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Martha Condon

You Tube videos for using Google Docs - 0 views

www.youtube.com/docs

moodle-iowa web2.0 collaboration google

shared by Martha Condon on 10 Feb 11 - No Cached
  • Martha Condon on 10 Feb 11
     
    These videos are linked directly from the Google Apps website and consist of tutorials on how to make the most of Google Docs.
Chad Jilek

online1: Iowa Online Teaching Standards - 10 views

205.221.40.124/...view.php

shared by Chad Jilek on 21 Jan 11 - No Cached
  • Proposed Online Teaching Standards
    • Valerie Jergens
      Valerie Jergens on 21 Jan 11
       
      Many of these standards would be good for teachers who are not teaching "online" but using technology in their classrooms. I wonder if there will be a push for all teachers in 1:1 schools to know these and have some skill with them.
    • David Happe
      David Happe on 23 Jan 11
       
      Good point, Valerie. It seems that online instructional approaches are a subset of practices in which students operate sometimes independently and sometimes with feedback from and interaction with peers and teacher interaction and feedback that is not necessarily immediate.
    • Alan Junck
      Alan Junck on 24 Jan 11
       
      How long will it take for administrators/principals to be trained on these?  While these should apply to any course (online or classroom) I would assume very few teachers have seen something like this before.
  • Knows and aligns instruction to the achievement goals of the local agency and the state, such as with the Iowa Core
    • r kleinow
      r kleinow on 21 Jan 11
       
      I would agree that knowing and aligning the instruction with the learning goal is a key piece. I have seen numerous occasions where things are done because 1. That is what has always been done. 2. Someone found a neat toy to use. or 3. There is a new catch phrase going around. With little or no thought given to what the intended goal of the instruction is and what we would like the learner to know and be able to do. I think it is always important to revisit the question of what is the goal and what is the best way to help the learn get to that goal. The design of the learning expereience on-line or not should address this consideration. So, intended or not, I am glad to see this here and at the top of the list.
    • Joe Brekke
      Joe Brekke on 07 Feb 11
       
      Agreed, r kleinow. Well said. I've heard that our new Governor has decided to abandon the Iowa Core all together. Any thoughts?
  • Understands and uses data from assessments to guide instruction
    • r kleinow
      r kleinow on 21 Jan 11
       
      I am a believer that the single most improtant thing a teacher needs to know is what the learner already knows. I beleive the saying goes "find that out then instruct accordingly". I have always been challenged to find effieceint methods of doing this, but I think there are number of technology tools that can help to facilitate this process.
    • Steve Bartlett
      Steve Bartlett on 21 Jan 11
       
      This is a big part of the course we are developiing using CTS. Using the Keeley probes helps with finding out about what a learner understands. The challenge is to use or create the right probe that can give the teacher the feedback they need to differentiate the instruction
    • linda vann
      linda vann on 22 Jan 11
       
      Without understanding the learner's starting point or needs, instruction is just a "dump and pray they understand it" proposition. If instruction builds on the learner's prior knowledge, then the new information has something to attach to and has more of a chance of being understood and retained.
  • ...28 more annotations...
  • • Demonstrates techniques for dealing with issues arising from inappropriate student technological use (SREB E.7)
    • Greg Sleep
      Greg Sleep on 21 Jan 11
       
      We are on our second year of one-one laptops in our school. We had a intense training for dealing with appropriate use of technology. That training dealt with plagerism, social networking and consequences. We as staff were also trained in this area. It is a part of our student handbook as well.
    • linda vann
      linda vann on 22 Jan 11
       
      Demonstrating responsible use of technology is equivalent to learning manners while eating, listening while someone else is speaking, and other etiquette skills we are all taught at appropriate ages. Dealing with inappropriate use of technology is absolutely necessary to ensure its continued safe use for all learners.
    • Alan Junck
      Alan Junck on 24 Jan 11
       
      Is there a "standard" acceptable use policy across the state or does it vary from school to school?  
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face (SREB C.1, Varvel V)
    • Steve Bartlett
      Steve Bartlett on 21 Jan 11
       
      Who decides if the content is appropriate for the online environment?
    • Steve Van Gundy
      Steve Van Gundy on 22 Jan 11
       
      That's a good question. And I'm guessing it would vary depending on the subject?
  • Knows the content of the subject to be taught and understands how to teach the content to students (SREB A.3, Varvel II.A, ITS 2.a)
    • Steve Bartlett
      Steve Bartlett on 21 Jan 11
       
      Who would be responsible for deciding if a teacher has the content knowledge and best practice skills to teach that content?
    • David Happe
      David Happe on 23 Jan 11
       
      A structural limitation of many systems is that when leaders (expert consultants, administrators) are chosen, they immediately stop practicing what they were good at and what made them good choices to be leaders. Wise use of online communities may help provide support to teachers in content and best practice as both change rapidly. Deciding if a teacher has skills - well, that's another matter.
    • Rick Vettraino
      Rick Vettraino on 31 Jan 11
       
      This is very important to both classroom and online learning. The more we become experts in our subject it becomes easier to lead student learning.
  • Tailors instruction to meet the different needs of students, including different learning styles, different interests and backgrounds, and students with special needs or whom are language learners (SREB C.7, Varvel V.H, ITS 4.c)
    • Steve Bartlett
      Steve Bartlett on 21 Jan 11
       
      I am curious how an instructor can ascertain learning styles of students. There are some tools that I have used with students in the classroom to uncover this. I suppose using those tools online wouldn't be that hard
    • Lynda Wilson
      Lynda Wilson on 23 Jan 11
       
      I too,am curious about this in an on-line environment. Just as all teachers have different strength and teaching styles, students do too. I am not quite sure how you would figure that out in an on-line environment or how youw ould tailor instruction to meet those differnt learnign styles.
    • David Happe
      David Happe on 23 Jan 11
       
      UDL (universal design for learning) promotes providing all students with multiple means of learning, multiple means of demonstrating learning and multiple means of engagement. A pretty good trick face-to-face and a greater challenge online: http://www.cast.org/udl/index.html
    • Rick Vettraino
      Rick Vettraino on 31 Jan 11
       
      Sometime this can be as easy as embedding a video of the teacher explaining a lesson. Just the student being able to stop and review it as many times as they need will help. As long as I have been in instructional technology it is always easier for me to be able to stop and go over a section of a tutorial as I am trying to create with that technology.
  • • Understands student motivation and uses techniques to engage students (Varvel V.D, ITS 4.d)
    • Greg Sleep
      Greg Sleep on 21 Jan 11
       
      I feel that if a person was going from face-to-face instruction to partial or totally online instruction there would be a total change of how you motivate learners. Maybe I'm wrong on that or I'm still thinking of the way I was taught and how I learn. I know that today's students are electronically gift no matter what their test taking abilities are.
    • Jeremy Nally
      Jeremy Nally on 21 Jan 11
       
      I think one of the ways that can motivate them is by giving immediate feedback. Students like to see how they do on things and if they take a quiz, assignment or test online they can see right away how they did instead of having to wait on the teacher to grade them. Now this would motivate all of them and it wouldn't work on all tests, quizzes or assignments, but it may be one way to motivate the students.
    • Kelsey Bova
      Kelsey Bova on 22 Jan 11
       
      For our reading curriculum, we have our students take the tests online and they have immediate feedback and are able to see their average score from taking all of the tests. I agree that the immediate feedback is what students want. It's easier for students to create goals based on their achievement on these tests. They are also able to go back to see what questions they got wrong right away and are able to look and make sense of what the correct answer is, etc.
    • linda vann
      linda vann on 22 Jan 11
       
      Motivation comes from internal needs. It does not need to be (and if fact is better) if it is intrinsic, not extrinsic. Learners are motivated by correct learning and understanding. The more immediate the feedback on that, the more the motivation. I have a quote in my office that says, "Motivation is not enough. If you motivate an idiot, all you have is a motivated idiot." Knowledge is power and knowledge is motivating.
    • Lynda Wilson
      Lynda Wilson on 23 Jan 11
       
      Kelsey, I would be intersted in how you do your reading tests on-line. If I remember correctly, you are an elementary teacher. This is something I would definitely like to explore.......because like you say immediate feedback is so important.
  • Assists students with technology used in the course
    • Jeremy Nally
      Jeremy Nally on 21 Jan 11
       
      I think it is important to make sure the material is whats important and not overwelm the students with technology. I really like when technology tutorials are added with the assignment or lesson. This helps me focus more on the material and worry less about if I can figure out the technology.
    • Steve Van Gundy
      Steve Van Gundy on 22 Jan 11
       
      And I think a lot of the students these days could probably figure out the technology quicker than a lot of us teachers, but mastering the content is what we are all after.
    • Rick Vettraino
      Rick Vettraino on 31 Jan 11
       
      Like this course it is good to have tutorials or lessons on the technology we have the students use. That way it is available to the student if they need it. This would be a great advantage in online learning because the student would be embarrassed if they did not know how to use the technology.
    • Kelsey Bova
      Kelsey Bova on 22 Jan 11
       
      I really like this bullet in the standard because it is so important that a teacher continuously evaluates the data in order to determine whether or not their strategies are effective to their students. I know that us teachers at Norwalk are always having to evaluate our data and determining what is working and what we need to change in order to target those students that our instructional strategies are not hitting. This is key to becoming and staying an effective teacher and keeping up with our student body as they are changing yearly with different materials and strategies coming out to enhance learning.
  • Creates a learning community that encourages collaboration and interaction, including student-teacher, student-student, and student-content
    • Kelsey Bova
      Kelsey Bova on 22 Jan 11
       
      If they're talking about the 21st century skills that these students need to know and what not in order to become a successful worker in today's world, then I strongly feel that interaction and collaboration is a huge key component of our students' success. It's vital that others understand the thought process of other individuals; yet, still explaining their thoughts and working together with their peers/teachers/content on a project at hand. It teaches kids social skills that they need to become successful in the outside world. It's always nice to learn from one another and to teach someone something new :)
    • Christopher Soldat
      Christopher Soldat on 03 Feb 11
       
      I think this is the powerful part of an online community; that is the sense that they are a learning community.
  • Continuously uses data to evaluate the accuracy and effectiveness of instructional strategies
    • Kelsey Bova
      Kelsey Bova on 22 Jan 11
       
      I really like this bullet in the standard because it is so important that a teacher continuously evaluates the data in order to determine whether or not their strategies are effective to their students. I know that us teachers at Norwalk are always having to evaluate our data and determining what is working and what we need to change in order to target those students that our instructional strategies are not hitting. This is key to becoming and staying an effective teacher and keeping up with our student body as they are changing yearly with different materials and strategies coming out to enhance learning.
    • Lynda Wilson
      Lynda Wilson on 23 Jan 11
       
      I totally agree with using data to evaluate our teaching practices and students learning. If my first graders are not doing well in something I have taught, the first thing I look at is what could I do different to make them more successful. This would be true wheter it is on-line instruction or face-to-face instruction.
  • Demonstrates growth in technology knowledge and skills in order to stay current with emerging technologies
    • Tera Schechinger
      Tera Schechinger on 22 Jan 11
       
      Growth will be so much easier to assess in a digital world. Our digitial thumb print can easily be accessed adn evaluated over time. Paper and ver bal instruction is so very hard to document growth.
    • Steve Van Gundy
      Steve Van Gundy on 23 Jan 11
       
      To be honest, I think I'm scared by "emerging technologies". In terms of what is already out there, and trying to think about what is yet to be invented, I'm worried that I will just start to "master" something when the replacement technology will take over. Though I have to believe that adequate training will be offered to us teachers who are apprehensive.
  • learning theory appropriate to online learning,
    • linda vann
      linda vann on 23 Jan 11
       
      I tagged a website which provides a brief definition of constructivism, behaviorism, and cognitivism. They are very brief definitions, but allow for a gateway of further research by identifying authors of the theories. I would be interested in learning if anyone has other resources for online learning theories.
  • Is knowledgeable and has the ability to use computer programs required in online education to improve learning and teaching, including course management software (CMS) and synchronous/asynchronous communication tools (chat, email, web 2.0, videoconferencing, webinar, whiteboard, etc.) (SREB B.3, Varvel III.B)
  • Provides substantive, timely, and constructive feedback to students
  • • Selects and uses technologies appropriate to the content that enhance learning (SREB M.3, Varvel IV.D, ITS 3.e, ITS 4.f)
    • Kenny Weed
      Kenny Weed on 24 Jan 11
       
      I believe students learn better through the use of technology. Using technology to the content will help students stay involved with learning the content being taught.
    • Corrine Breitsprecker
      Corrine Breitsprecker on 24 Jan 11
       
      Although I agree, Kenny, I also believe that it is important that the technology does not overtake the content that is to be explored and learned. Sometimes it seems that the technology ends up being the focus and the content gets lost. To me, the words "enhance learning" are very important in this bullet statement.
    • Joe Brekke
      Joe Brekke on 07 Feb 11
       
      I agree with both of you. I've been reluctant to use technology because I haven't felt confident that I would be enhancing or extending the learning. Classes such as this are building my confience though, enabling me to see how much more I could be doing... I just need the time to explore and design. Isn't that always the case with this teaching gig?
  • Creates or selects multiple assessment instruments that are appropriate for online learning (SREB H.1, Varvel VI.C)
    • Kenny Weed
      Kenny Weed on 24 Jan 11
       
      Using multiple assessment instruments will give the teacher a better understanding for assessing each student. One assessment may be better for one student and not for another.
  • Demonstrates ability to enhance academic performance and support for the agency's student achievement goals
    • Corrine Breitsprecker
      Corrine Breitsprecker on 24 Jan 11
       
      The items listed here should not be limited to online teaching.
    • Corrine Breitsprecker
      Corrine Breitsprecker on 24 Jan 11
       
      Now that I have read the entire document, I believe my statement above could be repeated many times!
  • Aligns assessment with course objectives
    • Jeny Schoenhard
      Jeny Schoenhard on 24 Jan 11
       
      I am wondering if the assessments in these areas are also going to be online, or if it is okay to use these online tools to teach a topic and then use the assessments required within previously set curriculum, even if the assessment is not online.
  • Utilizes a course evaluation and student feedback data to improve the course
    • Jeny Schoenhard
      Jeny Schoenhard on 24 Jan 11
       
