It's Easy to Love our Convenient Virtual Courses

Our courses are available throughout the school year and are open to all Michigan school personnel. Best of all, all our courses are free and offer free SCECHs when completed.

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Five to seven courses are offered each month.  Each course is open for three weeks and consists of two (2) one-hour webinars and four (4) to eight (8) hours of resource review, assessment developments and written reflection.  SCECHs are available, ranging from 6 - 10, depending on the course. All courses are led by professional, experienced Michigan educators.
 

• The What, Why, and How of Open Educational Resources (OER)
• OER to Support Competency-Based Education (CBE)
• Design Thinking made Practical
• A Practical Guide to Global Success Skills in the Classroom for the 21st Century and Beyond
• Social Media: Professional Development through Social Media, Level 1
• Extending Your Classroom to the Cloud
• Coding in the Classroom

The What, Why, and How of Open Educational Resources (OER)
Starts February 4, 2019
9 SCECHs available

Open Educational Resources (OER) are free, openly licensed, high-quality tools that allow users to retain, reuse, revise, remix, and redistribute them for educational purposes. In this course, participants will

• Build an understanding of OERs.   
• Discover ways to use OER to differentiate instruction.
• Learn where to find free image and audio resources, online books, videos, audiobooks, interactive simulations, game-based learning, lesson plans, textbooks, online courses, and much more.
• Explore how to use OER to develop or enhance a unit, lesson, or project to meet the diverse needs of your learners.
• Share resources and collaborate across geographic boundaries to ensure learners have equitable access to up-to-date and innovative materials.

Participants leave with an authentic lesson, unit, or project that uses an OER to enhance student learning. Participants also develop a plan for creating an OER that fills an unmet need in their professional practice.

OER to Support Competency-Based Education (CBE)
Starts February 4, 2019
6 SCECHs available

Open Educational Resources (OER) are free, high quality, openly licensed educational tools that can be retained, reused, revised, remixed, and redistributed. This course will allow participants to learn about, explore, and implement OERs to support competency-based education (CBE). Competency-Based Education helps educators transition to a structure that personalizes education for students by creating flexibility and allowing students to progress through content by demonstrating mastery, rather than relying on seat time. CBE incorporates elements of flexible time, place, and pace while enhancing student agency through choice, voice, and authenticity.
 

Design Thinking made Practical
Starts February 4, 2019
6 SCECHs available

There is a strong push for developing in students critical thinking through deep inquiry, as well as other College & Career Readiness skills. Design Thinking is an effective methodology that supports innovative approaches to learning as STEM, STEAM, Inquiry-Based Learning, Project-Based Learning, and other structures that emphasize standards-based authenticity and student's voice. At the heart of the matter, Design Thinking is a highly optimistic mindset that brings a human element of support to students, teachers, and administrators in the variety of challenges that face them. Throughout this course, participants will develop an understanding of Design Thinking and the Design Process used to develop and evolve ideas. Furthermore, participants will craft learning experiences based on design thinking.

A Practical Guide to Global Success Skills in the Classroom for the 21st Century and Beyond
Starts February 4, 2019
6 SCECHs available

Global Success Skills (GSS) for the 21st Century and beyond are important in student development so that they can successfully navigate college and career opportunities. The National Association of Colleges and Employees (NACE) survey showed a high need for entry-level students and employees to have effective skills like leadership, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving (2016). This course provides an in-depth view into understanding the GSS, and how to begin applying them into classroom instruction and professional growth sessions. Participants will be able to personalize their learning experience by choosing areas to explore, using the provided tools.

Social Media: Professional Development through Social Media, Level 1
Starts February 4, 2019
6 SCECHs available

Discover and explore a range of social media tools and platforms to build a stronger and larger professional network in order to support professional growth and ideas for instruction. Participants are introduced to tools for professional and instructional purposes and encouraged to choose and explore a few specific ones more deeply.  Learn the benefits of tools such as Twitter, Google, Blogging, and commenting. For those who are new to social media or to use social media for work, this is for you! Build comfort and confidence in using Social Media for professional purposes.

Extending Your Classroom to the Cloud
Starts February 4, 2019
10 SCECHs available

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could record our lessons and post them for students to watch? Have you ever thought about what students do when they get home and have a question? Where can they get help when they have a question? Do you have a problem with students who don't complete their homework?

The Cloud has truly advanced the ability to learn online. Learn about the different ways the Cloud has enhanced the ability to have a face of the classroom, blend or flip your classroom and access a wide variety of educational content.

Coding in the Classroom
Starts February 4, 2019
10 SCECHs available

Coding is becoming an essential skill in the classroom as it inspires critical thinking, engages students’ problem-solving skills and promotes creativity. It is an essential STEM skill and when you combine coding and technology to tell stories and create, it is now STEAM! Learning to code can be easy for both the teacher and the student with the introduction of several coding programs that have been created to introduce coding to K-12 students. Introduces several free coding platforms as well as teaching strategies, lessons, and hardware so that you will be coding by the time you have completed this unit.

If you have questions or need further assistance with your course registration, please contact Erin Romneck.