Learning Series for Educators
No-Cost Webinar Series on Cloud Computing and Remote Learning Strategies
AWS Educate is offering a series of regional online workshops and webinars to help you continue to build cloud skills. Webinar topics range from introductions to Amazon Web Services (AWS) and AWS Educate, to a day in the life of an AWS solutions architect. There are also on-demand webinars available at the bottom of this page. New webinars are added regularly, so check back weekly to see what's new in your region. Each webinar will be recorded and available on-demand.
On Demand Webinars
Cloud in Practice Webinar Series: Integrating AWS Educate Content into Cloud Courses
In this webinar, Rus Teston, AWS Educate Faculty Technical Trainer, will introduce the AWS Educate Cloud Content Repository and the new content available to educators. Rus will demonstrate how to access and select these resources and provide guidance on integrating this content into your courses and curricula to teach cloud computing. Drawing on his own experience as an instructor, Rus will share best practice on adapting AWS Educate content to support your learning objectives. This is a great session for educators interested in learning more about leveraging existing AWS Educate cloud content.
Cloud in Practice Webinar Series: Creating Projects and Labs in AWS Educate Classrooms
This is a webinar for educators seeking to learn more about how AWS Educate supports students’ hands-on learning of AWS cloud computing. Mike Bryant, AWS Educate Faculty Community Manager, will introduce AWS Educate Classrooms and discuss how to use this virtual hands-on environment to create, manage, and grade student projects and labs. Mike will demonstrate how to use classroom templates and the available AWS services in AWS Educate Classrooms to tailor each environment to different topics. He will also talk about particular student project examples, including how to set these up and assess student work.
Cloud in Practice Webinar Series: Embedding AWS Educate Pathways into Courses
In this webinar, AWS Educate Cloud Ambassador Gaurav Malik will talk about how he uses AWS Educate Pathways in his own courses as senior lecturer in computer science and informatics at the University of East London. Based on his experience of integrating the AWS Educate Cloud 101 Cloud Career Pathway into an MBA program and a computer science cloud course, Gaurav will share advice on how to choose the right pathway for your course, how to assign AWS Educate Pathways to your students, and how to encourage student engagement. He will also talk about how pathways can help connect students to internship and career opportunities. This session is a great starting point for educators looking to learn more about how they can leverage AWS Educate student content in their own curricula to teach cloud in the classroom.
300 Level Cloud Computing
This webinar will focus on 300 Level session topics in the Cloud Computing strand of the AWS Educate learning series. Attendees with knowledge on the topic will take a deeper dive into the implementation of cloud services and how it can be used in the classroom.
300 Level Remote Instruction
This webinar will focus on 300 Level session topics in the Remote Instruction strand of the AWS Educate learning series. Attendees with knowledge on the topic will learn advanced strategies and techniques for teaching virtually.
Cloud in Practice Webinar Series: Introducing AWS Educate Pathways and Badges in the Classroom
This is a webinar for educators who are new to AWS Educate or looking to better understand the content available to students on AWS Educate. Beth Linden, AWS Educate Curriculum Development Manager, will introduce the AWS Educate Cloud Career Pathways and Badges and discuss how they are designed and built using AWS Educate’s unique Cloud Competency Framework, which draws on labor market data and AWS technical skills. In this session, Beth will demonstrate the typical structure of this content and how it helps to introduce and reinforce cloud concepts, skills, and knowledge to students.
200 Level Remote Instruction
This webinar will focus on 200 Level session topics in the Remote Instruction strand of the AWS Educate learning series. Attendees with an introductory knowledge of remote instruction will learn content delivery and student communication best practices.
200 Level Cloud Computing
This webinar will focus on 200 Level session topics in the Cloud Computing strand of the AWS Educate learning series. Attendees with an introductory knowledge of cloud computing will learn best practices, details of service features, and receive a demo of the cloud in action.
100 Level Cloud Computing
This webinar will focus on the 100 Level session topics in the Cloud Computing strand of the AWS Educate learning series. Attendees new to the topic will learn an overview of Cloud Computing and AWS Educate program features.
100 Level Remote Instruction
This webinar will focus on the 100 Level session topics in the Remote Instruction strand of the AWS Educate learning series. Attendees new to the topic will learn an overview of remote instruction techniques.
Online Engagement Strategies for English Language Learners
With the shift to online education, the following questions remain:
• "How is the online learning experience different for English learners?"
• "How can I teach English learners online?"
• "How can I effectively support English learners in online classes?"
Online Engagement Strategies for English Language Learners is a learning experience in which global educators can understand the unique characteristics of distance learning for English learners (ELs). Through this lens, we will explore effective and practical strategies that educators can implement to support ELs in online learning environments.