      I feel that this is important because with our continuously chaning style and strageties for teaching it is very important to listen to the learners in order to develop best practices for teaching and learning.
  • Has experienced online learning from the perspective of a student
    • Corrine Breitsprecker
      Corrine Breitsprecker on 24 Jan 11
       
      I think it would be very challenging to teach an online class without ever being a student in one. In fact, I think teaching online presents challenges even after being a student in multiple online courses! :)
    • Christopher Soldat
      Christopher Soldat on 03 Feb 11
       
      I remember the difference of looking at a online course first as a learner and then facilitating the course. I realized how much content there was to digest and how quickly the course was moving.
  • Communicates with students effectively and consistently
    • Alan Junck
      Alan Junck on 24 Jan 11
       
      Online office hours?  I suppose it just becomes a built in part of your schedule.
    • Christopher Soldat
      Christopher Soldat on 03 Feb 11
       
      That is the heart of the work for a facilitator of an online course. The student needs the sense first that there is an instructor presence somewhere in the background. As the group begins to respond to each others' thoughts then the facilitator can move from the foreground to more of the background.
  • Has knowledge of and informs student of their rights to privacy and the conditions under which their work may be shared with other
    • Alan Junck
      Alan Junck on 24 Jan 11
       
      This is one of many standards that many teachers will need considerable in-service to become familiar with.  I can see many teachers being unsure of this topic.
  • Provides and communicates evidence of learning and course data to students and colleagues
    • Gary Petersen
      Gary Petersen on 01 Feb 11
       
      In providing professional development to AEA staff on special education issues, I have often relied on "compliance to mandates" as a means to judge the success of the training. Of late, I have become much more interested in measuring staff's "learning" to a standard as one key measure of the effectiveness of training (i.e., teaching).
  • Demonstrates effective instructional strategies and techniques, appropriate for online education, that align with course objectives and assessment
    • Gary Petersen
      Gary Petersen on 01 Feb 11
       
      Providing appropriate strategies to enhance the learning experience online that align with the objectives and assessments within the context of professional development is a big challenge. I realize it is the same challenge that the Iowa Core and CEI puts forward for every teacher. I have been the recipient of many professional development opportunities over the last 30 years and many of them have not come close to meeting this standard. I think things are changing for the better lately and I really believe courses like this have helped.
  • Designs the structure of the course and the presentation of the content to best enhance student learning,
  • fair use
    • Chad Jilek
      Chad Jilek on 16 Jan 12
       
      Fair Use is a term that needs to be used more with students. They need to hear multiple times what they can and can't use on technology projects and how to cite them if they do. Not enough awareness of this.
  • Promotes learning through online collaboration
    • Chad Jilek
      Chad Jilek on 16 Jan 12
       
      Students need a new way to work within groups or pairs in todays age without being face to face. This is an important part of students technological advancement.
  • differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face
  • between teaching online and teaching face-to-face
Drinda Williams

21 Things That Will Become Obsolete in Education by 2020 - THE DAILY RIFF - Be Smarter.... - 5 views

www.thedailyriff.com/...e-in-education-by-2020-474.php

moodle_iowa

shared by Drinda Williams on 21 Jan 11 - No Cached
  • And this will be done 24/7 and on the move
    • Drinda Williams
      Drinda Williams on 21 Jan 11
       
      I'm not sure I buy this. The decision makers (school boards) are a long way from this leap.
    • Valerie Jergens
      Valerie Jergens on 21 Jan 11
       
      Yes, but wouldn't it be exciting if things were on a more 24/7 schedule and school could fit life? I would love to engage with my children and their homework but currently it is so dry and doesn't agree with any kind of discussion or collaboration.
    • Alan Junck
      Alan Junck on 24 Jan 11
       
      AP is dead? I'm not sure that will happen anytime soon. It will certainly undergo some changes in the future - but I doubt it goes away completely.
  • Differentiation won't make you 'distinguished'; it'll just be a natural part of your work.
  • Organization of Educational Services by Grade
    • Drinda Williams
      Drinda Williams on 21 Jan 11
       
      This had made sense for a long time...hard to change an institution. I would love to see this happening.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • Nutrition information
  • This is already happening.
    • Drinda Williams
      Drinda Williams on 21 Jan 11
       
      This is happening some places. It usually takes a district large enough to have PD specialists and / or a smaller district with the right kind of administration. It makes the Moodle option even more relevant.
Amy Burns

The Complete List of iPad Tips, Tricks, and Tutorials - How-To Geek - 0 views

www.howtogeek.com/...ipad-tips-tricks-and-tutorials

iPad tutorials tricks howto tools

shared by Amy Burns on 08 Jun 11 - Cached
  • Amy Burns on 08 Jun 11
     
    Basic IPad tips and tricks. Easy to understand explanations and lots of links.
  • Amy Burns on 08 Jun 11
     
    moodle Iowa
Deb Henkes

How Online Education Is Changing the Way We Learn [INFOGRAPHIC] - 1 views

mashable.com/...online-education-infographic

moodle moodle_iowa eLearning onlinelearning

shared by Deb Henkes on 11 Jun 11 - No Cached
    • Deb Henkes
      Deb Henkes on 22 Jun 11
       
      This info graphic really shows how online learning is changing and challenging our traditional mode of educating.
    • Andrea Accola-Sabin
      Andrea Accola-Sabin on 23 Jun 11
       
      Our school offered a blended class through APEX learning. I was in charge of the Algebra II class and the students loved working at their own pace and when they wanted to work. There were time lines for assignments and test, but students could work ahead. If they had questions I was available for them. I don't think that they could do the course completely by themselves. I think that this was a great learning opportunity for the students, to see what is ahead of them in the learning system.
  • How Online Education Is Changing the Way We Learn [INFOGRAPHIC]
  • Check out this infographic from OnlineEducation.net about how the world of online learning has changed and grown over the years.
  • Amy Burns on 11 Jun 11
     
    Impressive graphic....reinforces the need for classes such as the ones through OLLIE.
  • Amy Burns on 11 Jun 11
     
    Ollie Iowa
jorge malagon

The Innovative Educator: Google Voice Provides Every Teacher with a Personal Secretary - 0 views

theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/...ce-provides-every-teacher.html

education Teacher Google_voice technology

shared by jorge malagon on 14 Aug 11 - Cached
  • Record conversations with experts that can be archived and played back at anytime.
    • jorge malagon
      jorge malagon on 14 Aug 11
       
      This feature is useful, you can listen to the conversation later if necessary.
  • Want to set up mini tutorials about topics. Just leave yourself a Google voicemail and you can include it in any online space
    • jorge malagon
      jorge malagon on 14 Aug 11
       
      I did this for my Moodle class. Pretty useful tool.
  • Leave messages for students about their work by recording your voice then send it to them using the tool that works for you i.e. emailing it to the student, post the link in your content management system, etc.
    • jorge malagon
      jorge malagon on 14 Aug 11
       
      This is the feature I like more. Students can do homework using the messages sent to them. I need to fully understand and apply this option.
lisa rasmussen

ollie4: Educational Leadership: The Quest for Quality - 5 views

moodle.aeapdonline.org/...view.php

shared by lisa rasmussen on 25 Sep 11 - No Cached
  • Five keys to assessment quality provide the larger picture
    • Maryann Angeroth
      Maryann Angeroth on 25 Sep 11
       
      The Clear Purpose paragraph resonated with me since I just finished reading an article in Education Leadership called Know Your Target. It is all about knowing the purpose and sharing that with students and how student achievement goes up as a result.
    • Nancy Peterman
      Nancy Peterman on 27 Sep 11
       
      I would agree with you that it is important to give the students a clear idea of the purpose of the lesson and how it would impact their life or daily skills.
  • Five keys to assessment quality provide the larger picture into which our multiple measures must fit
  • Are results communicated in time to inform the intended decisions
    • Maryann Angeroth
      Maryann Angeroth on 26 Sep 11
       
      One of the "What Works in the Classroom" strategies from Marzano is: Setting objectives and providing feedback. Research shows that giving feedback improves student achievement. This statement about results being communicated in time to inform the intended decisions reminds me of the Marzano work.
    • Nancy Peterman
      Nancy Peterman on 27 Sep 11
       
      I have seen positive results in my own classroom when I have provided feedback in a timely manner that is directly to the specifics that were taught.
    • Judy Griffin
      Judy Griffin on 28 Sep 11
       
      This is one of the benefits of educational games if they are created well... instant feedback and another level to conquer!
    • Maryann Angeroth
      Maryann Angeroth on 28 Sep 11
       
      Did you read Evan's blog about gaming? I was interested in his perspective to making it synonomus with using literature to teach content.
    • Kevin McColley
      Kevin McColley on 28 Sep 11
       
      I completely agree! I have around 600 kids and try my best to comment more than just "good job" but with meaty feedback for my older kids in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade and I've seen many kids work and rework their challenges out until they get it. It shows the kids they're not just a number. :)
    • Mark McGaffin
      Mark McGaffin on 28 Sep 11
       
      Teachers are becoming more data driven than ever before.  Teachers will need to have a condensed curriculum if they want to provide enrichment opportunities in their classroom.  Currently, there is not enough time within the school year for teachers to assess, analyze, and enrich for each and every child unless some of the content they are expected to teach is removed.  This is a situation where it looks great on paper but right now doesn't work in the classroom.  If we really are stressing Quality than quantity needs to be reduced. 
    • Tim Brickley
      Tim Brickley on 02 Oct 11
       
      The time factor and choosing the right assessments is a daily struggle for teaching. I wish that there was more time in the day, week, month to evaluate past assessments and determine the effectiveness of them.
    • Gayle Olson
      Gayle Olson on 06 Oct 11
       
      I agree with all your comments on the value of feedback. That's what I really like about some of the online assessments I've seen - kids get the feedback right away and then are pointed to extra help or a different type of explanation if they need it.
  • ...42 more annotations...
  • Who will use the results to inform what decisions?
    • Barb Shutt
      Barb Shutt on 26 Sep 11
       
      and...is there already and assessment in place that give you this information? Do I need to duplicate? Not only is the why important, but also the what-does it get to what I need to know for future instruction?
    • Judy Sweetman
      Judy Sweetman on 26 Sep 11
       
      Your last statement is very importatn, Barb! That question should be asked prior to giving each assessment--how will this help my students and how will this help me to change my instruction to help my students.
  • four categories of learning targets
    • Barb Shutt
      Barb Shutt on 26 Sep 11
       
      I hadn't seen LT' broken down this way before.
    • Judy Griffin
      Judy Griffin on 28 Sep 11
       
      Neither have I seen this breakdown! Worth sharing with teachers.
    • linda vann
      linda vann on 28 Sep 11
       
      I love this! What an easy, direct guide to clarifying learning targets!
    • David Olson
      David Olson on 02 Oct 11
       
      Stiggins actually has 5 targets, which includes dispositional targets
  • which assessment methods are most likely to produce accurate results for different learning targets.
    • Barb Shutt
      Barb Shutt on 26 Sep 11
       
      It's always about working smarter, not harder and this leads us toward that.
    • Judy Sweetman
      Judy Sweetman on 26 Sep 11
       
      I agree--and I really like this chart! It really helped to enhance my understanding of this information.
    • Deena Stanley-Dostart
      Deena Stanley-Dostart on 01 Oct 11
       
      The chart is very helpful. I like how it shows that perfomance assessments aren't always the best, it depends on what you are assessing. I am glad selected response is still acceptable for knowledge mastery.
    • Gary Petersen
      Gary Petersen on 09 Oct 11
       
      I am always looking for "filters" that I can use when developing a course. This is a great filter when reviewing the assessments used in the course.
  • more assessments
    • Judy Sweetman
      Judy Sweetman on 26 Sep 11
       
      If the additional assessments were mostly formative, I do believe that we would be more accurately estimating student achievement.
    • Becky Hinze
      Becky Hinze on 27 Sep 11
       
      And...if those formative assessments are linked directly to the learning of the skill, it wouldn't take time away from the learning to assess.
    • Mark McGaffin
      Mark McGaffin on 28 Sep 11
       
      Currently I think the students feel like they are being assessed all day long.  Think about how many classes they have in a day.  If those teachers are being asked to provide data showing progress/mastery in each of their subject areas they will be overwhelmed with assessments.  A balance is key but at the same time we need to think about our students and think about what it might be like to be assessed this much.
    • linda vann
      linda vann on 28 Sep 11
       
      Balance being the operative word here...assessment for assessment sake is not time efficient or effective. Assessment for adjusting instruction is highly valuable.
    • Natalie Smithhart
      Natalie Smithhart on 03 Oct 11
       
      I think more assessments can help teachers estimcate student achievement, but only if it is not taking away teaching time. We need to assess in ways that don't interupt class time. I know there are times that I have had to spend assessing my students when I felt I could of been giving them more by teaching....
  • The assessor needs to have a clear picture of what achievement he or she intends to measure. If we don't begin with clear statements of the intended learning—clear and understandable to everyone, including students—we won't end up with sound assessments.
    • Judy Sweetman
      Judy Sweetman on 26 Sep 11
       
      Clear learning targets are so important--and so often not understood by teachers. I still work with so many teachers who don't question learning targets, as they just go from page to page in the textbook and teach what is next regardless if students already know the information or would need background knowledge in order to understand the concepts.
    • Becky Hinze
      Becky Hinze on 27 Sep 11
       
      So often we assess and we truly don't know what our learning targets were. Often our assessment doesn't even match what we thought our learning targets were.
    • Nancy Peterman
      Nancy Peterman on 27 Sep 11
       
      I would agree that many of us do not take the time or effort to evaluate if the assessments actually measure what we are teaching in the classroom.
    • linda vann
      linda vann on 28 Sep 11
       
      The alignment between curriculum, instruction, and assessment is critical. If we don't take the time to clarify our intended outcomes, how can we expect students to perform to expectations?
  • Or, you can highlight the phrases on the rubric that describe the hypothesis's strengths and areas for improvement and return the rubric with the work.
    • Judy Sweetman
      Judy Sweetman on 26 Sep 11
       
      In the first class I took towards my Master's in Educational Technology, the professor did this--not just for our assignments, but also for our participation in our forums. Since then, I have "borrowed" this strategy for my own students. It definitely encouraged me to work on improving my responses in the weekly forums!
    • Mark McGaffin
      Mark McGaffin on 28 Sep 11
       
