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JumpStart Basic

A Technology Course for Thoughtful Educators

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JumpStart is a self-paced, online technology course for the thoughtful educator.

By guiding you through a series of hands-on projects, this course will give you the confidence and skills you need to make smart choices about the tech you use in your teaching.



A Process-Based Approach

Tools come and go, and features constantly change. So instead of starting by looking for the right tool, it’s more effective to start with processes, specific ways of using technology that can be applied in a variety of classroom situations. Once you understand a process and how it can boost learning, you can explore the tools that put that process into action.

In this course, you will learn 10 key processes that can have an incredible impact on how you teach, how your students learn, how you collaborate and communicate with others, and the time it takes to do it all.

How the Course Works

You’ll start each module with a short reading assignment. This is where we explore the process, consider its instructional value, and look at how it can enhance learning in multiple ways.

Next, you’ll review your project checklist to understand the requirements of your hands-on project. For most projects, an advanced option has been added to offer extra challenge to those who master the process easily.

Then it’s time to dig into your hands-on project. You’ll watch a series of step-by-step video tutorials to learn how to do it.

When your project is complete, you’ll share it in a blog post. A sample blog, with all 10 modules complete, is provided to help you get a clear picture of what your final project should look like.


I haven't stopped talking about this course since I began! I'm so proud of my new website and so pleased with what I have accomplished that my family keeps teasing me for bragging about all the new skills I have learned.

Nancy Dunlap
High School English Teacher
Lake Elsinore, CA

The first thing that I took away from this course is that I’m capable. I was able to do this. The door to tech capability is not closed to me. I can now work effectively with 6 tabs open without a mental breakdown! There’s much that I’m capable of doing with my students because of this course. I can do these things in a competent, timely and thoughtful manner. I am truly grateful.

Weslica Johnson
ESOL Teacher
Greenville, SC

I feel more confident implementing technology after taking this course. I was pretty savvy in some apps and programs, but this course gave me different skills that I wanted to obtain but never sought out on my own.

Emily Bourque
Business and Journalism Teacher
Lafayette, LA

One of my key takeaways from this course is how much we can involve technology in the classroom and how little of it we're actually doing now. The ten modules from this class helped me venture many different technology resources that bust my preconceived notion about the difficulty of involving technology in the math classroom.

Colby Tharpe
High School Math Teacher
Greenville, SC

I have always been intrigued by the novelty for students; however, I didn't want them lost in the tools disregarding the content or intent. This course keeps the perspective that we first focus on what we want students to do and then think about the most effective engaging way to do that without losing sight of original intent.

Tiffany Trevenen
4th Grade Teacher
Craig, CO

When we found JumpStart, we were looking for a way for teachers to earn their technology proficiency requirement not simply by completing a checklist or listening to a one-size-fits-all lecture on technology integration but for an opportunity that teachers would find engaging and relevant in every content area at every grade level. In short, we wanted something that really had the potential to change classrooms and equip teachers to use technology and to use it well. We began our first JumpStart pilot with 40 teachers, administrators, and specialists who volunteered to join us in the fall of 2017 and their feedback was tremendous. Our volunteers found the online, self-paced format perfect for their busy lifestyles because they could learn while in their pajamas, after school, or early in the mornings before kids arrived at the classroom door – whenever they felt most prepared and able to commit to the weekly activities. More than just convenience though, we’ve also seen our teachers embrace the tools and the pedagogy behind the tools in daily classroom instruction in ways that we did not imagine. Jump Start is not a technology course – it is a course in solid, effective teaching practices that also happens to incorporate technology. For us, that is the distinction that makes us most grateful for our participation in this project. Six months later, we have now opened the course up for an additional 80 educators to participate and we couldn’t be more excited about the possibilities this course has given to impact 120 classrooms and thousands of students.

