CEUs for Domestic Travel

Independent Study-Domestic Travel



Independent Study Domestic Travel 102

Studying and traveling has valuable benefits for the classroom teacher:

As in life, not everything of value can be documented and accounted for.
1. One should not expect to receive anything close to the amount of CEUs for the amount of time spent in travelling.
2. ONE MUST REQUEST APPROVAL OF ANY CEUs TO BE EARNED IN ADVANCE TO BE CERTAIN ONE RECEIVES THE EXPECTED CEUs.

CEUs could be earned from the following methods if submitting an Independent Staff Development Activity Application form for Prior Approval. This form can be found at http://staffdev.ucps.k12.nc.us/default.asp?INVUSER Login and choose Course on the left hand side and then Prior Approval. Please refer to the Staff Development Manual in Moodle for details.
1. Documentable events that create a tangible product one can use in teaching.
1. No more than one CEU can be earned from documentable events gained during a time frame of less than 7 full days.
2. No more than two CEUs can be earned from documentable events gained during a time frame of at least 7 full days.
3. No more than three CEUs can be earned from documentable events gained during time frame of at least 15 days.
4. One CEU could be accrued at a rate of 20 event/study hours = 10 contact hours = 1 CEU
2. Tangible products that use information, data, photos, etc., to use in teaching.
1. No more than two CEUs can be earned from tangible products created from time frame of at least 7 full days.
2. No more than three CEUs can be earned from tangible products created from time frame of at least 15 full days.

Maximum CEUs:

3. A maximum of five CEUs can be earned per course/trip from enrollment in Union County’s “Independent Study-Domestic Travel 102”.

4. For example, summer 2008 one could enroll in “Independent Study-Domestic Travel 102” while traveling/studying abroad the Civil War Battlefields of Pennsylvania. and in summer 2009 one could enroll in “Independent Study-Domestic Travel 102” while traveling/studying the government buildings of Washington, DC.

Documentable Events: Can be documented with tickets, programs, receipts, menus, brochures, photos that are presented in an electronic or paper format. Electronic format would include scanned objects that are organized and labeled. Paper format would be an organized and labeled scrapbook or notebook. The term “hours” are the units used here in order to measure “documentable events”. 20 “HOURS” SHOULD INCLUDE A MINIMUM OF FOUR DOCUMENTABLE EVENTS.

5. Artistic Events: art museums, cultural museums, dance performances, theatre, cinema, concerts

6. Business / Professions: shadow a worker in a local business; visit a factory or research l (three hour minimum)

7. Historic Knowledge: history walking tours, speeches or tours from historians or museum guides, history museums visits, cemeteries, battlefields, palaces, urban vs. rural life;

8. Social Events: weddings, political rallies, church services,

9. University/ School Tours :

10. Other: Submit other ideas for “Documentable Events” with your request for prior approval for CEUs.

Tangible Products = Quantifiable Results of Domestic Study Recognizing that seat time does not prove knowledge or competence, likewise domestic travel does not prove professional development. To show the relevance of travel to teaching, one should create a product that exemplifies lessons learned from travel. The term “hours” are the units used here in order to measure “Tangible Products”. ANY TOPIC BELOW CONSTITUTES 10 “HOURS”. Ideas include:

11. Create a Power Point of personal photos taken on location in the location of topics of relevant interest to the teacher’s topic of instruction: rivers, mountains, historical monuments, etc. See “Documentable Events”.

12. Create a lesson plan, game, content capsule to teach knowledge of the “Documentable Events”.

13. Film or tape conversations, interviews, speeches, plays, live music that can be used in class for the level/s one teaches. See “Documentable Events”.

14. Create an annotated memorabilia display of regalia, souvenirs and memorabilia relevant to the teacher’s topic/s and level/s of instruction worthy of a school 6’ x 6’ display / trophy case. See “Documentable Events”.

15. Maintain a daily diary of notes, facts, reflections and ideas on how to apply the observations to teachings

16. Submit other ideas for tangible products with your request for prior approval for CEUs.

Documentable Events and Tangible Products may be combined for coursework “hours” in “Independent Study-Domestic Travel 102”.

Frequently Asked Questions:

17. Do sabbaticals qualify for renewable CEUs? If so, what are the criteria? Yes, if they are meeting the aforementioned requirements.

18. Is there a ceiling for the amount of CEUs per renewal cycle? What if a person were to study / travel every year of a renewal cycle? Would they still be limited to 5 CEUs per renewal cycle as Independent Study? They are not limited to 5, but they should be limited to 5 that counts toward licensure. This means that they would basically be using the remainder of CEUs as a type of curriculum vitae. The 15 total requirements has an unwritten expectation that the credits will come from numerous venues and topics ( i.e. best practices, classroom management, etc.)

19. Do CEUs from “Independent Study-Domestic Travel 102” meet the “Content” requirement for second language teachers? (3 CEUs of “content” are required for those due to renew their license beginning in June, 2009). Yes.

CEUs could be earned from the following methods below if submitting an Education Program OUTSIDE UCPS/College Coursework-Application for Prior Approval. This form can be found in http://staffdev.ucps.k12.nc.us/default.asp?INVUSER Login and choose Course on the left hand side and then Prior Approval. Please refer to the Staff Development Manual in Moodle for details.