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Online Learning Courses & News

The WVIZ Education Department provides educators with professional development opportunities in an accessible online format that makes learning fun, flexible, and collaborative.

Educators can participate in high-quality, online learning experiences through the course management system Moodle, available for graduate credit from area universities. PBS TeacherLine also has 80 graduate level courses that span the curriculum.

The ideastream Education department will customize online courses for teachers and administrators in a school district to address specific needs.

For more information, contact Ann Ebersole via email or call 216-916-6364.

Local Online Courses

Apps for Early Learners (Grades K-3)

Cost: $125
1 graduate credit for an additional fee

Apps - kids love them (of course)! Young learners are amazingly intuitive with tech gadgets. Even children who typically need assistance with “real world” activities, pick up an iPad and start touching, poking, and flicking “pages” like they’ve been doing this all their lives (maybe they have). This online course will explore apps appropriate for early learners for all curriculum areas. Graduate credit is available for an additional fee.

Session Dates:

June 12 to July 9
July 17 to August 14

Registration

Apps for Educators

Cost: $125
1 graduate credit for an additional fee

Apps - what are they and how can they be used in the classroom? As more people have access to smaller, mobile devices like iPads and Smartphones, Apps will become more & more popular both in the mainstream and in education. As educators, we need to instruct our students on how to use these mobile devices as learning tools. This online course will explore Apps available for all curriculum areas and grade levels. Graduate credit is available for an additional fee. (Grades 4-12)

“The class was awesome. I am now applying for grants for iPads for students to use the amazing apps and resources we found! The class even shared grant foundation resources. Thanks.” Suzy Hirsch, FEFE Ohio State Educator, Hudson High School

Session Dates:

June 12 to July 9
July 17 to August 14

Registration

Boys Adrift by L. Sax

Cost: $125
1 graduate credit for an additional fee

Dr. Sax identifies and explores a disturbing trend - the vast number of boys who seem to be disengaging from school and from their own potential. His analysis of the problem, as well as his insights and advice for parents and teachers make this a must read for anyone who is frustrated with what is happening to boys in our culture. Graduate credit is available for an additional fee.

Session Dates:

May 1 to May 28
July 17 to August 14

Registration

Bullying in the Digital Age

Cost: $125
1 graduate credit for an additional fee

Cyber bullying is like having a gigantic megaphone. Bullies can spread vitriol quickly and anonymously. Parents, school administrators, and law enforcement are all concerned about it as law suits and even teen suicides have brought awareness to the issue. This online course takes an in depth look at bullying in the digital age and techniques to use to deal with the issue. Graduate credit is available for an additional fee.

Session Dates:

June 12 to July 9

Registration

Creating Common Core Content

Cost: $125
1 graduate credit for an additional fee

This new online course combines Common Core, SLO’s, Data, and Differentiation with 21st Century Learning Tools to benefit students and teachers. Develop SLO’s for your curriculum. Learn how to assess using SLO’s. This course will meet teachers where they are and help them discover new ways to teach. Graduate credit is available for an additional fee.

Session Dates:

June 12 to July 9
July 17 to August 14

Registration

Learn to Teach K-12 Online

Cost: $125
1 graduate credit for an additional fee

Online learning for K-12 students is giving schools new approaches and strategies for addressing the challenges they face and for taking advantage of the exciting new learning opportunities that are now available. More and more schools and districts of all sizes are introducing blended learning and online instruction into their instructional programs and they are discovering that this model is effective, affordable, and responds to students’ and teachers’ growing interest in technology-based learning experiences. This course is designed to teach K-12 teachers how to effectively facilitate online courses. Graduate credit is available for an additional fee.

Session Dates:

June 12 to July 9
July 17 to August 14

Registration

Making Math More Meaningful

Cost: $125
1 graduate credit for an additional fee

Participants will analyze and practice the importance and place of real-life based math instruction in the math classroom through various discussion based activities. Participants will create their own real-life based lesson, critique it, and assess its impact in the classroom. Graduate credit is available for an additional fee.

Session Dates:

Grades 4-5: July 17 to August 14
Grades 6-8: June 12 to July 9

Registration

Moodle Basics

Cost: $125
1 graduate credit for an additional fee

Moodle is a Learning Management System (LMS) that allows teachers to create online learning modules with opportunities for interaction and collaboration. Moodle can be used to create online classes that are completely online or online modules that can be blended with face-to-face experiences. Graduate credit is available for an additional fee.

Session Dates:

June 12 to July 9

Registration

The Flipped/Blended Classroom

Cost: $125
1 graduate credit for an additional fee

In this online course, participants will learn what teachers around the country are doing to reverse the teaching process and take advantage of the student’s love for 21st century technology while adding flexibility to the school day. Graduate credit is available for an additional fee.

Session Dates:

July 31 to August 27

Registration

The Global Achievement Gap - An Online Book Study

Cost: $125
1 graduate credit for an additional fee

In the Global Achievement Gap, education expert Tony Wagner situates our school problems in the larger context of the demands of the global knowledge economy. With insights gained from interviews with business leaders, review of new research and extensive classroom observations in the country’s leading suburban schools, he analyzes performance by considering the skills the next generation will need in the workplace. This is a must-read for anyone interested in seeing our young people achieve their full potential. Graduate credit is available for an additional fee.