      Might we be suggesting the end of grades and the beginning of standards based assessment?  How would that affect colleges and universities?  Would they be willing to accept a student who met all the standards at a school over a student who got a 4.0?
    • Judy Sweetman
      Judy Sweetman on 01 Oct 11
       
      I think it depends on the discipline. Art and graphic design--and perhaps music--are probably going to be much farther ahead here. Students have to prepare portfolios of their work and that is what is looked at, at least at Morningside College. They also look at GPA, but there is more weight put on the portfolio.
    • Tim Brickley
      Tim Brickley on 02 Oct 11
       
      More and more former students are telling me they needed to submit a portfolio of past work for colleges. Whether it be for scholaraships or acceptance into a certain program.
  • assessment literate
    • Judy Sweetman
      Judy Sweetman on 26 Sep 11
       
      I'm finding the sessions I've attended in Des Moines by Margaret Heritage to be very helpful in understanding what "assessment literate" means!
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 27 Sep 11
       
      That is a term I've not heard before. It makes sense, however. Data used inappropriately can have disastrous results.
    • Mark McGaffin
      Mark McGaffin on 28 Sep 11
       
      The state will need to spend a lot of money and time training teachers how to assess, use the data, and enrich students.  As my district begins its transition into this new data-driven age, I am noticing more and more teachers struggling to analyze data.  They are also struggling to find enough time to check assessments, analyze data, and provide meaningful enrichment activities to help students reach proficiency. 
    • David Olson
      David Olson on 02 Oct 11
       
      Stiggins has a great plan to move a district and a school toward assessment literacy. He calls it the 7 actions for school leaders.
  • four assessment methods (selected-response, extended written response, performance assessment, and personal communication
    • Judy Sweetman
      Judy Sweetman on 26 Sep 11
       
      I'm not sure I've seen these four assessment methods listed like this. This is good information to have and to help in creating assessments.
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 18 Oct 11
       
      I have used all of these methods in my art class room, but not on a regular basis. Our 4th grade assessment assignment includes two methods. Students answer a written test with true/false and multiple choice answers to identify concepts the children know. Students make a drawing of a landscape and then go pack to paint the landscape. Teachers keep wanting to add the personal communication componant where the students discuss the choices they made in their landscape painting.
  • Do the results provide clear direction for what to do next?
  • Selecting an assessment method that is incapable of reflecting the intended learning will compromise the accuracy of the results.
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 27 Sep 11
       
      Selecting the best assessment method makes a difference. If we are using the data to guide our instruction, it's imperative we use the right assessment tool.
    • Judy Griffin
      Judy Griffin on 28 Sep 11
       
      I agree, Pam! So is ITBS or ITED ever the "right assessment tool"? Can they truly reflect the intended learning?
    • Nathan Fredericks
      Nathan Fredericks on 29 Sep 11
       
      We are told at my school that, at minimum, they are going to be better than what they were as the ITEDs are now supposed to be aligned with the Common/Iowa Core. We shall see how this will end up.
    • David Olson
      David Olson on 02 Oct 11
       
      We are so messed up on our standardized tests when it comes to 21st century skills and their measurement.
    • Gary Petersen
      Gary Petersen on 09 Oct 11
       
      So much seems to be a matter of alignment. A misalignment between assessment method and intended learning leads to inaccuracy of results.
  • What decisions will the assessment inform?
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 27 Sep 11
       
      The following paragraph highlights the way formative assessments should guide our instruction. Changes may not be immediate, but they certainly provide a way to plan for the future.
  • Use SAT scores to determine instructional effectiveness
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 27 Sep 11
       
      Just a sidebar....could this mean we need to be very careful when we use ITBS scores to measure teacher effectiveness?
    • Judy Griffin
      Judy Griffin on 28 Sep 11
       
      Oh, yeah!!
    • Mark McGaffin
      Mark McGaffin on 28 Sep 11
       
      Why doesn't NCLB consider the many other "X" factors that could influence ITBS scores when they make the SINA list or use data like this to determine teacher pay?  Great on paper but not in practice.
  • For instance, if students will be the users of the results because the assessment is formative, then teachers must provide the results in a way that helps students move forward. Specific, descriptive feedback linked to the targets of instruction and arising from the assessment items or rubrics communicates to students in ways that enable them to immediately take action, thereby promoting further learning.
    • Amy Burns
      Amy Burns on 27 Sep 11
       
      I am going to play devil's advocate here.....how can we motivate students to take action in order to promote learning if that is not within their goals? I agree that descriptive feedback linked to targets will give more meaning to the assessment, but in all reality, don't we often deal with students who can't see the reason for the writing?
    • Maryann Angeroth
      Maryann Angeroth on 28 Sep 11
       
      Why do you think that is? How many K-2 students are not excited about coming to school and learning? What happens that kills thier love and devotion to learning?
    • linda vann
      linda vann on 28 Sep 11
       
      Do you see this attitude of "this doesn't fit my goals/needs" as more prevalent at the secondary level or the elementary level? I know I have seen this with adult learners until they understand they tune to WII-FM (What In It For Me?). Once they do, then the learning "takes off" like gangbusters when provided the specific type of feedback described here.
  • Teachers should design the assessment so students can use the results to self-assess and set goals. A mechanism should be in place for students to track their own progress on learning targets and communicate their status to others.
    • Amy Burns
      Amy Burns on 27 Sep 11
       
      Self-assessment is a vital step in setting personal goals. How many of our students have actually been asked to look deeply into their skill set? Would many students willingly "communicate their status to others?" Hmmmmm
    • Judy Griffin
      Judy Griffin on 28 Sep 11
       
      I think this is a great reason why students should have input into what is being assessed in a rubric... what is important and how will you know what you know?
    • Kathy Hageman
      Kathy Hageman on 01 Oct 11
       
      Well-designed rubrics not only set targets but also help students monitor their progress. It has been my experience that middle school students are quite honest and perceptive in self-evaluations when "communicate their status to others" means sharing the self-assessment exclusively with me (their instructor) or with me and their parents or guardians.
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 22 Oct 11
       
      Students would need to be guided through self-assessment at first.
  • data from these assessments
    • Judy Griffin
      Judy Griffin on 28 Sep 11
       
      It's all about data!! "What does the data say...?"
    • linda vann
      linda vann on 28 Sep 11
       
      The caution about data is using it appropriately. It is an intensely powerful tool if used to make decisions about instruction and assessment. The more data, the better!
    • Cheryl Carruthers
      Cheryl Carruthers on 29 Sep 11
       
      The more data, the better....this makes sense to me. We need to make sure we are using the right data in making decisions; making decisions based upon poor or incomplete data leads to poor decisions. Here lies another challenge...it sometimes seems like we are "drowning in data." How do we choose the data we use?
    • Natalie Smithhart
      Natalie Smithhart on 03 Oct 11
       
      It seems obvious...the data you get from assessing should show you what your students are learning and what you need to work on more. I like your comment Cheryl...it does seem like sometimes I have more data than I know how to organize or what to do with it!
  • Assess learning targets requiring the "doing" of science with a multiple-choice tes
    • Judy Griffin
      Judy Griffin on 28 Sep 11
       
      I've seen this many times - the assessment doesn't fit the learning expectations.
  • meeting student, teacher, and district information needs
  • a reading score from a state accountability test as a diagnostic instrument for reading group placement.
    • linda vann
      linda vann on 28 Sep 11
       
      Or expect that decisions regarding eligibility for special education is based on diagnostic assessments alone!
  • Using misinformation
  • his means that teachers need to write learning targets in terms that students will understand.
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 22 Oct 11
       
      Parent involvement is an important component when children are young. Parents help a child budget time. If they are not aware of what the child is involved in, or needs to set aside time for, then the child will not accomplish much. parents also need to be able to understand the terms involved and the intended outcome.
  • all assessment users have access to the data
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 17 Oct 11
       
      Our art department currently grades all children, but only assesses 4th grade students with a February drawing, painting, and multiple choice test. Children and Parents should have an idea before then about how their child is picking up one the curriculum.
  • From that foundation
  • groups of students
    • Deena Stanley-Dostart
      Deena Stanley-Dostart on 29 Sep 11
       
      Our distirct is really focused on SES and IEP students since that is where our lowest ITED scores are.
    • Lynne Devaney
      Lynne Devaney on 09 Oct 11
       
      We would have to add African-American in our district in addition to SES and IEP.
  • unprecedented overflow of testing
    • Deena Stanley-Dostart
      Deena Stanley-Dostart on 29 Sep 11
       
      Our department had to create a math assessment that would test what the average 10th grader should know. Then we were told the test should be about what all 10th graders should know. We have spent countless hours debating, rewriting and trying to come up with methods on how to help our students that are not proficient on the test.
    • Cheryl Carruthers
      Cheryl Carruthers on 29 Sep 11
       
      Today on the radio, I hear Jason Glass say that all 11th graders need to take the ACT and the state needs to help pay for this. I don't think I agree with adding another required assessment for our students...I do agree we need to provide a rigorous curriculum for our secondary students, but do they need to demonstrate their knowledge by taking the ACT??
    • Lynne Devaney
      Lynne Devaney on 09 Oct 11
       
      In response to Deena, I have struggled as the leader of the curriculum and assesment efforts on WHAT to ask people to do. I have hesitated developing any local assessments due to the movement from local standards...to Iowa Core and not the common core. Hope we have stopped changing because up to now it has been a moving target!
  • In math
    • Deena Stanley-Dostart
      Deena Stanley-Dostart on 29 Sep 11
       
      This is the first time I have actually seen a math example when discussing assessment. Usually the examples I see are for english or social studies.
    • Jean Van Gilder
      Jean Van Gilder on 03 Oct 11
       
      knowledge targets work pretty well in mathematics!
  • A grade of D+, on the other hand, may be sufficient to inform a decision about a student's athletic eligibility, but it is not capable of informing the student about the next steps in learning.
    • Cheryl Carruthers
      Cheryl Carruthers on 29 Sep 11
       
      Thus the term "assessment FOR learning." The intent is to provide guidance for improvement.
    • Gary Petersen
      Gary Petersen on 09 Oct 11
       
      It's amazing the number of assessments that I have received in my formal learning that involved only a grade or pass/fail. It makes me wonder if I retained very much from those learning opportunities.
  • Teachers have choices in the assessment methods they use, including selected-response formats, extended written response, performance assessment, and personal communication.
    • Kathy Hageman
      Kathy Hageman on 01 Oct 11
       
      Wouldn't matching method of assessment to method of practice be a consideration?
  • which require students to use their knowledge to reason and problem solve
    • Deena Stanley-Dostart
      Deena Stanley-Dostart on 01 Oct 11
       
      This is an area that I am currently working on. I am trying to come up with more projects so that students can apply what they are learning.
    • Gayle Olson
      Gayle Olson on 06 Oct 11
       
      When I took my first college stat class, I could follow the directions just fine and get the right answer, but I had no idea why we were using the particular statistic or what it actually meant. When I asked my stat lab instructor, he looked up my grade and said, "What do you care, you're getting an A." I cared because I wanted to know how to use the stuff, not just get through the class!
  • What information do the decision makers need
    • Nancy Peterman
      Nancy Peterman on 02 Oct 11
       
      This paragraph makes a distinction between decision makers that we might forget when edited our assessments. There is a definite difference in level and approach between classroom and school or community assessments.
    • Gayle Olson
      Gayle Olson on 06 Oct 11
       
      Agreed. I think not recognizing that distinction can lead to misuse of the data. For example, a school or community use of classroom level data when they don't know the circumstances or environment under which the data is collected can lead to some inappropriate conclusions.
  • use of clear curriculum maps for each standard
    • Nancy Peterman
      Nancy Peterman on 02 Oct 11
       
      Although time consuming, the importance of curriculum maps becomes clear when writing essential questions and revisiting the teaching strategies we use to improve student learning.
  • instructional hours sacrificed to testing will return dividends in the form of better instructional decisions and improved high-stakes test scores.
    • Jessica White
      Jessica White on 02 Oct 11
       
      This is our hope as educators. I truly hope that the valuable time spent testing will return dividends.
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 17 Oct 11
       
      I find the information gathered to be very useful to my teaching, and to the students and parents.
  • Ongoing classroom assessments serve both formative and summative purposes and meet students' as well as teachers' information needs.
  • provide information about student progress not typically available from student information systems
    • Jean Van Gilder
      Jean Van Gilder on 04 Oct 11
       
      Time involved is major...classroom teachers will tell you it is very labor intensive.
  • high-stakes tests were common in schools
    • Bruce Baedke
      Bruce Baedke on 03 Oct 11
       
      Seems like the public would say this isn't true. They would believe that there was no accountability before NCLB.
  • if the teacher wants to assess knowledge mastery of a certain item, both selected-response and extended written response methods are good matches
    • Bruce Baedke
      Bruce Baedke on 03 Oct 11
       
      At muy school our science assessment is of this variety with both extended response and multiple choice answers for teh questions asked.
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 22 Oct 11
       
      I agree that a variety should be used in accurate assessment. Students respond differently to different assesment methods. Some students have a very anxious response to timed tests, or written tests, but may do fine in showing their knowledge on multiple choice or matching.
  • Students learn best when they monitor and take responsibility for their own learning.
    • Gayle Olson
      Gayle Olson on 06 Oct 11
       
      Best parent teacher conference I ever attended was a student-led one for my 5th grader. Each student built their portfolio and was in charge of explaning it to their parents. Most honesty and responsibility I've ever seen in kids!
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 17 Oct 11
       
      I have been to the same kind of Open House led by students in the class. It really gives the students ownership to what happens in that classroom.
  • to triangulate on student needs defeats the purpose of bringing in more results to inform our decisions.
    • Gary Petersen
      Gary Petersen on 09 Oct 11
       
      Multiple measures have been used for years to establish whether assessments are valid. Very important to note that if the measures are not valid, multiple measures do not indicate validity.
  • For example, suppose we are preparing to teach 7th graders how to make inferences. After defining inference as "a conclusion drawn from the information available," we might put the learning target in student-friendly language: "I can make good inferences. This means I can use information from what I read to draw a reasonable conclusion." If we were working with 2nd graders, the student-friendly language might look like this: "I can make good inferences. This means I can make a guess that is based on clues."
  • Bias can also creep into assessments and erode accurate results. Examples of bias include poorly printed test forms, noise distractions, vague directions, and cultural insensitivity.
    • Lynne Devaney
      Lynne Devaney on 09 Oct 11
       
