CTDLC: Teacher Institute

The CTDLC Teacher Institute series of workshops includes complete in-depth training in online curriculum design, development, and evaluation. Participations is team-based, with at least one district "Mentor" for each team of teachers. Mentors may already be supporting the technology development efforts within the district. After completing this training, the local mentor(s) become(s) a local asset to the district/school's team of Teacher Institute teachers, as well as to teachers and technology coordinators throughout the district/school. The mentor's role and training are described in more detail below (CTDLC Teacher Institute At-A-Glance) and in the Workshops and Training section of this website.

The CTDLC, in cooperation with the local mentor, leads LEA workshops for teachers to:

Integrate online learning technologies into instruction and learning.
Develop complete online lessons ready for students to use.
Increase teachers' technology expertise and to spread that expertise throughout their home districts and schools.

The CTDLC Teacher Institute for Online Curriculum Development, with the assistance of a local mentor(s), will help teams of teachers from participating districts/schools create ready-to-use online learning units to:

Reduce the amount of time required of teachers for lesson planning.
Empower students through individualized exploratory learning and customizable pacing.
Address multiple learning styles.
Maximize time spent teaching and learning.
Engage more students for more time.
Renew students' enthusiasm for learning.
Multiply the districts' investments by spreading technology expertise throughout the district.

The CTDLC Teacher Institute and the CT Common Core of Teaching

In the CTDLC Teacher Institute, each teacher will apply the following skills from the CT Common Core of Teaching:

Design online learning units that foster interdisciplinary connections, build on prior learning, promote critical and creative thinking as well as problem solving and decision-making, and take advantage of community resources.

Learn best practices for addressing multiple learning styles and using various instructions strategies for their own online learning units.
Create online learning units with measurable student accomplishments.
Develop and share online lessons that encourage students to pursue their own questions and interests.
Apply effective communication strategies in online lessons that foster both individual and collaborative inquiry.
Explore effective assessments and evaluations for online learning.
Capitalize on the depth and breadth of resources accessible via the internet.
Grow as leaders within your district in the effective uses of technology for instruction.

The CTDLC Teacher Institute At-A-Glance

The CTDLC Teacher Institute activities consist of workshops for the teacher teams and a special workshop for the local mentor. Mentors are trained first and then assist with the teacher training. These workshops are described briefly below.

Mentors will attend a two day mentor training workshop. During this workshop, they will design and develop a complete, ready-to-use online learning unit and learn to evaluate online curricula. Afterwards, during the teacher team workshop, mentors will assist their district's teachers in the design and development of the teachers' learning units. Mentors will also be responsible for reviewing district teachers' learning units for consistency and quality. This level of participation is worth 2.5 CEUs (=25 hours).

A note about Mentors:

Because mentors' responsibilities include helping their teacher teams use online learning technology, it is important that mentors' be computer literate. For the purposes of the Teacher Institute, this means that mentors should be comfortable performing internet searches and should be proficient with Microsoft Word. Knowledge of or interest in creating web pages is a bonus, but not required. Applications are available in PDF and Rich Text Formats3 at the bottom of this page (Get Application).

Teacher teams (up to 12 teachers) will attend a one day workshop in their area during which they will design an online learning unit. This workshop will be supplemented by time spent with the district Mentor(s) to refine and complete development of the learning unit. Finally, teacher teams and mentors join CTDLC staff in a two-hour wrap up session in which teachers will showcase their learning units. This level of participation is worth 1 CEU (=10 hours). Applications are available in both PDF and Rich Text Formats at the bottom of this page (Get Application).

What is a Learning Unit?

Learning units are more than just lesson plans; they are complete, online lessons that are ready for students' use. Learning units are aligned to the CT State Standards and Frameworks and are peer-reviewed for quality.

The CTDLC Teacher Institute leverages the efforts of individual teachers by providing expertise in online curricula design as well as an online, searchable database tool for sharing these online learning units with other teachers throughout the state. Every teacher can take advantage of the online learning units built by other Connecticut teachers!

The CTDLC Learning Unit Database

You can view learning units developed by previous CTDLC Teacher Institute participants by clicking on the "Learning Units" link on the left-side navigation bar.

The CTDLC Learning Units database was designed as a public service to CT teachers with you in mind.

Administrators: See what teachers in your area or other areas have done by searching by city/town.

Teachers: Find learning units you can use in your class by searching by subject and grade level.

Students will be able to find learning units created by their own teachers by searching by teacher.

Costs for participation

The cost for a team (1 mentor and up to 12 teachers) is $3,500. Districts might also want to consider awarding stipends to participating teachers and mentors.

Title II part A and D and Title V funds may be used for this project.

Need More Information?

If you have questions or would like to contact districts that have previously trained with the CTDLC, please contact us at information@ctdlc.org or 860-832-3888.

Download an Application for the CTDLC Teacher Institute for Curriculum Development

Download and print out one of the forms below, fill it in, and fax or mail them to the CTDLC attn: Susan at 860-666-5828 or 85 Alumni Road, Newington, CT 06111.

Downloads: