About Paul Wright
Paul has developed and written many of our most popular tech courses. Technology is changing the face and direction of education; however, Paul makes it a point in all of his courses to invoke the human side of the classroom. Technology should be a medium to reach students, but the teacher is what drives the learning and engagement. Paul’s work experiences have taken him around the world to a variety of school districts and classrooms. He is eager to hear your experiences and shares his to reflect together on the art of teaching.
In his free time Paul travels around North America watching his son play hockey. His passion for teaching never stops and he even finds time to stop into local schools in the communities he visits to see what they are doing!
Integrating STEM/STEAM into your Curriculum
Participants will learn to develop, create, implement, and assess a STEM/STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) program, lessons and units. A variety of frameworks will be reviewed and discussed to allow for easy replication of /STEAM units and activities. A variety of STEM/STEAM careers will be explored and highlighted in resources. Educators will leave the course with a roadmap to better implement STEM/STEAM into their classroom, promote STEM/STEAM questioning, and develop STEM/STEAM PBL (Project Based Learning) units.
Course #: SPC18314
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15-hour PD courses 21st-Century Teaching
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseCulturally Responsive Practices
Participants in this course will examine methodologies to facilitate the development of a culturally relevant classroom centered around research of Gloria Ladson-Billings, Geneva Gay, Django Paris, and H. Samy Alim, among others. Participants will define what is a culturally relevant/responsive classroom. Participants will define what is a culturally relevant/responsive classroom. An exploration on five ways to create a culturally relevant lesson as well as review a variety of culturally responsive frameworks of instruction. Teacher leaders' and administrators will learn how to engage culturally relevant teaching strategies and discuss challenges with staff to foster a more culturally relevant/responsive classroom/school community.
Participants will explore practices that effectively educate parents on the culturally relevant/responsive classroom. Administrators will gain expertise on developing a letter home or presentation that effectively educates parents on the classroom/school community goals as well as how to effectively keep communication open throughout the year while continuing to develop the culturally responsive classroom/school community. Participants will explore organizations that educate and provide resources for teachers/administrators who are developing a culturally relevant classroom. Key areas of concerns from the participants particular school community will be reflected on and resources will be reviewed to enhance their culturally responsive teaching and leading.
Course #: SPC22320
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Equity & Diversity Positive Classroom Management 15-hour PD courses
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseThe Chromebook Classroom: Google Apps and Productivity Tools for Classroom Collaboration
Educators will learn how to use a Chromebook, Google Apps, and various other applications for delivering any course content to their students. Educators will become skilled on how Chromebooks can promote their content area, differentiate instruction, provide multiple representations, and motivate their own professional development. Educators will gain understanding of Internet resources, Google Chromebook applications, Google Play, Google Classroom, the flipped classroom, videos, and more to maximize the learning environment.
Course #: SPC18141
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Technology Tools for the Classroom
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseThe Google Infused Teacher: Advanced Applications of Google Classroom and Chrome
In this course, educators will learn how to effectively assign a variety of assignments within Google Classroom, quick poll students, use the course stream, and Google Hangouts, assess students in a wide range of ways, create blogs, learn additional Google Classroom add-on features, and how to bring parents into the Google Classroom. Participants will become skilled on how to use Google digital resources to collaborate, create, communicate, and assess students using Google Chrome Applications. Completion of the course will provide a wealth of ideas and skills to create your dynamic online classroom.
Course #: SPC18150
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Technology Tools for the Classroom
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseStudent-Centered Classrooms: A Constructivist Approach
Participants in this course will examine student-centered classrooms with a constructivist approach - a significant shift away from the typical teacher-centered classroom. In a student-centered classroom, much of the direction and leadership is passed onto the students and the teacher becomes the classroom facilitator. This course provides participants with an in-depth exploration of how student-centered classrooms can engage and enhance the learning of all students. Effective student-centered teaching strategies, lesson planning, classroom management methods, and differentiated assessments will be explored. Participants will learn how having a constructivist approach to the student-centered classroom can have students take charge of their learning at any grade level and become independent learners who can create, discover, and problem solve on their own.
