As instructional techniques incorporate more digital technologies and blended models, school principals must create and implement carefully-constructed visions for teaching and learning–and a new professional development (PD) program aims to help them on their way.
Thirty-five school leaders from the Rhode Island Association of School Principals recently completed a year of PD focused around building blended learning in their schools. The Leadership in Blended and Digital Learning (LBDL) PD program was developed by the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at North Carolina State University.
LBDL is designed to specifically support school leaders as they move their schools into the blended and digital learning transition. The PD program includes five core sessions combining face-to-face and online components for participating principals and leaders. The sessions include vision and goals, culture shifts, teaching and learning, professional development, and implementation.
The two-phase PD project focuses first on training program trainers, who in turn work with principals and other school leaders to implement blended learning in their schools. In Rhode Island’s case, five school leaders received training from the Friday Institute to facilitate training for state principals, assistant principals and other school leaders.
(Next page: Four important concepts that made PD sessions impactful)
Laura Ascione is the Editorial Director at eSchool Media. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland's prestigious Philip Merrill College of Journalism. Latest posts by Laura Ascione (see all) - Children learn best on paper: We need better technology, not less of it - July 13, 2026
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