Connected Coaching
Launches June 22
Coaching like learning is moving to online spaces. And it is there that coaches become social artists, enabling conditions for collegial conversations, deep learning, more accomplished practice, and subsequent improved learning for students.
The Connected Coaching eCourse will prepare you to coach in online spaces, to leverage the affordances of technology for coaching from a unique strength based inquiry lens. Through this 8-week eCourse you will explore:
Foundations and elements of the Connected Coaching model
An appreciative inquiry strength based approach to coaching
Protocols and activities for use by connected coaches
Ways to leverage web 2.0 tools for coaching in online environments
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What they’re saying
Sign up for a life changing experience 
Lani is a fantastic teacher and role model. If you take this course from her, you would be learning from the best! She is able to meet all learners at whatever level of coaching experience they have had prior and is able to effectively balance challenge with encouragement. She is also excellent at building a strong sense of community (though to be fair, you must have co-learners who have signed up that are eager to do this too) and able to bring even the most hesitant individuals out of their shells.
If you are interested in learning, growing and helping others be the best they can be, you must take this course.
About the Instructor
Lani Ritter Hall is Community Leader for Powerful Learning Practice. She also serves as the “Newbie Maven”, helping along and nurturing newbies to the PLP experience, as well as facilitator for the Connected Coaches. Lani brings more than 35 years of teaching experiences in urban, sub urban, and independent schools at the middle/secondary level in the U.S and Canada to this work. A national board certified teacher, she and her students began collaborating globally in the late 1980’s. Lani has created and facilitated professional development around technology infusion into learning for over twenty years and served in a leadership role for the K12Online Conference for 2 years. She is co-author of The Connected Educator: Learning and Leading in a Digital Age and she blogs at Possibilities Abound.
Why should you become a connected coach? Read PLP’s interview with Lani Ritter Hall about this eCourse.
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Teaching Online & Blended Learning
Launches July 6
Learning today takes place anywhere and anytime. To meet the needs of today’s connected learner, today’s educator needs to be fluent in new media literacies. The Teaching Online: Becoming a Connected Educator eCourse will prepare you to be an online professor, teach online courses in blended environments such as a virtual school, or teaching blended courses in traditional settings. Through this 10-week eCourse you will explore:
How to plan and deliver online instruction that moves beyond just digitizing analog lesson plans
How to truly leverage the transformative potential that online learning provides
Deep learning in a digital age – what does it mean and how do we get there
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What they’re saying
If you want to teach online, you will learn from the best
I started this course with a curiosity for online and blended learning, as well as my own questions as to whether I would enjoy teaching in this kind of setting. What I left the course with was a solid foundation for sound online teaching practices, a desire to immerse myself in this kind of teaching experience, as well as many more questions to reflect on that will only help to push my effectiveness as an online teacher.
Sheryl offers a comprehensive course that covers multiple areas of consideration when teaching online. It is a fast and rigorous course, but worth the work and effort that you will put in to it. Sheryl is excellent at modelling effective practices and also encourages you to develop your skills as an online instructor. I appreciated that the course was not based solely on theory and readings. Our various assignments allowed us to practice the skills and concepts discussed in class.
About the Instructor
During a 25-year education career, Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach has been a classroom teacher, technology coach, charter school principal, district administrator, university instructor and digital learning consultant. Sheryl is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Powerful Learning Practice, where she works with schools and districts from across the US, Canada, Australia, Brazil, United Kingdom, Israel, Norway, and China to re-envision their learning cultures and communities through the Connected Learner Experience and other e-learning opportunities. She is the author (with Lani Ritter Hall) of The Connected Educator: Learning and Leading in a Digital Age (Solution Tree, 2012) and is in the dissertation phase of completing her doctorate in Educational Planning, Policy and Leadership at the College of William and Mary. You can find out more on her blog and on Twitter @snbeach.
Why should you learn to teach online and become a more connected and creative educator? Check out PLP’s interview with Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach about this eCourse.
