Professional Development

Nonprofit to Offer 'Micro-Endorsement' PD through BloomBoard

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 05/14/20

An education nonprofit in Oklahoma is working with an education technology company to provide teachers with alternative credentials taken online that can get them raises. The Oklahoma Public School Resource Center (OPSRC) has begun offering "micro-endorsement" professional development delivered through BloomBoard. The programs align with district salary schedules and cost less than traditional graduate degrees.

The credentials are made up of a combination of micro-credentials teachers earn by studying particular topics and proving their competencies in courses delivered through the BloomBoard catalog.

According to BloomBoard, districts can design a master's level course of study for staff, made up of micro-endorsements, in subjects including social emotional learning, working with English language learners, computer science instruction and personalized learning. Pathways can also be tailored to individual educators' goals.

"This partnership couldn't have been more timely," said OPSRC Executive Director, Brent Bushey, in a statement. "While many teacher trainings have already been canceled this summer due to COVID-19, educators can still use BloomBoard to enhance their knowledge and expand their toolbox of instructional strategies. We believe more and more schools will be looking to support teacher practice for online and blending learning, and this is a win-win: graduate-level learning accessible anytime, anywhere and without the hefty cost."