Earning Professional Development Credit through EF

“Because we were all teachers, we viewed our experience in terms of what we couldtake back to the classroom. So, everywhere I went, I was making lesson plans in myhead. We checked into our hotel and right away I was reminded of Ireland’s rich cul-tural heritage. Immediately, I thought of tying Ireland’s literary tradition to my lessonsfor my eighth graders. And, after traveling and thinking like a teacher, I came awaywith so many ideas of ways to take the experience back to my students. I could do les-sons on Irish writers, Irish folktales and mythology, writing limericks, Irish history atany period, etc. There’s so much that could be used to enrich my students’ knowledge ofthis most amazing country.”

Linda Blake, EF Group LeaderTucson, Arizona- Excerpt from EF Professional Development Credit Program Coursework

eftours.com

ET GL credit packet.1107 12/13/07 4:13 PM Page 1

Theme: Global Connections

EF’s mission is to break down barriers of language, geography, and culture through educational travel and culturalexchange. We believe that firsthand experience of other cultures is an irreplaceable way to learn. The goal of this courseis to provide educators with a formal framework through which to make sense of the experiential learning that takesplace on tour. Coursework before, during, and after the EF tour strives to enrich the pedagogy of teachers and providethem with enhanced tools to bring to the classroom.

Credits: Two Professional Development Credits**i.e. continuing education units, professional development points, recertification hours, and the like.

Pre-tour: 20 hoursOn-tour: 20 hours (minimum)Post-tour: 20 hoursTotal: minimum 60 hoursEF’s reporting transcript specif ies two professional development credits earned and 60 hours of coursework completed.Educators are encouraged to speak with school administration to receive approval of EF course work.

Course goals and objectives

1. Global Connections: To address the Global Connections themes as described in the Pedagogical and Content-Based Standards section on page 3.

2. Global Citizenship: To prepare educators to become more active and aware participants in a global community

3. Analysis: To facilitate a way for educators to meaningfully document their experience, and that of their students, in the world beyond their own community

4. Knowledge: To provide educators with firsthand knowledge of a history, culture, art, architecture, people or belief system different from their own

5. Future: To prepare educators for a more productive future through thoughtful integration of experiential learning and reflective analysis

Table of Contents

Course goals and objectives 2

Standards 3

Pre-tour course requirements 4

On-tour course requirements 4

Post-tour course requirements 5–6

Timeline 7

Executive summary 8

2

ET GL credit packet.1107 12/13/07 4:13 PM Page 2

Pedagogical and Content-Based StandardsEF’s professional development credit program aligns with the pedagogical and content-based standards below.

National Staff Development Council Standards, nsdc.org

NSDC Process StandardsStaff development that improves the learning of all students:• Uses multiple sources of information to guide improvement and demonstrate its impact (Evaluation)• Prepares educators to apply research to decision making (Research-Based)• Uses learning strategies appropriate to the intended goal (Design)• Applies knowledge about human learning and change (Learning)• Provides educators with the knowledge and skills to collaborate (Collaboration)

NSDC Content StandardsStaff development that improves the learning of all students:• Prepares educators to understand and appreciate all students and create safe, orderly and supportive learning environments, while holding high expectations for students’ academic achievement (Equity)• Deepens educators’ content knowledge, provides them with research-based instructional strategies to assist students in meeting rigorous academic standards and prepares them to use various types of classroom assessments appropriately (Quality Teaching)• Provides educators with knowledge and skills to involve families and other stakeholders appropriately (Family Involvement)

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards: Core Propositions, nbpts.org• Teachers are committed to students and their learning• Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to students• Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning• Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience• Teachers are members of learning communities

National Council for Social Studies Standards: Expectations for the Global

Connections theme, ncss.orgTeachers should provide developmentally-appropriate experiences as they guide learners in the study of global connec-tions and interdependence. They should:

• Enable learners to explain how language, art, music, belief systems, and other cultural elements can facilitate global understanding or cause misunderstanding• Help learners to explain conditions and motivations that contribute to conflict, cooperation, and interdependence among groups, societies, and nations• Provide opportunities for learners to analyze and evaluate the effects of changing technologies on the global c o m m u n i t y• Challenge learners to analyze the causes, consequences and possible solutions to persistent, contemporary, and emerging global issues, such as health care, security, resource allocation, economic development and environmental quality• Guide learner analysis of the relationships and tensions between national sovereignty and global interests in such matters as territorial disputes, economic development, nuclear and other weapons deployment, use of natural resources, and human rights concerns• Develop learners’ ability to analyze or formulate policy statements in such ways that they demonstrate an understanding of concerns, standards, issues, and conflicts related to universal human rights• Help learners to describe and evaluate the role of international and multinational organizations in the global arena • Demonstrate how individual behaviors and decisions connect with global systems

3

ET GL credit packet.1107 12/13/07 4:13 PM Page 3

Pre-tour course requirements

1) ReadingRead one book or three articles which pertain in some way to the Global Connections learning standards as they relateto your subject and grade level (buy on own or get from library). You are free to pick your own reading material butmust justify your choice as part of the required summary activity, described on page 5.

