News
and Awards
New Technology Course: Developing Understanding with Dynamic Media and Digital Storytelling
We are very pleased to announce that we have launched a new technology course:
TECH345: Developing Understanding with Dynamic Media and Digital Storytelling (K-12, 30 instruction hours)
Digital storytelling and dynamic media have the power and the potential to engage learners in remarkable new ways. In this course, you will explore the basics of these 21st century teaching and learning approaches and connect them to an updated version of Bloom's Taxonomy. Learn about useful Web 2.0 tools like 'mashups' for creating and sharing stories and study the steps involved in creating digital stories and corresponding evaluation rubrics.
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TECH315
Has Been Updated
We
are pleased to share another course update with you.
TECH315:
Cooperation and Collaboration in the 21st Century
The 21st century
can be defined as "The Age of Collaboration" - where new
technologies allow groups of individuals to work together. Web tools
such as Wikis, media sharing sites, and online social networks have
so radically changed the meaning and means of collaboration that
businesses and global organizations are redefining the skills required
of their employees. This course will help you to understand the
importance of teaching collaboration and cooperation and their place
in the school curriculum and the lives of your students. Learn about
Web 2.0 technologies, how they can support collaborative learning
and the development of 21st century skills, and how to create and
integrate effective and meaningful projects into your classroom
curriculum.
This newly revised
course was formerly called "Using the Computer for Cooperative
Experiences."
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New
Research Reveals PreK-12 Educators Increasingly Value and Use Digital
Media
ARLINGTON,
Va., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new national research
report, "Digitally Inclined," compiled by Grunwald Associates
LLC for PBS, teachers are making significant progress in adoption
of digital media and Internet use. These findings clearly signal
widespread changes in both early childhood and K-12 education, including
more effective individualized instruction.
Grunwald
Associates LLC, the independent research and consulting firm, which
conducted the study under a grant from PBS, released the findings
today from their annual survey on educators' use of media and technology.
PBS is sharing select findings from the 2009 survey conducted by
Grunwald, which has been examining educators' media use for PBS
since 2002, to provide information about both instructional needs
and trends to education leaders, policymakers, and the media industry.
This year's survey includes data collected from pre-K educators
for the first time.
"The significant
increases in the usage, frequency and access to digital media in
the classroom over the past several years, along with the research
showing that integrating multimedia and technology into instruction
can boost student achievement, is driving our strategy to produce
the most effective media for learning," said Rob Lippincott,
senior vice president of education for PBS. "We're especially
pleased that PBS emerged as the number one source of educational
TV and online content among pre-K teachers in the survey."
(See
the link above for key findings from the survey and more information.)
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PBS
TeacherLine Partnership with NASA Press Release
Climate
change – one of the greatest challenges facing humanity and
a major concern to young people – is the focus of upcoming
online professional development courses and teaching resources from
PBS TeacherLine® (www.pbs.org/teacherline)
and The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). PBS
TeacherLine, the premier provider of online professional development
services for preK-12 educators, has been awarded funding from the
NASA Global Climate Change Education grant, totaling nearly $600,000,
to help educators engage students in critical lessons on climate
change, while teaching science, technology, engineering, and math
(STEM) concepts.
Read
the full press release
(pdf). Information is also posted on PBS Teachers at http://www.pbs.org/teachers/news/2009/nov/item-30/.
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GaDOE
Announces Partnership with PBS TeacherLine!
"The
Georgia Department of Education has reviewed PBS TeacherLine's English
language arts and mathematics classes and given them our stamp of
approval," Superintendent [Kathy] Cox said.
"These classes are well-aligned with our state standards and
the high expectations we have for teachers in Georgia."
Marilyn Stansbury,
director of education for Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB), said
this is just the beginning of this partnership.
"We will
continue to work together to find ways we can provide high-quality,
low-cost professional development opportunities for Georgia teachers,"
Ms. Stansbury said. "We are excited to launch this new partnership
with the Georgia Department of Education and the state's educators."
Superintendent
Cox said school systems can use federal Title 1 or stimulus funds
to pay for educators to take TeacherLine classes. More information
will be sent to schools this week.
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PBS
TeacherLine is now a Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21) PD
Affiliate
The Partnership
for 21st Century Skills is the leading advocacy organization focused
on infusing 21st century skills into education. The organization
brings together the business community, education leaders, and policy
makers to define a powerful vision for 21st century education to
ensure every child's success as citizens and workers in the 21st
century by providing tools and resources to help facilitate and
drive change.
The Partnership
for 21st Century Skills Professional Development Affiliate Program
equips individuals and organizations with resources and assistance
in integrating 21st century skills into their professional development
practice.
