Available Professional Development Non-Credit Online Courses
The Non-Credit Online Courses will assist with the preparation in the teaching profession by providing added information and skills which you can take with you into the classroom at your professional level of teaching.
These courses are offered entirely online, year-round using the Lakehead University MyCourseLink (Desire2Learn) interface.
Participants have one month to complete each short course (once access is gained to the course) and to be flexible with your own personal schedule, the courses are accessible online 24 hours a day. Certificates of Achievement are issued upon successful completion of each course and a mark of pass/fail will be recorded on the student's Lakehead University non-credit transcript.
Registrations for online non-credit courses are accepted year round and take approximately 2-3 business days for processing.
If this is the first time taking a course at Lakehead, a student # and e-mail account will automatically be set up once the registration form is processed. Confirmation of registration will be e-mailed to the e-mail address on the registration form along with instructions on how to access the online professional development course through the Lakehead University MyCourseLink (Desire2Learn) interface.
To register, print off and complete the Professional Development Online Course Registration form including full payment. Forms can be dropped off in person to the Department of Professional Development in Education Office; scanned and e-mailed to pd@lakeheadu.ca or submit by fax to 1-807-346-7882.
Please refer to the individual course outlines for specific details.
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Special Education |
Math |
Teaching English Language Learners | |
Teaching Physical Education in the Elementary Grades |
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Literacy and Basic Skills Practitioner Training | |
| Approaches to Adult Learners | |
| Working with Adults with Learning Disabilities | |
EDUC 8042 Special Education for Aboriginal Students
Course Description:
Special Education for First Nations Students provides a general overview of special education systems services for Aboriginal children in Ontario. The discussion is related to students attending both First Nations or band-controlled schools and provincially funded school systems. The focus of this course is on the development and delivery of programs and services for exceptional Aboriginal children who are receiving instruction in the regular classroom.
This course will provide opportunities for participants to:
- appreciate the cultural and social foundations of education in Ontario and, in particular, in the context of Ontario's First Nations;
- understand the Ontario regulations related to special education programs and services;
- assess the quality of information used to identify and develop programs for exceptional Aboriginal students;
- identify sources of information to support the Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC) process for Aboriginal learners;
- identify successful practices in teaching Aboriginal exceptional learners;
- identify resources related to the effective instruction of Aboriginal exceptional learners.
Evaluation
- This course is comprised of five modules. Participants are required to complete a summative evaluation after Module 5 comprised of 25 Multiple Choice questions. Each question is worth one mark and participants are required to achieve a minimum of 50% on this evaluation in order to receive credit.
Cost: Sixty Dollars ($60.00)
EDUC 8043 Teaching Aboriginal Students
Course Description
Teaching Aboriginal students provides a general overview of the impact of education on Aboriginal peoples in Canada and how the new Ontario curriculum has embedding Aboriginal content and perspective. Education policies and effective teaching strategies are explored while respecting the diversity of Aboriginal perspective and learning preferences. The focus of this course is to examine historical and current practices, and to become familiar with the resources that are available to supporting the teacher of Aboriginal children.
This course will provide opportunities for participants to:
- appreciate the cultural and social foundations of education in Ontario and, in particular, in the context of Ontario's Aboriginal peoples;
- understand the Ontario policies related to curriculum and expectations;
- assess the quality of information used to identify and develop programs for Aboriginal students;
- identify sources of information to support the proper implementation of Aboriginal content, perspective, cultural and traditional views, and beliefs;
- identify successful practices in teaching Aboriginal students
- identify resources related to the effective instruction of Aboriginal students.
Evaluation
- This course is comprised of four modules. Participants are required to complete a summative evaluation after Module 4 comprised of 14 Multiple Choice questions. Each question is worth one mark and participants are required to achieve a minimum of 50% on this evaluation in order to receive credit.