Links for suggested readingNational Council for the Social Studies recommended readingssocialstudies.org/resources/notable

American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages recommended readingsactfl.org

National Science Teacher’s Association recommended readingsnsta.org/ostbc

National Council for Teachers of English recommended readingsncte.org/store

PBS Teachers resource listshoppbs.org

NAFSA: Association for International Educators Best Seller’s listnafsa.org/content/professionalandeducational/resources/publications/bestsellers.htm

Advanced Placement program of the College Board resource listapps.apcentral.collegeboard.com/ResourceSearchParams.jsp

2) Pre-tour overviewFormally document the work you do before your tour in order to:• Communicate the educational value of your travel program to parents and administrators• Demonstrate leadership in your school and community• Prepare your students to benefit from their upcoming travels• Teach your students about global citizenship• Prepare your students for the logistics of travel• Anticipate challenges and rewards you will gain professionally through teaching your students outside the classroom in

an experiential learning environmentAlign each of the activities to state or national standards for your discipline, as well as to state or national professionaldevelopment standards.

On-tour course requirementsTravel journalYour travel journal should contain notes on the following topics (suggested 500 words/day):• Cities, towns, destinations of educational interest to students and teachers (destinations should vary according to each

teacher’s discipline)• Personal contacts, conversations, interviews with local citizens• Educational materials, information gained each day• Instructional experience gained each day from EF Tour Directors, city guides, other teachers, etc.• Reflections on teaching outside the classroom (Ex: Discipline is more difficult than expected because…; “teachable

moments” are more powerful because…)

4

ET GL credit packet.1107 12/13/07 4:13 PM Page 4

Post-tour course requirements

1) Curriculum unitCreate a curriculum unit designed to share the travel experience with students who were not able to go on the tour, andenrich the pre-, on-, and post-tour experiences of those who were able to travel. Use your pre-tour and on-tour assign-ments to help create the curriculum units.

The curriculum unit should include:• 1 one-hour pre-tour lesson• 1 one-hour on-tour lesson• 1 one-hour post-tour lesson

Each of the 3 one-hour lesson plans must include the following sections:• Subject and intended grade level(s)• Clear and succinct connection between EF tour program and subject discipline• Subject matter topics• Essential questions and lesson objectives• Intended learning outcomes• Materials needed• Procedures• Assessments

2) Self-assessment This self-assessment is designed to enable educators to summarize their reflections about their pre-, on-, and post-tourlearning activities and to integrate new knowledge and skills into professional practice.

• Pre-tour reading

Which books or articles did you choose? Why did you choose them? How did your readings connect with your travels?

• Pre-tour preparation overview

Assess the extent to which each of the pre-tour activities developed your professional skills. Include references to howeach activity correlates with your chosen standards.

• On-tour travel journal

Assess the extent to which your travel journal will help you in the classroom.

• Post-tour summary activity

Provide an overview of how this course has helped you develop professionally and your reflections on teaching outside of the classroom.

3) Summary activityIn essay form (suggested 2,000 words):• Assess the value of incorporating your book(s) or article(s) into your lessons. Include an explanation of why you chose

this reading material• Evaluate the pre-, on-, and post-tour experience, including the course requirements, in terms of how it helped you

grow professionally as an educator (it may help to consider to what extent the tour met the objectives you expressed pre-tour)

• Compare classroom learning to experiential learning using your tour as the example

4) Share your curriculum unit• Discuss your curriculum unit and your post-tour perspectives with at least two colleagues, including an administrator.• Submit your summary activity and curriculum unit to EF for review. Please send material to Jen Flynn, Directorof Educational Programs, EF Center, One Education Street, Cambridge, MA 02141.

5

ET GL credit packet.1107 12/13/07 4:13 PM Page 5

Timeline

1. Registration• Educators are encouraged to speak to school administration prior to enrolling for EF coursework.• All educators and students must register for EF’s credit programs on-line at eftours.com/credit or through their tour

consultant.• Course overview and a list of frequently asked questions can be viewed in Adobe and HTML format at

eftours.com/credit.

2. Two weeks prior to EF tour departure• Educators must be enrolled to be eligible to earn professional development credits through EF.• Educators must obtain their books and a suitable travel journal.• Educators must read their books and complete the “pre-tour overview” section of the assignment.

6

ET GL credit packet.1107 12/13/07 4:13 PM Page 6

7

ET GL credit packet.1107 12/13/07 4:13 PM Page 7

Executive Summary

WHY EARN CREDIT WITH EFEF is the first and only international travel organization to be accredited by the Commission on International andTrans-Regional Accreditation (CITA). Through CITA, EF is accredited by:

• Middles States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA-CES)• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS-CASI)• Western Association of Schools and Colleges(WASC)• North Central Association (NCA-CASI)• National Council for Private Schools Accreditation (NCPSA)

EF’s accreditation means that all of EF’s tours have been recognized for their quality and educational value, meeting thesame rigorous standards as schools throughout the U.S.

• EF’s course requirements include a minimum of 60 hours of pre-tour preparation, on-tour work, and post-tour reflective analysis.

• EF’s course provides a formal structure for educators to document the work that goes into leading a tour and providing students with valuable learning experiences outside the classroom.

• EF’s course enables educators to develop professionally as global citizens and helps them create dynamic ways of transferring that learning to their students.

• EF’s course addresses global connections standards that are often difficult to meet in the classroom.

• EF’s course was created by educators and approved by EF Educational Tours’ and Smithsonian Student Travel’s educa-tional advisory board.

Visit eftours.com/credit to download all course information, register for the course, read Frequently Asked Questions,and offer your feedback.

HOW TO EARN CREDIT• Familiarize yourself with the course requirements outlined in this booklet.• Review the timeline on page 7.• Share the course with the administrator who oversees professional development/recertification in your school/

district.• Obtain approval from your school administration to count the EF credit towards your professional

development requirements.• Enroll for credit online through eftours.com/creditor through your EF Tour Consultant.• Complete the required coursework, receive a graded transcript, and submit transcript to your school

administrator.

ET GL credit packet.1107 12/13/07 4:13 PM Page 8