Programs

Professional Development

The College of Education provides resources to support the professional development of K-12 teachers, online instructors, and university instructors.

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Inspire. Engage. Teach.

  • Distinguish yourself in the education industry with a superior credential from an institution with global recognition and impact.
  • Learn tools & highly relevant techniques for successfully implementing into industry standards.
  • Advance and network with an experienced and motivated peer group for mutual support, team exercises, and enhanced learning.

Online professional development courses

A variety of topics for learners to choose to enhance their knowledge and skillset. A certificate of completion will be awarded for those who successfully complete the online course requirements.

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Academic Programs

We recognize that graduate school is an investment of both time and money. Therefore, we work to stay value priced as a university helping students get the most out of their dollar. Our programs are consistently ranked among the “best value” colleges, providing a notable return on investment (ROI) for graduates. The College of Education offers a variety of online and hybrid courses, graduate certificates, masters, PhD, and licensure programs.

Professional Development Online Courses

For those successfully completing the requirements of online courses, a certificate of completion notating professional development hours will be awarded. Courses are developed and/or endorsed by Purdue faculty. The courses can be completed 100% online and at your own pace.

Cost: Free

Ackerman Center 6th Grade Civics Course

Civics is more than learning history and government—it requires putting that understanding into ACTION as engaged citizens. Resources from the Center for Civic Education, enhanced by Indiana specific and differentiated support materials created by the Ackerman Center, create a menu of options for designing YOUR 6th grade Civics Course.
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Cost: $35

Best Practices for E-learning Days

This online course will aid teachers in designing an e-learning day management plan, identifying best practices, and creating e-learning days expectations and procedures. The exercises will help you design a template for use in different content areas and give students an introduction to online tools that can aid in successful implementation of e-learning days.
  • Introduction video- The video will highlight innovative tools that educators have found to be useful for facilitating eLearning
  • Case study- Participants will be asked to read a case study outlining a specific e-learning day. They will be asked to consider how specific tools could be useful to facilitate the planned content.
  • Digital job aid- Participants will create a document that includes specific classes of tools and how they might be used to plan, facilitate, and evaluate e-learning days.
A certificate of completion awarding 10 professional development hours is available upon completion of the course.
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Cost: $250

Developing Student Strengths

The Developing Student Strengths and Talents: Professional Development by GER2I online course contains ten total units:
  • Unit 1: Nature and Needs of Gifted, Creative, and Talented Children and Youth
  • Unit 2: Developing Talents in Underserved Populations
  • Unit 3: Curriculum Compacting
  • Unit 4: Schoolwide Enrichment Model-Reading
  • Unit 5: Inquiry and Reflective Practice
  • Unit 6: Differentiation in Language Arts and Mathematics
  • Unit 7: Student Focused Differentiation
  • Unit 8: Total School Cluster Grouping (TSCG)
  • Unit 9: Making Sense of Gifted Kids, and Helping Them Make Sense of Themselves
  • Unit 10: Assuring Challenge for All through Response to Intervention
A certificate of completion is available upon completion of each unit awarding 10 professional development hours.
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Cost: $35

K-12 Co-Curricular Career Education

Through this online professional learning opportunity, you will explore three learning modules related to career navigation. Learn about career clusters in agriculture and consumer and family sciences. Completion of this online course will address the Professional Growth Points (PGP) requirements of HEA 1002. Teachers will also walk away with sample lesson plans practical for using in the classroom. A certificate of completion awarding 15 professional development hours is available upon completion of the course. 15 Professional Development Hours
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Cost: $500

Prequalified Structures for the Stage

Purdue’s 5-week, 100% online Prequalified Structures for the Stage course, offered by Purdue’s Fusion Studio for Entertainment and Engineering, teaches learners to understand the engineering principles that make typical platform and staging construction practices safe. Taught by an expert in theater engineering and production management with decades of related experience, this course provides an accessible, non-math-based approach for understanding how various stage structures work – and the engineering principles that make them effective. Learners don’t need a background in math or engineering to enroll. Upon completion of the course, students will understand how to safely apply prequalified construction and be able to:
  • Describe the structural principles that guide typical construction techniques ensuring safe staging.
  • Inspect shop-built and off-the-shelf platforms and staging for safety.
  • Understand structural considerations in theater set construction, including loads on platforms, framing, legs and supports, pre-manufactured platforming, and working with materials like sheet goods, stick lumber and stress-skinned panels.
  • Interpret how to apply traditional construction techniques to non-traditional staging requirements.
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Cost: Free

Purdue Online Repository for Teaching and Learning 2 (PoRTAL 2)

