From fall 2005 through summer 2011, Alabama Public Television led e-Learning for Educators, a collaborative effort among state departments of education and respective public television station partners to address critical needs for accessible professional development opportunities, particularly in rural and high needs areas. During the highly successful project, more than 47,000 teachers enrolled in more than 2,500 high qualityonline professional development (OPD) courses offered in ten participating states (AL, DE, KY, MD, MO, MS, NC, NH, PA, and WV). Based on project data about teacher/student ratios, it is estimated that well over a million students were impacted.

The e-Learning for Educators(eFE) project conducted groundbreaking randomized research studies about the effects of OPD on teaching and learning. Detailed research results, reports, and summaries are available here. In short, research found that the eFE model of OPD can produce significant gains in teacher knowledge, instructional practice, and student achievement.

e-Learning for Educators was funded by a Ready to Teach grant from the U.S. Department of Education to Alabama Public Television. Boston College and Education Development Center (EDC) providedresearch, evaluation, technical assistance, and consultation.

The e-Learning for Educators Consortium (“the Consortium”) is an ongoing, post-grant membership organizationaimed at freely sharing resources, training, OPD program development strategies, and learning from the e-Learning for Educators success.AZ, CA, NV and UT joined the Consortium in 2011. New members are invited and accepted annually.

For more information contact Dr. Lynne Meeks at (800) 239-5233 ext. 178, or by email at lmeeks@aptv.org.