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Newly
Updated Technology Courses
We are excited
to share several course updates with you. Here are the highlights
on the updates made in these courses:
TECH340 Evaluating and Organizing Internet Resources and
Content
Web 2.0 is changing the way we use the Internet. In this course,
learners develop skills needed to prepare students for evaluating
and organizing Internet resources and content using Web 2.0 tools.
These new "literacy" skills give students the foundation
for effective Internet use and support their collaborative, meaningful,
safe work on research and other projects. Participants learn the
skills and strategies students need to become digital citizens.
The course also
covers how to organize Web sites and their content through the use
of free online tools. For the Course Project, you'll develop a curriculum
guide on preparing students for Web research integrating Web 2.0
tools, and create an online portal complete with resources for teachers,
students, and parents.
TECH325 Searching and Researching in the Internet
With today's changing technologies, our planet, it seems, has become
a smaller place - although the amount of information easily available
and extremely accessible in the world of the Internet has increased
exponentially. Students need digital literacy now more than ever
before. To search effectively for information on the Internet and
conduct research, students need new skills that will help them understand
where and how to find information, and then how to dig deeper and
use the content effectively.
Learn strategies
for helping your students develop searching and researching skills,
including the use of Web 2.0 tools such as Web start pages, blogs,
wikis, and social bookmarks. Explore ways to create authentic learning
environments that make use of primary resources, go beyond sites
such as Wikipedia for research, and teach responsible Web use. For
the course project, create a research toolbox for developing searching
and researching skills that you can use in a specific curriculum
area.
TECH410
Capstone I: Launching a NETS*T Technology Portfolio
In 2008, ISTE, the International Society for Technology in Education,
launched the new ISTE National Educational Technology Standards
for Teachers (NETSoT). This meant that the PBS TeacherLine's ISTE
Capstone Certificate Program had to be rewritten and aligned to
the new standards. We began this process back in January by co-developing
the course content with ISTE and by undergoing a rigorous evaluation/alignment
process. We recently completed this process and have obtained ISTE's
full Seal for Alignment for Development. TECH410 Capstone 1 is now
a 12-week course that allows learners to deepen their thinking about
effective teaching with technology. Educators learn how to collaborate
to create a digital portfolio, demonstrating the 2008 NETSoT by
incorporating lessons or projects that exemplify effective use of
technology.
The other course
of this program, the new TECH415 Capstone II: Proficient Use of
Technology with the NETSoT, will be launched in the winter.
Other
technology courses that have been updated in the past year are:
- TECH300
The Computer for Personal Productivity
Discover how your computer and Web-based tools can help you be
more productive and effective in the classroom. You will explore
technology tools to communicate, create lesson plans and materials,
and manage digital and electronic information. You will develop
and implement these innovative, Web-based tools to improve your
personal productivity.
- TECH330
Communicate and Collaborate Online
The Internet allows individuals and groups to communicate and
collaborate in ways never before possible. Develop powerful skills
for researching, evaluating and using online educational communication
tools. The learner will explore Web 2.0 tools such as Wikis, blogs,
and social networking and media sites, as well as e-mail, discussion
boards, and videoconferencing, while researching several collaborative
classroom projects that use these tools. In this course, the learner
will learn about today's student and today's technologies; ways
to develop and participate in educational learning networks; and
methods for finding, creating, and participating in classroom
online collaborative projects. As a final activity, the learner
will design a dynamic project using electronic resources to bring
Internet-based collaboration to a classroom project.
(TECH300 and TECH330 ran this summer (2009) and we've received
wonderful feedback on both courses.)
- TECH401
Capstone Introduction: Planning a Technology Portfolio
This course
will start you on a path toward ISTE NETS•T proficiency.
Through readings, examination of your own teaching practices and
the ISTE NETS•T, and exploration of available technologies
and sample technology-integration projects, you will increase
your understanding of and comfort with the NETS•T and their
practical applications in the classroom.
This
course will empower you to: become
familiar with NETS•T and have specific strategies for applying
these standards in your classroom:
- become
familiar with a range of technology tools and have specific
ideas for incorporating them into your teaching practices
to satisfy NETS•T;
- developed
a plan for a project to address the NETS•T in their classroom,
with the teacher as the primary user of technology;
- develop
a plan for a project to address NETS•T in your classroom,
empowering students to learn through technology; and
- become
familiar with the goals and requirements of the Capstone I
and II courses.
