Inclusive Teaching and Learning Professional Development Courses

A new collaborative project between Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, and Michigan Virtual is providing online modules to educators to address the topic of inclusive teaching and learning.

Our state and nation continue to struggle with the need to address issues of racism, systems of oppression, equality for all regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or background, and individual bias. 

In addition, Michigan teachers, administrators, and support staff are facing many new challenges as schools strive to serve all student populations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

That’s why Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, and Michigan Virtual have teamed up to provide online modules addressing these issues.

By utilizing GEER funding, these online modules are made available at no cost.

The series of fourteen modules will identify the latest research and best practices for serving a variety of special populations in face-to-face and remote settings, as well as cover several important topics designed to promote inclusive teaching and learning, including SEL and trauma-informed education.  

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Wondering where to start?

Michigan Virtual is proud to offer a personalized list of recommendations, based on your knowledge and experience with CASEL’s social and emotional learning competencies. Select the button below to take a quick self-assessment to get your customized course recommendations.

Inclusive Teaching and Learning in COVID-19 Courses

Micro-learning options are available for the following courses:

Free

Anti-Racist Trauma-Informed Practice in Pre K-12 Education

Courses marked as free are created for use by Michigan educators. Over half of all U.S. children have experienced trauma in their lives. Educators are often affected by this trauma as well as they help students meet the challenges they face. This course will inform you about anti-racist, trauma-informed education while helping you become more…

Free

Inquiry Based Learning in Secondary Mathematics Education

Courses marked as free are created for use by Michigan educators. Does the way we currently present mathematics in our classrooms ignore real-life variables when solving problems? Does it encourage natural curiosity from our students? In this practice-based course, you will reflect on some drawbacks to the current way mathematics is taught to secondary students…

Free

Anti-Racism and Social Justice Teaching and Leadership

Courses marked as free are created for use by Michigan educators. Having an anti-racist and social justice-oriented stance toward education puts students first and prioritizes equity among all learners from all backgrounds. In this course, you will become more aware of and hopefully comfortable with anti-racist and social-justice-oriented strategies through a series of scenarios that…

Free

Social Intervention for Elementary Students with ASD

Courses marked as free are created for use by Michigan educators. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects one out of 54 children by eight years old. In the school context, students with ASD often require intervention to increase social skills and improve anxiety, attention, oppositional behavior, etc. One evidence-based intervention program called schoolMAX — developed by…

Free

Inquiry-Based Learning in Secondary Science Education

Courses marked as free are created for use by Michigan educators. Inquiry-based learning follows a natural progression of problem-solving that allows students to make their own discoveries and conceptualize ideas within their own environment. This hands-on course examines what inquiry-based learning is within secondary science education as well as space/place based learning, and how and…

Free

Equity in Online Learning for Multilingual Students

Courses marked as free are created for use by Michigan educators. Multilingual learners bring a wealth of knowledge and experiences to the classroom that can be honed to advance language acquisition and benefit your other students as well. This course demonstrates how K-12 general education teachers can support emergent bilingual or multilingual English learners in…

Free

How can PBL Help Elementary Students “Figure Out” Science?

Courses marked as free are created for use by Michigan educators. Whether you are teaching in the classroom or remotely using virtual instruction, Project-Based Learning (PBL) can support students in developing lasting scientific understanding of real-world phenomena. In this course, you will experience the tenets of PBL for elementary students through examples, videos, and discussions….

Free

How can PBL Help Secondary Students “Figure Out” Science?

Courses marked as free are created for use by Michigan educators. Project-Based Learning (PBL) is an evidence-centered instructional approach that is rooted in extensive research and can help your students grapple with big ideas in science. In this interactive course, you will reflect upon and discuss how PBL can shift science instruction for secondary students,…

Free

Family-School Partnerships for Students with Disabilities

Courses marked as free are created for use by Michigan educators. You will learn about the six key dimensions that involve parent involvement that will strengthen student success. You will be able to reflect and think of experiences you’ve encountered and how you managed that experience. You will engage in learning about relational and structural…

Free

Teaching Transitioning Skills to Students with Disabilities

Courses marked as free are created for use by Michigan educators. Teaching students with disabilities how to navigate outside of school from one place to another can help the student thrive and practice safety skills for themselves. During this course, you will identify ways to assess students’ current skills, identify what skills to teach, and…

*Micro-learning options are also available for the following courses.

Free

Social-Emotional Learning: Equity Elaborations

Courses marked as free are created for use by Michigan educators. Please note: The microlearning experience is being hosted by Arist where an account creation will be required. The rise in awareness surrounding social injustice in our country has brought with it the need to incorporate cultural responsiveness and whole child approaches into social emotional…

Free

Social-Emotional Learning: Integrating SEL within MTSS

Courses marked as free are created for use by Michigan educators. Please note: The microlearning experience is being hosted by Arist where an account creation will be required. It can be overwhelming for administrators and educators to know which initiatives to focus on and how to implement them in schools and classrooms. In this course,…

Free

Social-Emotional Learning: Adult SEL and Self-Care

Courses marked as free are created for use by Michigan educators. Please note: The microlearning experience is being hosted by Arist where an account creation will be required. The challenges of current events on top of the typical stress surrounding learning environments can impact not only students but adults and educators as well. In this…

Free

Social-Emotional Learning: Assessment Mechanisms

Courses marked as free are created for use by Michigan educators. As SEL becomes more widely implemented, the need to assess its impact grows. In this course, you will learn about the ways to assess your own SEL practices as an educator along with those of your students. You will also have the opportunity to…

Integrating SEL into an MTSS Framework Micro-Credential

You will be taken to Wondercert to create an account.

The modules will be available online at no cost to Michigan school personnel in a non-facilitated format. State Continuing Education Credits will be awarded upon successful completion of modules. To address sustainability concerns, each project partner may also offer additional fee-based delivery options for the professional development modules that include facilitation, coaching, technical assistance, or other support services not covered by grant funds. Please note that as of December 20, 2021, learners who have enrolled in a course provided by the GEER grant may be contacted about participating in program evaluation to better understand the needs of our learners.