McRel and Jones Knowledge Team Up to Create Online Courses in Classroom Instruction That Works

Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL), a Denver-based non-profit education research organization, and Jones Knowledge^®, Inc. (JK), a leader in the development and deployment of online learning solutions for educational institutions, corporations and individuals, have teamed up to create a series of professional development courses for teachers based on McREL's Classroom Instruction that Works: Research-based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement.

The series of three, four-week courses provide in-depth instruction based on the popular manual, which is published by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) and has sold nearly a million copies to educators from around the world, making it one of the top sellers in the field of education.

Each course includes interactive activities, reflective journaling and discussion boards that help participants develop deep, yet practical understanding of the proven strategies identified in Classroom Instruction that Works. The series of courses provide three graduate credits from Jones International University^® and culminate in participants incorporating all nine strategies into a unit plan that engages their students and accelerates their learning.

"We recognize that the landscape of professional development is changing," said McREL President and CEO Tim Waters. "It is clear to us that the future of professional development lies in providing educators with a variety of ways to improve their instructional practices, including face-to-face sessions as well as tailored guidance via online delivery."

"We are excited to be working with such a reputable and esteemed organization to introduce an online version of their CITW  course, making it available to educators anytime, at their convenience. Combining the online education expertise of Jones Knowledge with McREL's experience, content and reputation is a truly standard-setting project" stated Terry Erdle, President of Jones Knowledge.