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Louisiana Tech University announced the launch of four new online graduate courses designed to support current educators teaching in the online learning environment across the state of Louisiana.
Created in partnership with Discovery Education, the four courses will lead to a graduate certificate in online teaching and learning and also apply toward a master’s degree.
The four courses that will comprise this graduate certificate are:
—Digital Teaching in the Online Environment
—Leveraging Technology in Assessment of Student Learning
—Designing Remote Learning
—Technology Integration Coaching
The first of the four courses, Digital Teaching in the Online Environment, will be offered during the winter quarter. This course provides a toolbox of strategies that novice and veteran teachers can implement right away in their online classrooms. Engaging learners and diversifying instruction, promoting digital citizenship, creating practical, purposeful assessments, and effectively building online communities are among the primary themes in this course. Learners can expect to gain an improved comfort level and ability in effective online teaching to promote student achievement and position learners for success.
The second course, Leveraging Technology in Assessment of Student Learning, allows teachers to dive into formative and summative assessment strategies grounded in best practices and maximize the use of technology tools and digital content to provide high-quality data to monitor learning.
Given so many educators are now teaching online, the Designing Remote Learning course was created to provide educators with clear strategies to design high-quality online learning experiences that are valuable to learners of all levels. Students will learn how to apply accessibility and usability standards and use digital pedagogy to ensure students have an authentic and meaningful learning experience.
Technology Integration Coaching lets educators investigate the basic tenants of instructional coaching and delve into new strategies for improving their digital literacy and practical application of technology within the online or in-class learning environment. A central tenet of this course is how coaches can support other educators to feel confident in teaching online.
For more information about these courses or to register, visit education.latech.edu/discovery-education/.
“Discovery Education’s success in providing high-quality resources and services for K-12 science, math, and technology subject areas makes for an impactful partnership with Louisiana Tech’s own leading STEM-education program,” said Dustin Hebert, chair of the Department of Curr-iculum, Instruction, and Leadership at Louisiana Tech. “Together, we are poised to provide top-tier STEM curricular resources and pedagogical tools that will foster students’ 21st Century skills in STEM and online learning while also creating opportunities for teachers to advance their careers through graduate study.”
To help support K-12 educators implement evidence-based, high-yield instructional strategies, improve student achievement, and propel their careers forward, Discovery Education has collaborated with institutes of higher learning for over a decade. These collaborations have created immersive online graduate-level coursework delivered through advanced degree programs that help K-12 educators develop their instructional practice and further their careers.
“We are enthusiastic about this collaboration with Discovery Education, a global leader in standards-based digital curriculum, and the positive impact it will have on K-12 educators and the students they serve throughout Louisiana,” said Don Schillinger, dean of the College of Education at Louisiana Tech. “The partnership serves as an accelerant to achieving the College of Education’s goal of delivering and supporting innovative remote and digital instruction to all learners across the state.”
Louisiana Tech University is the latest institution of higher education to join Discovery Education’s Impact Network. Each member of the Impact Network offers working educators online access to Discovery Education’s high-quality graduate-level professional learning content. Other institutions offering Discovery Education affiliated programs include Buena Vista, Lehigh University, University of Findlay, Northern Vermont University, and Wilkes University.
“Discovery Education is excited to welcome Louisiana Tech University to its robust network of institutions of higher education,” said Susanne Thompson, Discovery Education’s managing director, University Partnerships. “The students participating in Louisiana Tech’s online graduate-level courses will join a powerful cadre of educators working to create high-quality learning experiences while maintaining continuity of learning amidst the challenges of shifting to a partial or fully online learning environment.”
For more information about Discovery Education’s digital resources and professional learning services, visit www.discoveryeducation.com.

