Special Registration Spring MASL Conference: Pre-Conference Sesssion:
Information, Communications Technology, and Media Literacy: The new GLE’s and CLE's
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

These standards will replace the former Information Literacy strand in Communication Arts and will apply to all content areas. Our students live in an environment of rapid technological change and proliferating information resources. The standards are intended to assist schools as they prepare Missouri students for life in the 21st century. Because ICTM is common to all disciplines, to all learning environments, and to all levels of education, it has been proposed that this document become a separate content area, rather than remain a part of the Communication Arts content..learn more about this course

Differentiating Instruction: Empowering All Learners (everyone)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

This course provides teachers a structured framework and strategies from which to teach a diverse group of learners in a single classroom. Implementing Differentiated Instruction transforms a teacher into a facilitator of learning – guiding students as they explore and master the curriculum using their unique learning styles and strengths individually and collaboratively. learn more about this course

Best Practices for Vocabulary Instruction in the Middle School Classroom (middle)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

This course will expand participants’ understanding of vocabulary development and instructional techniques that are effective in helping students in grades six through eight expand their vocabularies. Participants will learn how to assess students’ vocabulary knowledge and select words from a text that are most useful for instruction, including those with high-frequency Greek and Latin word parts. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to... learn more about this course

Teaching Writing in the Elementary Classroom (elementary) NEW
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

All students have the capacity to be good writers and writers learn to write by writing. These are basic tenets of this course during which participants will learn instructional strategies to teach students in the upper elementary grades how to write narrative and informational text. Participants will explore how to teach their students about the traits of good writing through mini-lessons and writing conferences and how to ... learn more about this course

Rethinking Lesson Planning Using Backward Design (everyone)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

Enriching and improving the daily classroom curriculum may be accomplished by rethinking how instruction is developed. The use of Backward Design allows teachers to begin with the "end in mind". By examining the desired results first (goals), then determining acceptable evidence (informal and formal assessment), and finally planning appropriate learning experiences and instruction to meet those goals,teachers can effectively plan and deliver instruction. learn more about this course

Promoting Reading Comprehension Skills in the Elementary Classroom (elementary)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

Research on reading comprehension has demonstrated that readers differ in how they approach reading and the meaning they construct from text. Researchers have found that good readers use specific strategies to comprehend text, and those instructional programs that explicitly teach these strategies have been successful in improving students’ comprehension. In this course, participants will examine teaching practices that help students in grades three through five develop concrete strategies for constructing meaning from both narrative and expository text. The goal for strategy instruction is to prepare students to become active and purposeful readers who think about their text before, during and after reading. Participants will also explore instructional procedures that help students learn how to coordinate key comprehension strategies. learn more about this course

Personal Finance (high school) Free Course!
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

In this course participants will learn strategies for teaching Personal Finance to students.Topics covered in this course are income, money management, spending and credit, saving and investing and the principles of backward design. Participants will design a lesson and outline the scope and sequence for thier own personal finance course for students. learn more about this course

Full scholarships are available to everyone and $100 stipends are available for successful completion of this course for teachers of personal finance in some schools through our Bank of America scholarships.

Water 9-1-1: Inquiry in the Science Classroom(all) NEW
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

This course explores the challenges communities are facing in maintaining water and wastewater infrastructure. Participants will develop an insight into these challenges and potential consequences to public health and other social costs if and when these infrastructures fail. In many communities immediate attention and spending needs to be dedicated to these challenges so water will flow from the faucet and waste water will go down the drain. Participants will be involved in defining the problems and determining solutions within their own communities and then encouraged to share these challenges with their students in inquiry based units.
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Advanced Web 2.0 Tools (elementary) NEW
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

By definition, “Web 2.0” refers to the second generation of web development and web design that facilitates information sharing and collaboration on the World Wide Web. This course will focus on different categories of web 2.0 tools such as visualization, creativity, research, communication and presentation. In addition, digital citizenship will be explored.
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Getting Started in the School Library Profession (new library media specialists)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

The responsibilities associated with running a successful library media program can seem overwhelming to new library media specialists. This course provides a structure for the new LMS to explore the many facets of librarianship. Each participant will begin developing a library media program that will best meet the needs of his or her learning community. Participants will learn about the foundations of librarianship, the administration of the school library media program, the services typically offered by school library media centers, technology topics, and educational topics..learn more about this course

Classroom Assessment Enhanced by Technology (everyone)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

Effective assessment is a key element for student achievement in K-12 classrooms. Assessment is also an ongoing process, requiring multiple methods to ensure that teachers gather accurate information that meets the needs of all students. In this course, participants will explore principles of classroom assessment and a range of assessment methods supported by technology. Participants will review formative and performance assessment, backwards design, and various methods including quizzes, rubrics, and electronic portfolios. By the end of the course, participants will design new assessments to use with their curriculum. learn more about this course