PoRTAL 2 is an open educational resource site incorporating evidence-based practices developed by partners from across Purdue’s campus and beyond. Module topics were determined based on instructors’ feedback on their challenges when teaching online. All resources are also reviewed by content experts. Initially, PoRTAL started as a course for graduate students to provide them with teaching strategies, assessment examples, and procedures that could help them transition to their first academic jobs. Over time PoRTAL has become a resource for other audiences – including higher education faculty/instructors, K-12 teachers, informal educators/trainers, and instructional designers. These learning modules have been designed as self-paced learning opportunities. Additionally, each module is independent, meaning you can pick and choose which modules are of interest to you, and there is not a particular order that you need to follow to complete the modules that you choose. All modules include learning objectives, an interactive Articulate Storyline presentation and/or video, a knowledge check, an application activity, and resources/references/tools related to the module. In the case of larger learning modules (e.g., Module 4: Universal Design for Learning), you will see subsections with the same structure. All modules are self-paced. You are encouraged to work through the modules at your own pace. Nothing is required of you unless you wish to receive credit for completion (e.g., professional growth plan points). Up to 23 Professional Development Hours (processing fee)
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Cost: $40

Teaching English Language Learners (ELLs)

The four modules in this short course provide a basic introduction to the foundations of teaching English language learners for pre-service and in-service teachers, including mainstream PK-12 teachers, English as a second language (ESL), English as a foreign language (EFL), English as a new language (ENL), English as an Additional Language (EAL), and bilingual education teachers. Teachers of world languages will also find the content applicable. These modules cover what teachers need to know about language, developing communicative competence, second language acquisition theories, teaching methods and approaches, oral language and literacy development, and assessment. A certificate of completion awarding 7 professional development hours is available upon completion of the course. 7 Professional Development Hours
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Cost: Free

Teaching Hands-On Math – Linear Equations

This online professional development course gives Algebra I math teachers the opportunity to learn how to combine hands-on math lab activities with a 5E based lesson plan. The 5E lesson planning framework was introduced by Dr. Rodger Bybee in 1987, as a method to design science lessons in an engaging manner, using a logical progression of student inquiry. To help you see this type of lesson in action, the course will offer you a look at one being done in a classroom with students. Participants will have an opportunity to share insights with other educators and also gain access to a repository of similarly designed activities. A certificate of completion awarding two professional development hours is available upon completion of the course. 2 Professional Development Hours
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Cost: $35

Understanding Grief of Children and Adolescents

Grief and bereavement are such unique experiences and unique to each individual. This course is designed to help those that work with children and parents help youth understand death and the morning process. The objectives of the course are:
  • Objective #1: Identify ways to discuss death with children.
  • Objective #2: Differentiate between Bereavement, Grief, and Mourning
  • Objective #3: Compare Mourning Theories
A certificate of completion awarding 5 professional development hours is available upon completion of the course.
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Cost: $50*

Youth in Crisis: Suicide Prevention

As of July 1, 2013, all individuals applying for an initial teaching license (includes instructional, student services and administrative licenses) are required to show evidence of successfully completing education and training on the prevention of child suicide and the recognition of signs that a student may be considering suicide. A certificate of completion is available upon completion of the course. *$50 for non-Purdue students and staff
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American Sign Language

Purdue’s online ASL courses teach students about ASL by covering five areas: Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Community.

There are single course options as well as two certificates that bundle the courses for a reduced rate.

For an enriching and comprehensive experience, it is highly recommended that students consider enrolling in the full certificate Foundations of ASL and Deaf Culture, which includes American Sign Language 1, American Sign Language 2, and American Deaf Community.

This professional development certificate is offered by the College of Liberal Arts, School of Languages and Culture. This course does not qualify for academic credit.

Cost: $500

American Sign Language 1

ASL 1 is a basic introduction course to American Sign Language (ASL). This course introduces students to the tools for mastering grammar at a basic expressive and receptive level. Introduction to cultural and historical aspects of ASL and the Deaf community is also included. 45 Professional Development Hours
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Cost: $500

American Sign Language 2

This course is designed to build on and apply ASL conversational skills and cultural behaviors acquired from ASL 1 to a functional level that includes new expanded conversational and narrative skills. The course incorporates interactive activities, which will encourage a natural language environment using the target language, American Sign Language by giving students situations, which allow them to concentrate on the purpose rather than the mechanics of the conversation. 45 Professional Development Hours
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Cost: $350

American Deaf Community

This self-paced course is designed to introduce students to American Deaf culture and components of the American Deaf community including history, norms, rules of social interactions, values, traditions, and dynamics during the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. Educational, social, and political factors unique to the Deaf community will be explored, as well as community organizations, impact of technology, and emerging issues/trends. **Note: This class is open to everyone, regardless of ability to use ASL. 45 Professional Development Hours
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Disclaimer: The American Sign Language (ASL) professional development certificate programs offered through Purdue University are designed for educational purposes only. Completion of these programs does not result in sign language interpreter certification, nor do they serve as a certification pathway for becoming a licensed ASL interpreter. Individuals seeking interpreter certification should refer to the requirements set by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) or other relevant credentialing organizations.

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