registration renewal.

Resources

• AITSL - What Works in Online/Distance Teaching and Learning?
• Primary English Teaching Association Australia – Online Teaching Support
• Learning from home in an early childhood setting
• How to access learning from home for teachers and school leaders (for government schools)
• FUSE – resources for online learning
• Bastow - Continuity of Learning Hub
• Wakelet – Continuity of learning online: Learning from home resources
• eSafety Commissioner - COVID 19: keeping schools and learning safe online
• eSafety Commissioner – classroom resources 
• ACARA – Digital technologies in focus (resources)
• VIT's Professional Practice resources
• TLN – COVID 19 remote learning resources
• Teacher Magazine - Delivering remote learning
• Teacher Magazine - Digital learners and digital citizens – learning remotely and safely

Professional reading

• The Conversation: Coronavirus: 14 simple tips for better online teaching
• TNL - publications and readings

Webinars / online learning 

• CRTPD (free online professional learning for casual relief teachers)
• Teacher Learning Network (membership required)
• ISV – Early years teachers network – transition to remote learning 
• ISV – primary teachers network – transition to remote learning
• ISV – secondary teachers network – transition to remote learning 
• ISV – student support discussion and resource space
• Responsive Remote Teaching - A webinar for teachers and leaders (Bronwyn Ryrie Jones)