      I believe we are OK at reviewing materials with a "traditional" sense of bias but when it comes to cultural sensitivity...I'm not sure my district has a handle on the work.
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 17 Oct 11
       
      I agree. Some cultural sensitivity can't be easily understood by other people. I've been surprised often by what kids say about the way their family opperates.
  • What are the essential assessment conditions?
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 22 Oct 11
       
      When we do our annual assessment for 4th grade artists effort is made to provide clear instructions and visuals, with the same materials available to all teachers. The other factors that enter into a student's performance vary widely. Some teachers deliver the test in their own art room, others in the classroom because they teach there. There are many factors that affect performance.
  • No Child Left Behind
  • The assessor must plan to manage information from the assessment appropriately and report it in ways that will meet the needs of the intended users,
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 22 Oct 11
       
      i would assume this would mean that information should be shared in user-friendly language for parents and students, and be shared in a timely fashion.
  • Kevin McColley on 28 Sep 11
     
    Different assessment methods chart
Sharon Kurns

ollie1: Iowa Online Course Standards - 0 views

moodle.aeapdonline.org/...view.php

shared by Sharon Kurns on 27 Sep 11 - No Cached
  • learning styles and preferences.
    • Evan McCormick
      Evan McCormick on 27 Sep 11
       
      How can you address multiple learning styles and preferences with a single technology? Are some tech standards idealistic?
    • Lynn Hockenberry
      Lynn Hockenberry on 30 Sep 11
       
      I agree with your question of how to do this. Perhaps we will learn more as the course progresses...
    • Ami Leath
      Ami Leath on 03 Oct 11
       
      I hope to learn more about this as well...
  • Instructions make clear how to get started and where to find various course components.
    • Evan McCormick
      Evan McCormick on 27 Sep 11
       
      Ideally accomplished by single entry points to information. When there are multiple ways to get to information, it leads to confusion.
  • The course instruction includes activities that engage students in active learning.
    • Lynn Hockenberry
      Lynn Hockenberry on 30 Sep 11
       
      Building in wikis, blogs, and opportunities for small group meetings will be an exciting and critically important part of the design of the class. Otherwise, online learning could be no different than reading a textbook (only on a computer screen)
    • Ami Leath
      Ami Leath on 03 Oct 11
       
      Agree 100%...now we just have to figure out how to do it!!
    • Sharon Irelan
      Sharon Irelan on 09 Oct 11
       
      Don't forget conversations on SKYPE. Great way to communicate in a visual way with others.
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • • The course meets universal design principles, ADA compliance, Section 508 standards and W3C guidelines to ensure access for all students.
    • Lynn Hockenberry
      Lynn Hockenberry on 30 Sep 11
       
      Will we learn about these standards and how to ensure we are meeting them?
  • The course design provides opportunities for appropriate instructor-student interaction, including timely and frequent feedback about student progress based on the learning targets.
    • Lynn Hockenberry
      Lynn Hockenberry on 30 Sep 11
       
      I will be curious to learn from others the amount of time that it takes for an instructor to teach an online class and respond to the needs of students.
    • Sharon Kurns
      Sharon Kurns on 11 Oct 11
       
      It seems that the instructor will be key in keeping learners engaged.
  • Sufficient learning resources and materials to increase student success are available to students
    • Sharon Irelan
      Sharon Irelan on 04 Oct 11
       
      Making resources and materials available to participants is an important component of the design of a class. Resources and materials supplied by the instructor support the learning that is intended. I think there should be a sufficient amount of resources and materials but not overwhelming amounts. The information provided needs to be useful, enhances understanding, and contains examples to support the expected outcomes. These resources and materials need to be easily accessible to the participants.
    • Sharon Kurns
      Sharon Kurns on 11 Oct 11
       
      Finding the right balance between sufficient resources and "not overwhelming" seems like the key
  • requirements for student work, including student interaction, are clearly articulated.
    • Ami Leath
      Ami Leath on 06 Oct 11
       
      Set the expectations at a high level.  Participants need to know what is expected of them each week.  This piece should be very clear and concise.
  • Information literacy and communication skills are incorporated and taught as an integral part of the curriculum.
    • Sharon Kurns
      Sharon Kurns on 11 Oct 11
       
      When teaching online we need to also focus on how the course contributes to the learners information literacy and communication skills, not just the content of the course.
  • Ongoing and frequent assessments are conducted to verify each student’s readiness for the next lesson.
    • Sharon Kurns
      Sharon Kurns on 11 Oct 11
       
      This is a challenge with face to face learning also. With the online environment, new tools and different methods to assess will need to be used. I have much to learn in this area.
lisa rasmussen

ollie4: Building a Better Mousetrap - 1 views

moodle.aeapdonline.org/...view.php

shared by lisa rasmussen on 03 Oct 11 - No Cached
  • the criteria must be made clear to them and the jargon used must not only be understandable to the student but also be linked specifically to classroom instruction.
    • Becky Hinze
      Becky Hinze on 03 Oct 11
       
      "Jargon in student language." Must be tied to instruction!!
    • Jean Van Gilder
      Jean Van Gilder on 04 Oct 11
       
      Sometimes as educators we don't even realize we are using jargon and that students may not comprehend our meaning.
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 05 Oct 11
       
      I think every profession has their unique jargon. It is important to use write our rubrics in "student language."
    • Jessica White
      Jessica White on 09 Oct 11
       
      Student friendly language is so important!
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 19 Oct 11
       
      I agree. Kids must understand the language used or the rubric is a useless tool to them.
  • student-generated rubrics, they tend to “think more deeply about their learning.”
    • Becky Hinze
      Becky Hinze on 03 Oct 11
       
      Great idea! Thinking would for sure be at a deeper level. Time consuming!
    • Maryann Angeroth
      Maryann Angeroth on 03 Oct 11
       
      Students would need to struggle with the content and what a quality product would look like in order to build a rubric that does guide the work. They will need to put a lot of thought into answering the question: "What are the components of a high quality 'product'? Once a student can identify this for themselves they will go ahead and develop a quality product.
    • Gayle Olson
      Gayle Olson on 06 Oct 11
       
      I've done this in a very limited way with students designing rubrics for awarding mini-grants for projects. Almost every time I've done it, the student developed rubrics are much tougher than the adult developed ones!
    • David Olson
      David Olson on 09 Oct 11
       
      The rubrics shouldn't be tough. They should accurately reflect the desired learning.
    • Jessica White
      Jessica White on 09 Oct 11
       
      What a great idea! I have not had students create rubrics before.
    • kangas
      kangas on 25 Jun 12
       
      I frequently have students create rubrics for projects to demonstrate their knowledge/mastery of a topic. They are usually harder on themselves when setting the standards for scoring. We use a meets expectations/does not meet expectations/not included system and occasionally add a "exceeds" category. I find that they try harder when they have created it or have options for how to demonstrate it. I may have multiple rubrics for a project based on options available to demonstrate knowledge.
  • explicit performance criteria, along with supporting models of work, make it possible for students to use the attributes of exemplary work to monitor their own performance.”
    • Becky Hinze
      Becky Hinze on 03 Oct 11
       
      Monitor their own learning.....leads to "self-directed learners"....our ultimate goal.
    • Jean Van Gilder
      Jean Van Gilder on 04 Oct 11
       
      I agree; we need to work toward this goal!
    • Gayle Olson
      Gayle Olson on 06 Oct 11
       
      Seems to me this is even more important in an online class where you can't read the instructor's body language, gestures, etc. Nor can the instructor see the totally lost or quizzical look on the students' faces.
    • Kathy Hageman
      Kathy Hageman on 08 Oct 11
       
      Many educators who are proficient at creating rubrics fall short when it comes to including model products to illustrate various levels on the rubric. Time and resources are certainly factors.
    • David Olson
      David Olson on 09 Oct 11
       
      Let's balance showing students exactly what they need to do and the idea of creativity/ innovation
  • ...74 more annotations...
  • Rubrics can be designed to measure either product or process or both; and, they can be designed with dimensions describing the different levels of that “deep learning” so valued in WAC programs.
  • Kenneth Volger, in his study, “The Impact of High-Stakes, State-Mandated Student Performance Assessment on Teacher’s Instructional Practices
  • The issue of weighting may be another area in which you can enlist the help of students. At the beginning of the process, you could ask a student to select to select which aspect she values the most in her writing and weight that aspect when you assess her paper.
    • Gayle Olson
      Gayle Olson on 06 Oct 11
       
      Could also be a way to differentiate among students with different learning styles/needs. Never thought of it that way before. What do others think?
    • Lynne Devaney
      Lynne Devaney on 09 Oct 11
       
      Weighting....the bane of my existence as the person who provides oversight to the SIS! I acknowledge the advantages of using weighting to differentiate for students or to establish prioities of power standards...so for that reason, every effort to keep at educating people on how weighting can play into assessment but the ability for ALL to understand the mathematical implications and cause/effect on grading systems drives me nuts!
  • Steps in developing a scoring rubric
  • Each score category should be defined using description of the work rather than judgments about the work.
  • “Does the assessment help students become the kinds of [citizens] we want them to be?”
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 19 Oct 11
       
      Becoming independent citizens and learners is the goal all teachers should have for their students. If teachers find that the assessment process or rubric isn't helping that child to be independent then it is useless.
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 22 Oct 11
       
      Students becoming involved citizen should be the goal.
  • A rubric that tells students, as a typical example, that they will get an A for writing a 1000 word essay that “cites x number of sources and supports its thesis with at least three arguments” will lead students to perceive writing as a kind of “paint-by-number” endeavor (Mathews).
    • Natalie Smithhart
      Natalie Smithhart on 03 Oct 11
       
      I could see how this could easily happen. As a student I think I would of focused more on getting the A then the content of my paper. It can be difficult to write a rubric that lists all the criteria, yet doesn't stifle creativity.
    • Judy Sweetman
      Judy Sweetman on 04 Oct 11
       
      I agree--I would have focused on the "A", too. I always knew the descriptors of the criteria were important, but I am beginning to see just how important they really are. I know that I have tweaked my rubrics every semester, because a student completes an assignment differently. I go back and reread the rubric, and I have to give him/her credit, because my descriptors were not clear enough.
    • Kevin McColley
      Kevin McColley on 05 Oct 11
       
      I've started to see this a little at the high school level in the arts. Telling the kids verbatem what you need to do to get an A or a B sometimes could cut down on 'real' creative ideas and make kids filter what they think about making for their projects.
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 05 Oct 11
       
      This rubric sounds much more like a checklist and provides nothing to describe what a quality essay entails.
    • Deena Stanley-Dostart
      Deena Stanley-Dostart on 09 Oct 11
       
      In my experience, most students want to know the minimal about of work it will take to receive the grade that they want.
    • Tim Brickley
      Tim Brickley on 10 Oct 11
       
      Finding the line between exploration and doing the minimum is always a struggle.  Formative assessment may help this process. 
  • And, rubrics cannot be the sole response to a student’s paper;
    • Natalie Smithhart
      Natalie Smithhart on 03 Oct 11
       
      This is important, should help keep students work from becoming to "thoughless". So would you use a rubric to make sure you meet specific criteria, then use another for of assessment to grade creativity?
    • Judy Sweetman
      Judy Sweetman on 04 Oct 11
       
      I think I would include the "creativity" within the rubric if that were part of the grade. I'm thinking that aside from the rubric, students could discuss their papers with a peer and they could also have a conference with the teacher. The verbal assessment would provide the student an opportunity to clarify information and even advocate for specific ideas within the paper.
    • Judy Griffin
      Judy Griffin on 05 Oct 11
       
      I've never understood how to "grade creativity." What does that mean?!
    • Deena Stanley-Dostart
      Deena Stanley-Dostart on 09 Oct 11
       
      I can see how rubrics can help in the writing process, but how can they work in a math class?
  • Closer to home, our own successful Allied Health programs depend on rubrics to both assess and encourage student learning.
    • Mark McGaffin
      Mark McGaffin on 04 Oct 11
       
      Not just an assessment tool but also a motivational tool.  It is as useful to teachers as it is to students.  More or less a way for the teacher to communicate to the students what they need to improve on.
    • Judy Sweetman
      Judy Sweetman on 04 Oct 11
       
      ICAM also depends on rubrics to score the written responses for both math and reading.
    • Kevin McColley
      Kevin McColley on 05 Oct 11
       
      I too agree. Teaching K-5 Art classes many students love having access to this 'motivational' tool. For many it keeps them focused and on task, while still having the freedom to be creative!
  • self-assessment
    • Mark McGaffin
      Mark McGaffin on 04 Oct 11
       
      This is what we want as educators, to develop reflective students who can evaluate themselves and decide what actions they need to take to be a better professional.
    • David Olson
      David Olson on 09 Oct 11
       
      Back to Stiggins, it is all about formative vs. summative and Key To Balanced Assessment #5 Student Involvement
    • Jessica White
      Jessica White on 09 Oct 11
       
      Yes, this is always my goal. I always have student use the rubric to self-assess before they turn in the final product.
  • , these critics of rubrics, while their critiques should be considered, mistake the design of specific rubrics with the concept of rubrics in general. Rubrics that are prescriptive rather than descriptive will promote thoughtless and perfunctory writing; such rubrics are as limiting to the development of rhetorical mastery as the five-paragraph essa
  • Rubrics that are prescriptive rather than descriptive will promote thoughtless and perfunctory writing; such rubrics are as limiting to the development of rhetorical mastery as the five-paragraph essa
    • Mark McGaffin
      Mark McGaffin on 04 Oct 11
       
      As teachers we need to be careful and develop rubrics that include AND go beyond the basics of writing.  What do we truly want them to show us.
    • Becky Hinze
      Becky Hinze on 05 Oct 11
       
      It is about the quality of rubric used!
  • insists that rubrics should be non-judgmental:
    • Judy Sweetman
      Judy Sweetman on 04 Oct 11
       
      I think that non-judgmental descriptors are important because they are apt to be more measureable. What is "good" in regards to sentence structure--or anything else? This also implies that we, as teachers, have taught our students much more explicitly. I have modeled current conventions, and scaffolded my students' learning about current conventions. Then the descriptors in the rubric should make perfect sense to my students, and should be attainable for them.
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 05 Oct 11
       
