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It is difficult to develop assessment tools that show this kind of learning growth with technology without it being more of a lab setting with a control group. I haven't found anything real practical yet that is reliable.

I think that classroom teachers are still struggling with this. We are improving our teaching styles to meet the needs and different learning styles of students, but we aren't quite there yet. My son, for example, is an auditory learner. I'd like for him to be able to have tests read to him without filling out a 504 or IEP. It should just be something that every classroom is quipped to do and the teacher is willing to do it.

This is always a challenge. We have done training on this for years.

This one grabbed my attention. I'm currently helping two students with special learning needs take an on-line math class for credit recovery. It has been a very frustrating experience for them in multiple capacities. They not only struggle with content, but with technology issues - the two combined are sometimes more than the students can handle. On a positive note, I've seen some really cool things you can do within an on-line class to tailor the instruction to better meet their needs. I think in some respects you could perhaps more easily tailor on-line learning to meet the needs of a more diverse set of learners?

I think these online learning tools, if used properly, can help all students, but especially thoses with special needs (including TAG, ELL, etc.). I think the ability to move at their own pace would help some greatly!

Ashely took my comments! She is dead on though. Online learning tools can be an amazing assest to students with special needs, if used appropriately. In Mary's example, podcasting or some other type of online audio program could be used to assist auditory learners.

I am a huge fan of Howard Gardner's multiple intelligence model. As I have been searching through the "Cool Tools for School" website, I am constantly thinking of ways I could apply these newly discovered tools to my curriculum to reach all of the eight intelligences to some degree. I really think it will be vital to offer more options in an on-line course, since the face-to-face interaction will be less, perhaps making it more difficult to get to know students and their unique personalities.

I think one way to address this is to do a hybrid course with some online aspects and other face to face. I think anytime we can have variety in our assignments, presentations and assessments, we are more likely to reach a greater number of students with at least some part of our class.

I like the hybrid concept. Our students are diverse in the way they learn and this allows each student to maximize and individual their learning.

Again, moderation in all things is key for learning and building relationships.

Providing feedback to students in any type of course is extremely important in order for students to continue to progress. When not meeting face to face with the instructor communication and course feedback is imperative.

Rob, I think that feedback, when given constructively to students prior to any type of evaluation, can be one of the most effective teaching tools a teacher can use!

I think the use of technology will enhance feedback opportunities. I also think that the peer feedback opportunities could be a very enriching experience for students, in addition to teach feedback.

I struggle with feedback within my language arts classroom when it comes to writing assignments. By the time I get them all graded and handed back, the kids look at their grade and many recycle them on their way out. Did they really benefit from all the time I spent making comments and giving them feedback?

I think that supplementing our face-to-face classrooms with online environments (ex. Moodle) will enrich the student experience and provide the teacher with a quicker response method.

Sherri, I wonder if students would take more time reading feedback if the feedback was on some form of online feedback. I agree many times students are just interested only in the grade as oposed to how to improve or what they can learn from the feedback. I said many times, nothing gets in the way of learning more, than the almighty grade!

I model feedback after the Boy's town Model. Constructive feedback starts with a powerful statement of praise AND supporting details. We also have a consideration statement...NO buts...for example: I truly appreciate the aesthetic details that your writing creates within my mind due to your word choice and the emotions created. You might consider looking at us more by becomeing more familiar with your writing so that eye contact is given to your audience. I have found that many students appreciate oral feedback and most look forward to it. Naturally, I always end the feedback session after the students go. What's really neat is when students have done such a good job with feedback that it's difficult for me to add more...

Once again, it's the relationship piece that is needed within the feedback piece. I believe we need to show students improvement through building the relationship.

This could be difficult for an animated personality, where actions speak as loud as words.

I can definitely see the benefits to teaching online, but it would be a sad foreign language class if all of the material was taught this way. There has to be social, face-to-face interactions. That's where fluency can be built.

I totally agree. I keep trying to add more technology to my classes all the time, but I really try to caution myself to add it because it is an improvement and not just simply adding technology.

This standard seems very vague to me. How do you determine if the instructor knows the difference between face to face and online learning? I guess I am still sorting out and determining that myself what the difference is, so may be why it is difficult for me to discern.

It's the relationship variable.....do we care enough to reach out?

