Ardmore, Pennsylvania — Global Exploration for Educators Organization, founded in 2007 to provide travel opportunities for teachers , launched a multi-tiered system that allows educators to receive credit for their discounted teacher travel through professional development or college credit units. The system was developed as a graduate partnership program to allow teachers to earn as many credits as possible toward a graduate degree, professional development requirements, or both.
At the end of each teacher travel experience , professional development certificates are issued at no cost to participants. Each state will determine how many PLUs the teacher receives given the length of the trip and the work undertaken to create lesson plans and share experiences.
Participants may choose to enroll in a three-hour credit graduate course for each trip through Northern Illinois University. These credits are offered as an interdisciplinary studies course and may transfer to another degree program.
Participants are required to complete certain course requirements in order to earn credit. Depending on the teacher’s school system and state, travel grants for teachers may be available and applied to the costs of this program.
Students should register for Course Number IDSP 501. The course will take place between June 17th and August 7th, 2013, with registration between April 1 and June 1. Participants must enroll as a Student-at-Large with the University and complete all required paperwork. The cost for the three-hour course is $1,100.00, which includes travel insurance for the trip, instructional fees and an ITIC travel card as well as one official transcript copy upon completion of the course. Participants will be allowed two semesters to complete course requirements, and all coursework must be turned in by December 1. Grades will be issued by December 15.
Teachers who participate in the program are required to complete several course requirements including keeping a reflective journal and submitting copies of lesson plans and outreach efforts to share their experiences. A complete course syllabus and requirements are available upon request for teachers interested in earning three hours of graduate credit with this program.
GEEO makes it possible for teachers not only to travel on teacher tours to unusual destinations but also to meet educators in these other lands and share their classroom experiences with them. When they return, educators have the opportunity to bring their experiences back into their United States classrooms and share what they have learned about other cultures with their students and communities.
About GEEO:
Global Exploration for Educators Organization is a non-profit that was founded in 2007 to allow teachers to explore the world through low-cost teacher travel programs. Since GEEO was founded, educators from around the country have availed themselves of the low-cost summer travel for teachers offered by GEEO to explore the far corners of the world and have brought back their experiences to enrich their own classrooms as well as to share their travels with community organizations, parents and other groups. Teachers also have the opportunity to share their learning with other educators through an online lesson plan database.
For More Information: www.geeo.org