Practical Approaches to Virtual Professional Learning: Insights from University-Supported Rural Educator Professional Development

Virtual professional development offers a promising solution for rural educators who often face limited access to ongoing learning opportunities. Professional development was implemented using the ECHO-DU model, a virtual, evidence-based, professional learning model that connects t educators in remote districts with university expertise and supportive professional networks and has been shown to improve workforce capacity and retention.

ECHO-DU utilizes a case-based Community of Practice (CoP) approach (Wenger, 1998) designed to foster skill development in different topics to meet the needs of rural educators.

From 2020-2025, ECHO-DU provided a series on culturally responsive teaching, community navigation, computer science instruction, supporting family school and community partnerships, and educational leadership. This virtual platform created an interactive and dynamic space where rural teachers, community navigators, principals, early interventionists, gifted education coordinators, and superintendents could collaboratively address real-world challenges faced in their schools and communities.

Each series was developed with an expert facilitator and incorporated evidence-based strategies and curriculum. Each series ran 8-10 weeks, and professionals met weekly via a Zoom video conference. Weekly sessions lasted 90 minutes and were organized into two components: a didactic portion in which an expert shared the latest evidence-based practices and resources and a case study portion in which a participant shared a challenge and/or success story. Participants were encouraged to ask questions, provide ideas to solve challenges, and share resources. A pre-post-survey design was used to measure the effectiveness of the ECHO-DU series on participant learning, CoP development, and gather feedback. Lessons learned were compiled as key success factors and supports and barriers to participation in the series.

This presentation shares practical insights and lessons learned for universities seeking to implement and sustain virtual professional development as a way of building CoPs with rural community partners. We discuss critical considerations related to technology infrastructure, content relevance, and strategies to maintain long-term engagement in rural contexts. This study demonstrates that virtual CoPs offer a viable approach for universities aiming to expand their ability to rural professionals through innovative, collaborative, and scalable professional learning models.