STFPL Working to Redefine Professional Learning in Saskatchewan

By: Jana Len, STF Bulletin Contributor

One clear message stood out at the November 2023 meeting of the annual Professional Learning Advisory Committee: the need to evolve professional learning to better support members across the province. With many challenges in the way for members to access learning opportunities, such as mileage, meals, accommodations and substitute costs, it was becoming challenging for some teachers to access face-to-face sessions.

STF Professional Learning Director Shaun McEachern shares, “Teachers want meaningful learning without the logistical barriers. Our team took on the challenge to ensure we also offered our services in a way that supports teachers and continues to offer learning opportunities to support their growth and learning.”

Guided by this feedback, STFPL began to reimagine how and where professional learning could happen. The result was a commitment to build accessible and affordable “just-in-time” asynchronous learning opportunities that teachers could engage with anytime, anywhere. The initial goal was to create four courses by the fall of 2025. The team well surpassed this target based on the demand and interest shown by members across the province. By January 2026, STFPL had tripled the target and is now offering 12 asynchronous courses. McEachern notes, “Once teachers had access to flexible, high-quality learning, the demand continued to rise. It confirmed what we already knew: teachers are eager to grow when the barriers are removed, and the opportunities are readily available and accessible.”

 

This learning has set the stage for growth. Courses such as Class Complexity: Autism and Functions of Behaviour saw high numbers, with some schools enrolling their entire staff. The course’s accessibility and significance made it a powerful tool for building capacity in inclusive education.

Another standout opportunity has been Inspiring Success: Educators Doing the Important Work of Treaty Education. This course draws from the award-winning McDowell Foundation research from Raquel Bellefleur and Michael Graham. In its asynchronous format, it ensures equitable access across Saskatchewan, supporting members as they strive to bring this valuable work into their classrooms. The self-paced structure of the course has supported essential and meaningful treaty education learning.

To continue with the development of these courses, the next launch was of Outcomes-Based Assessment for High School Learning in April 2024. This course was co-created with Patricia Bibby of Saskatchewan Rivers School Division. Together, there were four modules created that explore the “compelling why” behind outcomes-based assessment. The course quickly gained traction, and several school divisions, including Good Spirit, Prairie South, Prairie Valley and Saskatchewan Distance Learning Centre, integrated the course into their division-wide learning plans. For some, it has become the foundation of multi-year implementation strategies supported by ongoing coaching. Because of the high interest in this course, STF Professional Learning is now working to develop a course: Communicating and Reporting Academic and Non-Academic Achievement at the High School Level.

Early literacy has also always been a priority of learning for STFPL. Through this continuous work, the team transitioned the already-created course Responding to Children’s Interests into an asynchronous format. In fall of 2025, evidence-based practices in early literacy sessions were created and launched to support word recognition and comprehension. There are already additional sessions being created to focus on research-based literacy learning pathways for teachers.

What began as a conversation to determine barriers to accessing professional learning opportunities for teachers across the province has grown into a provincewide shift in how learning is accessed and experienced. STFPL is continuously committed to listening to and supporting members and their professional growth.

McEachern says, “STFPL’s goal has always been to support our members in ways that genuinely make a difference in their classrooms. Asynchronous learning isn’t just for conveniences; it is a way to support teachers’ time, expertise and their commitment to their students.”

STF Professional Learning’s work to offer these just-in-time courses shows that when teachers are given flexible, relevant and accessible opportunities to grow, the impact reaches far beyond the individual. It is strengthening classrooms, schools and communities across the province.

From Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation Bulletin – Spring 2026