Remix courses from P2PU
NWP is a participant in Peer to Peer University (P2PU), and open online learning collaborative. Courses designed for P2PU can be taken by anyone, and can be remixed and taught by anyone, under a CC license. NWP's first course was offered Fall 2011 by Bud Hunt, teacher-consultant with the Colorado State University Writing Project. Called Writing and Common Core: Deeper Learning for All, the course description was:
"The Common Core State Standards suggest that writing must live across all disciplines. This course is an exploration of what that might look like. Through conversation, reading, and writing together, participants in this course, developed in partnership with the National Writing Project, will explore what it means to write deeply across the disciplines as a way of learning, as well as what it might mean to ask students to write for a discipline."
You can visit the course to see how it is constructed, view the syllabus, and follow the discussions. Since courses are intended to be remixed and redelivered, you can also offer the course yourself with whatever adaptations you desire. P2PU is available as a platform for online courses that sites would want to offer.
Run a Digital Writing Marathon
Dakota Writing Project is well-known for its e-Marathon, originally developed as part of the NWP Technology Initiative. The e-Marathon was designed as a way to offer an online professional development opportunity to experienced teacher-consultants to explore different digital environments for writing, teaching, and learning. Why a marathon? DWP Director Michelle Rogge Gannon, who conceived the idea, explains, "We called it a marathon not only because our teachers were familiar with the concept of a writing marathon, but because it went on for a long time. The marathon began in July and didn't end until May." It became fabulously popular, and although the specific tools and environments used have changed over time, the basic concept continues to be valuable. Read more in this piece on the NWP.org website.
Consider building social media options into PD
Christine Cantrill has posted a a blog about new options in using social media for professional development purposes. The blog features Meeno Rami, the Philadelphia Writing Project T-C who leads #engchat. (Read Meeno's piece on #engchat at Digital Is if you are considering building twitter chat into your work.)
