Bay Path’s Strategic Alliances to Offer Professional Development Certificate in Online Learning
Longmeadow, MA— As school districts throughout the country grapple with determining how and where to educate students this fall, Strategic Alliances, the division of professional development at Bay Path University, is offering an online certification course to help educators address the challenges of remote learning and develop teaching techniques geared specifically for virtual instruction.
When a recent survey conducted by the RAND Corporation asked teachers what they needed from their schools and districts, the top response was “strategies to keep students engaged and motivated to learn remotely,” with nearly half of respondents describing this as a major need.
“We’ve heard from teachers, principals and parents that students and their teachers found the learning curve for online instruction incredibly steep,” says Caron Hobin, Vice President of Strategic Alliances. “As we all work on finding safe solutions that don’t sacrifice children’s education or staff members’ health, this course will give educators some useful tools for enhancing the virtual classroom experience for a wide range of learners.”
Starting August 3, the 25-hour certification course will be offered online through Strategic Alliances, in partnership with the National Institute of Online Learning. Self-paced virtual instruction will be supplemented by a facilitator-led discussion board and a social online community. The course is delivered in five sections, covering technology, accessibility and integrating best practices for learning and teaching into an online environment. An “Ask the Expert” feature allows participants to submit questions directly to an expert in the field. The cost of the course is $399 per learner or $999 for three learners. Teachers can receive 2.2 CEU’s (22 contact hours) and will have access to the course material for 365 days.
“This is a relatively low cost, accessible and efficient way for districts to help teachers, parents, and ultimately students navigate the demands of learning during Covid,” states Hobin. “With September rapidly approaching, we’re glad we can offer it.”
About Bay Path University
Bay Path University was founded in 1897. With locations in Longmeadow (main), East Longmeadow (Philip H. Ryan Health Science Center), Springfield (MA), Sturbridge (MA), and Concord (MA), Bay Path’s innovative program offerings include traditional undergraduate degrees for women, The American Women’s College on-ground and online, the first all-women, all-online accredited bachelor’s degree programs in the country; over 30 graduate programs for women and men, including doctoral degrees; and Strategic Alliances, offering professional development courses for individuals and organizations. Bay Path’s goal is to give students confidence in the fundamentals of their chosen field, the curiosity to question the ordinary, the leadership to show initiative, and the desire to make a difference.