I currently use numreous programs: from powerpoint and gradebook to email, smartboard, blogging, etc. In four weeks I will either be much more technologically advanced or I will be ready to give up.

I must agree. It is starting to get out of hand

Yes, I know, but I'm willing to give it a good shot. If I fail, I fail, but I think I'll learn something useful. I guess "Nothing ventured, nothing gained" applies here very well.

This standard will have to be updated a lot. Technology seems to change very frequently. What is advanced today may very well be obsolete tomorrow. More importantly, the variety of technology out there makes this a nightmare. You might be in one district that utilizes one type of application then go to another district that uses a totally different platform for the same task.

I'm with you all on this. It's called information overload. Moderation in all things is GOOD. Too much drink, we know what it does. Too much food, we know what that does. Too much technology, oh nooooo what could that do. Moderation in all things will bring a balance

I definitely need to work on this standard. Everything seems so new and unfamiliar. I hope I can learn through this course which tools are appropriate for my students and curriculum.

Ashley, it is very difficult to determine what strategy or technology is best to use when, especially, when there are so many different options out there for an instructor to use online. I guess we just need to keep an open mind and adjust accordingly because new technology is always being developed.

This is also something I need to work on. There are so many online tools that are available to use, but I feel overwhelmed by the number available to us.

I am currently using Moodle for several of my classes. I don't use the "tools" to make my classes more engaging. My goal is to use the Moodle as more than a homework repository. I think we all have good intentions on adding technology , but we get bogged down in the routines. This class is a great way to explore new "tools". :)

Technology is such a difficult thing because it is ever changing, and it seems that by the time we get it loaded on our machines, life has moved on without us. The other issue is the amount of tools that are available for use because time to explore is rather limited.

I have not yet figured out what technology is fun, and what technology is actually useful in teaching.

I believe a lot of teachers (myself included) are stuck in using technology as an add-on to learning. For example, my 6th grade students are currently creating Google presentations about extraterrestrial locations. The presentations are very nice and the practice of making and presenting them will help communication skills, but the creation of the presentation itself will not enhance their learning of the science content. I have simply integrated a different media for presentation. We need to use technology in pedagogy not a superficial add-on.

Critical piece when working with young adults in this media age!

I would agree, and add that teachers also, to be reminded of what is appropriate. You see all too often where a teacher is being accused of inappropriate behavior while use social media sites.

It is so important to teach them media literacy. I know this is a fear that my fellow teachers have about moving to online learning, but academic integrity should be part of the curriculum!

Academic integrity is necessary when learning online! One also needs to teach students how to filter through all the information to find the accurate sources.

Academic integrity has been an issue long before the development of the internet. I started out as an English teacher and have several tales of the plagiarized or bogus research paper. I moved to the role of teacher librarian in '95 as the internet surged into our lives. what an interesting dynamic it is, but the issues go back to basic human ideas of right and wrong. I very much appreciate that the teaching standards, the core and the 21st Century Skills all address this fundamental issue of working with people.

With my experience so far in teaching it seems that the students will be assisting me with the technology. My students seem much more knowledgeable than me.

I think they have more time to just explore than we do. What I dislike most about exploring technology is the amount of time it takes.

I've noticed how many basic things kids don't know about technology, though. Like the one I notice the most is they do not know how to use Google - if they are looking for answers to questions, they post the full question. While I think there are a lot of things they are better at than we are, we still need to stay on top of the technology that matters most to us so they can learn the best ways to use things.

Engaging students is a constant struggle for me in my mathematics classes. Any appropriate technology to assist in that would be helpful.

I also struggle with engaging students in the Language Arts classroom. Getting students to try new things isn't always easy, but I think they get bored with some technology. Finding and perfecting different technoloical ideas may help students to stay engaged.

I also think students get bored with technology tools. The key question is...are you use the correct technology tool? Our students (or at least most of the class) will get bored if there is fluke during the lesson and will notice if the tool doesn't fit the lesson well.

Student motivation is a concern for me when considering online learning. There is something about a living, breathing, and physically accessible educator that brings me peace of mind.

My challenge is to translate what some of these tools do in relation to what I traditionally do with a group of students. If I think through the tool plus the strategies I use in class...what new products could be developed? Kind of boggles the mind.

Engaging students is a little work at times. Students have developed so many skills with portable technolgoy they carry with them,the first challenge is to get them present then get them to engage??