      I realize more and more how important the descriptors are in a rubric. What exactly are we looking for? Words like good, strong, more, most really don't tell the student much and really make it difficult for different evaluators to be consistent in their assessment.
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 19 Oct 11
       
      I agree.
  • constructivist approach to teaching
    • Judy Sweetman
      Judy Sweetman on 04 Oct 11
       
      I have long been an advocate of the constructivist philosophy of education, and have also been a proponent of rubrics. I guess I just never thought about how closely constructivism and the use of rubrics were related.
    • Jean Van Gilder
      Jean Van Gilder on 04 Oct 11
       
      Oh yes, I have also been a long time advocate of constructivism. Sometimes though K-12 teachers are nervous about this philosophy and do not feel comfortable constructing rubrics for classroom use.
  • well-designed rubrics help instructors
    • Jean Van Gilder
      Jean Van Gilder on 04 Oct 11
       
      Ahhhh, here is the rub; well designed. We know that sometimes in the regular classroom teachers do not have the luxury of time to create rubrics that are well designed.
    • Judy Griffin
      Judy Griffin on 05 Oct 11
       
      Yes, that is true. Much easier to make a test with T/F and multiple choice - and easier to grade too!
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 05 Oct 11
       
      I agree with both of you. Rubrics need to be well designed if we hope to assess students with any fidelity, but it isn't easy to do that. It takes time as well as patience.
    • Gary Petersen
      Gary Petersen on 15 Oct 11
       
      One aspect of "well designed" is time. For me, time is one component of what I see as my "capacity' issue. Do I also have or lack the background knowledge to design the rubric? Am I sure I know the key dimensions/traits to such a degree that I can measure them with validity.
    • kangas
      kangas on 25 Jun 12
       
      Is it possible to create a basic rubric for writing assignments and edit/adapt to specific topic/assignment? I know I spend hours working on rubrics and then seem to find a paper/project that doesn't fit the rubric quite perfectly. How do you account for work ethic/employability skills (proofreading/grammar) in a rubric?
  • habits of mind practiced in the act of self-assessment.
    • Jean Van Gilder
      Jean Van Gilder on 04 Oct 11
       
      Yes, this hits the nail on the head; we need students to progress in their thinking and self assessment of progress.
    • Nathan Fredericks
      Nathan Fredericks on 05 Oct 11
       
      The challenge in this is getting to know the things they will be using to conduct their self assessments.
    • Gayle Olson
      Gayle Olson on 06 Oct 11
       
      I think that's exactly why a rubric used this way is so helpful - the students don't have to make up their own self-assessment, but can take their cues from what the instructor says is important.
    • linda vann
      linda vann on 12 Oct 11
       
      Amen to all these comments!
  • implied expectations of a college instructor
    • Jean Van Gilder
      Jean Van Gilder on 04 Oct 11
       
      Who among us has not experienced this example?
    • Judy Griffin
      Judy Griffin on 05 Oct 11
       
      Agree... we always try to guess what the instructor wants, and by the end of the semester, some of us have it figured out, other students never do!
    • Nathan Fredericks
      Nathan Fredericks on 05 Oct 11
       
      This reminds me of an expectations for a college paper: Answer the prompt as completely and thoroughly as possible. Imagine why he got responses ranging from 1 paragraph to 10 pages single spaced.
  • produced less interesting essays when they followed the rules [as outlined in a rubric]”
    • Jean Van Gilder
      Jean Van Gilder on 04 Oct 11
       
      I can easily see how this would happen with young people who want to please the teacher by "following the rules." A loss of creative writing!
    • Deena Stanley-Dostart
      Deena Stanley-Dostart on 09 Oct 11
       
      I can relate to this. When I had to take the PPST in college, I did not due well on the essay writing portion, so it was recommended that I get writing help. When I took a remedial writing class the instructor said there was nothing wrong with my writing. The difference was that I could write and get feedback for the class and on the test they wanted a specific topic but did not give much information on what guidelines they wanted.
  • developing statistical thinkers
    • Jean Van Gilder
      Jean Van Gilder on 04 Oct 11
       
      Wow, wouldn't this be lovely; producing students who thought statistically! A world I dream of....
  • are not helpful to the students struggling to write the paper
    • Judy Griffin
      Judy Griffin on 05 Oct 11
       
      Like the student who gets a B on a paper with no comments, no red marks, nothing but the B. What can they learn from that??
    • Kevin McColley
      Kevin McColley on 05 Oct 11
       
      Amen sister! It's tough when you have 600 students, but every comment gets them jacked to do better. :)
  • meta-rubric
  • a meta-rubric to assess our rubric.
    • Judy Griffin
      Judy Griffin on 05 Oct 11
       
      A rubric to assess my rubric?! wow! Who wouldv'e thought?!
    • Nathan Fredericks
      Nathan Fredericks on 05 Oct 11
       
      The beauty of redundancies.
    • Becky Hinze
      Becky Hinze on 05 Oct 11
       
      My first thought was.....designing a rubric IS rocket science!!! This could be a tad much for the average teacher and their work load?
    • Gayle Olson
      Gayle Olson on 06 Oct 11
       
      Seems like a checklist might be just as useful and a lot less confusing. I'm imagining the conversation at a grade level meeting using the meta-rubric to analyze a grading rubric and it's sounding like a Monty Python skit in my head!
  • 1. You may give a dimension more weight by multiplying the point by a number greater than one
  • directions for conducting religious services were also printed in red, “rubric,” which comes from the Latin for “red” or “reddish,” has evolved to mean “an established custom or rule of procedure.” (Online dictionary) The term was adopted by educators in the 1980s to refer to a set of standards and/or directions for assessing student outcomes and guiding student learning
    • Kevin McColley
      Kevin McColley on 05 Oct 11
       
      I find this a little humerous that the word rubric spawned from directions used in religious services - correlating the seperation between church and state. A little funny I think.
  • measure the key qualities (also referred to as “traits” or “dimensions”)
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 05 Oct 11
       
      I like the idea of measuring the key qualities, those skills that we determine are essential for students to learn. This is where instruction needs to begin.
  • solving real problems
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 05 Oct 11
       
      Solving real problems equates to having a relevant curriculum. I believe this is one of the essential teaching standards in the Iowa Core.
    • Joletta Yoder
      Joletta Yoder on 07 Oct 11
       
      I believe this is one reason we see such student apathy. Today's students, more than ever before, seem to crave what's real- look at what they gravitate to for entertainment and interaction! In their inner core they know often in education what they're asked to do is jump through hoops or do exercises.
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 22 Oct 11
       
      I agree, Joletta. Students quickly realize when a task isn't relevant to them, and enthusiasm drops off.
  • there has been “notable increases in the use of open-response questions, creative/critical thinking questions, problem-solving activities, […] writing assignments, and inquiry/investigation.”
    • Joletta Yoder
      Joletta Yoder on 07 Oct 11
       
      Of course, what scares overwhelmed teachers like myself who are teaching more students and more subjects than ever before with more high-stakes consequences, all while trying to be a wife and mother, daughter and friend, is the perceive time-consuming element of assessing such things!
    • Barb Shutt
      Barb Shutt on 09 Oct 11
       
      I have to wonder if our focus on high-stakes test results isn't stiffleing teacher and student creativity? to the point that we only teach what is on the test--and is that all that matters?
    • Nathan Fredericks
      Nathan Fredericks on 05 Oct 11
       
      Don't tell me this is an argment for high stakes tests good. These tests lead to more creative, authentic instructional methods? Kind of interesting.
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 05 Oct 11
       
      Consistenly student after student....again part of creating a well designed rubric. It shouldn't matter who does the assessing if the rubric makes the criteria clear.
    • linda vann
      linda vann on 12 Oct 11
       
      I thoroughly agree! When we evaluate documentation for special education eligibility, we apply a rubric. This rubric is used by at least 12 people and we had to establish inter-rater reliability in order to begin the use of the rubric. And we reached .9 reliability!
  • wooden when writing under the influence of a rubric
    • Becky Hinze
      Becky Hinze on 05 Oct 11
       
      I never thought about this. I'm sure this would cause more difficulty for the gifted writer.
    • David Olson
      David Olson on 09 Oct 11
       
      I see it even more a problem for the struggling writer.
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 19 Oct 11
       
      Gracious, learning is a formula for all children. Teachers are guiding them through a process of aquiring skills and information that people who have lived before think is valuable. I think exploring with blending chalks or oil pastels is a skill my students should have. I show them the ways the chalks can be used. They explore. We do an assignment or two with a rubric. They develop confidence with the chalks, and become independent artists. I think the same is true with writing. Use the rubric as a tool to help the student create a persuasive essay. That essay is not the work of an accomplished author, it is a confidence building experience for the child, a learning step. Wow, look what I just did! A student with an interest or gift in writing will never be stifled by this process unless a poor rubric is used. They will learn what that teacher found to be important and will build their own beliefs on what they learned.
  • It’s the design
    • Gayle Olson
      Gayle Olson on 06 Oct 11
       
      As with any tool or technology, it can be used in positive, helpful ways or destructive ways. The tool, in and of itself, isn't amazing or horrible. It depends on how it is used.
    • David Olson
      David Olson on 09 Oct 11
       
      And again...the design should include time spent to involve students in the process
    • Gary Petersen
      Gary Petersen on 15 Oct 11
       
      My "capacity" involves both time and content expertise. Am I sure there are not any "don't know what I don't know" issues. Maybe utilizing the community of colleagues as a filter to check the rubric would help me.
  • freshman composition course
    • Gayle Olson
      Gayle Olson on 06 Oct 11
       
      I think rubrics are particularly helpful in establishing consistency of assessment when there are a number of instructors trying to grade across multiple sections.
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 19 Oct 11
       
      I agree.
  • Meaningfully” here means both consistently and accurately
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 06 Oct 11
       
      Consistently....if we do a good job of describing our criteria for evaluation it shouldn't matter who evaluates the student's work. Results should be similar. I guess we'll find out in our group work if this is indeed the case.
    • Tim Brickley
      Tim Brickley on 10 Oct 11
       
      Consistently is sometimes the hardest part of grading.  You really have to separate your thoughts on the student and how you feel as you grade.
  • aligned more closely to real-life learning situation s
    • Joletta Yoder
      Joletta Yoder on 07 Oct 11
       
      Again, I think we know we're right on when it comes to assessment tasks which provide these real-life learning situations. We're to prepare kids for the real world and students crave realness yet it seems to be challenging for us to do in education consistently.
    • Tim Brickley
      Tim Brickley on 10 Oct 11
       
      Two challenges I have with real world assignments.  When making something for real the product the students make and the product the client wants/expects don't always agree.  Using a rubric can help but getting true buy in from the students isn't always easy.
  • assess outcomes in learning situations that require critical thinking and are multidimensional
    • Nancy Peterman
      Nancy Peterman on 07 Oct 11
       
      Activities that stretch student learning into the higher order thinking and measure more than their ability to recite facts and dates.
  • they should articulate the vital features that they are looking for and make these features known to the student
    • Nancy Peterman
      Nancy Peterman on 07 Oct 11
       
      By being specific on the expectations of a project, students can take ownership, be creative, and produce quality items. This provides a "pro" because the students are actively engaged.
    • Kathy Hageman
      Kathy Hageman on 08 Oct 11
       
      Students also take ownership and benefit from the critical thinking required to articulate the traits of a high quality product when they help develop the rubric.
  • Clearly defining the purpose of assessment and what you want to assess is the first step in developing a quality rubric.
    • Nancy Peterman
      Nancy Peterman on 07 Oct 11
       
      The important point is not the assessment tool itself, but that it is a "quality" tool used to measure multiple pieces.
  • when rubrics are published in the classroom, students striving to achieve the descriptions at the higher end of the scale in effect guide their own learning
    • Kathy Hageman
      Kathy Hageman on 08 Oct 11
       
      For educators, recognizing the appropriate instances in which a rubric will help students rise to higher levels of achievement and then creating a well-designed rubric are both critical. Let's use rubrics efficiently and appropriately!
  • rubrics that are outside of the students “zone of proximal development” are useless to the students
    • Kathy Hageman
      Kathy Hageman on 08 Oct 11
       
      Look at rubric descriptors with your students. Ask them to clarify their understanding: "How would you say that in 'eighth grade words'?"
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 22 Oct 11
       
      I agree. This is also important when involving parents in the education process who are not in the classroom hearing the content or language used.
  • 1. the vital “traits,” key qualities, or “dimensions,” to be rated, and 2. the “rating scale.”
  • With your colleagues,
  • Share the rubric with your students
  • full partners”
    • Barb Shutt
      Barb Shutt on 09 Oct 11
       
      what if they don't know what they don't know--I think examples are useful here...
    • Gary Petersen
      Gary Petersen on 15 Oct 11
       
      I would think involvement would be to the extent that it enhances the clarity, understanding, and alignment to instruction. Even is the involvement doesn't enhance the rubric, it may help students "think more deeply about their learning."
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 22 Oct 11
       
      I agree. Students should be involved, but guidance is essential.
  • increases the likelihood of a quality product.
    • Barb Shutt
      Barb Shutt on 09 Oct 11
       
      x
  • bring fairness into assessment on numerous levels:
    • Barb Shutt
      Barb Shutt on 09 Oct 11
       
      I had never really thought of it from a fairness angle before.
    • Lynne Devaney
      Lynne Devaney on 09 Oct 11
       
      I think it is so important to include students, particularly at-risk students in the rubric writing process. So often, we bring our middle class (often white) assumptions to the assessment process and by including explicit expectations and collaboration with students we have a better chance of making sure we have common understandig between teacher and student.
    • Tim Brickley
      Tim Brickley on 10 Oct 11
       
      Great thought on establishing a common understanding.  
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 19 Oct 11
       
      In an unfair world we need to make learning something that is available to all children. Too many kids have parents who do not value learning. Those kids need a teacher early on who will level things up for them and give them a chance. Learning should be a fair opportunity for all.
  • But she did it without saying anything coherent.
    • Barb Shutt
      Barb Shutt on 09 Oct 11
       
      Sounds like a poorly crafted rubric that forgot content. Poor generalization, I think,
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 19 Oct 11
       
      I think I love the way this child thinks.
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 22 Oct 11
       