Course #: SPC19181
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21st-Century Teaching Instructional Strategies
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseWorking with Challenging Parents: How to Connect and Create a Team Approach
Participants in this course will examine methodologies to facilitate the growth of a positive relationship with the most challenging of parents in a variety of school settings.
Participants will focus on effective parent communication and engagement for K-12 education. Participants will explore methods to improve communication and collaboration that will focus on parent engagement and, in turn, will create a positive learning environment for every student. Emphasis is on exploring and learning ways to connect with parents and families. Participants will synthesize paradigms and leave the course with a better understanding of developing parent communication techniques leading towards sharing responsibility to help children learn and meet their educational goals.
Course #: SPC21018
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Positive Classroom Management Innovative Classroom Instruction
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseExecutive Function and Creating Effective Learning Assessments
This course is designed to teach participants the importance of metacognition, provide background knowledge of the core executive function processes, and help apply their knowledge of executive function processes to help students better understand themselves as learners. Participants will learn how executive functioning skills are the cognitive powers that help develop good habits which leads to effective school and life management.
The course will also look at the process of how to create effective assessments. Assessments are essential to the learning process, as evidenced in that assessments inform the instructor on the effectiveness of their instruction, as well as they provide a way to measure students' mastery of the course's educational learning targets. The course will explore how to identify course goals for assessment, determine test structure and design, write effective questions, and apply a variety of testing methods to differentiate testing methods.
Course #: SPC18162
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Positive Classroom Management 21st-Century Teaching Instructional Strategies
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseSocial Media and Digital Citizenship in Education
Participants in this course will examine how social media is an integral part of the school community. The positive and negative impact of social media on the school community will be discussed and explored. Participants will learn strategies to navigate social media concerns and issues. The course will help educators learn about norms in digital citizenship and how to plan and integrate social media tools in their classroom and school community. Social media frameworks for projects, lesson plans, and school functions will be reviewed. Participants will leave the course with social media tools to engage their students in new learning mediums and improve the classroom and school community environment.
The Bullying Conundrum: A Journey from Awareness to Activism
This course is designed to give educators at all levels (K-12) an overview of the complexities of bullying that include the bully, victim, and bystander. Bullying occurs in a variety of forms in every school and not only does it impact students, but parents and teachers as well. In this course, participants will explore current research and learn how to effectively combat a variety of bullying (physical, verbal, social, and cyberbullying), and construct a classroom culture of growth and mutual respect. Educators will develop effective tools for the identification and prevention of bullying behaviors, as well as tools to deal with the bully, victim, and bystanders to create opportunities for change which can positively influence student relationships and achievement.
Course #: SPC21004
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Equity & Diversity 21st-Century Teaching
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseFormative, Interim, and Summative Assessments: Increase Engagement, Guide Instruction, Measure Learning
This course is designed to enhance a participant’s knowledge of assessment and grading practices. Participants will review formative, interim, and summative assessment types, as well as the grading practices within them (traditional vs. standards-based grading), assessment design, implementation strategies, and how to interpret data results to define mastery. Participants will leave the course knowing how to identify course goals for assessments, effectively construct a variety of assessments based on content, understand how assessment can increase learning, use a variety of assessment mediums, and provide measurable data to students, parents, and other educators that demonstrate growth in learning.
Course #: SPC18165
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Positive Classroom Management Instructional Strategies
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseBuilding an Engaging Collaborative Classroom
Participants in this course will examine collaborative, engaged, cooperative learning—a significant shift away from the typical teacher-centered classroom. Participants will learn how developing a classroom culture of trust, safety, challenge, and joy can foster engaged and effective learning. Research suggests that effective communication and collaboration are essential to becoming a successful learner. Participants will learn how to develop classroom learning experiences around students’ constructing knowledge and engaging in action together. Techniques to develop intrinsic motivation that leads to student engagement and achievement will be researched. Foundational work in this course will include the research and use of collaborative learning, engaged learning, and cooperative learning models. Participants will synthesize these paradigms and create applications for implementation into their own classrooms.
