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Online Professional Development
Online professional development provides exciting opportunities for educators to learn more about scientifically-based reading research, communicate with other educators about reading, and ask questions of reading specialists. The Vaughn Gross Center currently hosts four online resources:
Searchlight
Find select Vaughn Gross Center research-based instructional materials online with Searchlight!
- Search: Use keywords to find specific topics.
- Explore: Browse instructional materials by grade, topic, or resource.
- Learn: Texas educators can take online courses for continuing education credit.
HEC Online
A forum for faculty participating in the Higher Education Collaborative, HEC Online aims to 1) provide a space for communication among post-secondary instructors of preservice reading teachers; 2) facilitate sharing of assignments, syllabi, and experiential narratives that reflect effective teaching practices; and 3) support members in their efforts to provide research-based strategies for reading instruction to their students.
OTRAs
FREE to Texas Teachers, the Online Teacher Reading Academies (OTRAs) are complete CD-ROM versions of the Kindergarten, First, Second, Third, and Fourth Grade Texas Teacher Reading Academies. For each grade level, the CD alone provides complete Academy content with search capabilities. When connected to the Internet, users may engage in Q&A with Reading Academy Trainers and share their experiences with other CD users. Additionally, using an OTRA CD with the Internet tracks teachers' progress as they work through the Academy content, allowing them to earn Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits.