Online and Blended Professional Development Courses

I found the online nature of the course suited me well. Moodle was easy to use and the forums were a great way of getting feedback and ideas from others.

The Bell Foundation’s professional development courses achieved a recommendation rate of 95% in 2022.

Training opportunities include both online and blended learning (a mix of online and face-to-face) CPD courses which provide high-quality professional learning experiences, and have the added benefit of potentially reducing a school’s training budget and its carbon footprint. They have been designed to develop the expertise and confidence of school staff so they can provide even more impactful support for learners who use English as an Additional Language (EAL). They connect participants with experts and colleagues beyond their school while supporting collaboration and cooperative learning.

The content of each course draws on the latest research on EAL and innovations in pedagogy in the compulsory education sector and includes insights into the most relevant recent developments in educational policy. Their design is underpinned by the evidence-informed principles of digital learning and impactful Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

The courses are spread over a four to eight-week period and work around the busy schedules of those working in the education sector. They allow participants to work at a manageable pace with plenty of time to engage with course content deeply and critically and apply or adapt relevant insights to their contexts. They are carefully structured and sequenced, ensuring that content is clear and becomes gradually more demanding. New information is presented in small, manageable chunks with visuals that support learning and reduce cognitive load. They offer developmental opportunities arising from active, highly interactive and collaborative learning, which builds on prior knowledge and allows participants to learn from and with other course participants, course tutors and course material.

All our online and blended courses use a ‘mobile-first’ design with quick and simple navigation to ensure that participants can have a user-friendly experience irrespective of the device they use or where they are studying and learning.

How the courses work

The Bell Foundation’s blended and online professional development courses take a flipped approach. Beginning with independent, individual learning followed by dynamic and interactive group learning. Each course follows the same design template:

  • Module One- Online independent learning with elements of direct instruction
  • Module Two- A live webinar or face-to-face session with plenty of scaffolding to guide practice, application and reflection
  • Module Three- Online independent learning with a focus on practice, application and reflection

Online and blended professional development at a glance:

Key components Online Blended
Online independent learning which includes active and interactive tasks that encourage participants to develop a deep understanding of the topic
A live webinar where participants critically engage with course content, work on collaborative tasks, ask questions, and share best practice in real time X
Face-to-face training where participants critically engage with course content, put into practice what has been learnt so far and explore further strategies and resources X
Online independent learning where participants complete practical and relevant implementation tasks to practise, adapt, apply, or evaluate what they have learnt and to plan future action to embed learnings into their working context at classroom or school level
Personalised feedback from expert course tutors
Networking opportunities with other practitioners
A certificate for successful completion of the course

Participants on The Bell Foundation online and blended courses said:

I would definitely recommend this course to others and would take part in future Bell Foundation courses. They really help with professional development and are excellent value for money.

I really have enjoyed this course. I must admit I had misgivings about the method of delivery at the start but it has been so well-organised and delivered it has been a joy even for a techno-newbie like me.

The opportunities to share and socialise with other participants was fantastic as they helped me to feel like I wasn't alone on this journey.

 

For face-to-face training opportunities (available in five regions) please visit the Centres of Expertise page.

To find out more and book your place(s) on future training course, please visit the Events page.

Upcoming courses and webinars

CPD on EAL: Using the Foundation’s Classroom Guidance and Strategies (Webinar)

Date
20 March 2024
Time
4:00pm
Price
Free
Type
Webinar

Supporting New Arrivals Who Are New to English (Online Course)

Date
16 April 2024
Time
9:00am
Price
£40-£60
Type
Online course

Introduction to EAL Assessment MOOC (Webinar)

Date
22 May 2024
Time
4:00pm
Price
Free
Type
Webinar

Embedding EAL Assessment (Online Course)

Date
4 June 2024
Time
9:00am
Price
£40-£60
Type
Online course