Course #: SPC19154
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Positive Classroom Management Instructional Strategies
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseEmbracing the Multicultural Classroom: Creating an Inclusive and Equitable Environment for All Students
This course is designed to help educators build a classroom structure where all students feel empowered and included in the classroom environment. Through the use of videos, readings, personal reflection, and online forum questions, participants will experience the multicultural classroom, as well as learn methods to implement strategies in their own classroom. Participants will learn to shape and maintain learning conditions that facilitate a multicultural perspective during instruction, including how to identify and promote diversity, multicultural learning styles, create culturally aware lesson plans and activities, using social emotional learning strategies to impact classroom management, and strategies/ideas to educate parents on the multicultural classroom. Participants will leave the course with resources and strategies to reach students in a variety of cultures and educate them on the importance of understanding a multicultural classroom and the benefits of being multiculturally competent.
Course #: SPC18164
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Equity & Diversity Positive Classroom Management
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseCulturally Responsive Teaching and Leading
Participants in this course will examine methodologies to facilitate the development of a culturally relevant classroom centered around research of Gloria Ladson-Billings, Geneva Gay, Django Paris, and H. Samy Alim, among others. Participants will reflect on their own teaching practices and explore strategies and frameworks that incorporate a student’s and school community’s cultural heritage and experiences; fostering a much more wholistic educational experience for all children. The foundations of culturally responsive teaching will be researched. Strategies for helping students, teachers, and parents understand what culturally relevant teaching is and how it is effectively implemented will be explored. Participants will learn how to create a culturally welcoming classroom, development and implement strategies for fostering relationships between different cultures in one’s classroom, and how to help students understand differences between cultures in a respectful manner. Additional topics include culturally responsive classroom management and discipline, including students with special needs in the culturally responsive classroom, and connecting parents/home to the culturally relevant classroom.
Course #: SPC22006
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Equity & Diversity Positive Classroom Management
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseCultivating Curiosity and Creativity in the Classroom
Participants in this course will examine methodologies to facilitate the growth of curiosity and creativity in their students. Participants will learn how developing a classroom culture of curiosity and creativity can foster engaged and effective learning. Research suggests that increasing curiosity and creativity in a classroom can lead to a more student-centered classroom. Techniques to develop curiosity and creativity that leads to student engagement and achievement will be researched and explored. Foundational work in this course will include the research on developing creativity and curiosity strategies from simple to complex, lesson planning, and using project-based learning to enhance the classroom. Participants will synthesize these paradigms and leave the course with a better understanding of how to assess and develop creative and curious thought in their students, improve classroom culture through use of innovative strategies, develop an expertise in their own classroom to foster a creative environment, and foster the growth of curious learners to solve problems creatively.
Course #: SPC18168
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Positive Classroom Management Instructional Strategies
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseDifferentiated Assessments: Alternative Ways to Assess All Students in your Classroom
Differentiated assessment is the key to helping every student have success within their own learning style. This course is designed to help educators discover new ways to assess students from a variety of different learning styles. A focus on strategies for performing pre-assessments, formative assessments, and summative assessments as well as alternative assessments such as performance-based assessments, portfolios, presentations and more to give options for students to have success other than the traditional pen-and-paper assessment. Classroom examples will be reviewed to help see how differentiated assessment can provide direction for improvement, promote confidence, and motivate students to do their best. Participants will leave the course with a better understanding of assessment practices and a wealth of resources to effectively differentiate assessments in their classroom.
Course #: SPC18169
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Positive Classroom Management Instructional Strategies
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseTeaching in a Multicultural Classroom
This course is designed to help educators build a classroom structure where all students feel empowered and included in the classroom environment. Through the use of videos, readings, personal reflection, and online forum questions, participants will experience the multicultural classroom, as well as learn methods to implement strategies in their own classroom. Participants will learn to shape and maintain learning conditions that facilitate a multicultural perspective during instruction, including how to identify and promote diversity, confront stereo-types, and be introduced to how to create culturally aware lesson plans and activities.
