IRIS PD Modules

IRIS develops and disseminates free online open educational resources (OERs) about evidence-based instructional and behavioral practices. Intended for use in personnel preparation and professional development (PD), these instructional resources are designed to help current and future educators improve the learning and behavioral outcomes of all students, especially struggling learners and those with disabilities. Our resources—which include modules, case studies, activities, information briefs, and video vignettes—are the perfect way to provide flexible, accessible, and timely PD. Moreover, these resources:

• Allow for sustained PD
• Are appropriate for every educator, including K-12 general and special education teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, and other support staff (e.g., substitutes, bus drivers, hallway/cafeteria monitors)
• Allow for flexible use to meet the specific needs and interests of individual educators
• Are accessible anywhere at any time and can be completed at the individual educator’s preferred pace
• Cover numerous topics relevant to today’s educators in a way that is in-depth but approachable
• Focus on evidence-based instructional and behavioral practices as well as data-based decision making
• Can be used in face-to-face PD, collaborative settings, or professional learning communities (PLCs)

Getting started couldn’t be simpler! Create an account with a username and password. Browse available IRIS STAR Legacy Modules and select those that best suit your PD needs. Thirty-seven modules are now available, and more are added all the time. Your IRIS PD Certificate (accessible through email or as a downloadable PDF) includes your name, the module you completed, the date, the clock hours you earned, and your pre- and post-test scores, if you choose. IRIS Modules can be used as self-study units for which learners can earn a Certificate of Completion. These certificates are appropriate for professional development requirements in circumstances where clock hours are accepted. IRIS Modules, however, are not equivalent to courses through which learners can earn credit hours (rather than clock hours), such as those offered through a university or continuing education office that include associated transcripts.

Objectives

Self-guided and self-paced, IRIS Modules cover numerous relevant topics in a way that is in-depth but approachable. Objectives and related standards are listed on the first page of each module. These online resources can be used to improve educator’s knowledge of:

• Evidence-based instructional and behavioral practices
• IEPs
• Accommodations
• Teaching English learners
• Instructional supports for students with disabilities
• Collaborating with families
• Differentiated instruction
• Universal Design for Learning
• Hiring and retaining teachers
• And more