EDUX 9928: Maximize Your Professional Practice
Welcome to the Summer Course Information Page. If you have questions about the summer course, please use our chat feature or reach out to your local coordinator.
Course Rationale
“As educators we know that by giving students choice in their learning they reap a higher quality education and are more likely to engage in the learning process. The same certainly holds true for adults in the workplace when professional development is an integral part of the way a system functions. Being given the opportunity to design my own path for professional learning allowed me to focus on areas that I believe need improvement/attention within my own classroom and practice”. – EDUX course participant, Summer, 2022
Being an effective educator requires time! Educators strive to create lessons that effectively engage students that requires time beyond what is allotted during the traditional school day. With the support of a Professional Development Coordinator, educators will have the time to research, process, and delve deeper into their curriculum and start the year fully prepared. This type of preparation allows educators to approach the school year ready, confident, and enthusiastic.
EDUX 9928 allows educators to collaborate with other professionals, plan effective curriculum and create materials and resources to enhance teaching and learning. This course provides a great opportunity to work directly with your grade level or content area teams when you enroll together. If you choose, you can also work independently on your own goals. Work at your own pace and place.
Throughout the course, participants will interact with a Dominican University of California Professional Development Coordinator whose personal supervision and validation guarantees the kind of accountability that your school district requires.
Earn graduate level Semester Credits/Units as you learn, develop and prepare for the 2023-2024 school year.
Step #1 Create Your Project List
- Align Curriculum
- Design Blended Learning Lessons
- Focus on Learning & Integrating New Programs
- Choose Anything That Makes You More Effective
Step #2 Complete Your Tasks & Projects
Document the hours that you spend working on your project:
- 50 hours earns 2 Graduate-Level Credits ($298)
- 75 hours earns 3 Graduate-Level Credits ($390)
- 100 hours earns 4 Graduate-Level Credits ($515)
- 125 hours earns 5 Graduate-Level Credits ($615)
- 150 hours earns 6 Graduate-Level Credits ($715)
Step #3 Celebrate Your Success
At the end of the summer you will meet locally with a few of your colleagues and a Dominican Instructor to celebrate your accomplishments. This informal meeting is a fun way to show what you have completed during the summer. Interviews are conducted in person or via Zoom. This personal supervision guarantees the kind of accountability that your district requires.
What You Will Accomplish:
- Design a professional learning plan that includes a goal or goals that reflect new learning that is aligned with district initiatives, or professional growth plan, and/or maximizes student achievement.
- Demonstrate advanced professional practice through accountable, self-directed learning and planning.
- Provide evidence of how new learning aligned to instructional and/or professional standards will be implemented during the 2023-2024 school year.
- Engage in a collaborative discussion with educators to analyze and reflect on new learning.
- Participate in optional instructor-led opportunities to learn and collaborate with educators across the country.
EDUX Popular FAQ’s
1. What are the starting and ending dates?
Course officially begins on May 1. Participants can choose to begin work any time after that and complete coursework before the school year begins. The end date will vary by region. Your coordinator can clarify this for you.
2. Can I begin my work earlier?
Early registrants have the option to begin coursework during spring break. Check with your coordinator.
3. I need to finish early, is that possible?
Yes, your coordinator can work with you to meet deadline needs.
4. How many credits should I register for?
This will depend on the size of your projects and the amount of time you can commit to coursework. For those who are unsure, you can register for a smaller amount (2-3 credits), with the option to increase with coordinator approval.
5. How is this course structured?
- Attend an orientation (online or in-person)
- Work at your own pace and place throughout the summer, with coordinator guidance.
- Attend an exit interview (remote or in-person) to celebrate work accomplished.
6. If I need help getting started – what should I do?
Once you register, you will have access to an online Summer Course Center that includes everything you will need and a checklist to guide you. In addition, your coordinator will be available for any questions you may have.
7. What types of professional goals and projects do educators work on in the summer course?
There are many possibilities. Some major projects focus on curriculum planning, professional reading and research, team collaboration, learning new programs; whatever will make you more effective as an educator.
8. How soon do I receive my final grade and transcript?
Final grades are submitted upon review of coursework and completion of an exit interview. One complimentary official transcript is sent by mail within 3 weeks. A letter of completion will also be available in your DU student account.
9. Do you offer payment plans?
For payment plan options, contact Lisa Dempsey, Customer Service Liaison. ldempsey@dominicanCAonline.com
10. Can I take this course every summer?
Yes, many educators do take this course repeatedly, submitting different goals, projects and evidence.
EDUX 9928 is a graduate-level course from Dominican University of California, accredited by Western Association of School and Colleges (WASC).
General FAQ’s
Is this really one of the leading online summer courses for teachers?
Yes! Our EDUX summer course is very popular with teachers across the country and is completed by thousands of educators every year. As a teacher if you’re looking for an online summer course this is a great, flexible option for you. Summer course curriculum changes each year but the format and flexibility stays the same – many teachers describe this course as a gift. With our unique combination of self-directed learning, interaction and district-required rigor, this course inspires teachers in new and exciting ways. If you are looking for additional online courses for teachers, many of the courses in our catalog can be taken at any time convenient for you.
