IDEAS offers a series of interactive professional learning opportunities for Massachusetts PK-12 educators, led by a distinguished group of instructors. The sessions are structured into three categories: graduate courses, workshops, and seminars.

These professional learning opportunities are designed to support school districts as they work to enhance the culturally proficient practices identified in Standards II and III of the Massachusetts DESE Model Teacher Rubric.

IDEAS Programs and Services 

• Professional learning opportunities in diversity, equity, inclusion, cultural proficiency, social justice, and more
• Customized professional development workshops
• Graduate courses with credits from Bridgewater State University
• Consultation, planning, and implementation support in building equitable schools and districts
• Educator Conferences
• Student Leadership Conference
   

GRADUATE COURSES

In conjunction with Bridgewater State University, IDEAS offers graduate-level online courses for educators. These include both 15- and 30-hour courses, through which participants can earn 1 or 2 graduate credits, respectively, as well as PDPs (certificates of completion). 

Courses are offered in the Fall, Winter/Spring, and Summer.

IDEAS offers two foundational courses:

IDEAS 1: Anti-Racist School Practices to Support the Success of All Students

This 30-hour course is designed to introduce educators to the complex issues raised by race and racism and their impact on student learning and achievement. The course encourages educators to recognize the link between self-awareness and professional development as a component of providing equity to all students.

Participants will explore the current personal, interpersonal, social, and structural meanings of race, ethnicity and culture, the cycle of oppression as well as the roles of power, oppression, and identity. Furthermore, participants will discuss how these issues affect classrooms and school systems, their impact on the academic achievement gap and how to develop and implement practical strategies to help narrow the gap. In addition, this course will also help increase the skills of cultural proficiency. Available for 2 graduate credits.

IDEAS 2: Enacting Systemic Change in Educational Institutions

This 30-hour course builds upon the foundational theories and complex issues studied in IDEAS 1: Anti-Racist School Practices to Support the Success of All Students. Participants will study systemic change models and develop, enact, and evaluate a project to effect change in their educational setting-- whether that setting is working with a small group of students, a classroom, a grade level, a school, or an entire district. Successful completion of IDEAS 1 is a prerequisite for the course. Available for 2 graduate credits. 

IDEAS also offers specialized courses:

Building Bridges: Facilitating Difficult Conversations with Students

This course is designed for educators who wish to integrate issues of identity and equity into a subject area through student-centered activities that promote social justice conversations. Participants will also develop an understanding of “intersectionality,” how multiple forms of oppression (i.e.: LGBTQ, gender/sexism, race) overlap and intersect. Participants will practice skills that encourage students to recognize differences, see inherent values, appropriately handle conflict and misunderstandings, and engage in conversations about equity in order to navigate an increasingly diverse world. This course will provide educators with resources to develop lessons and apply research-based strategies to build caring and equitable classroom/school communities while helping students grow in their personal identity, confidence, and courage. Activities and discussions from this course can also be integrated into specific “Race/Culture/Identity” courses or programs such as Advisory, Open Circle, Developmental Designs, and Responsive Classroom. Available for 1 graduate credit.

Co-Teaching Strategies for Creating Inclusive and Culturally Responsive Classrooms

This course explores co-teaching models to support diverse learners, including students in special education, those with trauma histories, English language learners, and students from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds. Grounded in Zaretta Hammond’s neurological research and Anne M. Beninghof’s co-teaching strategies, the course emphasizes enhancing attention, retention, and assessment, while integrating humor, movement, and novelty to create inclusive environments. Participants will also examine the work of scholars such as Cornelius Minor, Patricia Devine, Joe Feldman, and Tara Yosso to address implicit bias, apply culturally relevant practices, and develop actionable plans for effective co-teaching. This course satisfies special education endorsement requirements. Available for 1 graduate credit.

Difficult Conversations: Talking about Race and Racism with Students, Colleagues and Parents/Guardians

This course is designed to help educators develop a better understanding of ways to address and respond to issues of race and racism on both personal and professional levels. Participants will consider the experiences of students and families from ethnically or racially diverse backgrounds in predominantly white schools and examine both the barriers to talking about race/racism/ethnicity and strategies for engaging in productive discussions. Available for 1 graduate credit.