A Morgan City resident was arrested Tuesday on attempted murder and robbery charges in a Monday incident in which a shot was fired, Police Chief James F. Blair reported.
—Courtlin Michael Carter, 31, Birch Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 9:23 p.m. Tuesday on a warrant for attempted second-degree murder, armed robbery, armed robbery with a firearm, and illegal use of weapons or dangerous instrumentalities.
On Monday, the Morgan City Police Department received a complaint of a single gunshot in the area of Bellanger Street.
During the investigation, detectives with discovered that Carter robbed an individual at gunpoint, according to a Police Department press release.
During the robbery, Carter fired a handgun at the victim, the release said. No injuries were reported during the incident.
Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Carter on Tuesday.
He was taken into custody at the Morgan City Police Department. He was booked and incarcerated.
Blair also reported these arrests:
—Larry Washington, 42, Fourth Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 9:35 p.m. Monday on warrants for failure to appear for trial, failure to pay fine and failure to pay probation fee.
Officers came into contact with Larry Washington on Brashear Avenue. A warrant check revealed the City Court of Morgan City held active warrants for his arrest.
He was placed under arrest and transported to the Morgan City Police department for booking.
—William Howard Hardness Jr., 52, James Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 2:36 p.m. Monday on a warrant for contempt of court.
Hardness was located at the Morgan City Police Department and placed under arrest on an active warrant held by the City Court of Morgan City. He was booked and incarcerated.
—Dylan Joshua Houck, 22, Susan Court, Morgan City, was arrested at 12:46 a.m. Wednesday on a warrant for criminal mischief-filing a false police report.
—Trinity Harris, 21, 11th Street, Morgan City, was arrested 12:46 a.m. Wednesday on warrants for failure to appear to pay fine (12 counts), failure to appear to pay probation fee, failure to appear for trial, contempt of court-probation violation, contempt of court-violating terms of probation, and failure appear in 16th Judicial District Court.
Officers came into contact with Houck and Harris in the area of Sixth Street.
A warrant check revealed the Morgan City Police Department held an active warrant for Houck.
It was also discovered the City Court of Morgan City and the 16th District Court held active warrants for Harris.
They were both placed under arrest transported to the Morgan City Police Department for booking and incarceration.
Assumption Parish Sheriff Leland Falcon reported these arrests in connection with a continuing parishwide drug investigation:
—Gregory Irvin Johnson Sr., 60, Fandall Street, Gibson, was arrested Tuesday on a charge of distribution of methamphetamine.
As a result of the investigation, agents identified Johnson as being involved in illegal drug trafficking in Assumption Parish. During this investigative process, agents were able to establish sufficient probable cause to obtain arrest warrants for Johnson.
On Tuesday afternoon, Johnson was arrested in Morgan City. He was transported to Assumption Parish and booked into the detention facility pending a bond hearing.
—Darrin Joseph LeBlanc, 35, Conway Street, Sorrento, was arrested Tuesday on a charge of distribution of methamphetamine.
During the course of the investigation, agents established LeBlanc was involved in illegal narcotics trafficking in Assumption Parish. Narcotics agents were able to establish sufficient probable cause to obtain arrest warrants on LeBlanc.
On Tuesday, he was arrested and booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center pending bond proceedings.
Falcon also reported this arrest:
—Travonta D. Ausama, 26, Owens Street, Napoleonville, was arrested Monday on charges of domestic abuse child endangerment and false imprisonment.
The charges are related to a Nov. 2 domestic incident at a residence on Owens Street.
Deputies responded to the complaint and were advised by the victim that her boyfriend became irate and commenced to beating her while she had an infant in her arms.
The boyfriend, Ausama, tried to prevent her from leaving, but at some point, she was able to get away from him and at that time she called the police.
The victim was transported to a local hospital by ambulance for treatment. Deputies attempted to locate Ausama but were unsuccessful.
Deputies filed arrest warrants on Ausama and on Monday afternoon, he was arrested and booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center pending a bond hearing.
St. Martin Parish Sheriff Becket Breaux reported these arrests:
—Brittney McGee, 32, Grande Anse Highway, Breaux Bridges, was arrested Monday on a charge of contempt of court.
—Martin Scelfo, 28, La. 87, Franklin, was arrested Monday on charges of prohibited acts: distribution of drug paraphernalia and possession of Schedule II narcotics.
—Cole Tumminello, 24, Point Aux Chenes, Lafayette, was arrested Monday on charges of domestic abuse battery, simple criminal damage to property, simple battery and failure to appear.
—Denzell Alexander, 30, Saint Louis Street, Parks, was arrested Tuesday by the Parks Police Department on a charge of domestic abuse battery on a pregnant victim.
—Justin Bickham, 25, Ott Street, Bogalusa, was arrested Tuesday on charges of possession with intent to distribute a Schedule I controlled dangerous substance and transactions involving proceeds from drug offenses.
—Kelly John-louis, 44, ZinZin Road, Breaux Bridge, was arrested by the Breaux Bridge Police Department on charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, simple criminal damage to property and driver must be licensed.
—Gage Okeefe, 23, Sam Jackson Road, Bogalusa, was arrested Tuesday on a charge of possession with intent to distribute a Schedule I controlled dangerous substance.
—Dillan Stutes, 26, Kincaid Court, Lafayette, was arrested Tuesday by the Breaux Bridge Police Department on a charge of child endangerment-domestic abuse.
—Jhailen Zeno, 26, Pont Des Mouton, Lafayette, was arrested Tuesday by the FBI and held for the U.S. Marshals Service.

