Registration for this course closes on 3/10/2021

INSTRUCTOR: Michael and Rhonda Bielawski


A growth mindset is the belief that intelligence can be developed with effort. Students with a growth mindset understand they can get "smarter" through hard work, the use of effective strategies, and getting help from others when needed. A fixed mindset is the belief that intelligence is a fixed trait handed out at birth. Course participants will review the research about the brain and how the brain, like a muscle, changes and grows in response to challenge. Throughout the course we will explore how we, as educators, can praise students for effort and process rather than praising them for being "smart." Participants will take with them practical strategies to implement whether they are teachers, counselors, speech therapists, nurses, parents, or simply anyone who wants to learn more about fostering a growth mindset in themselves or others.

Registration for this course closes on 3/10/2021

INSTRUCTOR: Richard Roth


COURSE MATERIALS: An iPad is not required, as alternative assignments are available for those participants taking the course to learn about what an iPad can do.

Increase student motivation, interaction, and achievement with the iPad. This course will begin with a review of the basic functionality of the iPad, including some tips and tricks that are great for education, like using the iPad to present, display, project, and record. Interactive whiteboard apps demonstrated in this course will help teachers create exciting, usable classroom lessons with the iPad. Teachers will be able to share these lessons electronically, online, or in the physical classroom. Teachers will then be able to help their students create the same type of presentations. Participants will also learn to use the free Socrative app. This app that can be used in several ways for formative assessment. This app will show educators how to create exciting interactive questions and quizzes that can be projected in the classroom or sent directly to student devices such as their own iPads, iPhones, or even computers in a computer lab. The immediate feedback generated by this app increases the motivation of students and allows teachers to instantaneously assess the proficiency of the students. The course will conclude with the app blitz. There is always a better app out there, the one that is specific to the needs of a particular educator's students. New apps are constantly being created, changed, and updated, and we will all put our favorite apps into a discussion board forum.

Registration for this course closes on 3/10/2021

INSTRUCTOR: Kristina Rose

This is a 2-credit CPE course


RUBRICS: Coordinating Instruction and Assessment is designed for teachers K-12 to become familiar with different types of rubrics and which are appropriate for a variety of different assignments. Rubrics help students learn and help coordinate instruction and assessment. The course will define and examine the parts of a rubric and compare analytical and holistic rubrics and general and task specific rubrics. It will analyze a variety of rubric writing websites and examine the Orange Slice Add-On from Google Docs. The participant will create rubrics using specific criteria related to their curriculum in order to enhance student learning and understanding. It is important for students to have a clear understanding of teacher expectations and be held accountable for their performance and participation. Rubrics are the foundation for which this is created and go hand-in-hand with a successful learning environment.

Registration for this course closes on 3/17/2021

INSTRUCTOR: Richard Roth


A course designed for K-12 Educators to identify, improve, and enhance their own 21st Century Skills so that they may assist the achievement of their own 21st Century students. This online course will focus on the classroom use of free technology tools such as ScreenCast-o-Matic (in conjuction with YouTube) to create or help students create online lessons, Google Forms for formative assessment and online data collection and analysis, and Kahoot! (a type of bar trivia for students that can be used as a formative assessment and feedback tool). Educators will learn how to create useable lessons that can be put online and/or used in the classroom for instruction, enrichment, or differentiation. Participants will also learn and feel comfortable with using the formative assessment and data collection tools that are discussed in the course.

Registration for this course closes on 3/17/2021

INSTRUCTOR: Brian Stamford


Occupations in STEAM-related careers are some of the fastest growing and best paid of the 21st century, and they often have the greatest potential for job growth. Familiarizing students with STEAM concepts can occur on a variety of levels from exposure to immersion. This course will discuss the conglomeration of the fields represented in the STEAM acronym, the intentional and prudent addition of the Arts into STEM, the alignment of STEAM with the Pa Core Standards, instructional changes that successfully infuse STEAM across the curricula, and opportunities to procure funding for STEAM projects in K-12 classrooms or schools. It is appropriate for teachers in grades k-12 in all content areas. The course has been carefully created to meet the needs of a diverse group of teachers. It does NOT require a background in any of the STEAM subject areas (science, technology, engineering, the arts, or mathematics). There will be an individualized (self-selected) project at the culmination of the course to meet the diverse needs of the group.

Registration for this course closes on 3/24/2021

INSTRUCTOR: Kathleen Himes


Being Mindful: Teacher and Student Wellness is a course that explores and allows participants to develop and implement classroom strategies that cultivate teacher and student well-being. Mindfulness is a management strategy that can be implemented in any classroom. Well-being and mindfulness must first be addressed before learning can take place. Mindfulness is paying attention on purpose in the present moment in such a way that is balanced for both teacher and student. Participants will explore curricula for mindfulness in the classroom, as well as scientific research, best practices and the holistic education of the mind and body that we strive to provide our 21st century students. Both teacher and student must maintain a level of self-care and awareness in order to make great academic and personal strides. Participants will develop an action plan to introduce mindfulness in the classroom so that awareness, insightfulness and presence are established so academic goals can be met.