IDEAS Course for School Administrators: Supporting Culturally Proficient Classrooms/Schools

This 15-hour course helps administrators understand the inner workings of cultural proficiency, including examining the impact of racial microaggressions and stereotypes on learning, student engagement, and school culture. School leaders will learn strategies to apply these concepts to support culturally proficient classrooms and school environments, as well as how to apply the course learning at the institutional level. The course draws on the work of Randall B. Lindsey, Nuri-Robins, Raymond D., James Banks, and Zaretta Hammond. Available for 1 graduate credit.

Strategies for Examining and Addressing the Academic Achievement Gap

This course examines the importance of understanding the intersection of race, culture, and student experiences in increasing academic engagement and achievement. Research on the influence of race, ethnicity, and racism on academic achievement and developing culturally proficient skills will be explored through activities and readings. Furthermore, strategies identified as successful will be studied and adapted to meet the needs of students in our schools, ensuring all students are provided with excellence and equity in their educational experience. Available for 1 graduate credit.

Transforming Curriculum through a Social Justice Lens

This course explores multicultural curriculum transformation. Participants will examine strategies for integrating multicultural perspectives, adapting culturally responsive pedagogy, and addressing systemic racism and bias. Drawing on the work of scholars such as James Banks (multicultural curriculum), Geneva Gay and Zaretta Hammond (culturally responsive pedagogy and neurological research), and Gloria Ladson-Billings (culturally relevant pedagogy), participants will learn to create inclusive curricula. The course also incorporates the work of Michael Eric Dyson and Paul Gorski (race, privilege, and equity literacy), Karen McLean Donaldson (cultural relevance), Peggy McIntosh (white privilege), and Dina Gilio-Whitaker (Indigenous knowledge), helping educators address bias and foster justice-oriented learning. By the end of the course, participants will adapt or develop lesson and unit plans that reflect these principles. Available for 1 graduate credit.

Understanding the “Culture” in Culturally Responsive Teaching

This course encourages participants to examine and address cultural identity, relative privileges, and issues of diversity through experiential activities. Participants will explore the importance of affirming culture, appreciating history, and understanding the experiences of people from diverse cultural backgrounds. Drawing on the work of Gary Howard (cultural proficiency and inclusive schools), Zaretta Hammond and Geneva Gay (culturally responsive teaching), and Lindsay, Robins, and Terrell (Cultural Proficiency Continuum), participants will learn strategies to enhance their cultural awareness and teaching practices. The work of Derald Wing Sue (microaggressions and cultural competence) will help participants reflect on how communication and learning styles impact brain development and social-emotional growth. By the end of the course, educators will develop culturally proficient strategies to meet the diverse needs of all students. Available for 1 graduate credit.

Understanding Self-Efficacy: Helping Student Do Their Best Work

This course provides participants with an opportunity to explore concepts of self-efficacy, effective praise, and attribution theory. Research by Carol Dweck, Claude Steele, and others is highlighted through experiential activities. Participants will examine how a student’s perception of themselves as a learner influences their academic engagement and performance. Participants will learn how to use a “strengths approach,” create a growth mindset environment, emphasize mistakes as part of the learning process, and give constructive feedback to promote student success. Available for 1 graduate credit.

See Current Offerings of Graduate Courses open for enrollment.

See Membership and Program Fees.
 

WORKSHOPS

IDEAS provides customized workshops for teams of educators from a single school or district. The IDEAS team will work with administrators to design and deliver sessions of varying lengths (half-day, full day, multiple days) to meet the needs, expectations, and budget of your organization.

Read more about Workshops.

Participants in professional development hosted by IDEAS have the opportunity to register for graduate credit for applicable courses and workshops. Please follow the series of steps below to 1) claim your BEAR ID and activate your BSU username and password for email and 2) register for the the graduate credit for the specific section of the IDEAS professional development you are attending.
 