While no concerts have been canceled, the Community Concert Association of Morgan City is in a holding pattern for its season due to COVID-19 restrictions.
It’s the first time since the association, which has provided the area entertainment since 1947, has had a disruption to its season, President Floyd Cloutier said.
“We can’t provide any live concerts at the moment because of the restrictions on sizes of crowds inside a building, so basically everything for the fall this season has been put on hold and hopefully can be rescheduled,” he said.
According to the organization’s website, seven concerts are scheduled for this season: The Everly Set, We’ve Only Just Begun, Sultans of String, Celtic Angels, Fernando Varela & William Joseph, Sweet Dreams: Mandy Barnett Sings Patsy Cline and Atlantic City Boys.
While the fall season is in a holding pattern, Cloutier said a free Christmas concert will be available for the public to view on the group’s website, www.morgancitylive.com, Dec. 4-6. The concert, which originally was not scheduled, was organized by the organization’s booking agent.
“Some of our past performers are doing Christmas songs and just trying to get people into the Christmas spirit,” Cloutier said.
An access code to view the concert will be available on the website.
“We want to keep music going in the community and try to provide a little entertainment,” Cloutier said.
The association’s season typically runs from September until April or May, but there has been discussion about a late start and finish to this year’s season.
“It may run through June this year if we can schedule anything at all,” Cloutier said.
Due to the uncertainty with COVID-19, Cloutier said no tickets were sold yet for this year’s season.
The Community Concert Association has between 600 and 700 members, with membership coming outside the parish from areas like Houma, Thibodaux, New Iberia and Pierre Part.
Members should monitor the organization’s website for any updates to the season.
“Hang in there, and we will come back one day,” Cloutier said.

Twenty-two new confirmed COVID-19 cases, 13 of them in St. Martin, were reported at midday Wednesday in three local parishes, according to the Louisiana Office of Public Health.

Those confirmed cases were detected with molecular testing. Positives detected with the less sensitive antigen tests are listed as probable. St. Mary, St. Martin and Assumption parishes had 162 cases listed as probable Wednesday.

In St. Mary, six new confirmed cases raise the total to 2,169. The parish has another 78 probable cases.

St. Martin had 13 new confirmed cases Wednesday for a pandemic total of 2,480, plus 33 probable cases.

Assumption had three new confirmed cases for a total of 888. The parish has 51 probable cases.

The death tolls remain at 89 confirmed COVID-related deaths in St. Mary with another five probable; 65 in St. Martin with five probable; and 24 in Assumption with one probable.

Statewide:

--2,239 cases raised the total of confirmed cases during the pandemic to 200,982. Another 8,932 cases are listed as probable.

--28 confirmed deaths raised the toll to 5,939 with another 245 deaths probably related to COVID.

--12 more COVID-positive people are hospitalized for a total of 886.

--The number of people on ventilators rose by one to 93.