Registration for this course closes on 3/24/2021

INSTRUCTOR: Richard Roth

This course will focus on Problem Solving techniques for students at all levels and subjects of K-12. The new buzz word on the horizon in education is computational thinking, in other words, helping students think like a computer to solve problems. This course will show examples, activities, and lesson plans of problem solving and computational thinking techniques for various subjects and levels. Techniques such as Decomposition, Algorithmic Thinking, and Pattern Recognition will be shown, discussed, and applied. This will be a fun course to get you to look at problem solving in a new and different way.

Registration for this course closes on 3/29/2021

INSTRUCTOR: Kristina Rose


All students need to feel a sense of belonging in the classroom so their anxieties and fears don't drive them to drop out before graduating. This course will focus on training teachers how to provide a nurturing environment where students can focus on their school work in a healthy learning environment. Participants will learn many techniques and modifications that they can take back to their classroom in order to encourage children to be self-confident and be respectful of others opinions, styles and choices. This course will help support the retention and success rate of students by reducing bullying. Students need to develop positive, healthy relationships with their teachers which in turn motivate students to thrive academically and personally.

NEW COURSE for Spring, 2021!

Registration for this course closes on 3/29/2021

This is a 2-credit CPE course


INSTRUCTOR: Sarah Greenwald, Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation

Pittsburgh Heritage II will continue the themes introduced in Pittsburgh Heritage I, i.e. teaching local history and heritage through the lens of architecture. Participants will explore further the interrelated topics of local and regional history, cultural heritage, architectural styles, and visual awareness of the local environment. Remote walking tours, creative activities, readings, and a mini-lesson project will give educators an opportunity to gain further insight and enhance their ability to transfer such knowledge through established curricula to their students.

Registration for this course closes on 3/31/2021

INSTRUCTOR: Kathleen Himes


Required Text: participants must obtain the following text in order to successfully complete this course. This text can be ordered online in new or used condition; it may also be available for download to Kindle or other mobile text readers. Please wait to order the course text until 3-5 days prior to the course start date, after you receive a confirmation email that your course tuition payment has been processed. Waiting until AIU processes tuition payments for a course will ensure that you won't need to return a text for a canceled course.


Title: Icebreakers a la Carte. Paperback. Author: Christian, Sandy ISBN-13: 978-1570252136


A course for classroom teachers, grades K-12, counselors, and club or group sponsors. This course explores the impact and effectiveness of well-created icebreakers. Participants will analyze numerous icebreaker activities. This course will provide tools and information to create and modify icebreakers to be used in the classroom or with your group on a regular basis. There is a broad spectrum of icebreakers that can be used for introducing new topics/material, reviewing curriculum/objectives, and most importantly helping to build camaraderie within your class/group. Participants will partake in numerous icebreakers throughout the course. Participants will examine ways icebreakers help to captivate an audience and initiate an interest in any subject/content area. When icebreakers are used effectively, students have the tendency to open up, share, and actively participate in your lesson. This course will explore the ways in which icebreakers can create a dynamic learning environment and serve as an excellent classroom management tool for participants and their students.

Registration for this course closes on 4/1/2021

INSTRUCTORS: Rhonda Bielawski and Elaine Obidowski


How do we maximize our influence to make a difference? Students of today face an increasingly complex variety of problems. The ability to successfully adapt to adversity can sometimes mean the difference between achievement and failure. In this course, we will recognize and develop the protective factors which fosters resiliency in students. We will explore the role Student Assistance has with developing resiliency, and the latest research on resiliency.

Registration for this course closes on 4/7/2021

INSTRUCTOR: Michael and Rhonda Bielawski


This course will provide participants descriptions of disorders that fall under the autism spectrum. Participants will review the latest research in the autism field and legal aspects of having students with autism in the classroom. We will explore fostering social competence in students with autism, developing and implementing IEPs for students with autism, and how to best meet these students' needs while promoting acceptance from the other classmates. Participants will take with them practical educational and instructional strategies to implement within their classroom.

NEW COURSE for Spring, 2021!

Registration for this course closes on 4/14/2021

This is a 2-credit CPE course


INSTRUCTOR: Sarah Greenwald, Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation

Architecture is the one art form that we interact with every day as we live, work, and play; yet we seldom consciously think or talk about it, since few people have had training in architecture. The purpose of this course is to alert educators to architecture as a cultural "barometer” of history, art, and technology and an effective means of helping students understand their communities. Through readings, walking tours, sketches, and simple exercises in architectural problem-solving, participants will experience architecture as a creative discipline applicable to every classroom.