Louisiana Tech University today announced the launch of four new online graduate courses designed to support current educators teaching in the online learning environment across the state of Louisiana. Created in partnership with Discovery Education, the global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms, the four courses will lead to a graduate certificate in online teaching and learning and also apply toward a master’s degree.

The four courses that will comprise this graduate certificate are:

• Digital Teaching in the Online Environment
• Leveraging Technology in Assessment of Student Learning
• Designing Remote Learning
• Technology Integration Coaching

The first of the four courses, Digital Teaching in the Online Environment, will be offered during the winter quarter. This course provides a toolbox of strategies that novice and veteran teachers can implement right away in their online classrooms. Engaging learners and diversifying instruction, promoting digital citizenship, creating practical, purposeful assessments, and effectively building online communities are among the primary themes in this course. Learners can expect to gain an improved comfort level and ability in effective online teaching to promote student achievement and position learners for success.  

The second course, Leveraging Technology in Assessment of Student Learning, allows teachers to dive into formative and summative assessment strategies grounded in best practices and maximize the use of technology tools and digital content to provide high-quality data to monitor learning.

Given so many educators are now teaching online, the Designing Remote Learning course was created to provide educators with clear strategies to design high-quality online learning experiences that are valuable to learners of all levels. Students will learn how to apply accessibility and usability standards and use digital pedagogy to ensure students have an authentic and meaningful learning experience.  

Another course in the series is entitled Technology Integration Coaching. Through this course, educators investigate the basic tenants of instructional coaching and delve into new strategies for improving their digital literacy and practical application of technology within the online or in-class learning environment. A central tenet of this course is how coaches can support other educators to feel confident in teaching online.

For more information about these courses or to register, visit education.latech.edu/discovery-education/.

“Discovery Education’s success in providing high-quality resources and services for K-12 science, math, and technology subject areas makes for an impactful partnership with Louisiana Tech’s own leading STEM-education program,” said Dustin Hebert, Chair of the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Leadership at Louisiana Tech. “Together, we are poised to provide top-tier STEM curricular resources and pedagogical tools that will foster students’ 21st Century skills in STEM and online learning while also creating opportunities for teachers to advance their careers through graduate study.”

To help support K-12 educators implement evidence-based, high-yield instructional strategies, improve student achievement, and propel their careers forward, Discovery Education has collaborated with institutes of higher learning for over a decade. These collaborations have created immersive online graduate-level coursework delivered through advanced degree programs that help K-12 educators develop their instructional practice and further their careers.

“We are enthusiastic about this collaboration with Discovery Education, a global leader in standards-based digital curriculum, and the positive impact it will have on K-12 educators and the students they serve throughout Louisiana,” said Don Schillinger, Dean of the College of Education at Louisiana Tech. “The partnership serves as an accelerant to achieving the College of Education’s goal of delivering and supporting innovative remote and digital instruction to all learners across the state.”

Louisiana Tech University is the latest institution of higher education to join Discovery Education’s Impact Network.  Each member of the Impact Network offers working educators online access to Discovery Education‘s high-quality graduate-level professional learning content. Other institutions offering Discovery Education affiliated programs include Buena Vista, Lehigh University, University of Findlay, Northern Vermont University, and Wilkes University.

“Discovery Education is excited to welcome Louisiana Tech University to its robust network of institutions of higher education,” said Susanne Thompson, Discovery Education’s Managing Director,  University Partnerships. “The students participating in Louisiana Tech’s online graduate-level courses will join a powerful cadre of educators working to create high-quality learning experiences while maintaining continuity of learning amidst the challenges of shifting to a partial or fully online learning environment.”

For more information about Discovery Education’s digital resources and professional learning services, visit discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Twitter and LinkedIn.