Leveraging technology in Open and Distance Learning (ODL) for continuing teacher education

Continuing education opportunities for teachers must be designed keeping in mind their needs, and interests. The most important aspect is flexibility in terms of time, place and pace so that they can learn as per their convenience. Technology makes anytime, anywhere and any place learning possible for teachers. Teachers can better equip themselves to face different challenges such as globalization, social changes in the society, new policy reforms, new pedagogies and new skills to be acquired by students and introduction of new digital technologies. A course PGDEL (Post Graduate Diploma in e-Learning) offered through online mode by SRIDE, IGNOU is one such example. In this paper, the author discusses how different technologies in an Open and Distance Learning (ODL) system, can help in providing continuing professional development opportunities to teachers (both pre service and in service).