The steps to register for graduate credit are below:

Step 1: Complete the Graduate Non-Degree Application

Students starting non-degree course(s) for the Spring 2025 term, should click here for the Graduate Non-Degree application (https://www.bridgew.edu/grad-non-degree).

If you’ve never entered our application portal, you’ll want to click on “Students without an Account” and click “Start a Non-Degree Application”.

Please contact Graduate Admissions (gradadmissions@bridgew.edu) with questions regarding the Graduate Non-Degree Application.

Step #2: Retrieve Your BEAR ID

Your BEAR ID is the 8-digit number emailed to you once your Graduate Non-Degree application has been processed by Graduate Admissions. You will need this to access many of the items below, so be sure to have it handy. If you have lost your acceptance letter or cannot remember it, the Office of Graduate Admissions can help. Write to GradAdmissions@bridgew.edu from the email address used to complete your Graduate Application for any help or questions during this step.
**If you do not receive your BEAR ID in 1-2 business days via email, you may check your email spam folders as sometimes BSU emails can be misdirected there inadvertently by your email server**

Step #3: Access and Use Your BSU Email account

Start to use your BSU email today! It was sent from BSU Accounts (BSUAccounts@bridgew.edu) to the personal email address provided in your application.
To access your email, use the link provided in the communication sent from IT. You can also access your email on the student portal by clicking on email from the left navigation bar.

IMPORTANT: Login to your BSU email with the default password. You will be prompted to set up MFA (Multi Factor Authentication) before resetting your password. View how to configure MFA.

All information is sent to your BSU email. Don’t miss important information: Be sure to check daily!

If you have not received your BSU email account information from BSU Accounts:
First, check your junk or spam folder.  Contact IT support at 508.531.2555 or ITSupport@bridgew.edu and provide them with the following information.

• Bear ID (formerly Banner ID)
• Address
• Phone Number
• Date of Birth

Step #4: Be sure to find your respective "Course Number" (CRN) from the list below. You'll want to write it down so you can enter it during the registration process.

Step# 5: Navigate to the Student Portal and Register for your course(s)

Students register for courses by navigating to the Student Portal, signing in using your BSU credentials, and going to the “Student” section of Infobear.

1. Proceed to the BSU Student Portal by navigating to mybsu.bridgew.edu and clicking on “Infobear” on the left side navigation menu.
2. Once you’re able to login using your BSU credentials, click the “Student” tab along the top of the page to begin to register for your course.
3. You should see a page that has your specific “Student Profile”.
4. On the left hand side, please click on the navigation for “Registration and Planning – New”
5. Next, you’ll be prompted to complete the “Student Financial Responsibility Agreement (SFRA)”.
6. Once you’ve acknowledged the “Student Financial Responsibility Agreement (SFRA)”, you will click on the link at the bottom titled “Registration Planning – New”
7. On the next page, you’ll click “Register for Classes” on the bottom right hand side of the page.
8. To add a course section click the “Enter CRNs” tab then enter the 5-digit CRN and click “Add to Summary”. To finalize your registration click “Submit” in the bottom right corner of the “Summary” section. The class “Status” will change from “Pending” to “Registered” once you have successfully added the course.

*You may view a step-by-step video which will walk you through adding/registering for a class at BSU.

Additional registration related resources including PDF instructions may also be found on the Registrar’s Office page*
 

Paying your bill

Once you have successfully registered for your course, you should now pay your bill.

1. From being logged in to the infobear.bridgew.edu portal, click "Student" from the tab across the top, then "Student Accounts" and then "eBill" on the right-hand side

2. Click "Make Payment" again from the tabs on the top of the page and follow the prompts.

**You may also call Student Accounts at 508-531-1225 and pay over the phone**
 

Getting your transcript 

Bridgewater State University offers the convenience of E-Transcripts which can be requested 24/7 and be sent, electronically, anywhere in the world typically within an hour.

Once you receive confirmation that grades are available and transcripts can be requested, go to the Transcript Request Page to begin the process. 

**For any transcript-related questions, feel free to email transcript@bridgew.edu**

For more information, please contact Darren Macdonald, Director of Communications & Outreach for the College of Graduate Studies.