Free online courses for Michigan teachers support inclusive teaching and learning practices in remote and hybrid classrooms
The University of Michigan School of Education, in partnership with Michigan State University and Michigan Virtual, offers a new suite of free online courses focused on inclusive teaching and learning. These new offerings—made possible through funding from the Governor's Emergency Education Relief Fund—seek to address the urgent needs of Michigan teachers, administrators, and staff by providing training on research-based practices and strategies through convenient modules.
Led by the School of Education's Center for Education Design, Evaluation, and Research, these courses were developed collaboratively by U-M faculty and local K-12 teachers with the aim of understanding and advancing equity in remote and hybrid learning settings arising from COVID-19. “Our approach in these modules is to focus on practices and habits of mind that educators can use to disrupt the inequities that have intensified since the emergence of COVID-19,” said Elizabeth Moje, dean of the University of Michigan School of Education. “Guided by the urgent needs expressed by fellow educators, we go beyond typical PD offerings to provide resources for creating inclusive learning experiences, whether the classroom environment is virtual, hybrid, or in person.”
U-M School of Education course offerings include:
- Anti-Racist Trauma-Informed Practice in PreK-12 Education: Explore educational responses to trauma and harm that center anti-racism, healing justice, restorative practices, and collective care.
- Equity in Online Learning for Multilingual Students: Explore how to create equitable and supportive learning experiences for K-12 multilingual students in virtual and hybrid environments.
- Inquiry-Based Learning in Secondary Mathematics Education: Explore inquiry-based learning and place-based learning in secondary mathematics.
- Inquiry-Based Learning in Secondary Science Education: Explore inquiry-based and local space/place-based learning, data, and data literacy in secondary science education.
Each online course consists of 8-10 hours of asynchronous learning for teachers. Participation is free and continuing education credits (called SCECHs) are awarded to Michigan educators. These courses are available to teachers statewide through Michigan Virtual’s online platform.
In addition to the courses developed by the U-M School of Education the full suite of online offerings includes topics presented by Michigan State University and Michigan Virtual:
- Anti-Racism and Social Justice Teaching and Leadership
- Teaching Transition Skills to Students with Disabilities
- Intensive Social Intervention for Elementary School Students with ASD
- Promoting Success for Students with Disabilities through Family-School Partnerships
- How can Project-Based Learning Support Elementary School Students in “Figuring Out” Science?
- How can Project-Based Learning Support Secondary Students in “Figuring Out” Science?
- Social Emotional Learning: Equity Elaborations
- Social Emotional Learning: Assessment Mechanisms
- Social Emotional Learning: Adult SEL and Self-Care
- Social Emotional Learning: Integrating SEL with MTSS
