In this learning experience, we will place ourselves in the learner’s shoes in order to experience the virtual learning space that we have created for our learners. In doing so, we will evaluate how we might implement research-based strategies to prevent potential cognitive barriers. Throughout the virtual session, you will create your own evaluative resource to support building impactful learning experiences in your virtual classroom!

Parents are a child's first and best advocate. When learning is remote, advocating may require a different approach. In this course, learn how to plan for communication with the school and teacher. Explore ideas for how to monitor your student's work and progress. Consider when you would need to step in to advocate for your student based on their progress. As parents, you are very aware of any specific needs your student may have which could require that you step in as the advocate to ensure student success. Explore ideas to establish a positive working relationship with the people who you will need to collaborate with when advocating for your student. Finish this course with the knowledge and confidence necessary to be a successful advocate for your child during remote learning.

As online learning becomes a more relevant part of students’ educational experience, parents may need additional help becoming familiar with the assigned digital tools students use for remote learning. In this course, parents will have an opportunity to learn about the commonly used platform, Google Classroom. You will learn to navigate the platform as well as explore ideas for helping your child use it to become more comfortable learning at home.

The drastic shift in roles and expectations brought on by the arrival of remote learning has proven challenging for many families. This course provides an exploration of practical strategies and tools aimed at easing some of the challenges surrounding remote learning. In this course, parents and guardians will identify their new roles as facilitators in their child’s education, begin to assess their context, and create some concrete plans and develop strategies to support and foster a family-wide sense of success in the remote learning environment.

As a parent or guardian, you may have concerns about challenges your child is currently having in regards to screen time stamina and engagement. As the biggest advocate for your child, this course is designed to help provide you with the current research on screen-time, and learn how to apply practical strategies to help your child overcome screen time based challenges. Join a community of parents and guardians who are also learning more about screen-time usage and share strategies to support learning.

Google provides a wide variety of apps (programs) that can be used to complete different tasks.  However, do you ever wish that a Google program had the ability to do something that was not built into the software?  Google add-ons and extensions can help! Add-ons and extensions give additional functionality to select Google Apps and the Chrome browser.  In this course, you will differentiate between the role of add-ons and Chrome extensions.  Learn how to locate, select, and install both add-ons and extensions.  Explore add-ons and extensions that add functionality useful for teachers and students to perform their daily tasks.

Microsoft provides a wide variety of apps (programs) that can be used to complete different tasks. However, do you ever wish that a Microsoft program had the ability to do something that was not built into the software? Microsoft add-ins and add-ons can help! Add-ins give additional functionality to select Microsoft Apps and add-ons are for the Edge browser. In this course, you will differentiate between the role of add-ins and add-ons. You will learn how to locate, select, and install them and explore suggested add-ins and add-ons that add functionality for teachers and students to perform their daily tasks.

As we support our school community and students through accelerated learning recovery, it is natural for challenges to arise - especially as we work to understand the effects (both positive and negative) interrupted schooling has had on student wellbeing and learning. Although we cannot anticipate every challenge we may face, we can prepare strategies to prevent and respond effectively. In this course, we will explore challenges that may arise when supporting accelerated learning recovery and equip your leader toolbox with strategies to develop an action plan for building capacity, resilience, and responsiveness in your staff and students.

The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework provides a guide for rethinking the design of learning experiences to remove barriers and promote access. UDL draws upon brain science, evidence-based practices, and leverages digital tools. This framework can be applied to all lessons, regardless of grade level, content area, or delivery mode. In this course you will unpack the UDL Guidelines, and explore specific applications across content areas, with a focus on hybrid and virtual learning environments.

As educators we all have ideal plans, but sometimes those plans go awry. In this course, you will learn how to build a toolbox of behavior strategies that promote sustained engagement. We will explore structures of data collection and analysis to design responsive interventions. You will learn how to evaluate and adapt routines that are not working to support student progress.

Supporting a student's social and emotional well-being can be a challenge that becomes even more challenging when working within a blended classroom setting. As part of this course, we will discuss how to apply Social Emotional Learning strategies to support learners in a blended learning environment, based on CASEL's five Core Competencies. Additionally, we will identify and apply strategies for facilitating SEL best practices in a blended classroom setting that can be personalized to your specific classroom needs.

Assessments are an important part of the learning process, but for many, shifting to a hybrid environment has challenged the assessment process. There are many strategies for successfully assessing student learning in a hybrid classroom, but it may require thinking outside the box and adjusting “traditional” styles of assessments. In this course, educators will explore strategies for creating and implementing formative and summative assessments and navigating the shift between in-person, online, and hybrid learning.

Blended learning models utilize online tools to facilitate learning in both physical and online educational environments. Often, students who are learning outside of the traditional four walls of the classroom are asked to participate in asynchronous learning, where they are engaging with the content at their own time and pace. Although asynchronous learning may seem disconnected at first glance, with intentional design this model can incorporate meaningful collaboration and authentic assessment. In this course, discover strategies for designing asynchronous learning experiences using the features of Google Docs that aid both the design and implementation of asynchronous instruction.