      I love this type of student.
  • dehumanize the act of writing
    • Barb Shutt
      Barb Shutt on 09 Oct 11
       
      Pretty strong language, but I think this is true in some circumstances.
  • rubric, as it takes apart or breaks up the rating system for each trait; a rubric that uses only a single scale is called a holistic rubric. A holistic rubric is more efficient and the best choice when criteria overlap and cannot be adequately separated; an analytical rubric, however, will yield more detailed information about student performance and, therefore, will provide the student with more specific feedback.
    • Nathan Fredericks
      Nathan Fredericks on 10 Oct 11
       
      I think this is most interesting.
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 19 Oct 11
       
      yes.
    • Barb Shutt
      Barb Shutt on 09 Oct 11
       
      These terms are new to me as they are used to describe rubrics....analytical and holistic--looks like they both work in different ways.
  • Develop a continuum (scale) for describing the range of products/performances on each of the dimensions.
    • Barb Shutt
      Barb Shutt on 09 Oct 11
       
      This is learning progressions.
  • form a significant part of the undergraduate engineering curriculum
    • Deena Stanley-Dostart
      Deena Stanley-Dostart on 09 Oct 11
       
      Engineering is a field that is all about applying what is learned, from building roads to building bridges. I can see how rubrics can be used to score performance based projects.
  • problem-solving, inquiry-based, student-centered
    • Deena Stanley-Dostart
      Deena Stanley-Dostart on 09 Oct 11
       
      Everything that Iowa core is focusing on.
  • state mandated testing
    • Deena Stanley-Dostart
      Deena Stanley-Dostart on 09 Oct 11
       
      I am not sure what state mandated test in Iowa uses a rubric. ITED does not use one to my knowledge.
  • A search on Google will list hundreds (of thousands) of sites
    • Deena Stanley-Dostart
      Deena Stanley-Dostart on 09 Oct 11
       
      Sure there are thousands of sites, but are all of them "good". You still need to determine if it is a quality product.
  • Or you can build your own rubric from scratch
    • Deena Stanley-Dostart
      Deena Stanley-Dostart on 09 Oct 11
       
      This is something that I am not comfortable at all with. I took one class in college that required one rubric for a project and that was the last I even heard of the term rubric for 1o years. My math classes did not use rubrics to assess so this is new territory for me.
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 19 Oct 11
       
      I find that "grading" 600 student's work is just too overwhelming to use a nely srafted rubric for each assignment. In an art room i need to be very flexible with assignments. I may have a paint assignment planned but building activities like an assembly or class picture day may mean that I can't get out the paint that day. The rubric must be easily switched up for lesson changes.
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 19 Oct 11
       
      *newly crafted rubric. sorry
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 22 Oct 11
       
      Our new art curriculum incluses a rubric for the final assignment in each unit. Of course all art rooms are equiped with different tools and supplies. The rubric requires tweaking to meet the specific assignment I am presenting. The overall goals remain as intended, perhaps centering on portraiture for example, while detail change as to the manner in which we completed the assignment.
  • Assessment of this sort seems at odds with such concepts as “deep learning,” which implies a kind of learning that is beyond measurement, an elusive hard to describe enlightenment, but identifiable in the same way good art is: teachers know deep learning when they see it. Rubrics, Halden-Sullivan contends, reduce “deep learning” to “checksheets.”
    • Lynne Devaney
      Lynne Devaney on 09 Oct 11
       
      Isn't it all about the combination of a well-written rubric and the onging conversations between the teacher and student as they work along on the journey? If the only conversation is the rubric....you get what you get. If the teacher is working with a student as they progress along the continuum of the rubric, it seems like the chances of deep learning is possible.
  • The second step is deciding who your audience is going to be.
  • “Is the assessment responsive to what we know about how [students] learn?” and
    • Lynne Devaney
      Lynne Devaney on 10 Oct 11
       
      Do we ( as a team or school has a model been agreed upon?) clearly know the students in our classrooms learn? Have we identified the criteria about the kinds of citizens we want?
    • Tim Brickley
      Tim Brickley on 10 Oct 11
       
      This is a major push in our district.  
  • a system which some educators see as stultifying and others see as empowering
    • Nathan Fredericks
      Nathan Fredericks on 10 Oct 11
       
      We've been seeing this demonstrated through some of our PD at our school.
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 22 Oct 11
       
      This was the focus of our PD just this last week.
  • system
    • linda vann
      linda vann on 12 Oct 11
       
      The notion of a SYSTEM of assessment is important to me - not just the use of one tool, but rather a wholistic approach for the need for varying types of assessment.
    • Nathan Fredericks
      Nathan Fredericks on 10 Oct 11
       
      I find this kind of problematic to believe. Sometimes what current conventions describe can provide implicit judgements as well.
  • because their methods do not reveal the current goals of solving real problems and using statistical reasoning.
  • after
  • dangers of those that are poorly designed
  • dangers of those that are poorly designed
    • Gary Petersen
      Gary Petersen on 15 Oct 11
       
      Again, poorly designed are the key words. Rubrics can be dangerous.
  • “Perhaps the greatest potential value of classroom assessment is realized when we open the assessment process up and welcome students into that process
  • they reduce learning to a hit or miss endeavor
    • Gary Petersen
      Gary Petersen on 15 Oct 11
       
      Given the assessments I have been given during my high school and college expereince (quite some time ago), I thank God I had the ability to land on the "hit" side more often than the "miss" side. Not every learner was so lucky.
  • had been more expressive in previous writing assignments
    • Gary Petersen
      Gary Petersen on 15 Oct 11
       
      ...use of multiple assessments would be warranted.
  • Adopt a rubric
    • Gary Petersen
      Gary Petersen on 15 Oct 11
       
      I've always liked the "adopt, adapt, and apply" principle.
  • In any case, withholding assessment tools (whether they are rubrics or more nebulous modes of evaluation) from students is not only unfair and makes self-assessment more difficult, it maintains the traditional gap between what the teacher knows and what the student knows
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 22 Oct 11
       
      I agree completely. Knowledge shared is powerful. there is no reason the teacher should not model sharing. That shouldn't be threatening to the fully prepared teacher.
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 22 Oct 11
       
      I agree coimpletely. Knowledge shared is powerful. There is no reason the teacher should not model sharing. That shouldn't be threatening to the fully prepared teacher.
  • reflect the critical vocabulary that you use in your classroom.
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 22 Oct 11
       
      This should be a tool that each child associates with the teacher using it band the content of the class. Yes, it should sound more like the daily classroom language used.
  • Maryann Angeroth on 03 Oct 11
     
    Why can't the rubric address both the mechanics of a well written piece and the creative process? What would be wrong with adding the free writing activity which leads to the creative, coherent and well written piece?
  • ...3 more comments...
  • Maryann Angeroth on 03 Oct 11
     
    Here is a link to a journal article by Kenneth Volger that discusses the study. http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst?docId=5000653057
  • Maryann Angeroth on 03 Oct 11
     
    In addition to having the student weight the aspect she values the most, how about having her choose the aspect of writing that she is struggling with the most and self assess that piece?
  • Maryann Angeroth on 03 Oct 11
     
    If we adopt student developed rubrics are these the steps they would go through too? If so this is a higher order thinking activity about the subject.
  • Maryann Angeroth on 03 Oct 11
     
    This reminds me of last Monday when we were kicking off new AIW (Authentic Intellectual Work) teams. We went through an exercise to determine the difference between evaluative and descriptive. It isn't easy to stay in the descriptive mode.
  • Maryann Angeroth on 03 Oct 11
     
    I LOVE this statement.
Julie Thomas

ollie1: Iowa Online Course Standards - 0 views

moodle.aeapdonline.org/...view.php

shared by Julie Thomas on 03 Oct 11 - No Cached
  • The course goals and objectives are measurable and clearly state what the participants will know or be able to do at the end of the course
    • Tami Plein
      Tami Plein on 03 Oct 11
       
      This aligns with Margaret Heritage's ideas of clearly stated learning goals and success criteria
  • instructor-student and student-student interaction to foster mastery and application of the material
    • Julie Thomas
      Julie Thomas on 09 Oct 11
       
      I love that on-line learning allows for multiple interactions between student-student and student-instructor that might not take place as readily and as easily in a typical classroom setting.
Lisa Wymore

Why We Like Diigo - School Computing - 0 views

schoolcomputing.wikia.com/...Why_We_Like_Diigo

shared by Lisa Wymore on 07 Oct 11 - Cached
  • While an overall annotation can be helpful when sharing resources, thoughtful comments tied to specific portions of the text are more illuminating. These localized comments also lead to fruitful conversations more often than do summary comments.
    • Lisa Wymore
      Lisa Wymore on 07 Oct 11
       
      This is a powerful use of Diigo that we would like to harness in our moodle class; supports higher level thinking, active engagement, and builds the community of learners.
Drinda Williams

How Students Develop Online Learning Skills (EDUCAUSE Quarterly) | EDUCAUSE - 1 views

www.educause.edu/...157435

moodle moodle_iowa web2.0

shared by Drinda Williams on 10 Apr 11 - Cached
  • How Students Develop Online Learning SkillsHow Students Develop Online Learning SkillsGood IdeasHow Students Develop Online Learning SkillsSuccessful online students share their secrets for getting the most from online classes, focusing on time management, active participation, and practiceBy Alan R. RoperMore and more, adult learners are finding the convenience and flexibility of online learning a match for their learning goals and busy lifestyles. Online degree programs, courses, and virtual universities targeting adult learners have proliferated in the past decade. Although students can easily locate an online course or degree program that's both convenient and accessible, they may face significant challenges in developing a new set of skills for this type of instruction.Educators have speculated on the development of student skills necessary to succeed in online learning, but relatively few publications cover the topic from the perspective of successful online students. I developed the study summarized here to provide this perspective and to identify useful strategies that instructors can promote in their online courses.MethodologyThe study began with the development of a set of questions that emerged from a group of online course designers, faculty, and administrators I consulted for ideas. The question set was reviewed and edited by a larger group of faculty and administrators, and an online survey instrument was developed.Participants for this study were selected from a list of graduates who had earned their degrees by taking 80 percent or more of their courses exclusively online. Students achieving a 3.50 cumulative grade point average or better were invited to participate in the study. Of the 93 students invited to participate, 59 did so. Survey answers were open-ended, allowing respondents to describe online learning techniques they found useful and to tell the stories of their experiences as online students.1Successful Online Students Identify Seven TipsStudents responding to the survey agreed on a number of practical steps that helped them succeed in their online courses:1. Develop a time-managemen
  • Setting and staying to specific study days was one factor that worked for me
  • specific times to read, complete written assignments, and post dialogue to other students proved helpful.
  • ...22 more annotations...
  • I found that doing a little bit here and there avoided trying to do too much all at once.
  • logging in to their course portal every day and checking for new postings or updates helped prevent them from falling behind
  • . Other students (36.8 percent) commented that weekly assignments from the instructor kept them on a regular schedule in the course
  • online discussions
  • As much as possible, I would post a response, question, or comment to another student's posting. This built up an online relationship
  • don't always interact with the same few classmates. Look for something to say with various students
  • ake sure you have something meaningful to add
  • "Weekly discussions were best when the teacher encouraged it, especially by having pro versus con discussion, or asking 'why' or 'how' questions
  • Instructors who establish clear expectations as to how threaded discussions are used or who ask specific questions in response to student postings can expect to encourage richer online dialogue.
  • finding a way to apply the concepts helped them retain the information.
  • One way to apply these concepts goes back to the use of the online threaded discussion. Concepts can be interpreted and restated in each student's own words in an active dialogue with others
  • evelop
  • ing a way to apply those concepts to a current or past experience
  • asking questions is integral to learning. By asking questions, fellow students and instructors would go deeper into the subject. Going deeper made the subject matter more understandable
  • Students also can take the time to craft questions that may go beyond what they would ask in an in-person course, probing the subject with greater specificity.
  • keeping your eye on the prize" is always helpful. Another student commented, "The main motivator was envisioning myself in cap and gown,
  • getting a good grade (21 percent) and in setting personal goals
  • work with other online students
  • "I liked instructors who logged in often and asked a lot of questions. Not only did this help to increase understanding of the subject, but it gave people the opportunity for class participation.
  • He posted the initial question for discussion, and then asked us individual questions based on our answers.
  • One student mentioned that making a friend (connected with online) helped. Being part of a community of learners is helpful in courses that are taught in-person, and the same holds true for online classes (15.8 percent). One student explained that "it made a huge difference when you had good students in the class.
  • Students in the online class may get to know one another more from recognizing the writing style and expression of thoughts and ideas rather than by physical attributes. Many students develop meaningful connections with their online classmates that can translate into career networking opportunities later.
Andrea Accola-Sabin

Videos for Math Topics - 0 views

mathops.com/index.php

moodle-iowa

shared by Andrea Accola-Sabin on 12 Jul 11 - No Cached
  • Andrea Accola-Sabin on 12 Jul 11
     
    This is a site that has some different tutorials for math topics.
Amy Burns

Synchronous and Asynchronous Communication Tools - Articles - Resources - ASAE - 4 views

www.asaecenter.org/...articledetail.cfm

netiquette guidelines asynchronous moodle_iowa communication synchronous

shared by Amy Burns on 21 Jun 11 - No Cached
  • Amy Burns on 21 Jun 11
     
    Great chart showing various tools for synchronous and asynchronous communication.
  • Andrea Accola-Sabin on 23 Jun 11
     
    Would moodle enter into both of these?
Barbara Day

Education Week Teacher Professional Development Sourcebook: Writing Re-Launched: Teachi... - 1 views

www.edweek.org/...02digital.h04.html

writing digital moodle_iowa

shared by Barbara Day on 01 Jul 11 - No Cached
  • Another distinction between the two types of writing is that while traditional writing formats, such as journaling, are frequently used for private reflection, digital writing is almost always meant for an audience.
    • Ginny Kraus
      Ginny Kraus on 01 Jul 11
       
      I agree that personal writings are more often found in journaling and by hand while digital writing (wikis, blogs, communications) is for an audience - to be published for others to see.
    • Barbara Day
      Barbara Day on 18 May 14
       