Courses
currently being updated:
- TECH315
Using the Computer for Cooperative Experiences
- TECH305
Using Multimedia to Develop Understanding
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PBS
TeacherLine Products Receive High Quality Rating from Government
Review Panel
As a U.S. Department
of Education Ready to Teach grantee, PBS TeacherLine participates
each year in the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) product
assessment process. We are pleased to announce that in early July
2009, PBS received notification that PBS TeacherLine received the
highest rating possible, "High Quality," on both of the
products that were submitted for review. The GPRA review is a rigorous
evaluation through which the U.S. Department of Education brings
together experts in online education to closely assess the products
and progress of the Ready to Teach grantees.
This year, PBS
TeacherLine submitted two products. The first was a professional
development module from PBS TeacherLine Peer Connection, our online
resource and collaboration tool designed to aid Teacher Leaders
in their role assisting teachers and providing professional development.
The second product was "TECH 330: Communicate and Collaborate
Online," our online, graduate-level course for K-12 teachers
interested in exploring the power of the Web and learning about
using the most current technologies to engage students and increase
academic achievement.
Both
the numerical ratings and the accompanying narrative were very positive.
Regarding Peer Connection, one reviewer noted: “The rater found
this to be very detailed and useful for teachers in coaching, resource,
mentoring and other PD roles. The materials were of high quality
and up-to-date, providing the teacher leader with a virtual tool
box of materials. It also addressed many of the essential skills
that are needed to perform the job. The ease of use of the product
makes it very worthwhile.”
Regarding the
online course, one reviewer said: “Yes, this course does exactly
what it is intended to do through its many activities in making
the novice instructor proficient in using online tools to collaborate
and communicate in the virtual classroom. Again, this course can
be used by novice to more advanced users and can even be a refresher.
The skill sets can be used beyond the online community.”
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PBS
TeacherLine’s New Summer Alumni in Good Company
PBS
TeacherLine has garnered the highest number of national enrollments
for its Summer 2009 term, more than any other term since its courses
were released nationwide five years ago. Cumulatively, more than
41,000 educators have completed PBS TeacherLine courses to improve
their skills, gain continuing education units and graduate credit,
and advance their careers.
In a survey
PBS TeacherLine conducted of its alumni in late 2008, 88 percent
of the 1,225 respondents said they have been able to incorporate
the instructional strategies from the course(s) in their classroom
practice, and 83 percent said there had been a positive impact on
student learning because of instructional strategies acquired through
the course(s).
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Best
in Tech Award
PBS TeacherLine
received a Best in Tech 2008-2009 award from Scholastic Administr@tor
magazine for Professional
Development Resources. The award was presented at the
2009 International Society for Technology in Education’s National
Education Computing Conference (NECC) in Washington D.C. Every award
winner chosen as the Best in Tech has been handpicked and carefully
evaluated by expert administrator-level reviewers for technology
solutions, not just products.
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PBS
TeacherLine Wins Global Climate Change Grant Award From NASA
PBS TeacherLine
is the recipient of a three-year grant from NASA through their Teaching
Climate Change initiative.
Through our
project, “Teaching Climate Change (TCC):K-12 Online Professional
Development from PBS and NASA”, PBS will develop two fully-online,
facilitated, graduate level professional development courses focused
on climate change. The courses will be delivered via the existing
PBS TeacherLine infrastructure.
One course will
target teachers of grades 5-8 and the other will be for teachers
of grades 9-12. Both courses will enhance teachers’ content
knowledge of climate change, provide guidance about teaching climate
change using effective STEM instructional techniques, and facilitate
the integration of NASA data, models and other NASA resources into
classroom instruction.
The grant runs
from August 1, 2009 through July 31, 2012.
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PBS
TeacherLine Receives ISTE Seal of Alignment to Ensure Educators
Master Technology Integration
“The
PBS capstone professional development program has earned ISTE's
Seal of Alignment because it helps teachers master the
refreshed NETS for Teachers and seamlessly integrate technology
into the classroom to engage students and prepare them for their
future in a technology-powered world,” said Don Knezek, CEO
of the International Society of Technology in Education (ISTE).
To
use technology in the classroom effectively to help students excel,
teachers need high quality professional development in technology
integration. To that end, PBS TeacherLine and ISTE developed the
PBS TeacherLine ISTE Capstone Certificate Program, a series of research
based courses that focus on instructional technology use, and enable
teachers to demonstrate their mastery of the ISTE NETS•T. Program
participants develop a professional digital portfolio of their work,
earn credits toward salary and career advancement, and receive a
joint certificate from ISTE and PBS TeacherLine documenting their
proficiency in technology integration. The online graduate-level
courses are facilitated by a master teacher and supported by a collaborative
learning community and exemplary Internet-based resources.