Blended learning models utilize online tools to facilitate learning in both physical and online educational environments. Often, students who are learning outside of the traditional four walls of the classroom are asked to participate in asynchronous learning, where they are engaging with the content at their own time and pace. Although asynchronous learning may seem disconnected at first glance, with intentional design this model can incorporate meaningful collaboration and authentic assessment. In this course, discover strategies for designing asynchronous learning experiences using the features of Microsoft 365 Online that aid both the design and implementation of asynchronous instruction. For the purposes of this course, we will be modeling the online version of Microsoft Word.

Culturally Responsive Education is a kind of forward-thinking pedagogy that allows for the intentional inclusion of students from underrepresented groups and helps all students feel valued and included; this is accomplished by following specifically outlined methods of teaching, combined with high expectations for students. Teachers who are successful in this approach are those who put in concerted efforts to get to know, learn from, and engage with students and families who are culturally and often linguistically different from the teachers. To set the stage for this to happen, it is imperative that teachers do their own introspective reflection work to discover areas of growth that, once strengthened, can help them truly teach this way. This course will help participants understand how to approach this introspective process, providing a structure for reflection that will help in designing culturally responsive educational experiences.

Are you seeking ideas on how to deliver and maintain quality engagement and instruction for early learners as you deliver virtual instruction? You are not alone; teaching PreK-1st grade learners virtually poses different challenges for teachers than other grade strands. The use of engaging, yet pedagogically sound resources is most critical for this group of learners, especially with so many “free” apps that have not been designed for educational purposes. Discover effective virtual instruction strategies for students in the younger years.

Despite growing up in a world that is heavily and increasingly reliant on technology, our learners need support in order to develop and practice the skills necessary to be successful in their academic and later professional lives. Acquiring and attaining mastery in these skills is not a natural process but one that must be intentionally instilled and cultivated. In this course, we will examine executive function skills and clarify the role that they play in our success across the many facets of our lives. We will then explore the connection between the executive function skills that are integral to thriving with technology. Participants will evaluate a series of strategies for establishing and practicing executive function skills when using technology and assumable a flexible toolkit that can be used to support the learners in their context.

Whether you're a teacher, teacher leader, or instructional or technology coach, building capacity in your colleagues helps everyone flourish. New and seasoned teacher leaders can support their learning community by building relationships and giving everyone a voice. In this course, explore coaching models and learn more about supporting the teachers you work with to build capacity and encourage innovation.

A positive and inclusive classroom environment is a vital factor in ensuring that all learners feel safe and valued. A sense of belonging has been identified as a key factor in both learner motivation and well-being. In this course, participants will explore the definition of a sense of belonging and determine its impact on learners in the classroom. Participants will then explore strategies for fostering a sense of community and belonging in the classroom before developing a plan for establishing and maintaining that sense of belonging. Participants will then be able to effectively determine the impact a sense of belonging has on the classrooms.

Learning is deeply social so it’s no wonder that strong interpersonal relationships and the knowledge that an individual learner is valued, respected, and belongs in a classroom environment is integral to motivated, engaged students. Exploring the question, “what happens to individual students when they lack the feeling of belonging or acceptance?”, participants will describe how a sense of belonging impacts learners' motivation and development of identity. Participants will then explore strategies for creating and strengthening strong interpersonal relationships between teachers and peers and develop a plan for establishing a sense of belonging for every learner.

Authentic learning gives students the opportunity to learn through doing while solving real-world problems. Accordingly, authentic opportunities to code allow students to apply their coding knowledge in a real-world context. In this session, you will explore examples of authentic coding projects integrated into the curriculum. Infusing coding skills into authentic learning is a powerful way to spark inquiry and boost students’ understanding.

Whenever a robot performs an action, it is running code. Students using robots are able to observe whether their code is fully functional or still needs iteration. In this course, we will examine how robotics and coding work together and will explore some robots that offer a variety of coding opportunities to students. Discover how coding and robotics can align across the curriculum and can be successfully implemented by any teacher!

Being a collaborative educator is a requisite skill in creating an inclusive learning environment. One of the most effective ways to develop this practice is through establishing shared accountability and responsibility for student learning within the school community. This course will unpack how all adults in the school support the planning, teaching & learning, and assessment processes. First, we will discuss the roles and responsibilities each adult may play. Then we will identify strategies to build effective partnerships in the classroom. Finally, we will explore co-teaching models and recognize when they are appropriate to use in your classroom to support student learning

Mission and vision statements are often associated with corporate environments, but they are equally important in educational institutions. A mission statement helps to define an organization’s purpose; it helps explain the what, why and how of the organization. A vision statement is aspirational; it helps explain where the organization wants to go. Together, mission and vision statements can serve as a roadmap for effective operations and culture within your school community. In this course, learners will explore several facets of school mission and vision statements: Their importance, collaborative methods of design, and effective ways to share the finalized statements with stakeholders in the community. Make your school's mission and vision a reality!