virtual professional development
NEW!!! Grading in a Pandemic
This fast paced course is designed to assist administrators, coaches and teachers begin to grapple with the many grading issues that have been brought to light through distance and hybrid learning. Based on the most current research from the experts in the assessment field, practical strategies for approaching grading practices will be provided. While this session is intended to support educators during this unprecedented time, the learning and shifts are sound practices that will carry into more equitable grading for all students long term.
The Ed Ex team has been collaborating to develop creative options, pathways and plans for support to districts during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 virus event. Many schools are closed and students are home. We have found ourselves in a situation where teachers and administrators are embarking on new ways of providing instruction and social emotional support to students. We are here to support you with these changes with a combination of coaching and training.
We have developed a series of online learning opportunities to effectively use this rare gift of time to advance the skills of staff while creating instructional tools they will actually use!. Support can be individualized and revised to meet your specific needs. Below is a list of online modules currently available - more coming soon!
Norms Revision
This course is designed to provide leaders with the awareness and skills needed to ensure that teams have effective norms, designed specifically for the individuals that are members of that given team. Leading teams through revising their norms well, will serve to better the dynamics of the team, create conditions where true collaboration can occur as well as increase productivity and morale.
Deconstruction
This course is designed for guided instruction on the deconstruction of standards. By looking at key vocabulary and exploring target type, teams will translate all parts of the priority standards into student friendly learning targets. This crucial process is foundational prior to making instructional decisions or reviewing potential curriculum adoptions. This ensures educators are quality consumers and that selected materials best meet the level of rigor and complexity required to meet the priority standards. This learning will also prepare teams for projection and unit mapping if not already completed.
Unit Mapping
This course is designed to review the steps of the unit mapping process to address common misconceptions and to ensure that maps include deconstructed priority standards with student friendly learning targets, essential questions, enduring understandings, content vocabulary, assessments, and instructional strategies. The teams will then submit their maps for review by an EdEx coach who will provide specific feedback as well as communicate next steps to the teams and administrators.
Pre-Assessment
This course is designed to show participants that pre-assessment can be a powerful tool for gathering actionable information about students, but only if done correctly. Too often these assessments yield results that simply confirm what the teacher predicted – that students don’t know the content YET. This course will explore the shifts in design and use of pre-assessments.
Participants will complete the course with an understanding of changes in assessment best practices as well as specific suggestions for resources to create these types of aligned tasks.
Google Life -
For Teachers
This course is designed to familiarize participants with the tools teams need for collaboration in the Google platform. Teachers will find tips and tricks for organization of artifacts and for the use of shared tools. Common pitfalls and frustrations will be addressed with solutions and hacks to make Google Life more enjoyable and efficient for all!
Google Life -
For Leaders
The design of this course is to explore the ways in which Google can aid with efficiency and help with the monitoring of teams and their artifacts over time. In this session we will explore quick hacks for gaining the info you need, tools to help organize your “Google Life” and ensure that your pathways for accessing team artifacts are efficient and user friendly! A small investment of time now that pays in dividends for years to come.
Monitoring and Feedback -
Deconstruction
This course is designed to support administrators and coaches with systematic monitoring and providing feedback to teams on their standards deconstruction to improve quality prior to making instructional plans or purchasing materials. EdEx will facilitate and support this work using distance support as well as providing meta-feedback. The prerequisite to this course is the deconstruction mini PD course to ensure leaders have the knowledge and skills needed to evaluate and provide appropriate feedback.
Monitoring and Feedback -
Unit Mapping
This course is designed to support administrators and coaches with systematic monitoring and providing feedback to teams on unit maps to improve quality and completion over time. Participants will utilize tools of the trade to allow for efficient use long term, including the school-wide monitoring form and the unit mapping quality checklist. EdEx will facilitate and support this work using distance support as well as providing meta-feedback. The prerequisite to this course is the unit mapping review course to ensure leaders have the knowledge and skills needed to evaluate and provide appropriate feedback.
Best Practice in Hard Times
The design of this course is designed to help educators navigate best practices and considerations needed to support supplemental learning for their students during the unprecedented Covid-19 school closure. Understanding the challenges faced in providing equitable access, the EdEx team will share practical, time saving tips for teachers when faced with the need to gather and assemble printed material for delivery to students across subject areas. With a focus on support and simplicity, teachers will be given access to a checklist of key questions to increase awareness while respecting the constraints of limited planning time.