      I like the terminology, digital writing, technology based visual aid.  Wordle or Tagxedo would be good to include in Moodle.
  • Tech-savvy teachers tend to agree that digital writing differs from conventional composition in ways that can spur student engagement and creativity.
  • ...9 more annotations...
  • By design, pen-and-paper composition is a one-person undertaking. But digital writing is often collaborative.
  • they can create a text jointly, through shared documents or wikis, or they can take turns posting on a collective blog.
  • Of the many digital tools Malley uses, Google Docs has been one of the most transformational, he says. Google Docs stores documents on the Web, so they are accessible from anywhere, and allows users to share their work with others—making it easy to edit or co-author a piece.
  • Although digital and traditional writing diverge in some ways, their roots are very much alike.
  • Solid conventional writing skills are the basis for making short films as well,
  • The caveat to using digital tools, many tech-savvy educators note, is to keep focused on instructional goals, and not use technology simply for technology’s sake.
    • Barbara Day
      Barbara Day on 18 May 14
       
      Identify which objectives or Common Core Standards you are meeting. If you can't, then you need to rethink the use of this tool.
  • Outside of their classes, students most often encounter digital writing—that is, writing created or read on a computer or other Internet-connected device, as defined in Because Digital Writing Matters, the book Eidman-Aadahl co-authored. While digital writing melds visual, audio, and text, “so much of school writing is consciously in the other direction,” says Eidman-Aadahl.
  • digital writing skills are critical to “college and career readiness.” Digital writing assignments “match the real world” and give students experience composing “in a form people will actually read,” she says.
  • as part of their oral presentations, students were required to include a technology-based visual aid, such as an interactive poster made through Glogster or a word cloud created with Wordle.
  • Ginny Kraus on 01 Jul 11
     
    Article about using technology for teaching writing in schools.
Deborah Cleveland

ollie-community: Lesson Planning: The Missing Link in e-Learning Course Design - 0 views

moodle.aeak12online.org/...view.php

shared by Deborah Cleveland on 10 Mar 15 - No Cached
  • ittle or no instruction in the students’ e-Learning, and the “voice of the instructor” (all the little things we say and do when standing in front of a class) is missing
  • lacking both in interactivity to hold the learner’s interest and to ensure that learning occurs, and in sufficient information to guide the learner through the lesson or course.
    • Deborah Cleveland
      Deborah Cleveland on 10 Mar 15
       
      The Challenge
  • he IDP contains a variety of information, such as the purpose of the course, its proposed length, a description of the audience(s), the instructional strategies to be used, and an outline of the content
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • Lesson planning is the answer. Figure 3 shows a proposed flow, including the lesson planning step.
    • Deborah Cleveland
      Deborah Cleveland on 10 Mar 15
       
      Potential Answer for the identified challenge?
  • Sidebar 1 Madeline Hunter’s “Seven-Point” Lesson Plan Format
    • Deborah Cleveland
      Deborah Cleveland on 10 Mar 15
       
      Discussed in the OLLIE: Instructional Design course.
  • Deborah Cleveland on 10 Mar 15
     
    Which of the "Lesson Plan" formats do you use when planning e-learning? Comparative? Detialed? Other? Share?
jbowar

ollie-community: What is Personalized Learning? Educators Seek Clarity - 2 views

moodle.aeak12online.org/...view.php

shared by jbowar on 06 Feb 15 - No Cached
  • "differentiation"
    • Deborah Cleveland
      Deborah Cleveland on 06 Feb 15
       
      Barbara Bray has a lot of information out about the difference between individualization, differientiation, and personalization.
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 16 Feb 15
       
      I can see personalized learning providing a place to do all three.  My problem is finding ways to do those things with just one music class when I see them so infrequently...
  • appealing concept
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 07 Feb 15
       
      Appealing, yes. But do-able? Or is it a term that we throw out there like "Rigor" or "High Standards" without an idea on how to actually accomplish it?
    • jbowar
      jbowar on 07 Feb 15
       
      Good point, Evan.  It's a bit overwhelming, kind of like the idea of differentiation in a face-to-face classroom.  Can it really be done well?
    • ksteingr
      ksteingr on 09 Feb 15
       
      As long as we are basing our entire success of our educational system on standardized tests, how can we be serious about teaching to or for the individual?
    • jbowar
      jbowar on 12 Feb 15
       
      Good point.  How can we balance personalized learning with standards and making sure that each student has a basic understanding of important concepts?
  • sensitive student data and being able to collect and use such data to individualize learning
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 07 Feb 15
       
      We collect quite a bit of data in schools. How much of them truly goes to personalization? Or, do most of them go towards improving the school's needs and not the student's needs?
    • ksteingr
      ksteingr on 09 Feb 15
       
      Do we collect the data that causes us to change instruction? Sometimes I think we collect some data on personal needs, but the structure of our school community doesn't allow us to change what we planned for instruction, nearly as often as we think. We still do not use educational partners either, such as school librarians to help. The phrase "guide on the side" came from early literature about the changing role of librarians.
    • Michelle Soderstrum
      Michelle Soderstrum on 10 Feb 15
       
      My experience has been that elementary teachers look at, reflect on, and respond to student data more so than middle and high school teachers.
    • jbowar
      jbowar on 12 Feb 15
       
      I agree, Michelle.  It's just part of the nature of elementary school and the culture of the teachers.  Why do you think that's so?
  • ...13 more annotations...
  • motivates them to succeed.
    • jbowar
      jbowar on 07 Feb 15
       
      This sounds just like what we strive to do in the traditional classroom setting.  One thing that overwhelms teachers is "giving up the reins" of the classroom to the students.  What is the teacher's role when students are the default perspective.  That's what some struggle with.
    • Deborah Cleveland
      Deborah Cleveland on 09 Feb 15
       
      One of the descriptors I found on teacher roles in personalized learning comes from: Changing Systems to Personalize Learning: Introduction to the Personalization Workshops (2003). It talks about how "Teachers in personalized high schools recognize personal advising as a form of teaching that prevents anonymity, guiding students through planful action designed to help them use knowledge to relize their hopes."
  • who are making their own judgments about what's working in their classes
    • jbowar
      jbowar on 07 Feb 15
       
      This is so important.  The teacher still needs to be seen as a professional person who can use his or her judgement to best meet the needs of students.
    • Deborah Cleveland
      Deborah Cleveland on 09 Feb 15
       
      Agreed. It is about empowering students and teachers.
    • ksteingr
      ksteingr on 09 Feb 15
       
      And the student also needs to be involved. They make sure the learning is personalized for them by participating.
    • ksteingr
      ksteingr on 09 Feb 15
       
      I sent out a survey to teachers about their background integrating use of technology and instruction. One very interesting comments back was that this individual wasn't responsible for PD, but their school assigned it. To me, that is the cultural shift also. Teachers need to feel they are responsible for their own PD, just as students need to feel they are responsible for their own learning. Each then, would make sure the learning was personalized for them.
    • jbowar
      jbowar on 12 Feb 15
       
      Such a good point.  How can you balance the need for teachers to have personalized learning and also district goals?
    • Michelle Soderstrum
      Michelle Soderstrum on 10 Feb 15
       
      I have heard it said the "technology is the key to differentiation".  What about those teachers who choose not to use technology in their classrooms?  Are they able to personalize learning?  Is technology a must?
    • Deborah Cleveland
      Deborah Cleveland on 11 Feb 15
       
      I would say yes you can do it without technology, but I wonder if doing it without technology makes it less efficient. Also, students are going to be required to use technology in the future. Are we preparing them for that future, if we aren't having them access technology while they learn?
    • jbowar
      jbowar on 12 Feb 15
       
      I think it's all about the objective, too.  Sometimes technology isn't the best tool, and sometimes it is.  The teacher still need to be the driver and the decision-maker, it seems.
  • We were looking at ways of transferring the ownership of learning from teachers to students," Ms. Ewald said.
    • Michelle Soderstrum
      Michelle Soderstrum on 10 Feb 15
       
      Sounds like Action-based research.
    • jbowar
      jbowar on 12 Feb 15
       
      I agree, Michelle.  You try something, see if it works, and then make conclusions.  Then you try something else, too.  I like the idea of students setting their own academic goals.
  • evaluate the true impact
    • denise carlson
      denise carlson on 11 Feb 15
       
      Yes, we need to be able to measure that personalized learning is having an impact. But since PL is new to many educators, I'm guessing it might be difficult to actually envision the best way to collect that sort of data.
    • jbowar
      jbowar on 12 Feb 15
       
      I agree, Denise.  As with anything, we'll have to make adjustments as we go.  I could see teachers becoming overwhelmed at trying to "keep track" of students.
  • Yet some say that too much of what is being labeled "personalized learning" in classrooms today misses the mark
  • student agency"—basically, giving students more power
    • denise carlson
      denise carlson on 11 Feb 15
       
      Giving students more control can be a frustrating thing for some teachers.  Stepping out of "teacher-mode" is not easy.
    • jbowar
      jbowar on 12 Feb 15
       
      You got that right.   Moving from "sage on the stage" to "guide on the side" is scary.  How can we support teachers in feeling more comfortable?
  • ach student should have a "learner profile,"
    • denise carlson
      denise carlson on 11 Feb 15
       
      Might this be similar to an IEP for every child?
  • competency-based progression
    • denise carlson
      denise carlson on 11 Feb 15
       
      Here's another buzzword that has multiple definitions. 
  • "Nothing replaces the teacher, and [a] teacher's ability to know a student and what they need," she said. "You can't get that from a piece of software."
    • denise carlson
      denise carlson on 11 Feb 15
       
      This is my favorite sentence in the article! Even with all the technology that is available, we still need skillful teachers!
    • jbowar
      jbowar on 12 Feb 15
       
      Great teachers will never be replaced!
  • choices on how they're going to learn a lesson
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 16 Feb 15
       
      I can see this happening when my students work their way through all of recorder karate.  Once their finished in fourth grade, maybe they can have access to sites to create their own composition, learn advanced music concepts, etc...  That way they continue with their growth while other students have more opportunity to continue working on their basics.
    • jbowar
      jbowar on 17 Feb 15
       
      Great idea, Jacob.  What is recorder karate?  
  • KIM BYRD on 11 Feb 15
     
    This is an interesting site which discusses individualized learning in reference to how to keep data in private.
Joanne Cram

ollie1-cohort7: Iowa Online Teaching Standards - 0 views

moodlesw.aeapdonline.org/...view.php

shared by Joanne Cram on 22 Jan 14 - No Cached
  • • Maintains an online social presence that is available, approachable, positive, interactive, and sincere (
    • kellie kendrick
      kellie kendrick on 22 Jan 14
       
      From both taking and teaching online classes, I know that this is extremely important. Students want to feel like someone is watching them and cares about what they are doing and contributing to class. If a teacher 'shows up' to class more often and updates class, then students will want to log on to class more often too.
    • Katy Lee
      Katy Lee on 04 Feb 14
       
      Yes, Kellie, I agree. Relationship building is so important. Students are much more likely to take creative risks and accept/give feedback when they feel a connection with the instructor and other students.
  • • Promotes learning through online collaboration group work that is goal-oriented and focused
    • kellie kendrick
      kellie kendrick on 22 Jan 14
       
      This for me is a big challange when I teach online classes. I want my students to collaborate, but I hate the uncertainty of wondering when my students will log on and complete work. I hate the thought of one student working really hard on group work and then another student coming in at the end and not having an opportunity to complete anything, because the project is already done.
    • Kathleen Goslinga
      Kathleen Goslinga on 26 Jan 14
       
      Something to consider might be building in a number of different timeframes thorughout the unit or class where students need to respond or work collaboratively within their group. This could result in all students working together as opposed to a few. Setting a number of target dates with certain assignments to be complete could reduce the number of students who see an end date posted and wait until the last minute to complete their work.
    • Julie King
      Julie King on 27 Jan 14
       
      However, one thing I have found with my one attempt at providing a course for graduate students at the University is that they are very opposed to such timelines, indicating the reason they signed up for the class is so they can complete things in their own time.
    • Gina Rogers
      Gina Rogers on 05 Feb 14
       
      Personally, I like having some mini due dates built into the course (as I complete my assignments for one of those mini due dates at the eleventh hour). I helps me stay forcused and priortize what needs to be finished by what point.
  • iNACOL
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 22 Jan 14
       
      iNACOL = International Association for K-12 Online Learning.  Are these standards "universal", or do you think a different set would apply to teaching adults?
    • Katy Lee
      Katy Lee on 23 Jan 14
       
      As I read through these standards I thought they would apply universally. I searched for standards related to online learning for adults. I found one resource that has teaching standards for k-12 as well as postsecondary. http://publications.sreb.org/2006/06T02_Standards_Online_Teaching.pdf
    • Katy Lee
      Katy Lee on 23 Jan 14
       
      I found the above resource to be aligned with the standards described here.
  • ...26 more annotations...
  • • Identifies and communicates learning outcomes and expectations through a course overview/orientation (Varvel IV.A, ITS 3.b)
    • Travis Wilkins
      Travis Wilkins on 22 Jan 14
       
      I think it is essential that the learning outcomes, targets, and expectations are clearly explained, stated, and communicated to the online participants.  This not only sets the stage for learning, but also provides a roadmap for the work that is to be completed.  The online learning environment can feel isolated at times.  Knowing the outcomes and expectations can help to put new and experienced students at ease.
    • Deb Vail
      Deb Vail on 24 Jan 14
       
      You've made a good point here, Travis. I can feel like you are isolated at times. The roadmap is critcal - especially the big picture, not just the details of the assignments.
    • Kathleen Goslinga
      Kathleen Goslinga on 26 Jan 14
       
      Travis and Deb, Both of you make some good points on providing participant with a roadmap. Knowing what is needed up front along with estimated timeframes can provide participants with a suggested plan on what can be accomplished today, tomorrow, and next week.
  • Creates a learning community that encourages collaboration and interaction, including student-teacher, student-student, and student-content (SREB D.2, Varvel VII.B, ITS 6.a
    • Travis Wilkins
      Travis Wilkins on 22 Jan 14
       
      I think that this will be one of the most important yet challenging parts about facilitating an online course.  Insuring that the course is designed to encourage collaboration and interaction in all three of theses areas without making the course cumbersome and overly time consuming could be a challenge.  The use of forums and wikis would seem like to two tools that could easily aid in making this possible.  However, at times I feel that forums turn into posts that are done due to obligation and become a contrived conversation and interaction.
    • Steven Hopper
      Steven Hopper on 25 Jan 14
       
