Best practice principles in successful ICT professional development for educators include:

• Integration of digital skills development activities with the professional contexts as determined by the needs of the educators – even programmes which focus on basic skills development should ideally be facilitated by educators.
• The provision of digital tools and resources and the development of digital skills do not improve education if the focus is on ICT rather than on what ICT can do to support educators and enhance education.
• Professional development in digital learning is dependent on the support and participation by leadership within the school and the region.
• Integral to achieving these outcomes is the priority given to ongoing post training support. This is characterised by:
  • Teachers having regular access to digital tools and resources during and after training;
  • Ongoing emotional and technical support is provided during and after training;
  • Training and support is onsite as far as possible but use is made of online communications whenever this is appropriate;
  • Learning is situational (i.e. school-based) whenever appropriate;
  • peer involvement in training and support is actively encouraged.
• Professional development includes the principle of reflection and change.
• Programmes make allowance for diversity.
  • There is no single generic recipe for success.
  • Variations in professional development approaches and evaluation of these are encouraged.
  • Adult learning principles prevail. Principal considerations are that
    • educators are able to explore their personal and/professional needs and interests;
    • educators are able to work in a self-paced way;
    • learning is predominantly practical;
    • there are flexible pathways of learning.