JumpStart
A Technology Course for Thoughtful Educators

You know learning.

It comes from your training, your hard-earned experience, and your gut.

You can tell the difference between a student who needs a different explanation and one who just needs to talk.

You know which strategies work and how to tweak them to make them work even better.

You know what it looks like when a lightbulb goes off in a student’s head.

These are things technology can’t replace.

They can only come from you.

You also understand that real learning is messy.

It’s unpredictable, hard to control, in need of constant adjustment.

If we hand it over to students, it’s not going to be perfect. And that’s exactly as it should be.

And if it’s going to stick, really stick, students can’t just be staring at screens. They have to interact. They have to create.

They have to move.

So when you use technology, you want it to support real learning.

You don’t need the coolest, newest tool out there. You want the one that really works for your students.

You don’t just want to plug your students into devices and forget about them. You want the tech to help them become better versions of who they are.

You don’t want to use tech to simply replace the things you already do. You want it to enable you and your students to do things you could never do before.

You’ve gotten through the hurry up, emergency-mode, remote learning rush, and you got up to speed as well as you could, but now you’re ready to level up, to take a breath and focus on quality.

Tall order, no? That’s where this course comes in.

JumpStart is a self-paced online technology course for the thoughtful educator.

By guiding you through a series of hands-on projects, this course will give you the confidence and skills you need to make smart choices about the tech you use in your teaching.

What tools will you learn?

Actually, we’re not looking at it from a “tool” perspective.

Learning First, Tools Second.

Tools come and go, and features constantly change. So instead of starting by looking for the right tool, it’s more effective to start with processes, specific ways of using technology that can be applied in a variety of classroom situations. Once you understand a process and how it can boost learning, you can explore the tools that put that process into action.

So that’s how we’re going to do it.

In this course, you will learn 10 key processes that can have an incredible impact on how you teach, how your students learn, how you collaborate and communicate with others, and the time it takes to do it all.

After you learn each process and how it can facilitate learning, you’ll complete a hands-on project to design a lesson enhanced with one tool. As you finish each module, you’ll be able to transfer that same process to your own classroom, using the same tool or another one of your choosing.

Curriculum

Module 1: Basic Blogging

A blog or website is one of the most flexible and essential tools for learning in the 21st century. First, we’ll look at all the ways you and your students can use a blogging tool to create spectacular websites. Then you’ll use Edublogs to create your own blog that will showcase all of your projects in the course.

Module 2: Online Collaboration

Student learning is turbo-charged when we add collaboration, and educators need regular opportunities to learn from one another, but time and space limit our ability to collaborate as often as we’d like. In this module, you have a choice between Slack and Padlet to create your own online space for powerful professional and student collaboration.

Module 3: Digital Mind Mapping

Research supports the use of visuals for making meaning, and mind mapping is one powerful way to do it. In this module, you will explore how mind maps can be used for instruction, problem solving, even assessment. Then you’ll use Sketchboard or Lucidchart develop a mind mapping assignment and complete it as if you were the student.

Module 4: Curation

The ability to thoughtfully curate resources has become a crucial skill in the information age. In this module, you will consider how this process can really put students’ higher-order thinking to use, then use Wakelet to create a curation task with a finished student sample.

Module 5: Screencasting

Once you know how to record videos from your computer screen–also known as screencasting–you will find dozens of uses for it in your teaching. In this module, you will use ScreenPal (formerly Screencast-O-Matic) or Screencastify to create your own screencast tutorial.

Module 6: Slideshows

We use slideshows to teach all the time, but many slideshows could use a lot of improvement! In this module you’ll learn some principles for clean, clear slideshow design, then you’ll create your own Google Slides presentation to deliver a lesson following these principles.

Module 7: Digital Assessment

Assessing students before, during, and after instruction takes a heck of a lot of time if you’re doing it right. Digital tools can help teachers dramatically increase the amount and quality of their assessments without needing a lot of extra time. In this module, you will use the Quiz feature in Google Forms to create a simple multiple-choice assessment.

Module 8: Blended Learning

If students can get the same direct instruction digitally that they’d typically get in person, then we free up class time to do more hands-on,  engaging things. In this module, you’ll choose between using Google Slides to create a single flipped lesson or a HyperDoc to create a stand-alone mini-unit.

Module 9: QR Codes

Once you’ve seen how powerful and flexible these little squares can be and how ridiculously easy they are to use, you’ll find all kinds of ways to put them to work in your own teaching. In this module, you’ll create two classroom resources using QR codes to enhance them.

Module 10: Basic Podcasting

Although producing a podcast series can be time-consuming, making a simple audio recording couldn’t be easier. In this module, you’ll explore how to take a simple audio recording and apply it in the classroom in 10 different ways. Then you’ll create your own recording to reflect on your work in the course. An intermediate option takes you through the steps of producing a real podcast.

Course Format

1

You’ll start each module with a short reading assignment. This is where we explore the process, consider its instructional value, and look at how it can enhance learning in multiple ways.

