FOUNDATIONS & FRAMEWORKS online Basic Course

Confidently equip students with deep text comprehension skills
Request course dates for your school

Enjoy the flexibility of online learning

Participate in rich discussions

Earn three graduate credits

Foundations & Frameworks—a time-tested, research-based program—begins with this dynamic basic course that covers essential foundations and frameworks for building deep text comprehension in students. Updated Summer 2020, the course is now available as an online graduate workshop through Friends University.

How it works

1

CONTACT US

We’ll work with Friends University to set up a course just for your school.

Friends University will process all enrollments and grant three graduate credits upon course completion

2

ORDER
the required materials for each participant

The Architecture of Learning (book) by Kevin D. Washburn, Ed.D.
The Foundations & Frameworks Basic Course Book (available March 2021)
The Foundations & Frameworks Toolbox (available early 2021)

3

WATCH
the sessions & participate in assignments

Discussion boards, optional Zoom sessions, and feedback provide meaningful learning that sticks

4

DESIGN
your reading instruction with confidence

Equipped with feedback, materials, and strategies, you’re ready for these challenging times

Already familiar with Foundations & Frameworks? 

If it’s been more than three years since you attended training, this online course is the best way to become aware of new research and better practices for today’s reading classrooms. Here’s a brief summary of what you can expect in the updated course and completely revised teacher materials.

Course Layout

PART 1

TEACHING SKILLS, BUILDING COMPREHENSION

Defining comprehension and identifying its skills

PART 2

SEEING COMPREHENSION

An introduction to visual tool use for deep comprehension

PART 3

VOCABULARY: MAKING WORD DEPOSITS

How rich text provides context for greater retention

PART 4

COLLABORATIVE COMPREHENSION

Why exciting teacher-directed, student-dominated conversation is critical 

PART 5

MEASURING WHAT MATTERS

Research-based assessment strategies that ensure learning for life

RECOGNIZE CRITICAL COMPONENTS

See the power of interwoven tools and strategies designed for deep text comprehension.

CONFIDENTLY DESIGN INSTRUCTION

Use a plan that teaches the way the brain learns so students thrive.

WITNESS GROWTH

See how meaningful tools and dynamic collaboration equip students with skills that matter for life.

Would you say your reading comprehension instruction is like a “three-course meal?”

Three activities in Foundations & Frameworks strengthen reading comprehension in different ways—I think of them as a three-course meal:

  1. The Collaborative Comprehension Preparation is an appetizer, exciting students with new words and some more insight into the upcoming lesson (“meal”).
  2. Our Collaborative Comprehension Session is the main course—a multitude of conversations (“food choices”).
  3. The Intellectual Art is the finishing touch (“dessert”).

Students are able to have a rich experience with the text in different scenarios (whole group, small groups, independent). As students go through this learning process, they are taking more control and developing individualized ways of learning and understanding content.

Cecelia Blake

Teacher, Lincoln Leadership Academy Charter School

Is your vocabulary process something you “love because it is effective and not too time consuming?”

I love this Vocabulary process because it is effective and not too time consuming.

I started using this way of introducing vocab words after the PD last school year and I saw a huge difference in student application. It gave them multiple opportunities to practice using the word and gave me a chance to see their improvement. They were more likely to retain the word and able to use it more broadly because they had multiple examples to select from.

When I did introduce words visually, they focused on recalling them as fact, not how to manipulate the word in different contexts. Each time students practice using new words, we are guiding them to dig for deeper understanding.

This approach promotes appropriate and achievable levels toward mastery of content very well.

Cecelia Blake

Teacher, Lincoln Leadership Academy Charter School

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Architecture of Learning Basic Course still a part of the Foundations and Frameworks Basic Course?

No. Architecture of Learning is now available as a separate online course. Since Foundations & Frameworks instruction is created using the Architecture of Learning design model, we recommend that you take the Architecture of Learning Basic Course. For your convenience, it is offered a month prior to this Foundations & Frameworks Basic Course.

We became familiar with Foundations & Frameworks several years ago. What has been updated?

Check out the Updates at a Glance included with our online course release announcement.

Is this course self-paced, or does it meet at certain times?

This course is open for seven weeks. You and your teachers can move through the course at your own pace and can attend optional Zoom sessions. PLEASE NOTE: The course is divided into five parts and each part has its own completion date.

Are graduate credits for this course transferable?

Friends University is a fully accredited institution so its credits are transferable. However, you will want to make sure your current institution will accept these credits. Reference the Foundations & Frameworks Basic Course Syllabus for details if necessary.

Will we be able to access course videos after we complete the course?

You will be able to access course videos during the seven weeks the course is open. Once it closes, the videos are no longer available.

Where do we buy materials?

Course materials are sold online by Make Way for Books. The Foundations & Frameworks Basic Course Book (2020 update) and The Foundations & Frameworks Toolbox (2020-21 update) will be available early 2021.

Course enrollment is $345 for three credit hours and is handled by Friends University, a fully accredited institution. (A minimum of 7 participants is required to set up a course for your school.)

When enrollment opens, Foundations & Frameworks course details will be in the online 2021 Spring Graduate Workshop Booklet. (To search the booklet for this course: on a Mac, hit cmd-F and enter Washburn; on a PC, hit ctrl-F and enter Washburn.)

NOTE: To begin the enrollment process, each participant will be required to complete the Online Application for Graduate Workshop AttendanceThe process is simple and will establish or update an online portal account with Friends University.

 

Enrollment questions: 316.295.5516
Course questions: 888.622.6932

While the Foundations & Frameworks Toolbox update is currently in development (available early 2021), get a headstart reading The Architecture of Learning: Designing Instruction for the Learning Brain by course instructor, Kevin D. Washburn, Ed.D. This text is available from several places in several formats:

This text is available from several places in several formats:

Amazon
Paperback 9780984345908
Kindle ASIN: B004M8S4MM 

Barnes & Noble
Nook BN ID: 2940012516503

Make Way for Books
Paperback 9780984345908