On paper, online PD courses sound efficient: teachers log in, click through slides, answer a quiz, and move on.
In practice? They rarely lead to meaningful growth.
Why “Click-Through” PD Persists
Districts adopt these programs because they:
- Trackable for compliance
- Easy to assign at scale
- Cheaper upfront than in-person training
But the hidden costs pile up.
The Costs Schools Don’t See
- Time wasted: Teachers rush through modules without real learning.
- Low engagement: Morale drops when PD feels meaningless.
- Missed opportunities: Instruction doesn’t improve, so student outcomes don’t either.
A district may save $10,000 on upfront costs but lose far more in wasted teacher hours and lost instructional impact.
A Better Approach
PD should be interactive, adaptive, and tied to actual teaching practice.
That’s where AI-supported platforms can make the difference—providing real-time feedback, resources, and growth tracking that go beyond check-the-box compliance.