2

Next, you’ll review your project checklist to understand the requirements of your hands-on project. For most projects, an advanced option has been added to offer extra challenge to those who master the process easily.

3

Then it’s time to dig into your hands-on project. You’ll use the pedagogy from the reading to design instructional materials and watch a series of step-by-step video tutorials to learn the tech.

4

When your project is complete, you’ll share it in a blog post. A sample blog, with all ten modules complete, is provided to help you get a clear picture of what your final project should look like.

Who is this course for?

JumpStart is for anyone who is ready to take a serious step toward more learning-driven use of technology. Tech novices will grow more confident in their understanding of key technology processes and tools. Those who are tech-intermediate will fill in some of their knowledge and skill gaps, finishing the course with a stronger foundation. Tech experts can use this course to enhance the work they do to support others.

And everyone will finish the course with a deeper understanding of how technology can help us design rich, challenging learning experiences for students.

OK, so you like what you're hearing? Now let's look at the difference between JumpStart and JumpStart Plus...

JumpStart

The self-paced version. Work through all 10 modules on your own and take as long as you like. When you finish, submit your finished portfolio to us and receive a certificate of completion if you’ve met all the requirements.

JumpStart Plus

The one with extra support. When you enroll, you’ll join our private online community hosted by a team of mentors who will answer your questions, review your projects, and give you feedback along the way. Because of this extra support, Plus members are more likely to have all course requirements fulfilled the first time they submit their portfolio for review.

Course Tuition

JumpStart Plus

Get all the JumpStart course materials, plus the support and accountability of a community. JumpStart Plus is only open for enrollment twice a year: Please click here to view the enrollment periods.

 

JumpStart

With this option, you take the course on your own, at whatever pace works for you. 

Frequently Asked Questions

When will this course be open for enrollment?

JumpStart is open for enrollment year-round!! Enroll here.

JumpStart Plus is only open at certain times of year. Click here to view the next open enrollment period.

What happens after I enroll?

You will get immediate access to all course materials as soon as you enroll. You can get started right away! If you join JumpStart Plus, you will also be contacted within 24 hours with information about joining the online community.

How long do I have access to the course?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like – across any and all devices you own.
Is this course run by an instructor?

JumpStart is a self-paced online course, which means you don’t get grades, have scheduled class times, or meet directly with the instructor.

JumpStart Plus takes the self-paced course and adds community support: You work through the course at your own pace, but you have lifetime access to the JumpStart community, where a team of experienced mentors are there to review your module projects and answer your questions.

Can I get PD credit for this course?

Because every district has different criteria for awarding professional development credit, we are not able to issue any kind of universally recognized credit for this course. We issue a certificate of completion for those who fulfill all of the requirements for all 10 modules, which includes the pedagogical requirements for the lesson designs. The certificate indicates that 50 hours of work were completed–this refers to 50 regular hours of time, not credit hours. This certificate does NOT guarantee that you will be granted credit by your district; you will need to submit the certificate to your district for approval.

If I have trouble completing the work in JumpStart, can I join JumpStart Plus later?

Absolutely! Just contact us and we’ll arrange for you to pay the difference, then you’ll be added to the JumpStart community!

Do I need to purchase the Teacher's Guide to Tech with this course?
No. An earlier version of this course used the Teacher’s Guide to Tech as its textbook, but that is no longer the case. All the information and reading materials you need to complete the course modules are already included in the course. If you want a copy of the Teacher’s Guide to Tech, you will need to purchase it separately.
I am not currently teaching. Will I still get something out of this course?
Absolutely!! All of the projects are created for teachers to do with their students in mind, but anyone without an actual class can easily do the projects for a “theoretical” class. Teacher educators, administrators, retired teachers, pre-service teachers and those who are on a break from the classroom will get just as much from this course as a current classroom teacher.
I would like to take this course with a group. Do you offer multi-user discounts?
Yes! Course licenses can be purchased in batches of 5 or 10 at discounted rates. A single person would make the purchase for the group, then we will issue you a coupon code for the remaining licenses; your classmates can then use that code to enroll for free.
I am a teacher educator. Can I use this course to teach my students?
JumpStart would be an outstanding way to teach pre-service teachers how to effectively integrate technology into their instruction. To use this as part of your curriculum, have each student enroll separately in the course, then assign the modules however you like. University students enrolled in a teacher preparation course are eligible for a discounted rate; contact us at [email protected] and we will arrange a course-specific coupon code just for your students.
Do you accept purchase orders?

Yes! We accept purchase orders from U.S. customers for any order of $25 and over; for international customers, the minimum amount for a purchase order is $99. To generate a quote for a purchase order, please fill out this form and someone from our team will contact you with an invoice.

What if I am unhappy with the course?
We want you feel good about making this investment in your professional growth. If the course does not meet your expectations, contact us at [email protected] within 30 days of your purchase and we will give you a full refund.
If you are an administrator interested in learning more about this course, or you are a teacher who would like to have your administrator consider purchasing this course for staff members, download our course overview.

Have another question?