PACKAGE: 21st Century Learning (25 Hours)

”I have already highly recommended PLB to my colleagues. I was truly pleased with the content, the pace and the links provided in these courses.”

With the many advancements of the 21st century comes the urgent need for teaching approaches that allow teachers to stay confidently abreast of the many changes, while successfully promoting students’ learning experiences. Through this online course package, teachers are introduced to school-wide policy reforms as ways to promote collaboration, along with strategies to accommodate varying learning needs. Acknowledging that the key to “doing it all” and “doing it all well” is organization, this package presents effective ways for teachers to organize their many responsibilities and take practical steps to manage stressful teaching situations. Empowering teachers to employ innovative instructional methods, the flipped classroom approach is presented as a valid way to prioritize students’ needs beyond the scope of traditional teaching styles. Similarly, the Inquiry-based Learning component, details models that teachers can adapt to guide students in discovering and creating knowledge for themselves. Making this package relevant to the Common Core Standards, teachers are also equipped to integrate STEM education into classrooms in ways that are most suitable for their students. This online professional development course package, thus shows teachers how they can integrate such ‘21st century relevant’ approaches effectively into their unique classroom set-ups.

The Professional Learning Board presents the 21st Century Learning Package which includes FIVE self-study courses adding up to 25 hours of professional development. Scroll down to see more information on the courses in this package.

Classroom Collaboration

Implement collaborative learning in classrooms and develop successful learners. This framework enables teachers to recognize characteristics of collaborative classrooms, be aware of student and teacher roles, and practice group activities as an essential part of the classroom. Teachers are introduced to school-wide policy reforms in place today that promote collaboration and group activities. Teachers are also provided with ideas and strategies to accommodate learners, including students with special needs. The practical examples, real-life experiences, and templates in this online course provide teachers a structure to use in their own classrooms.

Common Core Curriculum-Based Measures

Good teaching is both an art and a science. It requires a significant amount of planning, research, preparation, evaluation, and a whole lot of creativity. However, that doesn’t mean teachers need to sacrifice their personal and family life for education. The key to “doing it all” and “doing it all well” is organization. A rested, relaxed, and organized teacher is an effective teacher.

The aim of this course, The Organized Teacher, is to aid teachers as they strive to make their lives and classrooms more organized and a lot less stressful. There are tips, tools, templates, and creative ideas to help teachers organize the classroom environment, classroom activities, assessments, and other class events. The ideas in this course will present effective ways for teachers to be organized and to take practical steps to manage stressful days and avoid time crunches. This will have a positive impact on both themselves and their students.

Flipping Classrooms

Harness technology to enhance students’ learning by examining successful strategies to “flip” classrooms. The flipped classroom approach prioritizes students’ needs beyond traditional teaching styles, while challenging teachers to employ innovative instructional methods. Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own knowledge acquisition by watching lesson videos on their own time and coming to class equipped to build upon their understanding of the concepts presented. The resources, examples and templates presented in this course help teachers to plan and create efficient flipped classrooms. Educators are shown how to integrate content while collaborating effectively with students, co-workers and school leaders.

Inquiry-based Learning

Preparing teachers for 21st century students requires a close look at what it means to teach and learn in increasingly networked, technology-rich, digital classrooms. Schools and teachers need to thoughtfully and intentionally design learning environments and tasks in which teachers explore issues that are relevant while developing pedagogies that are effective for a knowledge era. Utilizing new images and acquiring new expertise facilitates meaningful learning with technology. The Inquiry-based Learning (IBL) approach provides a platform for holistic education.

This course offers a framework for teachers to plan lessons that promote Inquiry-based Learning (IBL). Starting with explaining a need for such a shift in education, the course shows how an IBL classroom works. Through multiple classroom examples, teachers are able to understand what specific and new roles they play and how to encourage student initiative, while ensuring that the focus remains on productive matters.

The Inquiry-based Learning course details some models that teachers can adapt to meet specific needs of their class, as well as to monitor and enhance the learning of their students. Teachers learn practical and dynamic ways of evaluating their students’ progress while also incorporating technology for better results.

Standards-Based Instruction through STEM

STEM integration doesn’t need a huge budget, lots of technology, or a ready-to-use curriculum. It’s something any teacher, any school and any classroom can integrate. This course teaches you how.

We understand that no one knows your students better than you. Therefore, this course is designed to equip and encourage you to integrate STEM education into your classrooms in ways that you think are most suitable for your students. You will learn how to plan your classroom set-up keeping in mind the needs of your students. You will also become confident to design your own STEM curriculum, while integrating the standards, including the Common Core Standards.

STEM education is not just about doing what’s “cool” and “in.” It is essential in today’s world that our students learn to apply what they learn in real life situations and across different subjects. The STEM model helps prepare our students for the 21st century.