Course #: SPC22319
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Equity & Diversity 15-hour PD courses
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseIntroduction to the Differentiated Classroom
This course is designed to help educators build a classroom structure where differentiated instruction can occur on a daily basis to create high expectations for student achievement for varying abilities. Through the use of videos, readings, personal reflection, and online forum questions, participants will experience differentiated instruction as well as learn methods to implement strategies in their own classroom. Participants will learn to shape and maintain learning conditions that facilitate differentiated instruction, including how to identify learning styles, create tiered activities, differentiation strategies, and effective classroom management. Participants will leave the course with resources and strategies to reach students of varying abilities, grades, and learning styles and help them take ownership of their education.
Course #: SPC22317
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Positive Classroom Management 15-hour PD courses Instructional Strategies
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CoursePositive Discipline: A Guide to Restorative Practices
Participants in this course will examine research-based proactive practices and best practices of the alternative discipline. Strategies for improving classroom and school culture through the use of alternative discipline will be explored. Participants will reflect on their discipline philosophy to establish a framework for growth to effectively implement positive alternative discipline interventions and strategies. Participants will learn about alternatives to school discipline and the most effective ways to reach students and to reward positive behaviors. When students do misbehave participants will learn ways that students can still receive appropriate instructional time and be part of the classroom community. Participants will leave the course with a toolkit of resources to impact their classroom and school community through alternative discipline.
Course #: SPC18171
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Positive Classroom Management Instructional Strategies
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseReaching At-Risk Students and Underachievers
Participants in this course will learn how to build academic success for at-risk students by developing student resilience, designing active learning experiences, motivating underachievers, and fostering social emotional skills. Participants will explore strategies for reaching students of poverty and students with ADHD, and learn how to work effectively with at-risk students and their parents.
Course #: SPC17180
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Equity & Diversity Instructional Strategies
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseClassroom Management that Maximizes Learning and Leadership
Participants in this course will learn and explore research-based strategies and frameworks that foster a classroom climate (in both virtual and in-person settings) that maximizes each student’s full learning potential. Strategies for creating a high-functioning learning community can promote skills that are critical for success both inside and outside of the classroom. The course will provide participants the strategies and techniques to design and foster environments, which are conducive to a safe place for teaching, learning, and connecting the community to the school. Participants’ classroom leadership abilities are developed as a result of engaging in this learning experience. Participants will learn ways to create a students-centered approach to classroom rules, norms, managing disruptive behavior through positive discipline, increase student responsibility/accountability, how social and emotional needs impact classroom management, and how grading/assessment practices can add to their classroom management culture. Self-assessment and reflection are built into the course activities, projects, and discussions so that participants can examine their growth in fostering a better student-teacher relationship that improves the classroom environment.
Course #: SPC22009
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Positive Classroom Management Instructional Strategies
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseResponse to Intervention (RTI): A Roadmap for Successful Classroom Implementation
Participants in this course will learn about the multi-tiered Response to Intervention (RTI) model and how it can assist in increasing student achievement, foster classroom engagement, be an alternative avenue for student identification of special services, and learn practical strategies and tools to implement essential components of Response to Intervention (RTI) in a variety of classroom and school settings. The course will expose participants to needed skills and techniques to develop a partnership to use RTI strategies and explore researched-based methodologies to remediate students. A comprehensive roadmap will be followed to learn how to implement RTI, assess students in a variety of mediums, and differentiate instruction using a plethora of RTI interventions.
Course #: SPC18172
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Positive Classroom Management Instructional Strategies
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseThe Blended Flipped Learning Classroom
Participants in this course will examine methodologies to facilitate the use of virtual teaching mediums and for how to effectively blend them together with the traditional classroom. Participants will learn what a “flipped classroom” means, looks like, and what the benefits include. They will gain effective lesson planning skills to flip their classroom for a lesson, weekend, week, or more. Common pitfalls of the flipped classroom will be discussed, and resources on how to prepare students for the flipped classroom model will be examined and viewed. Techniques to motivate students and how to deal with unprepared students will be navigated through a variety of pathways. Participants will explore, examine and evaluate numerous platforms to flip their classrooms. A plethora of assessment strategies and models will be researched that use the flipped classroom. Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to create and effectively implement a flipped classroom lesson for a variety of time periods and understand how to blend both methodologies together to create an optimal learning environment for all learners from K to 12.
