Summer offers a chance to recharge and catch up on your own learning. Our T-TAC ODU Specialists have recommended the professional learning opportunities listed below. You will find that many of these professional development opportunities are self-paced, free of charge, and able to be customized to your own interests and skill sets.
Free Opportunities
Date: Ongoing\Credit Offered: PD Hours
EduPaths courses are designed to expand understanding on a wide variety of topics and help educators share best practices. Courses are self-paced and intended to help educators personalize their own learning plan anytime and anywhere. EduPaths courses were originally created for teachers in Michigan, but are now available nationwide.
Date: Ongoing\Credit Offered: Digital badge
The IRIS Center is a national initiative dedicated to improving education outcomes for all children, especially those with disabilities. Content focusses on evidence-based instruction and interventions for students from birth through age twenty-one. The IRIS Center now offers micro-credentials that allow educators to focus on discrete instructional skills and practices that improve educational outcomes for all students. Micro-credentials are currently offered for providing instructional accommodations in the areas of presentation, settings, response, and timing and scheduling.
Date: Ongoing\Credit Offered: PD Hours
Literacy Essentials’ module, Essential Instructional Practices in Early Literacy: K-3, covers six research-supported instructional practices that can have a positive impact on literacy development. The use of these practices in every classroom, every day could make a measurable positive difference in literacy achievement.
ODU Design Thinking Cohort: Designing and Leading Innovative Learning Environments for All Students
Date: June 21-22, 2018 (including additional meetings during the school year)
The Monarch Lead Design Thinking Cohort provides a customized, high-quality professional learning opportunity for educators. Teams are invited to address a specific problem of practice within their own school through a design-thinking framework and learn more about designing equitable and engaging school environments. Teams should be comprised of 3-7 members with a commitment from the team members to attend the Design Thinking meetings. Each group should identify a team leader prior to the start of the cohort (educators without teams are also welcome to attend). Contact ODU’s Graduate Program Director, Dr. Karen Sanzo, for more information (ksanzo@odu.edu or 757-683-6698).
Date: Ongoing\Credit Offered: PD Hours
Free access to many of PBS TeacherLine’s self-paced courses is made possible by Virginia’s Public Broadcasting Stations. Courses are designed to benefit both beginning and experienced teachers. Topics include early childhood, science, reading, social studies, math, instructional strategies, and instructional technology. Fee-based courses for graduate credit are also available on the Virginia TeacherLine site.
Date: Ongoing/Credit Offered: None
The Teaching Channel offers collections of curated content on a variety of topics such as English Language Leaners, Classroom Culture, and Formative Assessment. These topical deep dives encourage you to look closely, ask questions, make connections to your own practice, and learn from and alongside inspiring educators and thought leaders.
Date: Ongoing/Credit Offered: PD Hours
The Transition Coalition provides research-based online training (modules, webinars, and self-study) for anyone who is involved in transition planning. All trainings are developed using up-to-date research in transition, effective practices in professional development, and materials and resources for implementation.
Date: Ongoing/Credit Offered: PD Hours
TTAC Online offers a wide range of online training opportunities including archived webinars from past Techknowledgy Conferences such as Necessary Components of Successful AAC Implementation, Meet Alexa–Your New Classroom (Voice) Assistant, and Video Games: The Common Thread Among Students.
Opportunities Available for a Fee
Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA)
Date: Ongoing\Credit Offered: CEUs or PD Hours\Cost: $39-49
ATIA offers webinars addressing tools and devices, best practices, and implementation strategies for integrating assistive technology effectively into the home, classroom, and workplace for the diverse AT community.
Date: Ongoing\Credit Offered: CEUs or PD Hours\Cost: $140 for an annual membership (7-day free trial available)
Closing the Gap offers webinars on a range of topics including assistive technology, Universal Design for Learning, response to intervention, augmentative communication, literacy, and much more.
Corwin Read2Earn Graduate Credit
Date: Ongoing\Credit Offered: 1 semester of graduate credit per book\Cost: $199
Read a Corwin-published book of your choice and submit a reflective written assignment to earn graduate credit. This self-paced and flexible opportunity can be completed over three months.
Date: Ongoing\Credit Offered: PD Hours\Cost: $25-45
The IRIS Center offers modules on a variety of topics including: high quality math instruction, UDL, RTI, managing disruptive behaviors, FBAs, early childhood, and the classroom environment.
Date: Ongoing\Credit Offered: PD Hours\Cost: $27 per archived webinar (select webinars available for free)
These award winning webinars from real teachers and expert educational consultants are short and to the point – full of practical, actionable advice that you can apply to your classroom the very next day.
