Online Courses for Teachers

PDI Course Number: 150T02

UCSD Course Number: EDUC42506

Learn how to receive UCSD graduate-level credit for completing this course.

Course Timeline

Participants have one year to complete the course. Participants must spend a minimum of three weeks in this course.

Course Description

Do you struggle to get, and then maintain, your students’ attention? Do you find it difficult to engage students in their learning? It’s not surprising that many teachers find themselves wondering how to “capture” their students’ attention, particularly in the digital world we live in. This online course is designed to prepare PreK-5 teachers to boost student engagement and community within their classroom walls using a variety of active learning strategies. The course begins by introducing teachers to the different types of engagement. Teachers will learn specific strategies to capture their students’ attention. From there, the course explores several teacher-driven, as well as, student-driven engagement techniques, all of which are designed to improve student engagement and boost classroom community. From establishing a positive classroom culture to exploring specific scaffolding techniques, teachers will learn how to transform their lessons so that students stay active and engaged. Strategies for making classroom experiences more relatable and fun through such things as classroom transformations, virtual field trips, expert talks, and project-based learning are explored. Additionally, teachers will examine a variety of interactive edtech tools to assist them in their efforts to build intrinsic motivation, capitalizing on their students’ love for technology. By the end of this course, teachers will feel more confident and successful in their quest to boost student engagement and community within their classroom.

Educational Outcomes

1. Teachers will learn about the different types of engagement, and they will understand how to instantly capture the brain’s attention.
2. Teachers will learn how to further empower their students by engaging them using their own personal learning preferences.
3. Teachers will understand the positive impact that student engagement has on academic growth, and they will be introduced to several teacher-driven and student-driven engagement techniques, all of which are designed to improve student engagement and boost classroom community.
4. Teachers will understand what rigorous classrooms look like (as well as what they don’t look like), and they will explore specific scaffolding techniques that can be used to help students, all of which lead to higher expectations.
5. Teachers will learn how to transform lessons with rigor, all while keeping them in alignment with the standards.
6. Teachers will learn about the importance of developing classroom routines and procedures so that students are more engaged in learning.
7. Teachers will learn strategies for establishing seven common classroom routines, including entrance procedures, supply retrieval, participating in classroom discussions, asking for help, turning in assignments, working independently, and transitions.
8. Teachers will learn strategies for creating a positive classroom culture, including how to set positive expectations and clear behavior management plans while providing opportunities for success as students work cooperatively.
9. Teachers will learn strategies for keeping student engagement at the forefront while planning their lessons.
10. Teachers will understand what teacher-led engagement entails, and they will learn a variety of strategies to implement the same in the PreK-5 classroom.
11. Teachers will understand what student-led engagement entails, and they will learn a variety of strategies to implement the same in the PreK-5 classroom.
12. Teachers will learn how to adjust their existing practices to promote greater engagement and community in the classroom.
13. Teachers will learn how to employ the principles of project-based learning into their practice so that students are engaged and motivated.
14. Teachers will explore several hands-on strategies for making the learning experience more relatable and fun for students, including such things as classroom transformations, virtual field trips, and expert talks.
15. Teachers will understand the importance of community involvement as it relates to student engagement and community, and they will learn where to look for these community resources.
16. Teachers will explore a variety of interactive tools to help build community, including such edtech tools as Edpuzzle, ClassDojo, Class Tag, Seesaw, Canva, and Smore.
17. Teachers will explore a variety of tech tools for lesson delivery and gamification, including such edtech tools as Google Forms, Microsoft Forms, Flip, Edpuzzle, Pear Deck, Nearpod, Quizziz, and Kahoot.
18. Teachers will learn a variety of strategies to engage diverse students in the classroom, including such things as identifying goals and needs, providing choice and accommodations to all students, and teaching content in varying ways.
19. Teachers will learn about the three guiding principles of Universal Design for Learning, and how they can be harnessed to spur engagement in students.
20. Teachers will understand the importance of relationships (teachers and students, students and their families, and students and their peers) to building student engagement.
21. Teachers will learn how to provide specific constructive feedback so that students are more engaged in the classroom.
22. Teachers will learn strategies to pique students’ interests and curiosity so that they are better positioned to become lifelong learners.
23. Teachers will learn how to build intrinsic motivation in their students so that they are better positioned to become lifelong learners.