When
ISTE refreshed the NETS•T standards in 2008 to maintain their
relevance in an increasingly digital world, PBS TeacherLine updated
its Capstone Program to ensure educators master the new benchmarks
and meet the needs of a new generation of learners who’ve grown
up on the Internet. PBS TeacherLine previously earned the Seal of
Alignment for Development and for Assessment in 2006 and 2008, respectively.
The
National Education Association (NEA) Academy Partners with PBS TeacherLine
PBS TeacherLine
is pleased to announce that The
National Education Association (NEA) Academy has partnered with
PBS TeacherLine to supply programs and curriculum through
the Academy to the NEA's 3.2 million members. The partnership reinforces
NEA's mission... to increase the professional learning services
offered to members.
“The NEA
Academy was founded to meet the needs of teachers and education
support professionals by providing effective, efficient, and economical
professional development courses from leading providers, like PBS
TeacherLine,” said Mark Stevens, vice president of Professional
& Web Solutions for NEA Member Benefits. “This agreement
signals our commitment to bringing the best professional development
opportunities—at a discount—to our members.”
New
Science Courses
PBS
TeacherLine is now offering a special collection of science courses
designed to give teachers what they need to inspire as well as educate
students. The courses, available in
Physical, Life and Earth Sciences and at the elementary, middle
school and high school levels, are Teachers' Domain Professional
Development courses produced by
WGBH Educational Foundation and developed by educators
and advisors specializing in science teaching and curriculum.
Teachers'
Domain Professional Development courses support K-12 science teachers
in their quest to engage students with media-rich resources incorporating
practical real world applications, using their free collections
of nearly 1,000 resources developed from high-quality, critically-acclaimed
and trusted information sources such as the award-winning PBS science
programs NOVA, ZOOM, and A Science Odyssey.
Courses are
available in two formats to best meet specific science learning
needs:
- 45-hour Courses,
10-weeks
Provide a comprehensive understanding of a subject and of the
inquiry method, leading to a systemic change in approach to curriculum
design and teaching strategies. The 45-hour courses are equivalent
to 3 graduate-level credits.
- 30-hour Courses,
6-weeks
Offer a quick immersion into teaching a particular topic. The
courses are derived from the 45-hour courses but adapted to stand
on their own with a special final assignment. Courses focus on
science content in the context of teaching strategies and inquiry.
The 30-hour courses are equivalent to 2 graduate-level credits.
All course content
corresponds to the National Science Education Standards and the
McREL Compendium of K-12 Standards. Elementary and middle school
courses focus on three elements – content knowledge, inquiry
methodology, and using technology in the classroom. High school
courses assume a basic knowledge of subject matter, and emphasize
inquiry methodology and the use of technology in lessons.
- Life Science
Courses
- Teaching
Elementary Life Science - 45-hours
- Science
and the Living World - 30-hours
- Plants
and Animals 30-hours
- Heredity
and Adaptation - 30-hours
- Ecosystems
and Human Impact - 30-hours
- Teaching
Middle School Life Science - 45-hours
- Structure
and Function - 30-hours
- Regulation
and Behavior - 30-hours
- Reproduction
and Genetics - 30-hours
- Natural
Selection and Applied Genetics - 30-hours
- Teaching
High School Biology - 45-hours
- Inquiry
in Science Education - 30-hours
- Teaching
About Genetics - 30-hours
- Teaching
About Evolution - 30-hours
- Designing
Effective Lessons - 30-hours
- Physical
Science Courses
- Teaching
Elementary Physical Science - 45-hours
- Motion
and Forces in Your World - 30-hours
- Understanding
Motion and Force - 30-hours
- Understanding
Properties and Structures 30-hours
- Teaching
Middle School Physical Science 45-hours
- Understanding
Energy Transfer - 30-hours
- Understanding
Waves - 30-hours
- Understanding
Heat Transfer - 30-hours
- Understanding
Solubility and Density - 30-hours
- Teaching
High School Physical Science - 45-hours
- Inquiry
in Physical Science Education - 30-hours
- Assessing
Understanding - 30-hours
- Building
Understanding - 30-hours
- Teaching
Effective Lessons - 30-hours
- Earth and
Space Science Courses
- Teaching
Earth and Space Science - 45-hours
- Introduction
to the Earth System - 30-hours
- Structure
of the Earth System - 30-hours
- Earth
in Time and Space - 30-hours
- Weather
and Climate - 30-hours
PBS
TeacherLine Wins Two Prestigious Awards
PBS
TeacherLine is the winner of:
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- the
prestigious 2007 CODiE Award for "Best Online Instruction
Solution" presented by the Software and Information
Industry Association (SIIA); view the press
release
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- the
2007 21st Century Best Practice Distance Learning Awards
by the USDLA; view the press
release
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