Course #: SPC21008
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Technology Tools for the Classroom Instructional Strategies
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseThe Growth Mindset and Appreciative Inquiry: Getting the Best from Your Students and Getting Them to Believe in Themselves
This course will educate participants on the difference of a fixed or growth mindset, and how Appreciative Inquiry (AI) can cultivate the classroom environment into a place of risk taking and success. Participants will learn about their own mindset and how it impacts students, as well as techniques for evaluating the growth mindset, strategies for reframing failures to successes, and devising lesson plans with the growth mindset in mind. Participants will also learn about Appreciative Inquiry and how it is among the growing trend of approaches to human development and organizational change. Focus on the power of positive question and imagery, sharing stories, and implementation of Dr. David Cooperrider’s 4-D cycle will be reviewed, along with implementation strategies. Participants will leave the course understanding how to create a dynamic classroom that fosters growth and compassion; that will create bonds with students to push them further and increase test scores.
Course #: SPC18175
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Positive Classroom Management Instructional Strategies
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseGifted Students: Meeting Academic, Emotional, and Social Needs
This course is designed to promote an awareness of intellectual giftedness, its description, and characteristics of gifted and talented students. Participants will examine characteristics of gifted students, myths and perceptions, as well as curriculum and best practices associated with gifted education. Participants will be provided multiple opportunities to engage in discussions and activities that refine and define strategies and practices focusing on meeting the comprehensive needs of gifted and talented students.
Course #: SPC16116
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Equity & Diversity Instructional Strategies
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseTechnology in the 21st Century Math Classroom
Technology can be used to empower students and create a 21st century learning environment where mathematics can be presented in exciting and engaging ways. This course is designed for mathematics educators and possibly district mathematics curriculum directors interested in integrating technology into mathematics instruction in order to maximize student achievement. Participants will examine software packages and tools, Web resources, and other instructional materials used to integrate technology into mathematics instruction. Participants will learn how to evaluate instructional technologies for use in the classroom to meet the needs of diverse learners and how to create truly meaningful learning experiences that enhance the development of mathematical concepts. Additionally, the management and assessment of online learning environments and the Flipped Class model will be discussed.
Course #: SPC16125
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Technology Tools for the Classroom 21st-Century Teaching Content-Area Teaching
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseNo Child Left Inside: Examining Rationale and Methods to Use the Outdoors as a Classroom
This course is intended for K–12 educators seeking ways to expand their teaching expertise by applying outdoor education skills and awareness as a means to improve student learning. Educators will be provided with opportunities to explore and make sense of current research and to become confident in their abilities to utilize the outdoors as they plan lessons within their curricular areas.
Course #: SPC17001
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Positive Classroom Management Instructional Strategies
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseLearning Beyond Classroom Walls: The Chromebook Classroom
Participants in the course will receive a comprehensive overview of the Google Classroom and its capabilities to impact student learning. Google Classroom allows teachers to foster 21st Century Skills and create a dynamic multi-faceted learning environment. In this course, educators will learn how to effectively use the course stream, assign a variety of assignments within in Google Classroom, quick poll students, assess students in a wide range of ways, create blogs, learn additional Google Classroom add-on features, and how to bring parents into the Google Classroom. Completion of the course will provide you with a wealth of ideas and skills to create your dynamic online classroom.
Course #: SPC17306
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15-hour PD courses Technology Tools for the Classroom
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseConnecting Student Smartphones to Education
Participants in the course will receive a comprehensive overview of how smartphones can be used to collaborate, create, and assess in the classroom. Teachers will examine current trends, beliefs, and applications of the smartphone and how to effectively manage these devices with students in their classroom. Completion of the course will provide you with a wealth of ideas and skills to create your dynamic classroom using your smartphone.
