k-12 Professional Development & Continuing Education

Current Offerings

Computer Basics: What Every User Should Know

Learn “How Things Work Inside the Box”. Students become familiar with different storage options and find out how to customize settings to make a computer work for them. Discover ways to speed up a computer and how Microsoft Windows interacts with your PC. Review the Control Panel and recognize key components of this powerful feature. Also learn keyboard shortcuts that every user should know. All of this and lots more including ways to organize and personalize your computer in this online course. (5 SCECHs)

After completing this course, you will be able to:

• Define and recognize computer hardware and software including the operating system
• Create folders and organize files to improve your work environment
• Review backup options and other critical functions using Windows 10 Settings

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Screencasting: Creating Mini Multimedia Lessons for Teaching and Learning

Have you ever had the feeling that using text to express yourself through online conversation is too cumbersome yet not enough? Do you wish sometimes that instead of typing at people you could show them what you are talking about? Now there is an easy way to do this. There are both free and commercial screencasting software programs which enable you to record everything happening on your screen; point, click, scroll, navigate and such an application can follow your every action. This online class introduces you to ways of how you may use screencasts in educational or training settings and enables you to put your skills into action by learning how to use Jing, a free screencasting program. This course requires 10 hours of coursework that must be completed during the allotted timeframe. (10 SCECHS)

Upon completion of the course, you will be able to:

• Define what a screencast is
• List free and commercial screencasting programs
• Identify ways of using screencasts in educational and training settings 
• Create your own screencasts             
• Share your short recordings with your audience  

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Collaborative Learning Using Google Apps

Create new opportunities for student collaboration that takes place anywhere, anytime using free online tools. Engage your students in approaching writing as a process which includes peer review and multi-stage revision, rather than procrastination and a single night of crammed writing. Provide instant feedback through real-time editing and commenting functionality. Explore these options and more, using the Google Docs software suite. (10 SCECHs)

After you have completed this course, you will be able to:

• identify techniques for enhancing student collaboration.
• evaluate and avoid potential disadvantages of online collaboration.
• introduce online collaboration tools into writing and presentation building.
• describe the major features of the Google Docs suite.
• create, share, and revise Google Docs.
• construct online self- and peer evaluations.

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Creating E-Portfolios with Google Sites

Explore the advantages electronic portfolios present over traditional paper-based collections. Evaluate e-portfolios as a tool for academic and professional development. Design e-portfolio assessment activities for your own courses. Experience the process of creating, editing, and sharing an e-portfolio using Google Sites. This course requires 10 hours of contact/effort and must be completed in the designated time frame. (10 SCECHs)

Upon completion of this course, learners will be able to:

• Describe the various uses for portfolios, including academic, professional, and assessment activities.
• Compare and contrast the use of portfolios for formative and summative assessment.
• Design an e-portfolio assessment activity for use in their own courses.
• Given access to Google Sites, learners will be able to create, edit and share an e-portfolio consisting of text, file attachments, embedded documents and multimedia.

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WordPress

In this course, we’ll show you how to create a website with WordPress – the world’s most popular web publishing platform. It’s estimated that at least 25% of all websites use WordPress; from businesses like Disney, Microsoft, and Sony, to news outlets like Time, CNN, and The New York Times, just to name a few. While WordPress is predominantly used for blog-style sites, it’s also a fully featured content management system that allows you to create and organize static pages. So whether you want to make a static portfolio site or a frequently updated blog, you’ll have all the tools you need to succeed (and look good doing it!). (10 SCECHS)

Upon completion of this course, learners will be able to:

• Create a website on the WordPress.com platform
• Create and format web pages and blog posts
• Apply and modify themes to control the look and feel of your site
• Understand user roles and management

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Copyright Issues in Online Teaching

This course provides both an overview for educators of copyright issues and specific information related to the online environment. Topics include instructor’s responsibilities regarding student work, graphic sources, and rules for Web-based course content, fair use, database and digital rights protection, and such legislation as The Digital Millennium Copyright Act and the TEACH Act. (10 SCECHs)

On successful completion you will be able to:

• Determine which items, under various circumstances, are subject to copyright, and which are not.
• Be able to name exception categories.
• Determine how provisions within these laws impact specific scenarios.
• Demonstrate your selection judgement.

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Create an Online Experience

This instructor-facilitated course uses Google tools to build a website for your classroom complete with a calendar, work groups and online quizzing and polling.  Experiencing these tools in the K12 environment will prepare today’s students for higher education and for the workplace. (15 SCECHs)

After completing this course, you will be able to:

• To create a classroom site using Google sites and give access to students
• Add a Google calendar to your site to track important dates and deadlines
• Create a Google group and add permissions for classroom projects
• Design an online quiz or survey using a Google form and add it to our page

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Intro to Mindmaps

This online course is instructor-facilitated. Designed for K-12 teachers, this course introduces a popular software used to help students organize and develop their ideas. (10 SCECHs)

After completing this course, you will be able to:

• Describe the major components of a mindmap, along with their roles
• Evaluate digital mindmapping tools
• Create expressive and stylish mindmaps
• Collaboratively edit mindmaps online
• Design a mindmapping activity

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Screencasting: Creating Mini Multimedia Lessons

This course will enable you to create and effectively use screencasts in educational and training settings. The course will take approximately 10 hours, depending on your familiarity with screencasting basics. Your instructor will grade your assignments and answer questions, but for the most part, you control the pace of the course. (10 SCECHs)

Upon completion of the course, you will be able to:

• Define what a screencast is
• List free and commercial screencasting programs
• Identify ways of using screencasts in educational and training settings                
• Create your own screencasts               
• Share your short recordings with your audience           

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Teaching Students to Be Social Thinkers in the Classroom and Online

This course explains social smarts and related terminology.  Social smarts are critical life skills that are not always explicitly taught in the classroom.  Additionally, the importance of social smarts in the online environment is illustrated. (5 SCECHs)

After completing this unit, you will be able to

• Distinguish and summarize social smarts.
• Differentiate social smarts in the traditional classroom and the online environment.

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The Big Picture: The Hidden Social Curriculum

Analyzes the unwritten social rules we follow in the classroom and how they should be applied in e-mail, social networking sites, and the online classroom. (5 SCECHs)

After completing this course, you will be able to:

• Explain the importance of providing lessons regarding the hidden curriculum.
• Create and implement small lessons to help students realize the importance of following expected behaviors.
• Create opportunities for students to practice social awareness when using online tools.
• Advocate among colleagues for stressing the hidden curriculum as it applies to online writing.

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Social Strategies for Today’s Student

The course helps teachers design activities to help students identify ways to employ social strategies to the traditional classroom and in the online environment – particularly when using social networking and chat sites. (5 SCECHs)

After completing this course, you will be able to:

• Prepare assignments that include social skills development