APS courses explore topics of interest and importance to the plant health community. Offered in an online format, participants from academia, industry, and government sectors, in all career stages, will experience expert-led education in an engaging, discussion-based environment.
Register Now
Professional Development for Educators
These mini-courses are aimed at plant pathology educators of all levels of experience and backgrounds who are looking to explore new strategies to make courses more relevant and engaging.
Each course consists of both independent learning and (usually) two live virtual sessions. With a focus on the practical needs of instructors in the field of Plant Pathology, you will walk out of each course with ready-to-use teaching strategies that suit your unique situation.
Perhaps best of all, you'll learn from and make connections with fellow plant pathology educators, creating a support system as you continue to experiment and implement new instructional strategies in your courses.
Pricing
| Member Type | Rate per course
|
|---|
Student Member
| $72
|
Professional Member
| $98
|
Nonmember
| $148
|
Multiple Registrations Discount
When you register for a course you will receive an email containing a
10% discount code to be used for another course in this PD for Educators series.
Professional Development for Educators Course-Catalog
Classroom Discussions: Strategies for Success!
Format: Independent learning + 2 live virtual class sessions
Dates: May 15 - 28 with live class sessions on May 17 & 24 from 11:00 am-12:30 pm Central Time.
Instructors: Dr. Lou Hirsch, Assistant Professor, University of Kentucky
Register Now!
Tired of classroom discussions falling flat? Is the fear of "dead air" causing you to avoid using classroom discussions as a teaching tool? Do you find the same students do all the talking when you open up the floor for discussion? If any of these sound familiar, join us to learn and practice strategies that will set up your classroom for lively, authentic student-led discussions. Participants will either practice one or more of the discussion strategies in their own classrooms or create a plan for integrating guided discussion into future courses.
Student Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- List examples of ineffective class discussions and analyze key failure points.
- Model the expected course of a new class discussion prompt and identify likely rhetorical dead ends.
- Develop and evaluate open-ended discussion prompts that allow for inquiry-driven discourse.
Applying Principles of Learning to Improve Teaching
Format: Independent learning + 2 live virtual class sessions
Dates: June 5 - 28 with live class sessions on June 7 & 21 from 11:00 am- 12:30 pm Central Time.
Instructor:Dr. Monica Lewandowski, Assistant Professor, Ohio State University
Register Now!
Join us as we explore ways to leverage our modern understanding of learning to become more effective teachers. Key principles of learning can help instructors design course materials to help students build learning skills and grasp challenging topics. The workshop will include practical tips and strategies that have been successfully applied by fellow plant pathology educators. The content is geared towards teaching introductory courses at a college level, but the principles will apply to all levels of learning. We will refer to the book How Learning Works: 7 Research-based Principles for Smart Teaching by Amrbose et al, but the book is not required to participate in the workshop.
Student Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Describe key principles of learning.
- Explain how principles of learning can impact student comprehension.
- Apply principles of learning to develop class lectures and assignments.
- Identify some ways to address gaps in student learning.
Canvas Essentials: Tools to Save your Sanity
Format: Independent learning + 2 live virtual class sessions
Dates: July 7 - 28 with live class sessions on July 12 & 26 from 11:00 am- 12:30 pm Central Time.
Instructor:Brantlee Spakes-Richter, Assistant Professor, University of Florida
Register Now!
Most universities today use a Learning Management System (LMS), and as of 2020, Canvas surpassed Blackboard to become the most-used LMS in the US and Canada. This course will help you get the most out of the Canvas LMS; getting these tools set up in your course will save you significant time and sanity in the long run. Participants will be asked to either set up a “mock” course in a Canvas scratch box or modify an existing course in Canvas, using the tips provided.
Designing Undergraduate Research (UR) Experiences
Format: Independent learning + 2 live virtual class sessions
Dates: October 30 - November 17 with live class sessions on 11/1 & 11/15 from 11:00 am-12:30 pm Central Time.
Instructor:Dr. Kimberly Gwinn, Associate Professor, University of Tennessee
Register Now!
Looking to evaluate and improve your existing undergraduate research (UR) program? Maybe you need guidance as you create a new program from scratch. Either way, this course is for you. You’ll walk away with a plan for a UR program that can yield publishable research and a plan for funding your program.
UR programs come in many forms and are often instrumental in the development of career pathways for undergraduate students. Although personally rewarding for faculty, postdocs, and students, UR is often not included in annual performance reviews. This course will explore how you can increase the profile of (and get federal funding for) your UR program by creating a formal performance metric.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Explain design principles for building an undergraduate research program
- Build a strategic plan for supporting an undergraduate research program in plant pathology
- Identify local and national resources for the planning, funding, implementation, and analysis of UR and UR programs
- Discuss different types of mentoring and the impact of good mentors on programming
Team-Based Learning - Registration opening soon
Format: Independent learning + 3 live virtual class sessions
Dates: January 8-26 with live sessions on January 10, 18 & 24 from 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Central Time
Instructor:Dr. Leonor Leandro, Professor, Iowa State University
Course Description Coming Soon
Coming Soon
Research Ethics
**Fulfills NSF, NIH, and USDA NIFA research grant requirements.**
2023 Registration for this course is closed
Click here to be notified when 2024 registration opens
From past attendees:
"Don't miss this unique experience - APS's course is interactive and discussion-based."
“It really opened my eyes to a lot of things that should be obvious to researchers, but are not."
“It was great to learn from so many different people from different countries and at different career stages."
Learn More