Cost: Sixty Dollars ($60.00)
EDUC
8056: Teaching English Language Learners (ESL Students)
Course Description
Teaching English Language Learners is an introduction to some of
the issues involved in teaching English Language Learners (ELLs) students. Some
of these issues include:
- understanding the needs of ELLs students;
- creating an inclusive classroom;
- stages of second-language acquisition;
- assessing ELLs students;
- planning teaching strategies for ELLs students;second-language literacystages of second-language reading development;benchmarks for listening and speaking; and communicating with parents
Cost Sixty Dollars ($60.00)
Evaluation
- This course is comprised of five modules. Participants are required to complete a summative evaluation after Module 5 comprised of Multiple Choice questions.
- Each question is worth one mark and participants are required to achieve a minimum of 50% on this evaluation in order to receive credit.
EDUC 8058: Teaching Physical Education in the Elementary Grades
Course Description
The purpose of this course is to provide participants with additional knowledge and skills to enhance student intrinsic motivation in physical education. Based on Self-Determination theory research, this course will examine a variety of practical suggestions and teaching strategies. The four (4) modules used in this course will help participants:
- identify teaching practices that are part of their teaching style;
- identify teaching strategies that they may want to incorporate into their teaching style;
- understand strategies for developing student intrinsic motivation; and
- apply what they learned to improve student intrinsic motivation and performance in the class.
Cost Sixty Dollars ($60.00)
Evaluation
A twenty (20) question Multiple Choice test will be conducted with a required grade of fifty percent (50%) for successful completion.
EDUC 8063 Rich Learning Tasks as Assessments in Mathematics
Course Description
Rich Learning Tasks as Assessments in Mathematics is intended to provide teachers with a deeper understanding of both the content and pedagogy inherent in the new primary and junior mathematics curriculum specifically pertaining to open-ended tasks and their assessment and evaluation, as well as providing examples and resources. The course will focus on assessment, including the "mathematical processes" described in the curriculum, and will examine problem solving, reflection, reasoning and connections in the context of task development and assessment. Rubrics and student work will also be examined.
The course will address the following Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession:
- Commitment to students and student learning
- Professional knowledge
- Ongoing professional learning
- Professional practice
Upon completion of the course, participants will have:
- Examined a variety of assessment tasks, and be able to develop criteria for rich tasks
- Studied examples of rich learning tasks and rich assessment tasks
- Enriched their mathematical understanding as may be required in assessing tasks
- Reflected on their beliefs as they influence assessment practices
Evaluation
- Participants are required to complete three mini-assignments with a minimum grade of 50%. Through the assignments, participants will demonstrate their understanding of the concepts involved in this course. Detailed descriptions are provided with each assignment within the course. All three assignments must be submitted to the course instructor for course credit.
Assignment 1, Module 2.4 - Multiple student solutions task
Assignment 2, Module 4.4 - Open-ended tasks
Assignment 3, Module 5.2 - Reflection
Cost: Sixty Dollars ($60.00)
EDUC 8201: Literacy and Basic Skills 101
Course Description
The purpose of this course is to help practitioners get a big-picture perspective of the Literacy and Basic Skills Program in Ontario. Literacy practitioners, who have a full understanding of the Program, are better-equipped to share the vision of adult literacy reform and better able to understand the very significant contribution they make in this initiative.
Guided self-reflection will help you focus on the impact these materials have on your own thinking and the implications that follow for teaching practice.
Units Covered Include:
- The Literacy need in Ontario
- What is LBS?
- Primary Text Materials
- Information Management
- The Learner's Journey
- Some Changing Roles
Course Resources
- Only online resources will be required.
Cost
- Eighty Five ($85.00)
Evaluation
A multiple choice test will be conducted with a required grade of 50% for successful completion.
EDUC 8202: Approaches to Adult Learners
Course Description
Approaches to Adult Learning introduces you to the kinds of people who enrol in LBS programs, the diverse issues they bring along with them, and the impact these issues have on their success. The purpose of this course is to help you develop stronger connections and relationships with learners in order to increase your effectiveness in the teaching-learning exchange. The hope is that as you learn more about adult literacy learners, you will deepen your understanding of their challenges and their best ways of learning, and see your role more clearly in terms of what you can provide, and increase your capacity to meet their needs in effective ways.