Course #: SPC17308
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15-hour PD courses Technology Tools for the Classroom Instructional Strategies 21st-Century Teaching
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseG Suite for Educators
Using Google Apps for Education (G Suite) as an educator can save time, paper, and allow for a more collaborate classroom environment. Google Suite allows teachers to foster 21st Century Skills and create a dynamic multi-faceted learning environment. In this course, educators will learn the basic G Suite tools (Docs, Sheets, Forms, and Slides) to strengthen their knowledge of these resources, as well as, learn how to help their students use these new products. Lesson plan ideas and classroom strategies using G Suite will be examined. Classroom strategies to manage Chromebooks in the classroom will be outlined, but a Chromebook is not required to use G Suite applications.
Course #: SPC17310
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15-hour PD courses Technology Tools for the Classroom
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseHow to Create a Virtual Field Trip
Participants in the course will receive a comprehensive overview of how virtual field trips (VFT) can be used in their classroom, created in a variety of ways, and experienced no matter your school’s resources. An overview of VFT resources will be explored and examined. Participants will experience a variety of basic VFTs to more complex VFTs; these experiences will guide the teacher to help get a better understanding of how to plan a VFT for their own classroom. VFT resources for the iPad and Google chrome will be showcased and explained with numerous tutorials, as well as other online programs to help create classroom adventures. Participants will learn about and experience the game changing service Google Expeditions that was recently launched, as well as the low cost virtual reality helmet Google Cardboard. Resources for Google Expeditions and Cardboard will be explored and examined to help you implement these items into your classroom. Teachers will also learn how students can create their own virtual reality adventures.
Course #: SPC17309
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15-hour PD courses Technology Tools for the Classroom Instructional Strategies
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseIPAD Explorations
Educators will learn how to use the iPad, set guidelines for classroom use, explore work productivity/classroom management apps, apps related to specific teacher content areas and how to develop lesson plans using a single iPad or classroom set of iPad. Educators will become skilled on how the iPad can promote their content area, provide multiple representations, and assess their students to maximize the learning environment.
Course #: SPC17311
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15-hour PD courses Technology Tools for the Classroom
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseThe Flipped Classroom
Participants in the course will learn about what is a flipped classroom and how it differs from a traditional classroom. Pros and cons of the flipped classroom will be discussed. The videos and lessons will help you shape your view of a flipped classroom that works in your school setting. Participants will learn and gain effective lesson planning skills to flip their classroom, common pitfalls of flipped classroom planning, and resources on how to prepare students for the flipped classroom model will be examined and viewed. Techniques to motivate students and how to deal with unprepared students will be learned. Teachers will explore, examine and evaluate numerous platforms to flip their classrooms. Selection criteria for choosing a platform that fits their needs will be learned through exploring the various options each platform has. Teachers will learn about assessment strategies when using a flipped classroom and reflect on their own classroom. Interactive video platforms that allow for questioning to occur during the flipped lesson will be explored and reviewed. Upon completion of the course students will be able to create and effectively implement a flipped classroom lesson.
Course #: SPC17307
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15-hour PD courses Instructional Strategies
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseCoding in Schools
The purpose of this course is for participants to learn the history of coding, particularly in education, coding formats and how coding fits into the K-12 curricula, and how coding can help prepare future-ready students.
Course #: SPC17305
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15-hour PD courses 21st-Century Teaching
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseRethinking Student Thinking to Improve Student Learning
Educators today are tasked with improving student learning. This course equips educators in K-12 classrooms to do so. Participants in this course will examine many methodologies of different brain researched-based frameworks to help educators improve student learning and educate parents on their child’s learning strengths and weaknesses. Participants will gain knowledge of how the brain works and how educators can use brain-based strategies to improve memory and retrieval of information. The course will center around the research of Dr. Judy Willis, Dr. Eric Jensen, and others on understanding brain processes that can help educators rethink how they engage students in their own learning. Additional topics include developing lesson plans and activities with brain-based research in mind, critical thinking methodologies, teaching students to self-reflect on their own learning process and how they learn, looking at how social and emotional learning impacts learning, the impact learning styles have on thinking strategies, developing assessments built around brain-based learning principles, and connecting parents/home to brain-based learning to aid in their child’s cognitive development at home.
