For educators, career development and continuing education is important to stay up-to-date with your teaching skills and innovations. Instead of spending your summer break on-campus or at a workshop, enroll in an online class from USD. We offers quality courses at affordable rates that make it possible to advance your career.
Some programs are funded externally by non-university partnerships as projects or classes. You may earn college credits for the courses, however, the funding to offer the course is provided by the external source or organization.
If you are interested in offering a course for educators through partnership with USD, please contact us.
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ELED 492/592: Family Engagement
Instructor: Pamela Lange & Morgan VonHaden
Location: Online
Dates: August 26- December 10, 2024
Fee: $120
Credits: 3
Course Description: Family Engagement is key to the success of students, especially your hard to-reach students and families. With over 50 years of research, family and community engagement in education is foundational for child development, student achievement, school improvement, and family and community wellbeing. This class will provide guidance to pre-service educators, practicing educators, educational leaders, and/or administrators through the research and best practices of family engagement.
ELED/ SEED 592: PBL Summer Institute - Intro & Application
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Instructor: Melissa Hittner
Location: Hybrid (Online & Sioux Falls, SD)
Dates: July 29- August 1, 2024
Fee: $80
Credits: 2
Course Description: Participants will plan a project-based learning (PBL) unit utilizing a project snapshot based on the model of PBL used in the Jefferson HS Project Based Learning Academy. The Project Based Learning Academy has worked in conjunction with the New Tech Network and the Buck Institute for Education. Participants will gain an understanding of the fundamental principles and classroom management strategies of a PBL classroom and will work with experienced instructors and students immersed daily in the project-based learning model.
SEED 592: Finding Your Roots: Genetic Literacy for Educators
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Instructor: Louisa Otto
Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Dates: August 6-December 20, 2024
Fee: $80
Credits: 2
Course Description: Secondary education (Middle School) teachers will learn the ins and outs of genetics, genetic technology, epigenetics, and ethics all while learning about their own DNA through a partnership with Living DNA. Teachers will be expected to create an educational tool that aims to increase genetic literacy for students across South Dakota at the end of the course. Teachers will participate in three days of instruction in the PROMISE lab. To finish the remainder of the credit hours, teachers will review lesson plans that are currently on Sanford PROMISE website and implement one of them in their classroom. Data will be collected as to the effectiveness and usability of the lesson plans.
SPED 592: From Law to Learner: Developing Compliant & Student-Centered IEPs
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Instructor: Heidi Aderhold
Location: Online
Dates: September 10 – December 10, 2024
Fee: $40
Credits: 1
Course Description: This course aims to provide training and assistance to South Dakota educators, administrators, other related professionals, and graduate students interested in learning more about the development of an Individualized Education Program (IEP). The IEP provides the foundation for promoting progress for students with disabilities and must contain the essential components outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that must be implemented to ensure Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for each child. The focus of this course will be to help participants better understand the essential components of an IEP and develop a legally sound IEP that meets the individual needs of each student. Dr. Mitchell Yell will be a guest lecturer at each class session. Dr. Mitchell L. Yell, is the Fred and Francis Lester Palmetto Chair of teacher education and a professor in Programs in Special Education at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Yell is a nationally recognized expert in special education law and IEP development. His textbook entitled The Law and Special Education, published by Pearson, is now in its fifth edition. He is the editor and writer of a special issue of Teaching Exceptional Children titled IEPs: Policy and Practice, and co-author of a forthcoming book on developing IEPs. Dr. Yell has published 130 articles and 36 book chapters.
MUS 793: Band Directors' Institute 2024
Instructor: Paul Schilf
Location: University of South Dakota- Warren M. Lee Center for the Fine Arts
Dates: June 26 - 28 (Final project is due July 1, 2024)
Registration fee: $195 - participants may pre-register by June 1, 2024, for a reduced fee of $175
Tuition: $40/credit (In addition to the registration fee)
Credits: 0-3 (1 credit per class)
Course Description: The University of South Dakota’s Band Directors Institute is an intensive program designed to expose music educators to the best in current and standard literature in addition to teaching methods and materials. The three-day institute will include large ensemble reading sessions, master classes and clinic sessions that focus on a wide variety of teaching subjects for band directors. Participants are highly encouraged to pre-register for purposes of instrumentation for the reading bands. Registration for the institute is $195. Pre-registration by June 1 will lower the fee to $175.
