Professional Development

Beginning July 2026, webinars will provide professional learning focused on Digital Learning Integration Standards of Learning, policy updates, internet safety, artificial intelligence, GoOpenVA, and sharing resources. The Digital Learning Unit invites educational technology leaders, ITRTS, librarians, and interested educators to join the monthly series.  

• Webinars are on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 10 am.
• Office Hours  are on the 4th Tuesday of the month at 3 pm.   

Canvas Courses 

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) provides educators with accessible, collaborative, and high-quality Canvas courses to help enhance the effectiveness of digital learning and integration of technology. 

• ActiVAtED Learning Adventures 2026-27 - This course is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the concepts, strategies, and insights shared in each episode of the ActiVAtED Learning podcast. Each module focuses on a specific podcast episode, featuring key takeaways, discussion prompts, and related activities to deepen the learning experience.

• GoOpenVA: Exploring VA's Open Educational Resources Repository 2026-27 - This course teaches the basics about openly licensed education resources (OER) how they are being organized in Virginia, and how to use the GoOpenVA platform to help search, create, and curate resources. 

• ITRT Toolbox Canvas Course - This is an online interactive self‑paced professional learning course which provides Instructional Technology Resource Teachers (ITRTs) & educators with an interest in instructional technology with a comprehensive understanding of the ITRT role and responsibilities in supporting digital learning environments. Participants will deepen their skills in technology integration, coaching, professional learning facilitation, and digital citizenship advocacy while learning strategies for effective relationship‑building across the school(s) and community.

•  Completers earn 16 hours of professional development credit and strengthen alignment with Virginia’s Best Practices for the Instructional Technology Resource Teacher and the Digital Learning Integration Standards of Learning.

If you have a tech support issue, please contact support@virtualva.org. If you have a specific question regarding content in any of the courses or resource hubs listed above, please contact innovation@doe.virginia.gov.

Professional Organizations 

VDOE is a member of the following educational technology professional organizations: 

• ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) 
• VSTE (Virginia Society for Technology in Education) 
• SETDA (State Educational Technology Directors Association) 
• VAASL (Virginia Association of School Librarians)

Presentations 

The Digital Learning Unit provides school administrators, educators, ITRTs, and school librarians with a number of resources and professional development opportunities that focus on support for: Internet Safety, ITRT Best Practices, Digital Learning Integration Standards of Learning, Technology Integration, Digital Literacy, Media Literacy, and Digital Citizenship.  

Digital Learning Unit webinars and presentation materials can be found using the keyword search vdoedluwebinars on GoOpenVA. 

If you are looking for the Digital Learning Unit to provide professional development for your region or division, please fill out this request form.