When it comes to professional development (PD), how many times have we as educators asked ourselves, “am I just wasting my time?” Even when the topic might be somewhat relevant to our classroom, we are still wanting PD that is designed specifically with us in mind.
At iTeach, we continually work with educators to design PD that is specific to you and your needs. In fact, we have structured the courses so that they are easily adjusted to fit your specific context. What you practice and create in your iTeach course can be implemented directly into your classroom.
iTeach courses are…
Designed with you in mind. Each course involves you creating and building your current classroom context. You may be constructing a project-based learning unit, designing a digital story, or even reforming current lesson plans to better integrate technology. Whatever the case may be, you can be sure that your efforts build towards your classroom needs.
Manageable and profitable. The courses are spread over four weeks, so that they provide you with quick bursts of deep learning. Courses are offered over the summer and during breaks, but they are also very available throughout the school year. Because the courses are fully online, you can access them anywhere and anytime of day. In addition, the course organization is so user friendly that you can be sure that you will address specific learning objectives each week. Participants have frequently commented on the value in holding discussions with others in various schools. Our discussion posts stimulate important conversations that really help in applying the concepts learned to your specific classroom.
Technology integration that prioritizes pedagogy and not the tools. So many times our technology courses focus on specific tools rather than actual pedagogy. Embedded in each course is the Technology Integration Matrix (TIM) that provides a framework for considering first the pedagogy and then the tools involved. This framework helps you understand that the smallest tweaks to current lesson plans can result in greater integration of technology and students’ ownership of learning.
Facilitated by an expert in the field. We bring the best of the best from the field into our online courses as facilitators. These experts offer a wealth of knowledge and experiences that really make the course come to life. Our facilitators provide support throughout the entire course as they may offer a synchronous session to connect the class, send out weekly announcements to keep everyone on track, and quickly respond to messages and grading assignments. Our number one goal for our facilitators is that they are visible to all of our participants by being actively involved in each course experience.
Continuing education credit. There are many options of online professional development, but do they also count towards renewing your certification? As you successfully complete your iTeach courses that count as 20 contact hours, you will receive a certificate of completion, course transcript, syllabus, and general information about our courses. This documentation has helped numerous participants receive their continuing education credit.
FCIT Newsletter
Each month FCIT publishes a newsletter with short articles on teaching and learning with technology, using digital content in the classroom, and technology integration. Subscribe today! The subscription form will open in a new window. When you have subscribed, you can close the new window to return to this page.