Using online instruction for a high school class requires an appropriate balance between the online and the in class instruction.

Finding that balance may be challenge. I have not thought deeply about some of the strategies we use in the district butI believe online might be interesting to use with AIW...both teachers and as we move to students reflecting on their work.

Time consuming???? Any ideas on how to handle this with out being on consant email surveillance?

I've used e-mail and a blog to communicate with sophomore world history students for several years. E-mail is actually pretty fast. It's a great way for kids to ask for help. I think it's easier for the student to get my attention that way, because they're not competing for my attention, and they're not embarrassed about the help they're asking for. I respond to their blog posts privately. They receive my comments in both an e-mail and in a reply on the blog. I think your question about constant surveillance is a good one. It's easy to respond quickly to e-mail questions, but I've found that I need to establish a time to respond to their blog entries. Depending on the class, you would have to determine how often and when you'd respond. Otherwise you'd be constantly distracted.

An organized approach to responding has been an issue for me this year. I'm likeing the model Evan is using in this course with specific days we can expect assignments to be graded and specific times he will be checking e-mail, etc. I think I will borrow from that idea. Of course, the burden is eased when we are also seeing students fact to face and not just online.

Great to see so many tools for problem solving with a partner (no matter what you teach)!

I agree.  I feel it is very important to have that learning community to allow the students to collaborate.  Let's face it, the less we say, the more they learn!

With teaching middle school social studies, I am constantly changing up the dynamic of my classroom. Students work individually, in pairs, in small groups, as a whole class, individually conference with me, deliver individual and group presentation, etc. I think changing the arrangement helps middle school students to refocus and stay interested in the material. At first I though this would be difficult to accomplish online; however, I am now realizing that there are many different ways to interact through a wide array of tools.

My students are always wanting to know what they are going to be graded on and how they can earn an A. Originally I thought creating a rubric would be a stressful task, but now I have found that rubrics make grading much easier. Also, the feedback provided on the rubric is more beneficial and detailed for students. I also have found that students are more productive and focused on work days, as they know my expectations ahead of time, and they know exactly what they need to do to earn the grade they desire. Certainly with online learning, a rubric would be a key communication tool in guiding students when the instructor might not be readily available to answer questions.

My first year of teaching I had both a self-evaluation for students and a course evaluation to gain an understanding of how students felt the year had gone. I have not done this since, probably because I use several formative assessment strategies throughout each unit to gauge student understanding. I definitely think a course and/or instructor evaluation would be essential in an online learning environment, especially for those of us just starting out, so we can use students' suggestions to better improve our instruction.

I am in agreement with you about the need for course and instructor evaluations, but I think a lot of times it gets overlooked or dropped.

The most effective course evaluation is frequent and ongoing. Feedback from students is more specific right after an activity or unit than at the end of the school year. Perhaps a course evaluation could be divided into sections to be completed at appropriate times throughout the year.

Having just finished teaching a college class I am awaiting the the student feedback the college requires the students to fill out under the supervison of another person. It will be informative to read what they belive my teaching had done for them.

I use survey monkey for my evaluations. I do it by quarters. It's great because it is free, and it complies the data for you. I get a lot of good information from these surveys and would definitely continue to do this with an online course.

I appreciate data. I appreciate the time needed to look at the data. Until we are able to become more reflective practitioners during the school year, looking at data won't necessarily happen. I know how much time I take to look at data. I am not harried during the summer. When professional development allows for time to be reflective in our teaching, I do think greater results will happen.

As much data as we have at our finger tips, I feel the variable that consistently comes through is the relationship piece. Teaching over the ICN is different than teaching in a face to face. As an instructor of a college level class, my evaluations have always suffered when comparing the face to face students with the students who are at another site. They really don't have any idea what I am like during the natural coffee breaks because of that relationship piece that is lacking. Having a face to face relationship is different than having an online relationship, yet I do believe it's easier to build in person. Many contacts via email doesn't necessarily build it, yet quick responses in email can help....but being that 24/7 teacher is really hard as we juggle our own lives.

To maximize knowledge the subject area content must be aligned to the goals. Assessment must also be aligned!

While I do not have any experience of any kind in the online teaching world, Evan may know, what does conflict look like between students in the online world?

What would be examples of 'multiple assessment instruments here? Does this refer to typical rubrics?

