10 Best Free Online Professional Development for Educators

Now that school year 2020-2021 is about to end, you might be thinking of enrolling in a free online course for professional development.

So,  if you’re looking for a free, online course to develop your professional skills or learn something new.  We’ve collected 10 best resources for you to consider, along with a brief description of each online learning portal.

  1. Coursera

Coursera- Build skills with courses, certificates, and degrees online from world-class universities and companies like Google, IBM, Duke, Standford, Penn and many more. Coursera offers plenty of free professional development courses specifically for teachers, including:

• Strategies for Teaching Perfect Tenses and Modals
• Supporting Children with Difficulties in Reading and Writing
• Teaching Character and Creating Positive Classrooms 
• User Experience Research and Design Specialization  

2. Canvas Network

Canvas - A great place to learn self-paced free online courses for educators professional development. What we loved about Canvas is their slogan that says "Because the Best Educators Never Stop Learning".  So, we truly recommend Canvas for lifelong learning and professional development for educators. Here are some of the courses that you can enroll for free and with free certificates and badges.

• Assessment of English Language Learners (HE
• The Art and Craft of Remote Teaching (HE) 
• Teacher as Investigator: Developing Awareness of Student Strengths and Needs (K-12)
• IEPs from A to Z: Understanding Individualized Education Programs (K-12).

3.  SimpleK12

SimpleK12 - is one of the best online learning resource for teachers who wants to learn at the comfort of their own home as SimpleK12 slogan says “professional development in your pajamas”. This portal offers free webinars for everyone but there are some courses that are exclusive to site members only.

Here are some of the updated free online courses/webinars:

• Differentiating Instruction with Classkick
• Creating Digital Scavenger Hunts with GooseChase
• Using Deck.Toys to Create Self-Paced Playlists for Learning
• Addressing the Learning Gaps Created by Virtual Learning

 4. edWeb

edWeb - is a free social network and professional learning community. Learn with edWeb through
live, or on demand webinars anytime, anywhere.

5. Learning for Justice

learningforjustice - Learning for Justice provides a range of materials for educators: learning modules that make you think, presentations you can share and hands-on workshops with our expert trainers. These resources help teachers improve their practice and help K–12 leaders shape their schools into strong, equitable communities.

Learningforjustice offers the following educators professional development:

• Workshops
• Request a Training
• Facilitator Guides
• Self-Guided Learning
• FREE on-demand webinars at your own pace.
• Podcasts

6. Google Education

edu.google - It offers plenty of tools and resources that would help teachers and students (K-12 and higher education) create, collaborate, and build digital skills for the future. 

Discover a broad selection of apps, activities, lesson plans, digital literacy tools, and games to advance learning in the classroom including virtual field trips, lessons on coding, and more.

 7.  Microsoft Education Center

education.microsoft - this is another helpful online learning environment for educators professional development and students. It offers various free courses both for K-12 and higher education.

8. OTIS for Educator

 

Through OTIS for Educators basic account. Educators will just create or signup through basic account so that they will be able to access free courses for professional development and earn e-Certificates or badges.

Here are some of the free courses:

• EdTech Essentials: Creation and Collaboration with Digital Tools  
• 10 Google Classroom Tips for a Student-Centered Classroom
• Utilizing Google Workspace for Summer Reading 

9. ShareMyLesson

ShareMyLesson offers a wide variety of FREE lesson plans and activities including curated collections.  Free professional development webinars and resources to advance your career.

10. KQED Teach

KQED Teach offers a collection of free, hands-on professional learning opportunities focused on Digital Media. Educators can build skills in digital storytelling, data visualization, and critical media use to support all curriculum areas. 

 If you think you find this article helpful, please let us know by posting your comment through the comment(s) box below this page. 

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