Depending on the state where you have your teaching license, professional development is required every year or two to maintain an active status designation on your license.
So what do you do when all or most in-person professional development opportunities have been postponed or canceled? Or maybe just add to your CEU hours?
Take online trainings and professional development courses to get your hours in, of course!
With limited time it can be challenging to find programs that are worthy of your time, and that will give you the hours that you need. Not to worry, I researched for you and gathered 5 online professional development opportunities that might work.
Check out the list below and get those hours in before your teaching certificate expires!
Online Professional Development Opportunities for Teachers
PBS TeacherLine
Find it here: https://www.pbs.org/teacherline/
From self-paced, short courses to more intense 15, 30, and 45-hour facilitated course, PBS TeacherLine has options to fit any teacher’s time constraints and learning needs. Want to include more videos in your instruction? Try a Classroom Video Production self-paced class. Need more ideas for letting your students share their written work online? The Digital Storytelling: Online Tools for Sharing Student Voices self-paced course is a great option. Browse their catalog to find something that works best for you!
edWeb
Find it here: https://home.edweb.net
Featuring educational webinars and classes, edWeb has a variety of courses that address current teaching issues while fulfilling hour requirements. There are free and paid options for learning. Be sure to check that your state accepts the hours from edWeb before investing hours into the webinars. There is a map and information about each state’s acceptance of edWeb’s courses under “CE Certificates” on their site.
Google Certification
Find it here: https://teachercenter.withgoogle.com/certification_level1
Become a Level 1 or Level 2 Google Certified Educator by completing these professional development hours. The courses are designed to help you get a better understanding of how to use Google tools in your classroom. As distance learning will most likely be happening more frequently, it is an excellent option for understanding more about the tools and platform where so many schools are facilitating their lessons. Again, check to make sure that your state accepts the hours from these courses if you are taking them to get a specific number of hours.
Capella University
Find it here: https://www.capella.edu/online-degrees/education-professional-development/
Capella makes it easy to get continuing education credits with their 20 free professional development courses. Topics range from instructional technology to flipping your classroom. The courses can then be applied to a Capella University degree if you want to get your Master’s from them.
Texas Statewide Leadership for Autism Training
Find it here: https://www.txautism.net/
With over 80 different courses to choose from, there is something for every educator. Teachers can earn continuing education credits for the self-paced courses they take. Spanish-speaking educators can also find trainings in Spanish. The best part about these professional development classes? They are all free! If you are not in the state of Texas, it would be a good idea to double-check with your state to make sure the hours are accepted.
What are some of your favorite online professional development websites, courses, or programs? Share them with us in the comments below!
