The Global School Psychology Network is a web-based community for school psychologists. It is dedicated to professional development, peer support, and problem-solving assistance.
The Need for
a Professional Development
Community on the Internet
Professional
development, collaborative problem-solving, and peer support are the "lifeblood"
of any profession, including school psychology. Time and distance conspire
against their health. The Internet holds considerable promise for overcoming
these barriers to professional development and collaboration. Indeed, one
of the most widely cited advantages of the Internet is the ability to converse,
learn, and exchange information without the need to coordinate when and where
the communication occurs.
This liberating aspect of the Internet can be a potential boon to school psychologists
who are often trapped by school schedules that allow them little time to collaborate
with colleagues and advance their knowledge.
School psychologists are well-prepared to meet their professional needs on the Internet because of their interpersonal skills and training in collaborative
problem-solving. There will never be sufficient time for face-to-face meetings. In this context,
the GSPN is viewed as complementing ongoing collaborative and professional
development efforts.
