AMES, Iowa -- Professionals who work with parents have until Dec. 29 to register for Partnering with Parents ONLINE, an Iowa State University Extension online course in designing, delivering and evaluating parenting education. The online course begins Jan. 12 and will run through June 19, 2009. 

The comprehensive research-based training series focuses on nationally recognized competencies for parenting educators, said Kimberly Greder, ISU Extension family life specialist and developer of the course. In the 11-module course, participants become part of virtual learning groups to explore course content and complete assignments. The course applies parenting education research and theory to direct work with families.

“The class helped me to connect lots of information I had learned previously and to organize it all under the parenting umbrella.  I also benefited from the other persons who took the class,” a recent Story County participant said. “Each of us may have specific goals — mine are nutrition and health related — but we are all trying to assist families to be stronger and healthier as they function from day to day. The class created bridges between people and their agencies that will help families of this community well into the future.”

A variety of e-learning tools are integrated in the course, including live chats, a discussion board, small group assignments, short reflection papers, e-journals and videostreams, Greder said.

Participants can earn three undergraduate or graduate credits, social worker hours, Iowa teacher licensure renewal credits and a Parenting Education Certificate of Completion from ISU Extension.

Topics to be covered in the upcoming online course include culture and parenting, parenting with special challenges, critically examining and selecting parenting curricula, measuring program outcomes, feeding children, physical activities for families, the relationship of financial stability to family well-being, understanding parent and child development, and guiding children.

“It has been many years since I received my college degree and this class was like a refresher,” another participant said. “Partnering with Parents pulled all this information together under the umbrella of educational support for families.”

“Learners tell us Partnering with Parents works,” Greder continued. Self-assessment data show a significant increase in participants’ knowledge and skills after the program compared with before participation. The positive results are the same, whether the course was taken online or face-to-face.

According to Greder, a face-to-face version of the course will be offered in Fort Dodge beginning in January. This course will combine Partnering with Parents and Family Development Certification Training. This combined training focuses on core competencies identified for family development workers, including those needed for parenting education. Participants can earn both a Family Development Certificate and a Parenting Education Certificate of Completion by completing 13 days of training.

Registration and other information can be found at www.extension.iastate.edu/pwp. Professionals who serve Iowa families with children age 0-5, may be eligible to receive a scholarship to cover the delivery fee for the course. Contact Greder, kgreder@iastate.edu, for more information.

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