BOCEP 2010: More hands-on learning from the convenience of your computer

The Bloustein Online Continuing Education Program is offering more "hands-on" learning through its studio courses in 2010.

Of the more than 20 classes being offered between January and June, several are studio courses.  Participants will work on real projects involving real clients -- all from the convenience of their computers.  Among the upcoming studio courses are:

• Form Based Codes Studio, in which learners will work on an urban design plan for a corridor in Arlington, Virginia 
• Cultural Community Development Studio, in which learners will work on a plan to use the arts as a vehicle for achieving community development goals (Client to be announced)
  
• and Leadership Studio, in which learners will consult leaders of a community in New Jersey as they work to implement a plan developed through the Professional Development Institute.

Several more are in development, and will be announced soon.

In most BOCEP courses, learners are encouraged to put to practice the knowledge and skills they develop in class.  This is why BOCEP Deep Learning courses are 5.5 weeks long.  They give you the opportunity to learn, practice, and share your findings and questions with other smart and serious professionals. 

Learn more about the Bloustein Online Continuing Education Program.

See all courses offered by the Professional Development Institute and The Leading Institute.

Read more...

Enhance your public participation skills with Planning in the Age of Direct Democracy

The Bloustein Online Continuing Education Program is offering a new Deep Learning course that can help you become more effective at public participation.

Planning in the Age of Direct Democracy explores various technological tools you can use to better engage audiences.  The course is taught by public outreach and communications expert Joni Scanlon, and runs from January 20 to February 27.  The course is completely online.  There are no required meetings to attend, but we encourage learners to participate in class at least once every other day.

Through this course, planners, architects and other community professionals will be better able to determine what tools will work best given different community conditions and public outreach budgets.   This course is for everyone interested in enhancing the public engagement experience.  No special technological knowledge is needed.

The course has been submitted for 14 AICP Certification Maintenance credits.  Like all BOCEP Deep Learning courses, Planning in the Age of Direct Democracy goes far beyond training.  The course helps you think more critically about your work, helping you become a more effective, creative and adaptable professional.

This course can be applied for 20 hours towards a Bloustein Certificate of Completion, Master Practitioner Certificate or Expert Practitioner Certificate.

The course costs $295, but PDI News and Updates readers can get a $50 scholarship.  Use promotion code BGBBS to receive the scholarship.

Learn more about Bloustein Online Continuing Education Program or the Professional Development Institute

Read more...

And the winners are...

The winners of the free BOCEP course are: Tiffany Robinson and Ricardo Fernandez.  They each won a free Bloustein Online Continuing Education Course.

To redeem their prize, Tiffany and Ricardo need to contact Leonardo Vazquez using the email that is on the business card they gave to PDI.

Winners were drawn at random from those people who dropped their business cards in our fishbowl at the American Planning Association and New Jersey League of Municipalities conferences in November.

To learn more about BOCEP, please visit http://www.policy.rutgers.edu/bocep

Read more...

Form Based Codes Studio returns to Columbia Pike in Arlington, Va.

Learners in the Form Based Codes Studio course (January 13 to February 20), will work on an urban design plan for the Columbia Pike corridor in Arlington, Va.

But don't worry about the travel costs -- there are none.  The class is entirely online and learners will engage in the studio from their own convenience.  This is the third year we have offered a studio on form-based codes, and graduates of the course say they enjoyed it and learned a lot.

Like college or graduate school studios, BOCEP studio courses give learners the opportunity to work on real projects on their own or in a team. Not sure that a studio can work online? Try it: You'll probably be pleasantly surprised.

The studio is again being taught by one of BOCEP's top instructors, Nicolas Ronderos. Learn more about the course.

Read more...

PDI and TLI to offer free leadership and career development sessions

Beginning January 2010, the Professional Development Institute and The Leading Institute will offer free leadership and career development sessions by videoconference to learners seeking a Bloustein Professional Certificate and members of The Leading Institute network.

The sessions will be biweekly.  One session a month will focus on career development issues and the other on leadership development issues.  PDI is conducting a survey to determine the topics that will be covered in the first half of 2010.  To help guide the topics, please participate in the survey.

The sessions are open to graduates and current participants in the Leading from the Middle program and individuals who are pursuing a Bloustein Professional Certificate and have enrolled in at least one class since August 2008.  Designed to be interactive, each session will include peer coaching.  This is an approach that allows members to get coaching from other members of the group on a matter of their choice.

