The Center for Schools & Communities augments its statewide and regional professional development and organizational capacity-building events by also offering live, online sessions to schools and community service providers.
Using an online tool that provides a highly interactive, user-friendly classroom environment, the Center is able to to bring state and national experts and research information to the field in cost-effective ways.
When conducting live, online learning sessions, we strive to incorporate the high quality standards that we employ in our face-to-face sessions.
A number of initiatives have implemented live, online learning into their professional development offerings. Below you will find a list of upcoming sessions as well as a listing of previously recorded sessions.
If you are interested in discussing how your organization might utilize the Center's Online Learning services, please contact Michael J. Pesare at 717.763.1661 ext. 201 or e-mail: mpesare@csc.csiu.org.
Upcoming Live, Online Professional Development Sessions
New sessions will be announced here.
Previously Recorded Sessions
In order to view these recorded presentations, you must have the Elluminate Live! Java application downloaded to your personal computer. There is no cost to download the software. To configure your computer, visit the Elluminate support page at: http://www.elluminate.com/support/
Child Safety
Safe Kids Pennsylvania Affiliate Spotlight: Back to School Safety
On Tuesday, August 21, 2007, Safe Kids Pennsylvania, in partnership with the Center for Schools and Communities, offered a live, one-hour, online presentation entitled, "Affiliate Spotlight: Back to School Safety". This online training focused on both pedestrian safety and school bus safety.
Presenters were Cheryl Gouker, Safe Kids Berks County/AAA Reading Berks; Fritzi Schreffler, PennDOT District 8-0 Safety Press Officer; and Barbara Zortman, Center for Traffic Safety.
This online learning opportunity was offered to injury prevention advocates, including Safe Kids members, public health professionals, nurses, emergency personnel and educators.
View the recorded online presentation
Safe Kids Pennsylvania Affiliate Spotlight: Animal Bite Safety
On Wednesday, May 9, 2007, Safe Kids Pennsylvania, in partnership with the Center for Schools and Communities, offered a live, one-hour, online presentation on animal bite safety as the first in a series of Safe Kids Affiliate Spotlight sessions. Presenters were Sandy Nolan, Injury Prevention Coordinator Pennsylvania Department of Health; Karen Baldys, Community Health Nurse Pennsylvania Department of Health and Ed Wilson, Allentown Health Bureau.
This session focused on two successful animal bite safety programs used within Pennsylvania. The presenters provided the successes and struggles that helped create their effective programs. Participants gained insights needed to develop an animal bites safety program for their community.
View the recorded online presentation
CPS Concerns and Car Seat "Treats"
By Anne Franchak, Director, Safe Kids Pennsylvania
On Tuesday, October 31, Safe Kids Pennsylvania, in partnership with the Center for Schools and Communities, offered a one-hour online presentation on child passenger safety. The session also included updates on CPS grants, CPS recertification issues and also recent changes at Safe Kids Worldwide. Thirty people, representing 26 Safe Kids Chapters and Coalitions from across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, participated in the session.
View the recorded online presentation
Issues in Fire Safety: Focus on Children
By Brian Klugh, Battalion Chief, Lancaster Bureau of Fire
On Tuesday, September 19, Safe Kids Pennsylvania, in partnership with the Center for Schools and Communities, offered a one-hour online presentation on fire safety. The presentation, entitled "Issues in Fire Safety: Focus on Children ", provided valuable information on a number of fire safety topics, including attributes of a fire, attitudes and prevention, fire prevention week, smoke detectors, escape plans, juvenile firesetting, fireworks, scalds, burns and sleepwear.
View the recorded online presentation
Cultural Competency
Promoting Cultural Competencies in Youth-Centered Programs
Presented by: James Jerry Clark M.A.
The Pennsylvania Departments of Education and Public Welfare, in partnership with the Center for Schools and Communities, recently offered a one-hour, live, online professional development opportunity entitled, "Promoting Cultural Competencies in Youth-Centered Programs" by James Jerry Clark M.A.
Participants explored the role of culture in their own attitudes toward and responses to working with youth. They discussed how differences in cultural norms impact the development and delivery of effective youth programs. Mr. Clark provided recommendations on how to develop strategies for implementing more culturally competent youth programs
James Jerry Clark M.A., is known for his work as a diversity/cultural competence educator, trainer and consultant. He works with Foundations, Inc., Sunrise of Philadelphia, the Multicultural Resource Center, the Anti-Defamation League, and PRIME. He is faculty at Saint Joseph's University and counsels the Drexel University School of Education on curriculum development and community outreach.
View the recorded online presentation
Disconnected Youth
Reengaging Disconnected Youth: Municipal Leadership and Public System Collaboration
On Wednesday, October 25, 2006, the Center for Schools and Communities and the National League of Cities offered a live, online presentation on ways municipal leaders and public care systems are working to reengage older youth (16-24) who lack strong connections to school, work and the broader community. The session previewed forthcoming research findings that will soon be released in a National League of Cities' Institute for Youth, Education, and Families publication. The publication is built around case study research of eight U.S. cities, including Philadelphia.
Leon T. Andrews, Youth Development Program Director and Andrew O. Moore, Senior Consultant for Disconnected Youth and High School Reform, were the featured presenters.
The research findings describe how municipal leaders in select cities across the United States are working across systems to implement and strengthen policy and program efforts that are reconnecting with disenfranchised youth to produce promising results.
