COL Newsletter published March 2025.

Teacher professional development plays a crucial role in improving education quality, especially in under-resourced and marginalised communities. The expansion of open, distance, and technology-enabled learning - accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic - offered new ways to equip educators with skills for digital and blended teaching. Innovative Models and Practices in Teacher Development: Case Studies from the Commonwealth brings together eleven examples of school-based training, digital education leadership, and the use of open educational resources (OER). It covers teacher training initiatives in The Gambia, Guyana, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, and Trinidad and Tobago. Other case studies draw from regional initiatives in the Pacific countries and Commonwealth-wide projects. The book particularly highlights locally relevant strategies that strengthened teacher capacity during and after the pandemic. The book highlights innovative thinking in teacher training, demonstrating how technology, structured training models, and teacher networks are shaping professional development. It calls for long-term investment in teacher learning, moving beyond emergency responses to ongoing professional growth and instructional improvement. Looking ahead, the book stresses the importance of expanding teacher training through open and distance learning (ODL) and digitalisation. By capturing real-world experiences, this book offers practical guidance for education ministries, teacher training programmes, and policymakers committed to strengthening teacher development for the future.

Many organisations are experimenting with micro-credentials, while others are emerging to collect, publish and offer credentials. The decision to engage with these new forms of credentials will be influenced by many factors, as described in this guide. Each organisation will need to assess their own level of maturity as new and innovative forms of credentialing continue to evolve. The organisational appetite for change, its culture and readiness, and the availability of resources to support all the stakeholders involved in the journey should inform each implementation strategy and accompanying operational planning activities.