Session Dates:

May 1 to May 28
July 17 to August 14

Registration

To Kill a Mockingbird by H. Lee

Cost: $135
2 graduate credits for an additional fee

Read this timeless novel while discovering new ways to integrate this Pulitzer Prize winner into your curriculum. Utilizing a variety of multimedia resources, including PBS/NPR programming and online materials, educators learn how they can create innovative and engaging experiences that extend learning far beyond the traditional reading assignment. This class would be valuable for language arts and history teachers, as well as any classroom teacher, guidance counselor or administrator. There are multiple themes in the book that impact on all areas of teaching and working with students. Graduate credit is available for an additional fee.

Session Dates:

April 10 to May 21
June 19 to July 30

Registration

Using Social Media Safely

Cost: $125
1 graduate credit for an additional fee

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube! The list goes on and on. This media is prevalent in the daily lives of students and teachers. So why not use this media as a tool in your classroom? Use of social networking can benefit students and provide more communication and collaboration among teachers and other educators. This online course will show you how to use this media safely in your curriculum. Graduate credit is available for an additional fee.

Session Dates:

July 31 to August 27

Registration

21st Century Tech Skills for the Common Core - NEW!

INFOhio The INFOhio 21 Essential Things for 21st Century Success is an online learning program that encourages educators to learn how emerging web-based technologies can change the way educators access information and communicate with each other. It will also give some background on Ohio’s new 21st century skills initiative.

These WVIZ Online Class Modules will highlight groups of the INFOhio 21 Essential Things for 21st Century Success discovery exercises to help you become familiar with blogging, RSS news feeds, tagging, podcasting, online applications, and video and image hosting sites as well as popular social networking tools. You will learn how the resources provided by INFOhio work with these new web tools and how to use these INFOhio tools both professionally and in classrooms across Ohio.

In these WVIZ Modules there will be Facilitators to help you get started and guide you through the Module groups. You need to take Module One first. You can take more than one module during a four weeks session.

Cost: $125 each module

1 graduate credit for an additional fee for each module

Four Modules available - each covering 4 or 5 of the INFOhio 21 Things, each offering one graduate credit. These modules are created for Ohio educators to explore and engage in Web 2.0 technologies and 21st Century Learning Skills. Module 1 needs to be taken first and can be taken with others at the same time.

Modules 1, 2, and 3 available: June 12- July 9
Modules 1, 2, 3, and 4 available: July 17- August 14

Registration

PBS TeacherLine Courses

About PBS TeacherLine

PBS TeacherLine National Online Courses

PBS TeacherLine is a series of facilitated online courses produced by leading educators and educational institutions. They are video-rich and are project-based. Each week, learners complete an assignment, read articles and view video, and participate in online discussions. Graduate credit is available from several universities listed at the TeacherLine site.

In-District Courses

The ideastream Education Department can provide multiple teachers in a single district with online training. Experienced facilitators will guide the learners (no more than 18 per section). ideastream will take care of all the registration and administrative tasks. Registration lists and course completion reports will be submitted to the school district. Special single district pricing is available for groups of 15 or more.

For more information or to request a proposal, contact Ann Ebersole at (216) 916-6364 or .

Graduate Credit

Important Notice: WVIZ has streamlined procedures for registering educators for graduate credit for online courses.

We offer graduate credit through the following universities. Grades are Pass/Fail.

Download the graduate credit form for your university below, fill in the information, and send the form and payment to the address on the form:

Graduate Credit is available at the cost of $150 for a one-credit course, $300 for a two-credit course, and $450 for a three-credit course from Ashland University and University of Akron. Ashland will be assessing credit card payments $4.05.

Graduate Credit is available at the cost of $160 for a one-credit course, $320 for a two-credit course, and $480 for a three-credit course from Cleveland State University.

Note: To receive graduate credit, learners must register with a university within one week after the start date of the class. No late graduate credit requests can be accepted. Once a learner has registered for graduate credit, that learner is responsible for completing the requirements of the course. WVIZ/PBS cannot withdraw requests for graduate credit once they are submitted.

Please send any graduate credit questions to Ann Ebersole via email.

Obtaining Transcripts

The Ashland University transcript form is available here. There is a small cost to have the transcript sent to you by Ashland. Grades will be available on an Ashland transcript within two or three weeks after the end of each course.

The University of Akron transcript form is available here. Grades are added to University of Akron transcripts at the end of each semester.

The Cleveland State University transcript form is available here.

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The WVIZ/PBS Education Department produces the CONNECTIONS newsletter 4 times per year. This newsletter provides the latest updates concerning instructional content for the classroom, PBS/NPR highlights, opportunities for individual or district driven “face to face” or online professional learning, and distance learning. Sign up now to have the CONNECTIONS digitally and conveniently delivered to your email account.

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