The Impact of Online Modules for International Professional Development with Educators in the Dominican Republic
Abstract: Mercer University’s Tift College of Education (TCOE), with support from The Thomas C. and Ramona E. McDonald Fund for Advancement of Global Education, has partnered with several schools in the Dominican Republic (DR) to improve student learning at all levels of the educational process. Since 2013, TCOE’s efforts have focused on developing and implementing a viable and culturally responsive professional development program for P-12 educators. Based on input from DR educators, TCOE created a series of online professional learning modules that were administered during the 2014-2015 academic year. Results in three outcome areas (teachers, administrative personnel, and students) were very promising, with demonstrable improvement in all three areas. These modules demonstrate the power of technology to successfully administer online professional development programs internationally.