Professional development in the information age is no longer a one-size fits all proposition! Help make the most of your professional development opportunities by targeting your needs and interests through the Surfaquarium Digital CoP! Built-in flexibility with access from anywhere you have an Internet connection, learning and growing just got a lot easier! And the cost of professional development has never been less. Instead of paying hundreds or thousands of dollars for traditional professional development, the Surfaquarium Digital CoP gives you first class learning opportunities for a flat $100 per school year!

The Surfaquarium Digital Community of Practice (CoP) takes the vision of Wenger and extends it one step further, by bringing together like-minded educators from around the world via the affordances of the Internet. Whereas a traditional CoP would be as much bound by regional location as it was interest and mission, a Digital CoP can bring members together online from every corner of the world.

Through the CoP, participating members can make use of a virtual classroom interface to immerse themselves in current content on a high interest topic. This format allows each participant to engage Walter and other CoP members on an asynchronous discussion board, via email, and through weekly meetings in a synchronous chat environment. There are five and ten week CoP experiences, designed to support each participant in creating a make-it-and-take-it project which is ready to use in the classroom. These projects emphasize technology integration into the curriculum and benefit from Walter's expertise in simplifying and streamlining processes which can be difficult to master on one's own.

While the CoP is structured for five or ten week increments of learning, you can pace yourself to get the most out of it with respect to your real-world schedule and commitments. Spread out a five week topic to a leisurely semester's pace, or take multiple topics at the same time to gather all the content, materials and resources you can!

Once you register, you benefit from continuing to have access to Walter and other members of your CoP in the future. Your contact with your online colleagues continues through email communication and even potential meetings at regional and national conferences, when the opportunity arises. You'll never feel as though you're on your own in meeting your professional development goals again!

By joining the Surfaquarium Digital CoP, you benefit from the structure and leadership Walter provides, while contributing to and learning from the collective experience and expertise of our group. The Digital CoP can make a difference in your professional growth this year!