The last time I addressed distance learning in 1999 I scoped out free and high quality resources that teachers could use for online collaboration, instruction, telementoring and their own professional development. This time around I wanted to focus squarely on post graduate educational opportunities for teachers. I have to say up front that I serve as Chair for the Department of Instruction at Connected University, and that certainly shades my perception of what a post graduate professional development program should be: collaborative, community-based, constructivist. However, I have also tried to include more traditional programs that have made a name for themselves online and some free or highly unique opportunities as well.

If you're still interested in seeing the DL edition from a couple of years ago, you may peruse it at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/innovative-teaching/message/177. Thanks to everyone who sent in recommendations for this important topic. If a number of you send in additional programs you are aware of that are worthy of consideration, I may have a DL update addition in a couple of weeks that showcases my readers' top picks, with credit to those who send in the selected picks. So start emailing them in!

• Center for Educational Resources Project - http://btc.montana.edu/ceres/
  Montana State University and classroom teachers from across the nation have developed an extensive library of on-line materials for teaching astronomy, with the help of NASA. In addition, CERES has developed two graduate level distance learning courses, available over the Internet to K-12 teachers: Studying the Universe with Space Observatories and Comparative Planetology - Establishing a Virtual Presence in the Solar System. You can earn three graduate credit hours for your work.
• Connected University- http://cu.classroom.com/
  Started by Classroom Connect some two years ago, CU is now an industry leader in post graduate professional development for teachers. Offering fully accredited courses in everything from Administration and Curriculum to Basic Computer Skills and advanced Instructional techniques, CU emphasizes the sense of community it builds in each of its classes. Self-paced courses have recently been added, and there are Standards courses for a number of states including Florida, New York, Texas and California. You can receive a free 30 day trial subscription to check it out!
• Fathom - http://www.fathom.com/index.jhtml
  Fathom touts itself a "Knowledge Community" that brings together gradate level courses from traditionally well-respected offline institutions who are now putting their courses online. For example, there is the University of Chicago's "Never Snitch: The Mythology of Harry Potter" in which a mythology scholar leads the class in a study of timeless themes from ancient lore through today's most popular films.....and of course, Harry Potter! Other current courses are led by the London School of Economics and the American Film Institute.
• Heritage Online - http://www.hol.edu/
  The Heritage Institute Online provides more than five dozen self-paced online courses for K-12 teachers that you have a full year to complete. Topics range from assessment and classroom management to content area instruction and technology. In addition to these online courses, there are workshops and field studies that take place in the northwestern United States which also further the training and expertise of educators at all levels. Most intriguing was the "design your own course" option which has been used to study such diverse topics as inclusion, collaboration, local history, multiage classrooms and writing assessments.
• Online Learning.net - http://www.onlinelearning.net/CommunitiesofStudy/communities.cfm?s=226.p050z0144.045t305740&CC=EDU A cadre of California institutions host this online program for teachers covering such diverse topics as Character Education, Cross-Cultural Language and Academic Development, Instructional Technology for Educators and Teacher Certification. This month's featured course is Tech Connect: Integrating Technology into the Math Curriculum, which uses online lectures, discussions, and Web-based readings to promote the use of instructional technology in enhancing Math instruction. Successful completion of a six week class you can earn three quarter units.
• Pepperdine University - http://gsep.pepperdine.edu/gsep/programs/MAET/omet/
  Pepperdine offers Masters and Doctoral programs which are based online. It is a rigorous and standards-based program that takes a little more than a year to complete for the Masters (three years for the Doctorate) with only 3 required face-to-face meetings. The program's courses require extensive field and project work with students regularly interacting online through synchronous and asynchronous forms of communication. It's a cutting edge University-based program!
• Petersons - http://www.petersons.com/dlearn/
  Petersons is a directory of distance learning that allows you to search multiple databases to locate programs that are best suited for your needs. You can search by program, course, or keyword and come up with an extensive listing of possibilities. The site is heavy on the banner ads and you always need to be on the lookout for a sales pitch, but the wealth of information you can mine here makes it more than worthwhile.
• Teach for Tomorrow - http://tft.merit.edu/
  Designed by Michigan educators, TFT "helps teachers understand how to use Internet technology and content for instruction, presentation, lesson planning, research, and collaboration." It is free, but you must register as a user to have access. Topics include finding educational materials, Internet activities and new ways of learning. You can even pay for graduate credits upon completion of the course if you so desire!
• University of Northern Iowa - http://www.uni.edu/profdev/describe.html
  UNI's Online Professional Development for educators program offers online workshop titles such as Computer Concept-Mapping & Graphic Organizers in the K-12 Classroom, Using PowerPoint® with Your Classroom Curriculum and International Connections for K-6 Classrooms. Workshops can earn 2 to 3 credits and are open to teachers outside of Iowa. You can see course descriptions, syllabi and requirements when you surf to this page.
• University of Phoenix - http://www.uofphx.quinstreet.com/html/index.jsp
  UP offers online graduate level courses which utilize email and discussion groups to facilitate student interaction and feedback. Of particular interest is the Master of Arts program in Curriculum and technology, which covers " how to integrate technology into K-12 curriculum, accommodate diverse learners with assistive technology, explore ethical issues pertaining to the use of technology in schools and learn how to plan for implementation of technology programs within educational settings."
• University of Texas - http://www.telecampus.utsystem.edu/
  UT offers degree and non-degree coursework in Educational Technology, all done online. It is a 36 hour program, with six hours of Curriculum and Instruction and eighteen hours of Educational Technology. The remaining twelve hours are electives. A percentage of the course work can be transferred from other accredited universities. The built-in flexibility of designing your own program makes this dually attractive, and the reputation of Texas as an online leader in University-based online degree programs is an added bonus.
• Walden University - http://www.waldenu.edu/
  Walden offers Masters and Doctoral degrees in Education and Elementary Reading and Literacy using their new CourseInfo learning environment from Blackboard. The 45 hour Masters program offers specialization in classroom education, educational change and innovation, middle level education and educational technology. The Ph.D. program is 128 credit hours and includes options for specialization in a range of disciplines from Early Childhood Education to a Self-designed Specialization.
• World Campus 101 - https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/public/wc101/
  Penn State hosts this free online course to help teachers become proficient in the skills needed for successful navigation in an online course. Topics include using online materials, interacting with the instructor and peers, and getting help when you need it. Once you're done, you can go to the main page for World Campus and begin surveying their courses and programs in Early Childhood Education Educational Technology Integration. Penn State uses WebCT as its course platform.
  

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