Course #: SPC23013
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21st-Century Teaching Instructional Strategies
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseCultivating Mathematical Mindsets and Reducing Math Anxiety
Participants in this course will examine methodologies to facilitate the development of a mathematical mindset centered around the research of Dr. Carol Dweck’s mindset theory, Dr. Jo Boaler’s classroom approach, and Dr. Susan Johnston-Wilder’s international research in math anxiety components. Participants will reflect on their own teaching practices and explore strategies and frameworks that incorporate a student’s mathematical experience and evolution. The foundations of developing a mathematical mindset will be researched. Strategies for helping students, teachers, and parents understand what a mathematical mindset is and how it is effectively implemented by reducing math anxiety will be explored.
Participants will learn how to create a welcoming, yet challenging mathematic classroom experience, implement strategies/best-practices to foster a mathematical mindset for their students. Participants will learn that math stress/anxiety reducing strategies in one’s classroom and helping students understand their anxieties can improve their internal motivation. Additional topics in the course are effective lesson planning to combat math anxiety to grow mathematical mindsets, explore online/digital resources to support mathematic classroom needs, including students with special needs, and making meaningful connections with parents to strength and preserve the mathematical mindset at home.
Course #: SPC23014
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Instructional Strategies Content-Area Teaching Mathematics
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseEmbracing Digital Transformation to Increase Student Engagement and Support All Learners
To leverage our world’s ever-changing and developing depth of online resources, educators will learn how to use a variety of online websites, applications, and various other digital resources to enhance classroom instruction and support the needs of all learners through multiple learning mediums. Educators will become exposed to a variety of digital resources to foster collaboration between students, stimulate creativity, create differentiated assessments easily, and strengthen the communication pathways home to parents. Participants will gain an understanding of internet resources that can aid in audio/video recording, interactive whiteboards, brainstorming, mind-mapping, project management, portfolios, creation of quizzes-polls-surveys, study-guides/flashcards, flipped classroom tools and screencasting, online formative assessments, eBooks, and social media as a vehicle for communication with students and parents, as well as other communication applications. Participants will leave the course with tools to maximize the learning environment through technology engagement and inspire creativity in their students.
Course #: SPC23015
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Technology Tools for the Classroom Content-Area Teaching
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseAdvanced iPad Applications: Collaborate, Create, Communicate, and Assess
This course is specifically designed to teach educators how to collaborate with parents and students using the iPad. Learn about tools/apps used to create lessons, books, videos, and more. Educators will learn how to enhance communication with students and parents using the iPad, and how to assess students. Educators will leave the course knowing a wide range of applications to maximize the learning environment.
Course #: SPC17147
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Technology Tools for the Classroom
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseIntegrating iPads into the Classroom
Educators will learn how to use the iPad, iTunes, and various other applications for delivering any course content to their students. Educators will become skilled on how the iPad can promote their content area, differentiate instruction, provide multiple representations, and motivate their own professional development. Educators will gain understanding of Internet resources, iPad applications, the flipped classroom, eBooks, videos, and more to maximize the learning environment.
Course #: SPC16140
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Technology Tools for the Classroom
Format:Online Self-Paced
View CourseIntegrating STEAM into your Curriculum
Participants will learn to develop, create, implement, and assess a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) program, lessons and units. A variety of frameworks will be reviewed and discussed to allow for easy replication of STEAM units and activities. Inquiry-based lessons for instruction and assessment will be explored to help gain a better understanding of possible classroom applications and projects. Educators will leave the course with a roadmap to better implement STEAM into their classroom, promote STEAM questioning, and develop STEAM PBL (Project-Based Learning) units.
Course #: SPC17149
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