Units Covered Include:
- About Adult Learning
- Many Diversity Issues
- The Learning Environment
- About Learning Styles
- Self Directed Learning
- Motivation and Retention
Course Resources
- Only online resources will be required.
- Provided resources
Cost
- Eighty Five ($85.00)
Evaluation
A multiple choice test will be conducted with a required grade of 50% for successful completion.
EDUC 8203: Working with Adults with Learning Disabilities
Course Description
Learning to work effectively with adults who have learning disabilities is a primary concern for most LBS Practitioners. If practitioners can be clear about what a learning disability is, are more aware of how learning disabilities manifest themselves in a learner's behaviour and academic performance, learn what strategies and accommodations are successful, develop skills for helping learners find the strategies that are right for them, then learners will be more successful and will become more independent when faced with learning something new in day-to-day life beyond the classroom. This course lays a good foundation for understanding different learning disabilities and how they affect literacy learning and helps develop skills for selecting appropriate strategies for particular LD difficulties.
Units Covered Include:
- Understanding Learning Disabilities
- Identifying Learning Disabilities
- Finding Right Strategies
- Good LBS Practice
Course Resources
- Only online resources will be required.
Cost
- Eighty Five ($85.00)
Evaluation
A multiple choice test will be conducted with a required grade of 50% for successful completion.
EDUC 8204: Planning the LBS Program
Course Description
In order to plan a good program and design a curriculum for learners, LBS instructors must, first of all, understand: what different types of education there are and what that might look like in their setting; how the principles of these education types directly affect the instructor's work in planning the program; how strategic planning can produce a program that will respond to individual needs of learners who are at different levels and have different goals. In addition, practitioners need skills for working with the learners in the initial goal-setting/planning stages of the learner's training. It also requires a strategic planning approach for organizing the overall and day-to-day program and for planning out a curriculum for learners.
Units Covered Include:
- Outcome Based Education
- Goal-Directed Assessment
- Learner Centered Program
- Plan the Overall Program
Course Resources
- Only online resources will be required.
Cost
- Eighty Five ($85.00)
Evaluation
A multiple choice test will be conducted with a required grade of 50% for successful completion.
EDUC 8205: LBS Program Delivery
Course Description
Literacy practitioners realize that there are certain things to know, skills to develop and practices to adopt in order to work effectively and successfully, face-to-face with learners on a daily basis. This course provides information, strategies and practical support to help practitioners: inspire, motivate, and challenge adults to grow as learners; meet individual needs in a group setting; teach reading, writing and math for various and specific purposes; maintain balance in the program, i.e. instruction that targets skills and knowledge and behaviours for specific goals; provide training based on daily assessment of the learners' work; prepare learners to move forward and be successful beyond LBS.
Units Covered Include:
- Teaching and Learning
- Learning Outcomes
- To Different Goal Paths
Course Resources
- Only online resources will be required.
Cost
- Eighty Five ($85.00)
Evaluation
A multiple choice test will be conducted with a required grade of 50% for successful completion.
EDUC 8206: Professional Issues for LBS Practitioners
Course Description
This course will give LBS instructors insights and ideas for improving their way of working in order to bring about greater professional success and personal sense of well-being at the end of the day. Practitioners can examine their current methods of program management as well as their relationships with colleagues at work and learn how to make their experience of work more satisfying and more productive. Specifically, it includes: strategies that increase efficiency and productivity in a classroom environment; strategies for preventing and responding to difficult learner behaviour; greater awareness of the workplace culture - i.e. written and unwritten expectations for the job; ideas for fostering good relationships in the workplace; and a concrete plan for personal and professional development over the next ten months.
Units Covered Include:
- Classroom/Program Management
- Administrative Skills
- Expectations at Work
- On-going Professional Development
Course Resources
- Only online resources will be required.
Cost
- Eighty Five ($85.00)
Evaluation
A multiple choice test will be conducted with a required grade of 50% for successful completion.