K-12 Professional Development Courses
Browse our courses below.
Each of our courses is accredited in all 50 states and offered for three (3) graduated credits for professional development, non-degree seeking purposes. Our courses are designed, administered, and taught by G|F|S Professional Development instructors in conjunction with our partner's at Teacher's Learning Center - who coordinate registration and payment, and Colorado State University: Pueblo - who issue the credits. All courses will appear as ED 500 on your CSU: Pueblo transcript.
Courses can be started at any time. Most courses are designed as four-week workshops, but you can set your own schedule and chose to finish early or take up to five months to complete.
Distance Learning: From Construction to Instruction
The goal of this course is to provide participants with a framework of the skills, strategies, and tools necessary for designing, building, and facilitating a fully online or blended learning experience for students of all levels, identities, backgrounds and beliefs. The course begins with a focus on the shifting mindset, qualities, and skills required of teachers transitioning from a traditional classroom to an online or blended classroom, as well as an exploration of the Digital Divide and its implications and impact on students in this new learning environment. Participants will take this foundation through the remainder of the course as they examine strategies and tools for designing the structure, content, assessment strategy, and interactions that make up an effective online or blended classroom.
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Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
This workshop is intended as an introduction to Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL is a, “set of principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn” (CAST, 2012). Students will explore the advantages of designing curriculum with UDL, as well as a variety of technology tools that support its implementation. Over the course of the workshop, students will work with an existing lesson plan to address the three principles of UDL, successfully integrate technology, and better meet the needs of students in their classrooms.
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PE & Technology -
Finally!
The goal of this course is to provide participants with the necessary skill set to effectively implement available technological resources to enhance the holistic physical education experience. The course focuses on establishing an understanding of what it means to provide a holistic physical education experience through the use of technology. Participants will explore a variety of video-based, instrument-based, and smartphone-based resources and programs for students to utilize. Throughout the course, participants will also be asked to reflect on their prior experience and apply the concepts and skills they learn to improve current practices.
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Building Your Google Classroom
This workshop is designed to give participants an opportunity to learn how to effectively develop and teach within a Google Classroom. Participants will create an online classroom using the Google Classroom LMS, develop curriculum, acquire resource awareness and produce an ecourse option that will allow for blended or distance learning.
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Autism Advocate: Supporting ASD Students
The goal of this course is to provide participants with the skills necessary to advocate for and effectively teach students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Those skills will be developed through an exploration of the defining components of ASD diagnosis, assessment, treatment, and services, as well as strategies, programs, and available services for addressing the key components of ASD through evidence-based practices. Throughout the course, participants will also be asked to reflect on their prior experience and apply the concepts and strategies they learn to improve current practices.
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Strategies for Reaching Students at Risk
This course will explore what it means to be “at-risk” and the strategies, programs, and services that exist to support at-risk students. Participants will define the term at-risk, identify strategies from motivating and encouraging these students in the classroom, research available community programs and services, and create a detailed individual student profile and plan.
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iPads in the Classroom
This workshop is designed to give participants an opportunity to learn how to effectively develop and teach within a Google Classroom. Participants will create an online classroom using the Google Classroom LMS, develop curriculum, acquire resource awareness and produce an ecourse option that will allow for blended or distance learning.
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Gamification in the Classroom
This course will explore the principles of gaming and gamification, as well as how these principles can impact - both positively and negatively - student engagement and success in the classroom. Participants will explore the key components of popular games and apply them to the their own classroom procedures and pedagogy. The course will culminate in a Gamified Unit Outline in which participants will incorporate gamification principles and processes into a new or existing unit lesson. Popular tools for gamifying a classroom will also be explored.
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Getting
Googled
This workshop is designed to give participants an opportunity to learn how to effectively utilize and teach with several Google applications such as: Docs, Slides, Surveys and Gmail. Participants will develop curriculum, acquire resource awareness and produce ecourse options that will change how their classroom runs as well as eliminate obstacles that prevent some students from succeeding.
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Providing Effective Feedback
This course will explore the importance of providing constant and effective feedback to students. Participants will characterize the critical nature of feedback in the learning process and identify key strategies for improving their current practices. The components of effective feedback, tools for providing feedback, and potential barriers to implementation will also be discussed.
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Designing an Online Classroom
This course is designed to give participants an opportunity to learn how to effectively develop and instruct a virtual classroom by making use of free resources available on the Internet. Participants will develop curriculum, acquire resources for uploading, review best-practice design models, and produce an e-course that will be readily available for implementation.
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Grant Writing
Made Easy
In this course students will gain an understanding of what it takes to research, select, prepare for, and write a successful grant application. By the end of the course students will have applied for two grants that have the opportunity to enhance their classroom or school. Participants will engage directly with the instructor and classmates through weekly discussions. Participants will also receive constructive feedback that can be directly applied into current and future grant writing pursuits.
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Teaching in the Online & Blended Environments
This course is intended for teachers who are interested in or have already begun incorporating online instruction into their classrooms. Students will be given the opportunity to explore the advantages of online and technology-enriched instructions, define the roles of the instructor in the online environment, and evaluate current web technology. The overall goal of the workshop is to provide participants with a sound methodology and practical strategies for teaching with the Internet.
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Smartphones in
the Classroom
This course will explore the advantages of student smartphone use in the classroom, as well as the potential obstacles that may arise from implementation. Participants will discuss the pros and cons of smartphones in the classroom, examine smart phone use policies, review potential apps, and design a lesson plan that effectively implements smartphones in the classroom.
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Teaching with Tablets
This workshop is designed to give participants an experience with their tablet that will help them gain an understanding of how to operate their tablet and become familiar with the opportunities it provides for enhancing the learning in their classroom.
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