The Professional Development Center (PDC) is the outreach agent of the School of Education and Human Development (SEHD) of the University of Southern Maine. Our mission is to provide innovative and sustained professional development that enables PK-12 educators and school communities to serve the needs of their students.
Course Registration
To request to register for any of our Spring 2023 courses, please complete the form at the following link:
Request to Register (Google form)
Course Descriptions
EDU 604 Curriculum Development
This course provides graduate students with an understanding of curriculum and curriculum development. Using a collaborative approach, teachers, administrators, and ideally their students plan the design of a curriculum consistent with personal ideals and a given context. Graduate students analyze the curriculum in terms of knowledge, skills, learning processes, equity, and affective dimensions. Special emphasis is given to the processes of curriculum development, implementation, and evaluation. This course focuses on the theoretical foundations of learning and their practical applications for classroom teaching and for instructional leadership. Students will refine their skills of developing curriculum using backward design models and frameworks.
Dates: January 17 – April 28, 2023
Class meetings: Thursdays 4:00-6:30 pm
Format: In-person
Location: Fryeburg Academy
Instructor: Patrick Flynn
Credit: 3 graduate credits
Prerequisites: none
Tuition/Fees: See the Student Financial Services (SFS) Tuition page and contact SFS with any questions
Audience*: Fryeburg Academy educators
*NOTE: Seats in the course are reserved for Fryeburg Academy, but there may be some available spots for other interested students.
PDS 560 Equity Literacy for Educators
This course prepares participants in the core dimensions of equity literacy: (1) understanding how equity and inequity operate in schools and society, and (2) developing awareness, knowledge, and skills necessary to identify inequities, eliminate inequities, and actively cultivate equity. More than cultural competence or diversity awareness, equity literacy prepares us to recognize even the subtlest forms of bias, inequity, and oppression related to race, social class, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, (dis)ability, language, religion, immigration status, and other dimensions of difference. Developing equity literacy prepares us to understand and respond to the ways in which some students experience bias, inequity, and discrimination, which impacts their access to equitable educational opportunities and resources, and thus leads to so-called “gaps” in educational achievement and outcomes. Participants will engage in a variety of learning activities, including individual reading and reflection, group discussion, and critical analysis. A central focus of the course will entail the consideration of equity literacy case studies. Each participant will complete a final project focusing on cultivating equity in their respective professional settings.
Dates: March 13 – April 28, 2023
Class meetings: Thursdays 4:00-5:30 pm
Format: Hybrid
Locations: USM Portland campus, Payson Smith 207 (3/16, 3/30, 4/13); online via Zoom (3/23, 4/6, 4/27 – no class meeting 4/20)
Instructor: Mark Tappan
Credit: 3 graduate credits
Prerequisites: none
Tuition/Fees: See the Student Financial Services (SFS) Tuition page and contact SFS with any questions
Audience*: Practicing educators and administrators, all levels
*NOTE: Seats in the course are reserved for several school district groups, but there may be some available spots for other interested students.
Questions?
Contact the PDC at pdc@maine.edu or 207-780-5400.