How might we address teachers’ unmet professional learning needs?

The pandemic brought significant disruptions to education, highlighting the critical need for professional learning that aligns with teachers' day-to-day realities and goals. Teachers faced increased demands, from adapting to new instructional approaches to supporting students' well-being and addressing learning gaps. Unfortunately, many professional learning opportunities were disconnected from their needs.

For my capstone research project, I applied Human-Centered Design to explore how we might better address teachers' unmet professional learning needs. Drawing from personal experience as a teacher during this challenging time, I focused on amplifying teachers' voices to uncover their authentic, often unspoken needs. The goal was to understand how to design professional learning experiences that truly support, empower, and equip teachers to navigate change effectively.