Do you have other continuing education for teachers?
Yes we have over 400 continuing education courses for teachers who are looking for professional development credits. Some popular areas of study include classroom management strategies, inspiring teachers, professional reading, technology in the classroom, math classes for teachers, and many, many more, which you can find here.
Are you affiliated with Dominican University of California?
Yes, we are affiliated with Dominican University of California . We are the Professional Development and Continuing Education Partner that provides continuing education for teachers and educators across the country.
Do you have accredited courses that provide continuing education credits for teachers?
Yes! All of the courses on our site have their credits listed and provide continuing education credits for teachers. In our catalog pages you can sort by the number of credits. 3 credit courses for teachers are especially popular as they provide the required number of credits for many salary step and license requirements. We also list courses from 1 credit to 6 credits on our site here, simply use the “Sort by” feature or click your desired number of credits in the column on the left. All of our courses provide impactful learning experiences that enhance your skills and inspire you in and out of the classroom, try one today.
Do you have other summer courses for teachers?
The course listed on this page, our EDUX summer course for teachers, is one of the most popular in the country. In addition, we have a two-week virtual summer course and many other summer courses for you to choose from. Many of our course offerings across our catalog are self-paced online courses for teachers that can be started at any time including the summer. For more details, look at the course menu and check back often as we are always developing new courses based on feedback and demand.
Are you looking for a general FAQ page that covers more topics?
If so, no problem, simply click here to go to the general FAQ page for a broader range of questions.
Do you have math courses for teachers?
Yes, we do! We have nearly 20 popular math courses for teachers with a range of focus, such as Expand Your Knowledge of Common Core Math Standards, Teaching Fractions, Teaching Financial Literacy (grades 4 through 8), and Stress-Free Math (part of a four-course series called Anyone Can Learn Math), designed for teachers to make math accessible to any student.
How exactly do online professional development classes work?
Each course listing will include the number of credits earned, a course description, the cost, a link to register and a link to the course syllabus. If you click on the syllabus, you’ll be taken to the instructor’s detailed plans for how the course will be conducted; this may include textbooks used, assignments given, and how grades will be given, along with an email address for that instructor. The majority of courses are self-paced and entirely online, so they fit into your schedule. You can find Instructor profiles under the About drop-down menu on the top of each page.
Do you offer any courses that I can combine with summer travel?
Yes! Our educational travel page shows a wide range of courses that pair travel with study, where you can earn 1-6 professional development credits. Start in your own backyard, exploring and studying local sites that may be worthy of student field trips. Document a trip with an educational travel company, visit agricultural areas of the country to design lesson plans for your classroom, visit Washington, D.C.’s memorials, museums,and monuments, or visit and do research at any of 13 of the country’s presidential libraries operated by the National Archives and Records Administration; they span every administrations from Herbert Hoover to George W. Bush.
I teach a special population of students. What do you offer in these subject areas?
Check out our courses on how to create inclusive classrooms and support the classroom needs of second-language learners, special-education students, IEP learners, and students with ADHD, autism, and sensory processing disorders.
What’s the best way to choose a professional development course?
Narrow down your top two or three instructional goals for the year, at your own level and at the school or district level. How would those goals translate into learning outcomes? Then seek out courses that will help you accomplish those objectives. Do you want to improve your classroom use of technology? Enhance your classroom management skills? Learn about trauma-informed practice? You can click on Courses by Subject and either click on a specific topic in the drop-down menu or browse through all the offerings.
The past two school years were very challenging. I need to practice more self-care.
During the pandemic, teachers and educators juggled more than ever before – both remote and classroom learning, the disruption of technology challenges, and the anxiety about their health and the health of their students. As the world slowly returns to “normal,” self-care and wellness should be a priority. Not only does it help in the classroom, it improves job satisfaction, teacher retention, and stress management. Dominican University of California’s teacher-wellness offerings include such topics as managing work and life, self-care for educators, mindfulness practices, cultivating resilience, teaching compassion, and the science of gratitude.
My students have a lot of trouble with writing. Can you help?
You are not alone; we actually have a blog post that addresses the difficulty, called Why Can it Be So Hard to Teach Students to Write? There are many factors, but they can be overcome. We have a five-course professional development series called Teaching the Foundations for Skillful Writing; it includes courses on Assessing the Traits of Writing, Ideas and Organization, Word Choice, Voice, and Sentence Fluency.
I sometimes prefer live courses. Does Dominican University of California offer these?
Due to the pandemic, all live courses were temporarily halted. We created virtual versions of some of the courses – of which, there are two: Compassionate Classrooms: A Guide to Building Safe Learning Communities, and Empowering Education, which focuses on helping students become self-directed and self-reflected learners. Both courses are six credits. Compassionate Classrooms (now self-paced) and Empowering Education is a two-week course where you must be online each day for two hours at class time. The course begins either June 7, June 14, or July 19, and there are multiple class times to choose from (On the course page, click the blue Dates tab next to the Course Overview tab.)