Speaker: Morgan Nixon, Instructional Designer, Online Course Developer for TESOL International Association
Teaching Online: Ten Suggestions for Success
As you shift from traditional instruction to online instruction, learn the things you should consider and actions you should to take for a successful transition. Don’t think of this move to online teaching as a one-off. Think of it as an opportunity to build an online offering that can serve your department and students for years.
Speaker: Michael Soltys, Chair of Computer Science, Information Technology and Mechatronics Engineering, California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI)
Teaching Online for Beginners
Teaching virtually can be a daunting challenge for even the most seasoned educator. In this session, we will breakdown the challenge by addressing online learning using the TPACK (Technical, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge) framework. You will learn about:
- Tools to communicate and collaborate (Technical Knowledge)
- Instructional best practices (Pedagogical Knowledge)
- Content creation and curation (Content Knowledge)
Speaker: Garry Smolyansky, Professional Learning Coach and Professor, Seneca College
Develop an Asynchronous Remote-First Infrastructure for Your Class
Learn to use proven remote-first strategies and easily integrate them into your existing class. One of the downsides of the traditional lecture-based approach is that the teacher is the main source of learning. In a flipped classroom, the students lead weekly discussions that they share in a graded, electronic forum. The discussion then becomes a central focus of the learning as they share effective technical communication through various methods.
Speaker: Noah Gift, Founder, Pragmatic AI Labs
Safe, Familiar, and Student-Centric: An Emergency Guide to Remote Teaching for Novices
In this webinar, novice remote instructors will take a crash course to get ready to teach online for the first time. The presentation assumes that instructors needing to make a rapid transition should follow three guiding principles:
- Minimize the risk of high-profile failures.
- Stick to as many familiar tools as possible.
- Err on the side of making things more convenient for students wherever possible.
The guide also takes new instructors through the three areas of online delivery: delivering content, delivering assessment, and delivering the classroom.
Speaker: David Joyner, Executive Director, Georgia Tech's Master of Science in Computer Science (MSCS) program
Labs in the Cloud: Tips on Moving Classroom Labs Online
This presentation will cover the basics of what the cloud is and how AWS can be used to replicate classroom labs in an online environment. The focus of the presentation will be to introduce some ways in which AWS can be used to provide a classroom-based experience to students in an online environment. Topics will include what the cloud is, what virtualization is, the need for virtualization, how Gen Z and younger students perceive the Internet, using Amazon EC2 instances to create virtual labs, and the benefits of a virtualized lab environment.
The target audience for this presentation is educators who have special software or complex lab configuration in the classroom and are looking for ways to provide access to students in a virtual environment.
Speaker: Robert C. Schanke, MBA, PhD, Associate Professor, Computer Information Systems HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College
Remote Learning Strategies for K12
During this webinar, we will discuss best practices for transitioning from traditional classroom instruction to remote learning. Together, we will cover tips for creating videos, lesson planning, and, most importantly, keeping your students engaged.
Speaker: Amaurys Valdez, Network Engineer and Cybersecurity Instructor, Queens Technical High School
Remote Learning Opportunities with Data Science
You're invited to explore the topic of data science, and hear specific ideas for directed online projects that promote engaging and meaningful remote learning experiences. Presented by Perry Beaumont, PhD, Columbia University Lecturer and Head of data science at Distinguished Programs, a mix of foundational and practical knowledge is uniquely shared.
Speaker: Perry Beaumont, PhD, Head of Data Science and Actuary, Distinguished Programs
Best Practices for Online Grading and Assessment
Online learning doesn’t just change how we approach content delivery and how students engage in learning. To be effective, we also have to adapt our approach to assessment. In this webinar, you will consider a variety of best practices for online grading and assessment, including:
- Online activities and assessment techniques
- Individual assignments and team projects
- Formative assessments and summative assessments
Speaker: Dave Braunschweig, Professor of Computer Information Systems, Harper College
Project-Based, Interactive Learning in Virtual Education for K12
Project-based learning works great in person, as well as online both synchronously and asynchronously. Hands-on, student-led experiences make even more sense now that we are all virtual. Instead of passively watching as the learning passes by, they can be busy creating something. Learn to blend relevance, content, the real world, and active learning into your classes.
Speaker: Doug Bergman, Computer Science Department Chair and Upper School Teacher, PorterGaud School
Tips and Tricks for the Gamification of Your Class
Gamification is the process of adding game elements to a class to better engage your students. Learn from game design processes and proven gamification techniques. Discover actionable steps for implementing a variety of gamification techniques to further engage your students both in online learning and traditional face-to-face classes.