To participate in these sessions, participants will need to have microphones for their computers.  Webcams are encouraged, but not required.  More information, including about how to register for the sessions, will be available in late December.

Read more...

Seeking public affairs professionals to talk about arts, community and economic development

Arts Build Communities, an initiative of the Professional Development Institute, will be holding a focus group with urban planners and public affairs professionals at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ on December 10, from 9 to 10:30 am.

If you have worked on issues related to the arts in your professional capacity, please join the focus group to share your insights.  It is free and breakfast will be served.  To request to participate, please contact Arts Build Communities Director Leonardo Vazquez by email or at 732-932-3822, x711

Read more...

Now accepting applications for Leading from the Middle New Jersey

Leading from the Middle is a unique leadership development program that combines six training workshops, peer coaching, and one-to-one performance coaching. The New Jersey 2010 runs from March to July.  Successful Leading from the Middle Fellows receive a Bloustein Professional Certificate of Completion.

The program is designed for mid-level professionals, from division directors to project managers, in all types of organizations working to enhance communities.

To accommodate busy professionals, the six workshops are on Fridays and Saturdays.  Performance coaching is conducted at the Fellow's convenience.

Through Leading from the Middle, Fellows learn better ways to:
*Influence powerful individuals and groups
*Communicate strategically
*Manage conflict
*Build and lead teams and partnerships
*Work in diverse and dynamic organizations and communities

Cost: $1,500.  Scholarships of up to $1,250 are available.

Learn more or register for Leading from the Middle New Jersey

The program will be eligible for 33 AICP CM credits.

Read more...

Please join us at the APA New York Metro conference

The Professional Development Institute and the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy are going to have a table at the American Planning Association New York Metro chapter's biennial conference. It will be September 25 at New York University in Manhattan, New York City.

Please stop by and say hello to Leo and Swena

Read more...

Housing Market Critical Indicators recording now available

If you missed our first Smart Conversation -- Housing Market Critical Indicators, with Deborah Brett, you can see the recording online here: http://tinyurl.com/mj4vgv

Read more...

New online series: Smart conversations about planning issues

The Professional Development Institute is launching a new online learning series: Smart Conversations. Every Smart Conversation will be an interactive interview with a leading practitioner or expert researcher on current topics in community development and social justice, economic development and real estate, planning law and legal issues, professional practice, smart growth and sustainable development, or urban design and placemaking.

Similar to a call-in radio program (but at a more sophisticated level), Smart Conversations will allow you to ask questions or offer comments on the subject.

Our first Smart Conversation is "Housing Market Critical Indicators: What Planners Should Know," with Deborah Brett, AICP. It's on September 3, from 4 to 5 pm. It's free. Learn more or register here.

Read more...

Featured course: New Jersey Planning Law

So much land use law has changed in New Jersey that even if you got your Professional Planning license more than five years ago, you could benefit from this course. Are you up to date on Council on Affordable Housing regulations? How about the state's Redevelopment Law?

New Jersey Planning Law, a Bloustein Online Continuing Education Program class starting in September, was designed to help learners prepare for the New Jersey Professional Planner examination. (New Jersey and Michigan both have licensing requirements for planners.) With updates to key land use laws, this class is a good refresher.

It's not just for planners. Anyone working on land use issues in New Jersey -- from community organizers to civil engineers -- can benefit from this class.

The instructor is Brent Barnes, AICP/PP, Director, Systems Planning and Research for the New Jersey Department of Transportation. A seasoned planner, Brent is also the editor of the first edition of The Complete Guide to Planning in New Jersey. The current version is a key text for the course.

Graduates of this course said they liked:

• "The interaction with the instructor and other students, all bringing a different perspective and application to the material."
• The "ease of completing on line"
• That "the syllabus gave me a framework to schedule my time and to read/process the material. Even though I couldn't spend as much time as I wanted to on the material, the flexibility of the class allowed me to get more out of it than I expected."
• "The online discussion with other class participants and information provided by the instructor, (which) were helpful."

The course runs from September 23 to October 29. The course fee is $245 until September 14, when it goes up to $270. Optional certificate fees, and the cost of the textbook are extra.

Learn more about or register for New Jersey Planning Law

Read more...

Read more...