I love online learning. Our professional development no longer has to rely on school priorities or budgets. Online courses have made it easy to organise our own professional learning. Apart from the Apple Teacher program (which I’m halfway through), I have completed all of the courses below. I highly recommend them.
Yes, it’s nice to get a title and I enjoy adding badges to my blog, but the real value is in classroom application. Consider how these courses could impact your students. I am a huge advocate of every product/idea listed here and I believe in their transformational potential. Click the links to find out more/register.
Cost: free
Seesaw is currently accepting applications for the July 2017 cohort of Seesaw Ambassadors (until 11.59pm PDT on 20th May 2017). If you miss this deadline, the next opportunity will be the January 2018 cohort.
The course is essential for anyone who loves Seesaw and wants to take it to the next level. Being a Seesaw Ambassador will give you access to many benefits, including the ability to use Seesaw Plus for free (worth US$120 per year). Click the link to see the full list of benefits. Remember to sign up quickly if you want to join the July cohort.
Flipped Learning Certified Level 1
Cost: US$70
I have been interested in Flipped Learning ever since I first heard about it. I have always liked the idea but I wasn’t fully convinced by it due to some unanswered questions and concerns. This course showed me that I wasn’t implementing Flipped Learning in the most beneficial ways. It taught me how to move forward and it addressed every doubt that I previously had. It is everything that I needed and I am now fully on board and proud to be Flipped Learning Certified.
Cost: free
I love Newsela! It is a fantastic way for students to access current affairs at their own reading level. There are many ways in which teachers can utilise this website for the benefit of their students. This course will outline them and teach you everything that you need to know. For anyone using the paid version (Newsela PRO), you can start right now. The course is available to you on demand. For everyone else, you’ll have to apply (click the link above) and then wait for next month’s limited places. Complete the application form thoroughly and in detail if you really want to be selected!
Google Certified Educator Level 1
Cost: the course is free but the exam is US$10
G Suite is the collective new name for Google Apps for Education. These are fantastic tools for learning, particularly famous for the way that they enable students and teachers to collaborate. The course provides everything that you need to know about how to use these tools and, more importantly, how to integrate them into your teaching meaningfully. By the end of this course, you’ll be left thirsty for Level 2! I completed Level 2 just a few months later.
Cost: free
The Apple Teacher program (not to be confused with Apple Distinguished Educator) has been released this year. It is a free way for teachers to learn how Apple technology can be used in the classroom. The title can be achieved by completing either the iPad or Mac route (you can choose when you sign up). I opted for the iPad course, but I am learning so much that I will probably do both. I haven’t finished it yet, though. This is an ideal course for those, like me, who are interested in Apple products but don’t yet feel ready for ADE.
What other fantastic certification courses are out there? What have I missed? Please let me know in the comments below. I’m always excited to find new learning opportunities. Let me know how you get on with the above courses. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Thanks for sharing! I’ve been curious about the Google Educator Certification and this helped clarify it for me. I’m also moving to a new district next year that utilizes the iPad, so Apple Teacher could be a great way to prepare myself for the new (to me) technology. 🙂
Hi Waneta,
I’m pleased that you found value in this post. I recommend both of these courses to you. I’m sure that you will benefit from them in your new role. Please let me know how you get on and feel free to ask any questions. More than happy to help if I can!
Best,
Adam
Here are a couple other sources for online courses–some are paid, some are free.
https://www.participate.com/marketplace
http://digitalpromise.org/initiative/educator-micro-credentials/
https://nearpod.com/pionears
https://place.fi.ncsu.edu/
Hi Gregory,
These links are fantastic! Thank you very much for sharing. I am definitely interested in many of them. I’ll take a closer look after I have finished writing reports!
Thanks again!
Adam
Glad you found them useful and best of luck with the reports. It means the end of the year is near. (Today was my last day!)
Hi! Does this work for Canadians too? I’m a beginner in the seesaw world, do you think this course is too advanced for me?
Hi Christina,
Yes, the link should work globally and it is open to anyone. I would still go for it! Seesaw is wonderfully simple. It won’t take you long to figure it out. Also, the course doesn’t start until July. You have more time to master the basics before then.
Good luck! Let me know what happens!
Adam
Need to complete my current two courses, then Google and Flipped are next on my list. 🙂
Hi Tima,
Good luck with your courses. Summer is fast approaching. It’s a great time to work on stuff like this. That’s why I’m hoping that somebody will be able to suggest some more online, self-paced courses to keep me busy and out of trouble.
Best,
Adam
Hi. Can you sign up for these if you are in the U.K.? Trying to sign in but can’t get passed page on Seesaw where it asks for your school- doesn’t recognise school or give an option to add? Any advice appreciated. Thanks.
Hi Shirley,
There’s no reason that you shouldn’t be able to sign up. Other teachers from the UK have told me today that they followed the same link and applied successfully. I have forwarded your problem to Seesaw via Twitter. They are usually very good at responding, but I guess it’s night time right now in the USA. As soon as I hear back from them, I’ll let you know.
Best,
Adam
Hi again,
Angela at Seesaw got back to me on Twitter and explained that there is a bug that is stopping some schools from being found. If it doesn’t work for you using the above link, email help@seesaw.me and explain your situation. Give them your name, your school’s name and the email address that you use for Seesaw.
Thanks,
Adam