Courses within the Certificate for Teaching Excellence

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• Survey of Adult Learning Strategies (.5 CEU)  Sign Up Now!
  FREE COURSE! Starts the first Monday of every month
  This course is an overview of successful strategies for teaching adult learners.

• Assessing Learning through Activities (1 CEU)
  Monday, March 22, 2010
  This course addresses the concept of assessing learning through activities. Multiple types of assessment are discussed, along with proven strategies for using assessment as a means of tracking student learning.

• Critical Thinking Skills in the Classroom (1 CEU)
  Monday, April 05, 2010
  This course covers critical thinking strategies to enhance the participant’s teaching experience and provide exercises that will lead learners to use critical thinking skills.
  

• Transitioning from Teacher-driven to Learner-driven Instructional Models (1 CEU)
  Monday, April 19, 2010
  Learner development theory will be explored in this course to discover how it can be used to develop andragogical (learner-driven learning) practices within the curriculum. The differences between pedagogy (teacher-driven learning) and andragogy are discussed.
  

• Increasing Engagement Through Authentic Learning (1 CEU)
  Monday, May 17, 2010
  This course will give participants the tools necessary to increase student retention in their online classes by providing students with an authentic learning experience. Characteristics of authentic activities are reviewed, giving participants skills designed to enhance and maximize engagement in all learning environments.
  

• Creating Lesson Plans and Syllabi for Multiple Delivery Methods (1 CEU)
  Monday, May 31, 2010
  This course primarily focuses on construction of an online syllabus and lesson plan. Include are there are elements that apply to both online and face to face classrooms. Participants will learn how to construct an academically rigorous syllabus that provides all the information learners need to be successful in their classes.
  

• Overcoming Classroom Challenges (1 CEU)
  Monday, June 07, 2010
  Participants in this course will learn techniques focusing on diversity, learning styles, behavior patterns, and the physical or virtual aspects of any classroom in secondary and post secondary learning environments.
  

• Managing Quality Discussions (1 CEU)
  Monday, July 05, 2010
  Developing qualitative discussion questions is a key element in a successful discussion, whether online or face-to-face. Participants in this course will learn how to facilitate quality academic discussions in any delivery mode.
  

• Learner Rights under ADA, FERPA, and Employee Privacy  (1 CEU)
  Monday, August 02, 2010
  Participants in this course will study the processes by which ADA, FERPA, and employee rights policies are managed.
  

• Managing Time for Optimal Results in the Classroom (1 CEU)
  Monday, August 16, 2010
  Participants in this course will discover strategies to reduce teaching workload without compromising quality. The tools in the course focus on techniques and best practices.
  

• Copyright and Plagiarism (1 CEU)
  Monday, September 13, 2010
  Participants will learn to identify plagiarized work and discuss consequences of copyright violation.
  
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• Survey of Online Learning (.5 CEU) Sign Up Now!
  FREE COURSE! Starts the first Monday of every month
  This course is an overview of online learning methods, strategies, and applications.

• History of Distance Learning (1 CEU)
  Monday, March 08, 2010
  Participants in this course will explore the history of distance learning, comparing face-to-face (local) and distance learning. They will become familiar with distance learning terminology and evaluate the pros and cons of a variety of distance learning methods.

• Introduction to Content Management Systems (1.5 CEU)
  Monday, March 22, 2010
  This course will familiarize participants with the methods, best practices, and media tools used to teach an online course using a Content Management System interface. Participants will explore a variety of tools and facilitate interactive threaded discussions as part of the course
  

• Designing Curriculum for Today’s Adult Online (1 CEU)
  Monday, April 12, 2010
  Participants in this course will learn to design curriculum materials appropriate for online delivery. Participants will create competencies, design quality activities, and review standard curriculum formats.
  

• Advanced Techniques using Content Management Systems (1.5 CEU)
  Monday, May 03, 2010
  This course is the companion course to Introduction to Content Management Systems. It is designed to familiarize the learner with more advanced features in Content Management Systems, including assessment tools, instructor tools and troubleshooting. Participants will share best practices through threaded discussions, have an opportunity to practice hands-on exercises using the tools in the CMS, and set up a sample class, enroll a student, and conduct mini lessons.

• Resources and Electronic Databases for Research (1.5 CEU)
  Monday, May 17, 2010
  Participants in this course will learn to access online libraries, taking advantage of the trends in the areas of technology and information literacy. This course focuses on current methods for quality research.

• Developing Online Learning Objects (1 CEU)
  Monday, June 14, 2010
  Participants in this course will evaluate the use of the CMS, streaming video and other multi-media tools in developing learning objects for online courses.
  

• Synchronous Online Delivery (1.5 CEU)
  Monday, July 05, 2010
  Participants in this course will learn how webconferencing (synchronous online content delivery and learner engagement) can enhance the learning experience for everyone.
  

• Time Management for Online Facilitators (1 CEU)
  Monday, August 02, 2010
  Participants develop skills to reduce online teaching workload while maintaining quality. The course focuses on industry best practices.

• Organizing an Online Class (1 CEU)
  Monday, August 16, 2010
  Participants in this course will learn how to create quality online environments through good organization of resources, information, and thought so learners can concentrate on content rather than technology.
  

• Blending Learning Environments (1 CEU)
  Monday, September 13, 2010
  Participants will analyze content components, engagement, time-on-task, and workload issues in order to develop a course that takes advantage of multiple delivery methods.
  
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Resources and Workshops within the Center for Learning Excellence (Coming in 2010)

Registration Coming Soon

• Research Skills

• Study Skills

• Time Management

• Essay Writing

• Report Writing-APA Format

• Report Writing-MLA Format

• Thinking and Decision Making
  

  
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Courses within the Center for Writing Excellence

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• Creating a Character Sketch
  Developing a character sketch for each character in the story is essential to the success of the story. The writer needs to know who the characters are, what they are thinking, and why they do the things they do in order to make them believable to the reader. This course will teach writers how to develop their characters so their readers will identify with them – whether or not they like them.
  
  
• Developing Realistic Dialogue
  Getting the characters in a fiction story to talk to each other using realistic, believable dialogue will help the reader relate to them and to the story, making the story that much more real. Dialogue is not always easy to do, but it adds so much to the story that it does not make sense to leave it out. This course will give writers information and tips on creating realistic dialogue that will add to, not detract from, the story.
  

 

• Writing on the Web for Fun and Profit
  The Internet holds a vast amount of information – written by people just like you. You don’t have to be a content expert to write about something, you just need to know how to research it, write about it, and publish it online. This workshop will give you insider information about where and how to publish your work and how to earn residual income today, tomorrow, next week and into the future from an article published today. Learn how keywords, page clicks, Google Adsense, and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) all work together to increase your online earnings. Have fun sharing your creativity, or bring in a second income.  Better yet, do both at the same time!

• Communication
• Conflict Resolution
  
• Responding to Difficult People
• Sex & Sexuality

• Values/Ethics/Morals
  
• Decision-making skills
  

• Organization
  
• Time Management
  
• Goal Setting
  
• Finances
  

• Career Choices/Life Paths
  
• Stress Management
  
• Finding Your Strengths

• Marriage
  
• Parenting
  

• Wisdom
  
• Spiritual Gifts & God's Design
  
• Prayer
• Emotion
  
  
  Workshops are offered in both secular and Biblical formats