View the recorded online presentation
Education Mentoring
Building the Capacity of Communities to Provide Mentoring Services
The Center for Schools and Communities, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network and the Pennsylvania Department of Education, recently offered a live, online session entitled "Building the Capacity of Communities to Provide Mentoring Services." The session provided information about the value of mentoring, specifically for after-school and other school-related programs, as well as what individual and organizations can do to promote the development of mentoring programs within their community. The presenters were Lynda Terrell, Managing Director, Campaign for Mentors - United Way of Southeastern PA and Colleen Fedor, Executive Director, The Mentoring Partnership of Southwestern PA.
View the recorded online presentation
Gifted Education
Developing Mathematical Talent: They Don't Have to Be Bored to Tears
Presented By Dr. Ann Lupkowski-Shoplik, Carnegie Mellon Institute for Talented Elementary Students
On Thursday, May 18, 2006, Ann Lupkowski-Shoplik, Ph.D., a researcher in the field of gifted education and current Director of the C-MITES (Carnegie Mellon Institute for Talented Elementary Students) Program at Carnegie Mellon University delivered an online presentation entitled, "Developing Mathematical Talent: They Don't Have to Be Bored to Tears." The session was sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Education - Gifted Education in partnership with the Center for Schools and Communities.
Dr. Shoplik's presentation focused on the foundation for building a program for math-talented students and provided information regarding assessing students’ abilities and achievements. Dr. Shoplik shared details on matching curriculum to student needs, conducting evaluation to monitor progress, and utilizing long-term scope and sequence planning that keeps students engaged in learning. The training also offered ideas and tools for designing a challenging curriculum for mathematically talented students.
View the recorded online presentation
Dr. Deborah Ruf, noted high intelligence specialist and author of Losing Our Minds: Gifted Children Left Behind
The Pennsylvania Department of Education, in partnership with the Center for Schools and Communities, offered a one-hour live online professional development session for educators of gifted students.
Deborah Ruf, Ph. D., a high intelligence specialist in the field of gifted education and author of Losing Our Minds: Gifted Children Left Behind reviewed levels and profiles of intelligence.
Dr. Ruf described how the ability range within the gifted group is huge with each level requiring different educational treatment and she touched on how gender and personality issues contribute to individual achievement and classroom performance. A portion of the session featured a Q & A segment where participants had the opportunity to ask specific questions of Dr. Ruf regarding both her "Ruf Estimates of Levels of Giftedness" handout article and her book, Losing Our Minds: Gifted Children Left Behind. Dr. Ruf also led a discussion on how schools can make important, low cost structural changes in order to meet these diverse needs.
View the recorded online presentation
PPT/ELECT
Making Your Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs Science-Based
Presenter: Susan E. Washinger, M.Ed.
The Pennsylvania Departments of Education and Public Welfare, in partnership with the Center for Schools and Communities, recently offered a one-hour, live, online professional development opportunity entitled, "Making Your Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs Science-Based" by Susan E. Washinger, M.Ed. for program coordinators and program personnel for both the 21st Century Community Learning Centers and the Pregnant and Parenting Teen/Education Leading to Employment and Career Training Initiatives. The presentation provided the characteristics of effective prevention programming and how to incorporate these features into your program.
View the recorded online presentation
The Methods Behind the Madness: Successful Strategies for Behavior Change - by Elizabeth Schroeder, Ed.D., MSW
The Pennsylvania Departments of Education and Public Welfare, in partnership with the Center for Schools and Communities,offered a one-hour, live, online professional development session entitled, "The Methods Behind the Madness: Successful Strategies for Behavior Change" by Elizabeth Schroeder, Ed.D., MSW.
This presentation provided practical interventions to enable students to maintain healthy behaviors and change unhealthy ones.
The presenter, Elizabeth Schroeder, is a trainer, consultant and author in the areas of sexuality, youth development, curriculum and counseling. She has provided trainings throughout the United States and overseas to thousands of youth-serving professionals and teens, presented at national conferences and written extensively about sexuality issues. Elizabeth is an adjunct professor at Montclair State University in New Jersey and is completing a doctorate in Human Sexuality Education at Widener University.
View the recorded online presentation
PPT/ELECT 101
On Tuesday, December 12, 2006, the Pennsylvania Departments of Education and Public Welfare, in partnership with the Center for Schools and Communities, provided a live, online professional development opportunity for PPT/ELECT Program Coordinators and program personnel.
Shileste Overton-Morris, Project Manager for Youth Development at the Center for Schools and Communities, provided an historical overview of the PPT and ELECT Initiatives, their requirements and best practices for staff involved in these programs.
View the recorded online presentation
The PPT/ELECT Statewide Advisory Board: Successes of the Past, Hopes for the Future
On Tuesday, October 31, 2006, the Pennsylvania Departments of Education and Public Welfare, in partnership with the Center for Schools and Communities, provided PPT/ELECT Program Coordinators with a live, online presentation entitled, "Successes of the Past, Hopes for the Future". The presenters included Diana Ewing, Chair of the Policy Subcommittee; Sally Mole, Chair of the Program Subcommittee; and Tricia Welle, Chair of the Outreach Subcommittee.
The focus of the session was to inform PPT/ELECT programs on the work that has been accomplished by the PPT/ELECT Advisory Board since its inception in 2004. This work includes the creation of two publications designed to help both current and new pregnant and parenting teen programs. Participants were also asked to provide input through online polling opportunities to assist the Advisory Board in determining future goals and work plans.
View the recorded online presentation
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