Speaker: Brian G. Burton, EdD, Professor, Researcher, Author, Speaker, Trainer
Online Instructional Strategies That Just Plain Work
During this unique and engaging webinar, Dr. Lodge McCammon will share some strategies that are just plain working in online classrooms at Wake Tech Community College. We will be looking closely at methods that help students prepare for online learning as well as media creation techniques that can help instructors enhance their presence. Throughout the presentation, you will hear from a variety of instructors and students while Dr. Lodge models an active online learning environment. Be prepared to discuss, create, reflect, and share!
Speaker: Dr. Lodge McCammon, Instructional Designer, Keynote Speaker, Author
Transitioning from Face to Face Teaching to Online Teaching
Gaurav will share lessons learned in making the transition for a large cohort of students to online teaching. We will look at best practices, how to leverage online in your teaching, and getting institutional support and help from fellow educators.
Speaker: Gaurav Malik, Senior Lecturer in Computer Science and Informatics, University of East London
Getting Started with Video: Creating Videos Your Students Will Watch
In today’s world, there is a proliferation of videos that students watch on a daily basis, from YouTube to SnapChat to Instagram and more. Students do not expect our videos to be professionally produced, but they do expect them to be short and on point. This webinar provides tips and best practices for recording videos using your laptop or home computer. These tips focus on recording yourself as well as how to set up, record, and post your video lessons.
Speaker: Donna DeMarco, Computer Science and Information Technology Professor, Kutztown University
Transitioning to Online Learning
Are you just getting started with online instruction and looking for best practices? Join us for this session to break down the basics of shifting to remote instruction. Hear examples of how educators have made this transition and see where you can tap into these great ideas and resources from educators around the world.
Speaker: Sherry Crofut, Education Consultant, Classroom Instructor, 2007 recipient of the Milken Award
Application of Academic Integrity Policies in an Online Environment
This session will describe best practices educational institutions can use to maintain academic integrity in an online learning environment. Topics covered will include: student identity verification, methods and tools needed for proctoring, monitoring a variety of assessment types, plagiarism prevention for assignments, training for faculty and students, technical support for technologies used, institutional processes/workflows and tools used for handling noncompliance, and, finally, lessons learned.
Speaker: Susan Fenton, PhD, RHIA, CPHI, FAHIMA, Associate Professor and the Associate Dean, Academic and Curricular Affairs, the University of Texas School of Biomedical Informatics
Create Engaging Online Labs and Activities
Moving to online instruction opens up a whole world of opportunities for student engagement, collaboration, and innovation. In this webinar, we will examine two structured approaches to create engaging online labs and activities you can use immediately with your students. We will then apply these approaches to plan an activity based on open educational practices. We will review:
- Absorb – Do – Connect
- Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL)
- Open Educational Practices
Speaker: Dave Braunschweig, Professor of Computer Information Systems, Harper College
Counseling and Student Support Online with a Focus on Social and Emotional Learning
As classes move rapidly online, much of the discussion has naturally focused on teaching in the online environment. While this is understandable, it is also vitally important to address students’ social and emotional development and well-being during these times of challenge and uncertainty. In this session, we will explore the following questions:
- What are the benefits and challenges of counseling students online?
- What might counselors working in an online setting need to consider that differ from traditional brick and mortar school settings?
- What types of lessons and activities can counselors and other educators offer online to enhance students’ social and emotional development?
While the focus of this session will be on middle and high school students at the secondary level, many of these practices may be adapted and/or translated to both elementary and higher education.
Speaker: Tracy Steele, PhD, Director of Student Support at Stanford Online High School
Looking to Connect: Building Community and Fostering Sense of Belonging During Online Learning
This webinar will discuss opportunities and activities for schools to maintain their community and promote student sense of belonging in an online setting. As many schools continue with online instruction, they are looking for ways to maintain their student activities and provide online opportunities for students to gather together. This webinar will discuss the student life and community building activities used at Stanford Online High School, a synchronous online school for students in grades 7-12.
Speaker: Karina Momary, Director of Student Life and Community at Stanford Online High School
Teachers Supporting K8 Families
In many ways, we’re reinventing the educational system moment by moment. We’re no longer operating in a contained classroom environment. We need more extensive techniques for guiding parents from a distance and for empowering our students to develop greater independence in their learning. To further optimize our efforts for student success, we as teaching professionals must re-evaluate our educational principles, priorities, and techniques:
- What strategies can we adapt from industries who already rely heavily on remote contact?
- What insights can we incorporate from alternative approaches to education?
- What ideas can we share with each other to inform our adaptive strategies?
In this session, we discuss relevant principles from learning science, productive adaptations to teaching techniques, and ideas for supporting students, parents, and our communities.
Speaker: Jill West, Educator, Author