Instructional Media

• Online Discussions
• Online Engagement
• Online Collaboration
• Instructor Feedback
• Instructor Interaction
• Online Resources and Websites
• Supplemental Instructional Materials
• Printable Classroom Resources

Evaluation

• Online Discussions
• Online Engagement
• Test #1 (5% of final grade)
• Test #2 (5% of final grade)
• Test #3 (5% of final grade)
• Test #4 (5% of final grade)
• Test #5 (5% of final grade)
• Autobiography and Goals for the Course (10% of final grade)
• Article/Video Reflection (15% of final grade)
• Course Collaboration/Share Ideas with the Class (10% of final grade)
• Cumulative Assignment/Project: Design an Engaging Activity (20% of final grade)
• Culminating Practicum (20% of final grade)

Topical Outline

Unit One

• Understanding Student Engagement
• The Data Behind Keeping Students Engaged
• Rigor and Alignment
• Assignment #1

  Write an autobiography including information about yourself, your grade level, and what you specifically hope to learn about helping students with their executive functions so that they can succeed in an inclusive K-12 classroom. Your autobiography should be a minimum of three paragraphs.

• Test #1

Unit Two

• Developing Routines and Procedures to Build Community and Set Expectations
• Creating a Positive Classroom Culture
• Planning with Engagement in Mind
• Assignment #2

  As an educator, it is important to be aware of the research, studies, and professional work done in the field. In the course, you will find an article and video that are relevant to the specific course content. Read the article and then write an essay with your thoughts.

• Test #2

Unit Three

• Teacher-Led Engagement
• Student-Led Engagement
• Adjusting Existing Practices to Promote Engagement
• Assignment #3

  Online Discussion Board Participation/Engagement: Please post a tip, strategy, or idea that specifically relates to helping students with their executive function deficits so that they can succeed in an inclusive K-12 classroom. The tip, strategy, or idea that you share needs to make a difference to other teachers in their own classrooms. Your assignment should be a minimum of three paragraphs and detailed enough for another teacher to follow easily. This is a great opportunity to share and collaborate with other teachers at your grade level around the country. Take time to review and respond to other postings that are relevant to your classroom population in order to gain effective ideas to use immediately in your classroom.

• Test #3

Unit Four

• Project-Based Learning
• This is Work? Making the Learning Experience Relatable and Fun
• Community Involvement and Finding Resources
• Test #4

Unit Five

• Tech Tools for Engagement: Assessing the Quality of Technology in the Classroom
• Interactive Tech Tools to Help Build Community
• Tech Tools for Lesson Delivery and Gamification
• Test #5

Unit Six

• Engaging Students in a Diverse Classroom
• Building Relationships
• Creating Lifelong Learners
• Assignment #4

  Design an activity to fully engage PreK-5 students in the learning process. The activity should be student-led and should be tied to at least one specific learning standard (state or otherwise). The activity should also stimulate at least one of the memory pathways discussed in this course. Before listing the procedural steps, be sure to introduce the activity in at least five detailed sentences, so that teachers can better ascertain its purpose. Afterword, discuss the engaging activity in depth, by breaking the procedural steps into an intriguing introduction (opening), an active or hands-on task (body), and reflection (closing). Follow the example included in Assignment 4. To obtain full credit, be sure to follow all the parameters set forth in Assignment 4.

• Assignment #5

  The culminating practicum is a three-step process. (1) In the first assignment, you were asked what goals you had and what you hoped to learn from the course. Think back to your original goals for this course. Write a minimum two-paragraph reflection specifically describing how what you learned can be used to help you reach those goal(s). (2) Next, write a minimum three-paragraph plan that specifically describes the ways in which you intend to implement a particular strategy you learned in this course into your own teaching situation. (3) Last, write a minimum two-paragraph reflection describing a student you have or have had in the past. Then, discuss how the strategies you learned in this course will specifically benefit that student as you put your plan into action.

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