Schedule: Sessions will be held daily June 26-28, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Warren M. Lee Center for the Fine Arts. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. on June 26. The seminars conclude on Friday afternoon by 4 p.m., June 28. Graduate credit is available for some sessions.
Housing: Participants have the option of staying on campus or planning their own accommodations during the institute. Participants wishing to stay on campus may stay in airconditioned, single occupancy rooms at a rate of $50.08 per night plus applicable tax, pending Board of Regents approval. These rates do not include bed linens or towels.
Optional Graduate Credit: Participants have the option to earn graduate credit for participation in certain sessions. Payment of tuition ($40 per credit hour) for graduate credit is due on the day of registration. Tuition rates are set by the South Dakota Board of Regents and are subject to change without notice. Selected clinicians and/or USD faculty instruct all sessions.
MUS 793 Classroom Instruction Techniques for the Instrumental Music Teacher - Master classes, clinics, and discussion that focus on teaching materials, rehearsal techniques, and instrumental pedagogy for instrumental music educators. Methods and materials will be available to take back to the classroom.
MUS 793 New and Traditional Music for Bands - Reading sessions will focus on a wide variety of instrumental music for public school bands including concert, marching, and jazz music. The selections will include previous and newly published works at a variety of grade levels appropriate for all levels of bands.
MUS 793 Trends and Developments in Instrumental Music Education - This course provides seminars and panel discussions with veteran master teachers and band music composers. Topics include current topics and issues facing instrumental music educators.
MUS 790: Choral Directors' Institute 2024
Instructor: Don Langlie
Location: University of South Dakota- Warren M. Lee Center for the Fine Arts
Dates: June 26 - 28 (Final project is due July 1, 2024)
Registration fee: $195 - participants may pre-register by June 1, 2024, for a reduced fee of $175
Tuition: $40/credit (In addition to the registration fee)
Credits: 0-3 (1 credit per class)
Course Description: The University of South Dakota’s Choral Directors Institute is an intensive program designed to expose music educators to the best in current and standard literature in addition to teaching methods and materials. The three-day institute will include large ensemble reading sessions, master classes and clinic sessions that focus on a wide variety of teaching subjects for choral directors. Participants are highly encouraged to pre-register to ensure an appropriate number of reading packets are available. Registration for the institute is $195. Pre-registration by June 1 will lower the fee to $175.
Schedule: Sessions will be held daily June 26-28, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Warren M. Lee Center for the Fine Arts. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. on June 26. The seminars conclude on Friday afternoon by 4 p.m., June 28. Graduate credit is available for some sessions.
Housing: Participants have the option of staying on campus or planning their own accommodations during the institute. Participants wishing to stay on campus may stay in airconditioned, single occupancy resident hall rooms at a rate of $50.08 per night plus applicable tax, pending Board of Regents approval. These rates do not include bed linens or towels.
Optional Graduate Credit: Participants have the option to earn graduate credit for participation in certain sessions. Payment of tuition ($40 per credit hour) for graduate credit is due on the day of registration. Tuition rates are set by the South Dakota Board of Regents and are subject to change without notice. Selected clinicians and/or USD faculty instruct all sessions.
MUS 790 Classroom Instruction Techniques for the Choral Music Teacher - Master classes and clinics focusing on teaching materials, techniques and pedagogy for music educators, grades K-12.
MUS 790 Traditional and New Music for Choir - Reading sessions focusing on a wide variety of choral music for public school choirs, grades K-12. Materials will include both standard works and new releases from major publishers.
MUS 790 Trends and Developments in Choral Music Education - Seminars and roundtable discussions to allow the choral director to focus on current trends in the area of choral music education. A written final project is required.