ASCD PD Online courses are self-paced, web-based, media-rich learning experiences that help users deepen their understanding of today's most important education topics. Each course includes video content, readings, auto-graded assessments, downloadable applications, and reflections. You must register for your class through Puget Sound ESD in order to request PSESD clock hours or Seattle University college credit. Instructions for beginning your class and requesting clock hours or SU credit will be included in your registration confirmation email. Check your Junk/Spam folder if you do not see it!

You can register anytime between September 1, 2024 and August 25, 2025, but your course MUST be completed by August 31, 2025.

Typical question and answer sessions allow students to tune out important classroom interactions, and traditional lectures leave most students functioning as "listening objects." To truly engage all learners, instructors need to use a more intentional approach to student engagement. In this online course, participants will explore the societal and personal costs of disengagement and the importance of higher-order thinking in creating environments that meaningfully engage students in content learning.

This course will introduce participants to practical techniques for cognitively engaging students during lessons. These include the uses of on-the-spot techniques, hold-ups, total participation techniques (TPTs) that involve movement, and TPTs for guiding and supporting students in their note taking. Participants will explore essential elements in building a TPT-conducive classroom, where students feel free to share with minimal risks. Finally, participants will analyze the cognitive engagement that is present in a classroom lesson as they apply their new understandings to their own teaching or through peer observations.