Overview
The Certificate in Social-Emotional Learning and Character Development is an online series of courses designed to provide school educators, staff, administrators, and mental health professionals comprehensive education in providing instruction in SEL and character development. This program, a collaboration between Rutgers University and College of Saint Elizabeth, will culminate in a certificate in Instruction in Social Emotional and Character Development (SECD).
There are two tracks available: the General program and Accelerated program. The General program consists of 3 courses completed in sequence, while the Accelerated program consists of 2 courses and is geared towards those with 5+ years of delivery and implementation of SECD in their respective setting.
The first of the three courses is Foundations in SEL Instruction, which will establish a foundation for educators, mental health professionals, and school staff who will provide direct SECD instruction. It will focus on theoretical foundations of SECD as well as the research behind it. The second course is SEL Pedagogy and Practice, which is aimed towards providing direct instruction of SCED competencies and focuses on actual methods and application of best practices. The third and final course is the Practicum in SEL Instruction. This is to be completed during one school year and last for 15 weeks with the goal of supervised and mentored implementation of SECD programming in schools.
Participants in the program will acquire a foundation of knowledge about the relationship between academic achievement and SEL competencies, enhance and expand SEL skills, learn to address harassment, bullying, suicide prevention and substance abuse prevention, and demonstrate an ability to operate an SEL and CD classroom group, among other great benefits. Participants will also have access to a virtual Professional Learning Community that provides ongoing support and assistance in implementation of problem solving.
To provide greater flexibility to participants, the Academy is offered in two formats: a hybrid course sequence that mixes live, in-person workshops with online coursework and a fully online, remote course sequence. Based on online learning literature, educational PDs can be as effective when administered online as they are in person.
The Academy provides a wealth of resources for a comprehensive understanding of SEL. Articles and webinars featuring psychologists as well as other industry experts cover important topics from SEL school implementation to teaching empathy to addressing bullying and racism. With technology and the availability of new information, the academy continuously presents innovative approaches and discusses science-based practices. Whether it is to enhance your knowledge or skills, advance your professional career, or better understand SEL as a parent, the academy strives to offer guidance to the community.