Michelle King
Instructional Technology Facilitator
Greenville County Schools
Greenville, SC


What's Inside


  Getting Started
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  Module 1: BASIC BLOGGING
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  Module 2: ONLINE COLLABORATION
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  Module 3: DIGITAL MIND MAPPING
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  Module 4: CURATION
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  Module 5: SCREENCASTING
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  Module 6: FLIPPED LEARNING
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  Module 7: DIGITAL ASSESSMENT
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  Module 8: HYPERDOCS
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  Module 9: QR CODES
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  Module 10: BASIC PODCASTING
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  When You Are Done
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Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
The course is completely self-paced and everything you need will be available as soon as you enroll. You decide when you start and when you finish.
What happens after I enroll?
You will get immediate access to all course materials as soon as you enroll. You can get started right away!
How long do I have access to the course?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
Is this course run by an instructor?
This is a self-paced online course, which means you don't get grades, have scheduled class times, or meet directly with the instructor. This course is ideal for self-directed learners who prefer to work at their own pace, or people who plan to complete the course with a group of colleagues. If you'd like more support, consider taking JUMPSTART PLUS instead, where you work through the course with a cohort of other students and get support from a team of mentors.
Can I get PD credit for this course?
Because every district has different criteria for awarding professional development credit, we are not able to issue any kind of universally recognized credit for this course. We do, however, issue a certificate of completion for those who can demonstrate that they have completed all required work for all 10 modules; we check your completed blog carefully before issuing this certificate. The certificate indicates that 50 hours of work were completed--this refers to 50 regular hours of time, not credit hours. This certificate does NOT guarantee that you will be granted credit by your district; you will need to submit the certificate to your district for approval.
Do I need to purchase the Teacher's Guide to Tech with this course?
No. An earlier version of this course used the Teacher's Guide to Tech as its textbook, but that is no longer the case. All the information and reading materials you need to complete the course modules are already included in the course. If you want a copy of the Teacher's Guide to Tech, you will need to purchase it separately.
I am not currently teaching. Will I still get something out of this course?
Absolutely!! All of the projects are created for teachers to do with their students in mind, but anyone without an actual class can easily do the projects for a "theoretical" class. Teacher educators, administrators, retired teachers, pre-service teachers and those who are on a break from the classroom will get just as much from this course as a current classroom teacher.
I would like to take this course with a group. Do you offer multi-user discounts?
Yes! Course licenses can be purchased in batches of 5 or 10 at discounted rates. A single person would make the purchase for the group, then we will issue you a coupon code for the remaining licenses; your classmates can then use that code to enroll for free.
I am a teacher educator. Can I use this course to teach my students?
JumpStart would be an outstanding way to teach pre-service teachers how to effectively integrate technology into their instruction. To use this as part of your curriculum, have each student enroll separately in the course, then assign the modules however you like. University students enrolled in a teacher preparation course are eligible for a discounted rate; contact us at [email protected] and we will arrange a course-specific coupon code just for your students.
Do you accept purchase orders?
Yes! We accept purchase orders from U.S. customers for $25 or more, and from international customers for a minimum purchase of $99. Please scroll down a bit further on this page -- you'll see a link to a form you can fill out to request a purchase order.
What if I am unhappy with the course?
We want you to feel good about making this investment in your professional growth. If the course does not meet your expectations, contact us at [email protected] within 30 days of your purchase and we will give you a full refund.
Why did the tuition go up?
The tuition for JumpStart Basic and Plus have stayed the same for the last two years, but in the summer of 2019 we increased the price for two reasons: (1) Updates and improvements were made throughout the course materials, including a huge addition to Module 10, which now includes an intermediate option for participants who want to learn how to produce a real podcast, rather than a simple audio recording. (2) Our staff is requiring more time to score submitted portfolios and serve as mentors in the Plus group. We are also going to start offering more detailed feedback if portfolios are not accepted for a certificate of completion.

Your Instructor


Jennifer Gonzalez
Jennifer Gonzalez

After spending over 11 years in the classroom, both at the K-12 level and the college level, I created my website, Cult of Pedagogy, to be a place where teachers could fully geek out on teaching. Since 2013, I've been researching and sharing effective teaching practices, exploring the social and emotional stuff that impacts our work, sampling the tech tools that help us along the way, and looking inside real classrooms to learn from teachers who are thinking outside the box.

Now I've created the Cult of Pedagogy Classroom as a place where teachers can focus on improving specific skills in a self-paced environment.


Is this course right for you?

Watch this video before you enroll.


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Purchase Orders

We accept purchase orders from U.S. customers for any order of $25 and over; for international customers, the minimum amount for a purchase order is $99. To generate a quote for a purchase order, please fill out this form and someone from our team will contact you with an invoice.


Other Questions

If you have another question that hasn't been answered here, please get in touch with our contact form.

For Administrators

If you are an administrator interested in learning more about this course, or you are a teacher who would like to have your administrator consider purchasing this course for staff members, download our course overview.