Virtual Learning

Gifted Endorsement

The Gifted Endorsement is designed to increase the level of knowledge, expertise, and understanding of educators working with students who are gifted. The endorsement is intended to raise the awareness of the unique characteristics, emotional/social needs, and other challenges and issues associated with students who are gifted. It is designed to foster an understanding of historical state and national trends, policies, and guidelines in order to ensure implementation of appropriate academic curriculum, differentiation strategies, educational intervention, and support for this diverse population.

Curriculum and Instructional Strategies for Teaching Gifted Students

This 60-hour course provides an analysis of curriculum modifications for gifted learners based on the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) Standards for Graduate Programs in Gifted Education. Participants will be able to demonstrate adaptations in the content, process, product, affect, and learning environment of the classroom and curricula as they relate to gifted learners. Course participants will design units of instruction that are powerful, aligned, engaging, authentic, and challenging. Participants will be able to demonstrate modifications in the content, process, product, affect, and learning environment of the classroom and curricula as they relate to gifted learners.

Guidance and Counseling for Gifted Students

This 60-hour course includes participation in instructional activities, research, and extended learning outside of the classroom. This course provides an overview of the theory, research, practical strategies, and resources on guidance and counseling, with an emphasis on classroom applications in the gifted classroom. Participants will understand holistic developmental characteristics of gifted children, will be able to identify risk factors related to gifted students, and will be to support social skills, career exploration, and leadership development of gifted students.

Education of Special Populations of Gifted Students

Gifted: Theory and Development of Creativity

This 60-hour course includes participation in instructional activities, research, and extended learning outside of the classroom. A variety of learning activities is included. Participants will develop an awareness of valuing creativity, clarifying creativity, understanding the elements of creativity, cultural conceptions of creativity, and assessing creativity. They will also learn how to foster a creative learning environment, nurture, and develop creativity, identify goals, and use evaluation procedures.

Autism Spectrum Disorder Endorsement

The Autism Spectrum Disorder Endorsement Program is designed to increase the level of knowledge, expertise, and understanding of educators working with K-12 students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The endorsement is intended to raise the awareness of the unique characteristics, emotional/social needs, and other challenges and issues related to students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and its range of pervasive developmental disorders that adversely affect functioning and result in the need for specially designed instruction and related services. It is designed to foster an understanding of policies and guidelines to ensure implementation of appropriate curriculum, differentiation, strategies, educational intervention, and support for this diverse population.

The purpose of the Autism Spectrum Disorder Endorsement Program is to provide an alternative training program to reduce the number of out-of-field teachers in the area of K-12 students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and to develop a pool of qualified and fully endorsed teachers with this specialized focus. The option of completing the Autism Spectrum Disorder Endorsement Program is available for teachers in lieu of taking online courses made available through limited university options.

The add-on endorsement is designed for teachers who currently hold a bachelor’s or higher degree with certification in any exceptional student education area.

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