& Student Handbook - Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

48 Graduate Continuing Education
Graduate Continuing Education Programs
The Professional Development Initiatives for Educators (PDI) program
at Saint Mary’s University believes that professional development
programs should have a results-driven approach, where teachers and
their students demonstrate the outcomes of professional development
initiatives. Guided by best practice, responsiveness, and relevancy, the
Professional Development Initiatives for Educators program provides
graduate-level professional development courses and programs for K-12
educators.
The PDI program designs, delivers, and supports professional
development courses and programs through the Graduate Professional
Development for Educators (GPDE) program each semester. Courses in
the GPDE program are offered for practicing educators and master’s
level degree-seeking students. The PDI program also collaborates with
schools and/or districts in developing frameworks for transformative
professional development. Such programs should stimulate and support
site-based and teacher-generated professional learning meant to
improve and transform practice. The PDI program collaborates with
affiliate programs for the delivery of relevant professional development
courses to support practicing teachers.
Professional programs that are grounded in knowledge about teaching
and learning and demonstrate respect for teachers as professionals and
adult learners are central to the Professional Development Initiatives
program at Saint Mary’s University. Above all, Saint Mary’s University
believes teachers need to embed their learning in their teaching and
become teachers as inquirers, collaborators, and leaders.
Aligning with the mission of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, the
Professional Development Initiatives program provides relevant and
rigorous academic experiences for adult learners through an integration
of practical, professional, and ethical education offered in dynamic and
caring environments as part of the Schools of Graduate and
Professional Programs. Such initiatives promote individual growth and
organizational development.
Program Outcomes
Congruent with what research on professional development reports, the
Professional Development Initiatives for K-12 Educators program has
identified the following outcomes for professional development learning
opportunities it supports. The Professional Development Initiatives
program invites and challenges teachers to:
1. Engage in collegial learning that reflects the values of a professional
learning community where they learn from and with one another.
2. Follow an inquiry-based model that connects their professional
development needs to their classrooms.
3. Participate in inquiry that deepens their understanding of teaching
and learning in a meaningful, complex, and sustainable manner.
4. Engage in ongoing reflection and dialogue to develop and
demonstrate understanding about their practice.
5. Connect their learning to their curriculum by deepening their
understanding of their subject matter.
6. Connect professional practice to educational research and standards
for learning and content areas (as appropriate to focus of the
professional development).
7. Apply their learning to their teaching, site-based, and district
initiatives.
8. Engage in assessment of learning prior to, throughout, and after the
professional learning experience.
9. Document evidence of their understanding in an ongoing way.
10. Document the impact their learning has on their students'
achievement.
11. Share their learning with other educators.
PDI Programs
Graduate Professional Development Courses
The Graduate Professional Development for Educators (GPDE) program
at Saint Mary’s University offers professional development courses each
semester for educators who are seeking to advance their understanding
of best practices and research. The GPDE program structures its
courses so that educators directly apply their learning to their teaching
and focus their understanding on student achievement in K-12
classrooms.
The GPDE program provides core and general elective courses for the
Master of Arts in Education and the Master of Education in Teaching and
Learning programs at Saint Mary's University. Participants in the master
degree programs in education need to consult with their program director
as to the transferability of the GPDE courses. The GPDE courses are
also open to educators seeking license renewal credits and/or the
knowledge and skills to enhance their teaching.
School Based Initiatives
The PDI program serves the professional development needs of
teachers and schools as schools move toward more school/district
initiated professional learning. The PDI program responds to and
supports the professional development needs of teachers and schools
by offering graduate credit for site-based initiatives, customizing credit
options to support district initiatives, and/or tailoring Saint Mary’s
University courses and/or programs to meet the needs of educators.
Best Practices Academy
The Best Practices Academy (BPA) designs and delivers professional
development seminars to empower educators and promote leadership.
Practicing educators explore best practices and research-based
strategies by interacting with and applying the strategies to their
classroom and school communities. Seminars can also be developed
and/or customized for school or district-based professional learning
initiatives.