Professional Development
IdahoPTV is more than just a TV station. We also offer FREE* professional development to teachers across the Gem State. Professional development trainings are led by our Education Manager, Kari Wardle, a certified teacher with an M. Ed in Instructional Design and Technology.
Scroll below to see what courses we offer!
*Note: While IdahoPTV doesn’t charge for professional development trainings, if educators wish to earn credit they will have to pay the university.
PBS Teacher Community Program
IdahoPTV is one of five stations in rural areas across the U.S. that are part of the PBS Teacher Community Program. This pilot initiative aims to build educator communities across our state – connecting educators with each other and with IdahoPTV around our shared goal of improving learning outcomes for Idaho's students.
Resilience: Hope Lives Here Professional Development
Teaching Coding to K-5 Students
Being a trauma-informed teacher is critical because Idaho is the fifth highest in the nation for children with three or more ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences). The three webinars will focus on self care and mental wellness, trauma informed classrooms, and practical applications and ideas for managing trauma in the classroom.
Coding is the new literacy. Throughout this course, teachers will learn how to code using PBS KIDS Scratch Jr, an app designed to teach beginning coding to K-5 graders. Teachers will not only learn the reasons that teaching coding is important, but they will learn how to integrate coding into their curriculum. This course will be conducted either synchronously or asynchronously using Google Classroom. It is available for 1 PD credit through ISU.
Tech Talk Tuesday
PBS Media Literacy Certification
Tech Talk Tuesday is a professional development series led by former classroom teachers Kari Wardle, Idaho Public Television’s Education Manager, and Nikki Vradenburg, Montana PBS’s Director of Education. It features Idaho and Montana teachers discussing strategies, tools and real-world solutions for integrating technology into the classroom.
As educators, we know that young people need new skills to navigate the modern media landscape. The PBS Media Literacy Certification by KQED recognizes PreK-12 educators who demonstrate their ability to teach students to think critically about media consumption and creation. This certification will demonstrate educator expertise in teaching students to produce media that matters and think critically about their role as media consumers. The class will help teachers as they progress through the certification process offering ideas, strategies, and support. This course is available for 3 PD credits through ISU.
This course is online and offered synchronously and asynchronously. Attendees meet virtually with instructors for one hour, once a month from September through May. We will also record the webinars for educators to watch when convenient if this is the method that they prefer. Credit will be given once certification is earned.
- Join a monthly webinar (or watch the recording)
- Complete 8 micro-credentials in the Digital Promise platform
- Submit artifacts and reflections, as required for each micro-credential
- Share your micro-credential badge with your instructors and professional network
- Earn 8 micro-credentials and automatically become a PBS Certified Media Literacy Educator