Original Post Date: June 9, 2022

As you head into summer and you begin to plan your vacations and summer reading lists, consider giving your skills a little boost, and review the professional development (PD) options NCCEP has to offer. Online learning offers a way to engage and stay connected with a larger community. We have plenty of options to pick from, ranging from taking online courses at your own pace to participating in a cohort-style program. Here is a primer on the plethora of PD to pick from.

STUDY LAB

The Study Lab offers online courses for GEAR UP professionals that can be taken whenever, wherever, and they never expire. There are short micromodules and longer courses on a variety of topics that GEAR UP professionals may encounter, and we have content for every role and level of experience. Pro Tip: If you’re an NCCEP member, you can enroll yourself in the Micromodules for FREE!

LABS

If you have an appetite for connection, we’ve got an assortment of Labs to satisfy your craving! Labs are opportunities for the GEAR UP community to connect, share, learn, and problem-solve during and outside of our two annual events. Submit an application for one of our Learning Labs or join us for an upcoming Open Lab! 

If a reading list is what suits you best, we can share the reading list that we’ve complied for participants in the Coordinator Learning Lab. This list is a collection of books that have either come up in discussion or used in one of the virtual sessions. 

Here is what one GEAR UP community member had to say about participating in a Learning Lab, 

"This program has helped me polish my understanding of the hurdles our students have to navigate the college process. As a first-generation college student, I feel great satisfaction to provide knowledge to my students that were not accessible to me during my high school education. What really resonated with me during this experience with College Advising Learning Lab is the college decision-making process and financial aid literacy." 

TOOLKITS & WEBINARS

Explore new ideas and resources on a variety of topics and dive into the various Toolkits. These curated toolkits have resources, templates, and ideas to help you administer programming for your GEAR UP grant. These toolkits are for anyone in the GEAR UP community and are designed as an introduction to GEAR UP-specific topics. We have a series of mini webinars that walk through each of the toolkits available, too! Catch the Coordinator Toolkit or the Family Engagement Toolkit recordings and see how GEAR UP professionals use them. Additionally, we’ve got lots of webinars with rich discussion on important topics, like Making the Most out of National GEAR UP Week or Summer Transitions with SEL.

If you would like to discuss your PD options with NCCEP, please contact me! I’d love to hear from you and discuss your PD goals. Whatever professional development journey you choose to take this summer, NCCEP has you covered!