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Google Sheets & Forms
Launches July 8
Leveraging Web 2.0 tools is a powerful learning strategy in the 21st Century. But how do you choose the right tool that will enhance classroom learning and not be an afterthought or add on? This course is part of the Web 2.0 Tools Series, which will address the relationship between content, pedagogy, and technology while covering the nuts and bolts of each tool and how to use each within the context of your classroom.
This third two-week course in the Google Apps 101 series will be Google Sheets and Forms. As result of this course participants will:
Learn how-to create and collaborate with Google Sheets and Forms for professional and classroom use
Evaluate how Google Sheets and Forms can enhance curriculum
Discuss pros/cons of private and public viewing of information
Create engaging lessons and activities with Google Sheets and Forms
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What they’re saying
I am amazed
First – what did I learn from this course? I have found that in most courses, you get what you give. As long as the organization and supports are in place, outcome is very closely related to personal effort. I have loved taking the series of courses in the web 2.0 series with plp and Jennifer. Jennifer is very responsive to student needs – I am amazed at the sheer amount of work it must take for her to respond so thoughtfully to each participant’s posts. She always responds with a follow up question or idea that supports a continuing dialogue around the learning. In addition to her direct support of learning, she also organizes a very thorough library of support tutorials that one can return to at anytime, even after the course has ended. I have often gone back to the course space, even more than a year later, to access these video libraries. What I find most helpful is that each video is quite short and addresses a single task. Whatever the question, there’s usually a “how to” video somewhere in the library. If there isn’t, Jennifer will create one before the next class. Finally, when I’ve encountered problems that aren’t addressed in the library, a quick email to Jennifer directly always results in a timely response. I’m amazed at how much effort Jennifer puts into answering specific questions to support our learning and implementation of these tools in our classrooms.
About the instructor
Jennifer Bloomingdale graduated from the College of St. Rose in 2006 with a Bachelors in Childhood Education. In 2011 she completed her Masters in Educational Technology and became a New York State certified Educational Technology Specialist. Jennifer has four years of elementary teaching experience, which includes implementing a 1:1 netbook initiative. It was through her teaching experience and masters program that Jennifer developed a passion for integrating technology and assisting others in doing so. Jennifer is also a Google Educator certified in both Google Apps and Chromebook. Here you will find Jennifer’s Digital Portfolio.
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Creative 21st Century Lesson Plans
Launches July 22
For the busy educator, the Creative 21st Century Lesson Plans course will make the most of your time. This eCourse will kick off with a live webinar (archived version will also be available) led by an experienced educator. You will be provided with a wealth of information and creative ideas for how to implement and develop effective lesson plans about the chosen topic. Supplemental materials, readings and samples will be provided in an online virtual community space.
As a result of this course participants will:
Use the TPACK framework to ensure tools aren’t driving 21st century lessons
Understand what are the Four C’s
Gain an understanding of the National Educational Technology Standards
Know how-to choose the right technology to enhance student learning
Evaluate how-to adapt older 20th Century lessons and create new 21st Century lessons from scratch
Get free 21st Century Lesson Plan Tips: We’ve put together some best practices for creative 21st century lesson plans. If you like the tips & tricks, you can download a printable copy, or share it with friends! Get your free tips & tricks now
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What they’re saying
Best Class I’ve Taken
The best part of this class was connecting with educators around the world who are trying to incorporate engaging lessons and Web 2.0 tools in their classrooms. The webinars were a great way to learn the content and share ideas. For the educator who’s looking for a class with reasonable expectations, relevant course content, a fair price, and a connected classroom environment, this is an excellent choice. In my 21 years of teaching, this was the best course I’ve taken.
About the instructor
Jennifer Bloomingdale graduated from the College of St. Rose in 2006 with a Bachelors in Childhood Education. In 2011 she completed her Masters in Educational Technology and became a New York State certified Educational Technology Specialist. Jennifer has four years of elementary teaching experience, which includes implementing a 1:1 netbook initiative. It was through her teaching experience and masters program that Jennifer developed a passion for integrating technology and assisting others in doing so. Jennifer is also a Google Educator certified in both Google Apps and Chromebook. Here you will find Jennifer’s Digital Portfolio.
Enroll now