Students who work together learn from one another. This is why group work is considered a best practice in any classroom. But how can we effectively facilitate group work in remote and hybrid learning environments? In this course, we will explore how to implement collaborative group work through five phases: brainstorm, ideation, creation, improvement, and presentation, and how they can be integrated into the non-traditional classroom.

With technological revolutions over the past 50 years, people are able to easily access the internet, use different types of devices and connect digitally. We can talk, chat, video call, share, create and innovate all while being in different places. What allows us to be able to share our work or connect with loved ones? It’s called the cloud. In this course, we will explore what the cloud is and how we can use different types of Google applications that utilize the cloud. In addition, determine how to adapt your practices to be able to learn and work effectively, using Google Workspace and the cloud.

Virtual instruction is a highly adaptable form of instruction that can supplement, extend and substitute instruction in the physical classroom. While still a powerful tool for adaptation and flexibility, virtual instruction brings with it a series of considerations and potential areas of challenge for educators and learners alike. In this course, participants will explore and anticipate areas of potential challenge for ELLs in the virtual classroom before examining strategies for effectively supporting and engaging ELL students in virtual instruction.

Assessment is an integral part of teaching students. Traditionally, assessments were administered using paper and pencil. Google Forms and Google Classroom have allowed teachers to move assessments into the cloud. In addition to being accessible from any learning environment, there are features that help teachers streamline the grading process. Learn how to set up self-grading questions, and provide immediate feedback that helps learners review or extend their learning based on their answers, as well as how to deploy quizzes from Google Classroom.

Culturally Responsive Education is a kind of forward-thinking pedagogy that allows for the intentional inclusion of students from underrepresented groups and helps all students feel valued and included; this is accomplished by following specifically outlined methods of teaching, combined with high expectations for students. Teachers who are successful in this approach are those who put in concerted efforts to get to know, learn from, and engage with students and families who are culturally and often linguistically different from the teachers. To set the stage for this to happen, it is imperative that teachers do their own introspective reflection work to discover areas of growth that, once strengthened, can help them truly teach this way. This course will help participants understand how to approach this introspective process, providing a structure for reflection that will help in designing culturally responsive educational experiences.