Hmmm. Using moodle there could be an on-line multiple choice test, a blog entry, and insightful forum posts. Would those be multiple assessment instruments?

Not everyone learns the same so this is a very important part of any teaching.

In the research I've read about age and ability level, I was surprised to learn that an instructor cannot assume that the young are tech savvy and older participants will struggle with technology. There is no research to support this, as sometimes just the opposite is the case.

In Math, choosing the appropriate resource is critical as it is in any course.

This is going to be hard; knowing how to grade it? I hope there is a rubric that is easy to follow.

I want to be able to use the new information I learn in the this class and apply it to my library classes that I teach in the elementary.

I plan to use the knowledge I gain from this class with my students.

This could take a while for me; I'm still learning how to do this stuff let a lone plan, design, & incorporate. I can already see there will be a lot of trial & error this coming year

There is so much to learn about the Iowa Core. I'm so glad there is a great deal of exposure within this class.

All these theories will bring a better understanding to educators when it is worked into our vocabulary.

Evaluations and feedback are essential for effective design and delivery of a course. Upon completion of every course I teach a survey is made available for participants to complete (the return is around 80%). Questions presented to the participants are related to the course content, materials, connections to the curriculum and state standards as well as instructors knowledge, organization, support and availability. The information received from the survey will often times result in making some modifications within different unit/modules along with changes in the amount of time spent on a specific topic area. A pre-assessment (survey) is also sent to participants ahead of class to gather information on internet access, technology skills, knowledge of content, grade level and curriculum area. There survey includes an open ended question for other concerns. This has been helpful in gauging the amount of time needed for instruction along with customization towards curricular areas.

Knowledge of the content for instruction is significant. Participants for a course rely upon each of us as experts and look for us to provide the highest level of training possible. The worst impression one can present is the inabilitiy to respond accurately to a question or fumble through the content being delivered. We need to be continuously on alert and checking for changes or updates. I will often spend the night or morning before a class checking websites and links to make sure something hasn't been changed or removed.

Technology can be overwhelming to our students and if we are asking them to utilize specific tools we need to be available to provide support as needed. There are a number of databases that are utilized in my courses and teachers sometimes find it difficult to set up teacher accounts, create folders and save content to specific folders. I have already seen the value of creating a short video to walk-through the steps, instead of a phone call or face-to-face meeting. The short video used to demonstrate highlighting and annotations has spark the idea of creating video to set up teacher accounts among other items for certain databases used in my course.

Kathleen, I agree with you that technology can be overwhelming to students…adult or school age….maybe more for adults.  Right now I am teaching the Para Certification class to 42 adults, and I am amazed that some people do not know how to do the basic functions on the computer. But, I am determined that everyone will be successful.  Being new to online learning, I can identify, though, with the feelings of inadequacy or panic that my adult students have felt. When taking Ollie: Introduction, I was so appreciative of Mary's patience and help with technology.  Now Evan is assisting.  The video clips are very helpful.  A participant can see, hear, and then do which is multisensory.

I agree that video clips can be very helpful. My experience in trying to talk my mother through navigating her new iPad over the telephone reminds me of how futile and frustrating for all this can be. Providing a video and screenshots can be extremely helpful in helping to guide people in using technology that is new to them.

I appreciate the flexibility of the feedback and timely grading- when the assignment is done. This has been very helpful in trying to balance a career, household, and extracurricular schedules.

Timely and constructive feedback to enhance learning has been well documented in educational research for face-to-face instruction. I am finding as a student taking part in online learning, it is critical for me to have feedback to enhance my learning.  It is not about the grade.  I want to learn.   I want to know that I am understanding what is being taught and I can apply that learning. 

I think this is really interesting becuase I never really thought about how necessary it is to have a basic understanding of web design when one is an online instuctor. I guess it makes sense becuase you have to figure out ways to visually represent content to your audience. It seems as though the best online instuctors wouldn't necessarily be those with the best understanding of threir content, but rather the best understanding of how to communicate that content in an effective, visual manner.

I think this is a really important expereince for an online teacher to have, and maybe one that is taken for granted. Online teacher need to have the experence of what it is like to be an online learner to understand what works in online instruction and what doesn't.

Test post

At this point in my online learning, as a student going through this class it is very apparent what the differences are between online teaching and face to face. I think that each instructor should be required to take an online class such as this to help guide them in how to be a more effective and helpful instructor.