Professional development is essential to all professions—it is how professionals renew and update their knowledge and skills. In education, ongoing professional development is especially important as educators are often isolated from developments in their disciplines, as well as from their colleagues, spending most of their time behind the doors of their classrooms. Research also shows that to be effective, professional development needs to be sustained, collaborative, and connected to educators' actual classroom practice. Because the Ford PAS curriculum is innovative in its interdisciplinary content, focus on 21st century skills, use of inquiry- and project-based teaching, integration of technology, and reliance on community participation, professional development for Ford PAS educators is especially important. Since 2006, Ford PAS has offered a variety of professional development opportunities for educators to renew, update, and advance their pedagogical and content knowledge and skills. The Ford PAS professional development program includes both online and in-person components. Our aim is to build a professional learning community nationwide.
Participants of professional development events engage in hands-on sessions and discussions about the Ford PAS inquiry-, project-, and team-based approaches to teaching and learning, in the context of Ford PAS curriculum activities. Participants have the opportunity to do the following: 
Graduate credit is available for professional development institute and theme workshop participants. Educators who complete the institute or workshop also receive a certificate of participation.
Teacher Blogs and Educator Discussion List
Find out what’s happening at other Ford PAS schools and sites, and learn about others’ ideas and experiences teaching Ford PAS. The Ford PAS Teacher Blog explores some of the major challenges of and effective strategies for teaching Ford PAS and gives educators a chance to ask questions and post comments. Educators can also join the Ford PAS community on the Ford PAS Educator Discussion List, which encourages the exchange of ideas through email discussions.
Online Courses
Ford PAS offers an online course on inquiry-based teaching and learning. Over seven weeks, new and experienced Ford PAS educators explore in an online setting how an inquiry-based approach impacts student learning, and discuss some of the challenges and opportunities that arise in practice. The interactive course involves readings, chats, discussion boards, video analysis, assignments, and hands-on experiences with Ford PAS activities. Participants have the opportunity to adapt and implement part of an activity, to address the challenges and benefits of teaching and learning with inquiry, and to share ideas for implementing Ford PAS. Graduate credit is available for online course participants. Educators who successfully complete the course receive a certificate of participation.
A project of EDC. Education Development Center, Inc., works closely with Ford Motor Company Fund