As schools get under way across the state, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is opening a new professional development center to provide teachers and school administrators with resources on child development and education. The Professional Development Center at UNC’s Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute opens this week and includes workshops, free courses, major conferences and many other services.
“In today’s climate, with tight budgets and fewer resources, it’s especially important to provide teachers and other education professionals with the high-quality, research-based professional development programs they need to ensure the best outcomes for children,” said Pamela J. Winton, FPG’s director of outreach.
Winton and FPG Director Samuel L. Odom developed the center to provide resources at cost or no charge. The center will deliver free online instruction on implementing evidence-based practices in classrooms; lessons on topics such as early identification of autism spectrum disorders; and training workshops on instruments measuring the quality of programs for children with disabilities, statistical analysis and other topics. Teachers can take courses for continuing education units, and professionals from around the world can schedule in-person study visits to learn from FPG projects. For more information, visit: http://pdc.fpg.unc.edu.
Frank Porter Graham contact: Pamela J. Winton, (919) 966-7180, pam_winton@unc.edu