PMH1832X - Pathways to Belonging: A Human-Centered Professional Practice Certificate
Course Description
Pathways to Belonging: A Human-Centered Professional Practice Certificate includes a comprehensive professional development workshop series designed to empower faculty, staff, and students with the knowledge and tools to create more equitable and accessible learning environments across many modalities of teaching and learning. This program offers a comprehensive exploration of key topics, including trauma-informed teaching, brain-based learning, neurotypes, and holistic course design, with a focus on practical strategies for immediate application in higher education settings, along with professional and personal applications. Participants will gain insight into the communication and behavioral techniques essential for working with diverse learners, including neurodivergent individuals. Through this series, participants will develop a deeper understanding of how to design and implement Brain-based teaching and implementation practices that promote engagement and success for all.
Key Benefits
- No prior experience required
- Designed for immediate application
- No textbooks and other materials required
Learning Modules Include
- Module 1 – Introduction to Neurodiversity
- Module 2 – Trauma-Informed Teaching Techniques
- Module 3 – Brain-based Learning and Instructional Design Best Practices in Higher Education
- Module 4 – Introduction to PDA Profiles: Communication and Behavioral Techniques
- Module 5 – Applied Practices for Neurodiverse Course Design
Course Learning Outcomes
- Analyze common neurodiverse conditions and how they impact learning, behavior, and engagement in educational settings.
- Implement trauma-sensitive teaching techniques, such as creating safe learning spaces and promoting emotional regulation.
- Design lessons and activities that are flexible, supportive, and responsive to the needs of students who have experienced trauma.
- Examine the relationship between brain science and effective teaching practices in diverse higher education settings.
- Integrate brain-based learning strategies to promote active engagement, memory retention, and critical thinking in students.
- Identify the characteristics of PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) profiles and their implications for communication and behavior in educational settings.
- Adapt communication strategies to effectively engage students with PDA, including using flexible, non-demanding approaches.
- Apply advanced universal design for learning (UDL) principles to develop course structures and activities that cater to a wide range of cognitive and sensory needs.
- Evaluate and modify existing course content to incorporate neurodiverse-friendly strategies that support engagement and participation for all learners.
Requirements to Enroll
No application is needed to enroll. All learners are eligible to enroll in the course. There are no admission requirements. It is recommended that learners have a high school diploma or GED, and have basic computer and internet knowledge.
Estimated Time to Completion
This course can be completed in 5 hours.
Access Time
Learners will have access to their course learning modules for up to 12 months from the date of enrollment.
Credits
- CEUs- 0.5 National University Continuing Education Units
- APA- 5 American Psychological Association Credit Hours
Certificate of Completion
Learners will be awarded a National University Professional and Continuing Education Certificate of Completion after successful completion of all five units and earning a 100% class progress.
Refund Policy
We at National University want all of our students to have a positive and rewarding learning experience. In the event that a student is not completely satisfied with a course, we offer a refund policy to ensure satisfaction.
To be eligible for a refund, the student must submit a written request, including a valid reason, within 9 calendar days of registering for the course. Additionally, the student must not have attempted more than 25% of the course.
To request a refund, email PACE@nu.edu and include your full name, student ID, and course name. Your reason for requesting a refund will be carefully reviewed, and we reserve the right to refuse a refund if we determine the request to be invalid.
If you meet the eligibility criteria and are approved for a refund, we will issue a refund to your original method of payment within 60 days of the refund approval.
How to Access My Course
Allow up to 24 hours after enrollment for the course to appear in Brightspace. (An error will appear if accessed before 24 hours)
Follow the steps below:
- Log in to your student portal at westraining.nu.edu
- Click “Login”, then “Student Login”
- Log in using User Name (email address) and Password
- In your PACE student portal, click on “Brightspace LMS” on the left-hand navigation panel.
- Under My Courses, click the course title to get started.