      I agree completely, Travis.  One of the things I loved about my masters program is that it was based primarily in face-to-face classes with some work online.  Since we were in the same place at the same time, the learning community really seemed to develop naturally.  In an asynchronous course, these opportunities have to be far more explicit (without feeling completely contrived.)
  • Tailors instruction to meet the different needs of students, including different learning styles, different interests and backgrounds, and students with special needs or whom are language learners (SREB C.7, Varvel V.H, ITS 4.c)
    • Katy Lee
      Katy Lee on 23 Jan 14
       
      Evan has done this with our course by allowing those of us who are not familiar with or have much experience with online teaching with the option of using the template site (BB101). This has allowed me to focus on the process and use of tools rather than worrying about the content of my "course".
    • Deb Vail
      Deb Vail on 24 Jan 14
       
      I don't like the "language learners" term. Aren't we all language learners? I assume they mean non-native language.
    • Kathleen Goslinga
      Kathleen Goslinga on 26 Jan 14
       
      Recognizing that our students may have a variety of differnt learning styles should result with instructrion being customized. Evan has tailored our course to provide us with the opportunity to focus on the areas needed (whether it be the course tools for set up and design or the content).
  • Networks with others involved in online education for the purpose of professional growth (SREB L.1, ITS 7.b)
    • Katy Lee
      Katy Lee on 23 Jan 14
       
      I am curious how models such as Collaborate Learning Teams/Professional Learning Communities have been incorporated into the work of those providing online education. What examples do others have of what this might look like?
  • Incorporates social aspects into the teaching and learning process, creating a community of learners
    • Deb Vail
      Deb Vail on 24 Jan 14
       
      This seems so critical in an online course. Travis made a great point above about how online learning can feel a little isolated at times. Quick frustrations or questions take more energy to resolve. You don't have quite as easy or immediate access to answers in an asynchronous environment.
  • Understands and uses course content that complies with intellectual property rights and fair use, and assists students in complying as well (SREB E.5, Varvel I.B)
    • Deb Vail
      Deb Vail on 24 Jan 14
       
      This is something I did not take as seriously as I should have in the past. I am trying to get up to speed with copyright, fair use, COPPA, etc. There is a lot to wrap your head around and it seems like there's a lot of gray area.
    • Steven Hopper
      Steven Hopper on 25 Jan 14
       
      Unfortunately, I think you'll find that the gray area is only going to get even murkier in the years ahead.  Just look at the variety of creative commons licenses available now.
    • Julie King
      Julie King on 27 Jan 14
       
      I agree, there have been videos from youtube that I have embedded into instructional videos that later I was contacted by someone saying it was copywrited materials. Who knew? I feel like the more I get into this, the more I realize I don't know.
  • technologies appropriate to the content that enhance learning
    • Steven Hopper
      Steven Hopper on 25 Jan 14
       
      There are literally hundreds of technologies available to online educators.  However, the most effective teachers know that you should only rely on "cool tools" when you have a clear instructional objective in mind.
    • Gina Rogers
      Gina Rogers on 05 Feb 14
       
      Yes, Steven, I ageree with your assessment here. It seems like you first have to think to yourself what is that learning target and then match instructional technology to the learning target that helps facilitate the learning.
  • Demonstrates techniques for dealing with issues arising from inappropriate student technological use (SREB E.7)
    • Steven Hopper
      Steven Hopper on 25 Jan 14
       
      Administrators need to understand that taking away a student's device or trying to "lock down" a network are NOT the most effective way to deal with inappropriate technology use.  Not only does it take away a valuable learning device, especially in 1:1 schools, but it can also create additional hurdles for the students who are using the technologies appropriately.
    • Julie King
      Julie King on 27 Jan 14
       
      This is an interesting point Steven, as an individual who works with students with behavior problems, I can see how there would be a knee-jerk response to just take away the device (I am not currently in any 1:1 schools, so have not see it happen yet). What might be some other alternatives?
  • Utilizes a course evaluation and student feedback data to improve the course
    • Kathleen Goslinga
      Kathleen Goslinga on 26 Jan 14
       
      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.
  • Knows the content of the subject to be taught and understands how to teach the content to students
    • Kathleen Goslinga
      Kathleen Goslinga on 26 Jan 14
       
      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.
  • Assists students with technology used in the course
    • Kathleen Goslinga
      Kathleen Goslinga on 26 Jan 14
       
      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.
    • Lynn Helmke
      Lynn Helmke on 01 Feb 14
       
      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.
    • Katy Lee
      Katy Lee on 04 Feb 14
       
      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.
  • Understands and uses data from assessments to guide instruction
    • Julie King
      Julie King on 27 Jan 14
       
      This statement reminds us that "creating" an online should not mean there is a finished product that does not change with the needs of the students. I know the next time I provide an online class, I hope to utilize more formative assessment measures that better differentiate the instruction based on student need.
    • Michelle Jacobsen
      Michelle Jacobsen on 30 Jan 14
       
      Having taught several online courses as an adjunct instructor for a local university, I found it very difficult to use data from assessments to guide instruction. It was difficult because the courses were all designed (not by me) prior to the start of the course, and students were given access to all discussion topics and assignments when the course began so they could proceed through the requirements at their own pace. Therefore, there was no opportunity for me to let the assessments guide the instruction. This was very difficult for me having come from an elementary classroom where formative assessments guided my instruction on a daily basis! Do you have any thoughts as to how you might utilize more formative assessment measures the next time you teach an online class? I would love to hear your ideas!
  • Is knowledgeable and has the ability to use computer programs required in online education to improve learning and teaching, including course management software (CMS) and synchronous/asynchronous communication tools (chat, email, web 2.0, videoconferencing, webinar, whiteboard, etc.)
    • Julie King
      Julie King on 27 Jan 14
       
      This is a statement that will need to be supported by teh institutions doing teh pruchasing of the CMS programs. It seems taht many times an institution with change their software and/or hire new faculty with little to no orientation as to how best to use the program
    • Gina Rogers
      Gina Rogers on 05 Feb 14
       
      I agree with your statements here Julie. The purchasing of a CMS program is a huge investment for an instution. It seems that is order to get the best return on investment instutions should provide ongoing PL opportunities for faculty who are using the CMS. All programs - although somewhat similar - have very nuanced differences. For example, I have worked with both Moodle a little and ANGEL a little more and although they have many of the same features they do have enough differences that it is not always an easy transition.
  • Communicates assessment criteria and standards to students, including rubrics for student performances and participation
    • Christina Glaub
      Christina Glaub on 29 Jan 14
       
      It is helpful for students to have an idea of the expectations and how they align with the standards. I have used rubrics several times in my teaching and students, and teachers, appreciate knowing what is expected of them.
    • Deanna Weber
      Deanna Weber on 31 Jan 14
       
      When students can see expectations and where they are in line with the standards, they are more prepared to learn.
  • Provides opportunities that enable student self-assessment and pre-assessment within courses
    • Christina Glaub
      Christina Glaub on 29 Jan 14
       
      I think it is important for both the student and teacher to be aware of their understandings or misunderstandings. This should help guide instruction.
  • Has knowledge of and informs student of their rights to privacy and the conditions under which their work may be shared with others
    • Deanna Weber
      Deanna Weber on 31 Jan 14
       
      I work with this all of the time. It doesn't just involve students. Fair use is for all. Fair use involves how information is used and how we give credit for the resources we use.
  • Provides substantive, timely, and constructive feedback to students
    • Joanne Cram
      Joanne Cram on 14 Mar 14
       
      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.
    • Lynn Helmke
      Lynn Helmke on 01 Feb 14
       
      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. 
  • Designs the structure of the course and the presentation of the content to best enhance student learning, including using unit/lesson overviews and reviews, using patterns in lesson sequencing, and using appropriate visual web design techniques (SREB C.14, Varvel V.F)
  • Designs the structure of the course and the presentation of the content to best enhance student learning, including using unit/lesson overviews and reviews, using patterns in lesson sequencing, and using appropriate visual web design techniques (SREB C.14, Varvel V.F)
    • Gina Rogers
      Gina Rogers on 05 Feb 14
       
      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.
  • Has experienced online learning from the perspective of a student
    • Gina Rogers
      Gina Rogers on 05 Feb 14
       
      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.
  • Knows and aligns instruction to the achievement goals of the local agency and the state, such as with the Iowa Core
    • Michelle Jacobsen
      Michelle Jacobsen on 05 Feb 14
       
      I find this to be one of my biggest challenges this year when working with teachers in mathematics. Several districts still use a curriculum that is not aligned to the Core, and some teachers are torn between aligning their instruction to the Core and teaching each lesson from their curriculum as they have for the past several years.
  • Demonstrates effective instructional strategies and techniques, appropriate for online education, that align with course objectives and assessment
    • Michelle Jacobsen
      Michelle Jacobsen on 05 Feb 14
       
      We have had many discussions as AEA consultants about what our Professional Development offerings will look like in the future. Knowing that online course offerings are more than likely coming down the pike for us in the future, being able to demonstrate effective instructional strategies and techniques appropriate for online education will be something that requires a lot of thoughtful planning.
  • (SREB J.6, ITS 1.a)
    • Gina Rogers
      Gina Rogers on 14 Feb 14
       
      Test post
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face
    • Joanne Cram
      Joanne Cram on 14 Mar 14
       
      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.
Evan Abbey

Lesson: Articles on Visual Design - 4 views

moodlesw.aeapdonline.org/...view.php

shared by Evan Abbey on 27 Jun 14 - No Cached
  • Depending on how a texture is applied, it may be used strategically to attract or deter attention.
    • rmfredrickson
      rmfredrickson on 27 Jun 14
       
      I never thought about "texture" online; what would be an example of a repeated element? A simple picture, or maybe a repeated diagram?
    • darinjohnson
      darinjohnson on 27 Jun 14
       
      Texture is an interesting element that I generally disregard. However, I remember a literature professor open poetry discussions with questions about texture and taste. He would use such responses to get to the tone of the work. What taste/texture/tone does this course have?
    • Linda Hoobin
      Linda Hoobin on 29 Jun 14
       
      Texture...not something I ever pay attention to or maybe even knew about.
  • Spacing makes things clearer.
    • rmfredrickson
      rmfredrickson on 27 Jun 14
       
      I have found this to be true since starting this class; less is more; and the idea of also adding an element of some kind to every page makes a lot of sense to me too. I think about this now as I create ANY kind of presentation page.
    • denise carlson
      denise carlson on 28 Jun 14
       
      "Less is more." That sums up nicely what we've been learning.  I know that I have a tendency to be too wordy and thus the page seems way too cluttered. I need to make a concerted effort to utilize the Less is More rule of thumb. 
  • In the last year or so, I've switched to using CSS to make my buttons and have never looked back. Sure, it means my buttons don't always have the flexibility I might wish for, but the savings in build time from not having to make dozens of little button images are huge.
    • rmfredrickson
      rmfredrickson on 27 Jun 14
       
      What does this mean? That in CSS (which I think I missed what that means...) you don't need to give a direction to click on a button to do whatever it is you are wanting it to do? Rather, it is automatically an apparent clickable button?
    • denise carlson
      denise carlson on 28 Jun 14
       
      Good question! What is CSS?  I think this is another rule of thumb we might want to add to our web-design rules: Don't assume the reader knows what the abbreviations or acronyms mean. Spell them out and define them so everyone is clear. 
  • ...49 more annotations...
  • Everything should be themed to make your design coherent between pages and on the same page.
    • darinjohnson
      darinjohnson on 27 Jun 14
       
      Here's one element that we can control and that we should control; however, it is also an element that I sometimes have trouble with. Sometimes it takes me awhile to find my style.
  • Font Choices
    • darinjohnson
      darinjohnson on 27 Jun 14
       
      What font should we be using? My journalism minor is quite dusty, but I was taught that body copy should be a serif typeface (e.g. Times New Roman, Georgia) and headlines should be a sans-serif typeface (e.g. Arial, Helvetica). Your choice of type might also give you a better grade: http://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/19604/does-size-12-times-new-roman-font-receive-better-grades-in-school S
  • Squeaky wheels get the grease and prominent visuals get the attention. 
    • darinjohnson
      darinjohnson on 27 Jun 14
       
      This is a potent quotable.
  • Pantheon
    • darinjohnson
      darinjohnson on 27 Jun 14
       
      This is off topic, but I can't let it go. This is an image of the Parthenon. The Pantheon is in Rome.
  • it’s a good practice to never open links in new browser windows.
    • darinjohnson
      darinjohnson on 27 Jun 14
       
      I'm going to give this some thought because this suggestion is opposite of what I generally try to do. I've always thought it was better for readers to close the new linked area. 
    • denise carlson
      denise carlson on 28 Jun 14
       
      My too. I like new windows for new material. This seems contrary to my preferences. 
    • Linda Hoobin
      Linda Hoobin on 29 Jun 14
       
      It is not the way I think either. I tend to want to separate things so I am not distracted. New windows keep me focused.
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 01 Jul 14
       
      Same here. Especially with Moodle, I try to have it open in a different window so that they don't lose the original course.
  • A typical example from usability sessions is to translate the page in Japanese (assuming your web users don’t know Japanese, e.g. with Babelfish) and provide your usability testers with a task to find something in the page of different language. If conventions are well-applied, users will be able to achieve a not-too-specific objective, even if they can’t understand a word of it.
    • darinjohnson
      darinjohnson on 27 Jun 14
       
      I saw a Tweet recently suggesting to do something similar: Turn on speech to see if you can navigate on your site without vision. Is the site usable for all?
  • The basic elements that combine to create visual designs include the following:
    • denise carlson
      denise carlson on 28 Jun 14
       
      All of this is what is missing from the powerpoint I created for Mollie 3 in the week 2 lab section. 
    • Linda Hoobin
      Linda Hoobin on 29 Jun 14
       
      This could/should be my checklist for design!
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 01 Jul 14
       
      To be clear, these elements are always present, even in their absence. That is, even when one has the ugliest colors imagineable, they still are using a color palette. If you are Picasso, you get paid a lot of money for having the absence of these basic elements.
  • and that the medium changes as frequently as the underlying technology does.
    • denise carlson
      denise carlson on 28 Jun 14
       
      Oh no, so what I'm learning now will be different in 6 months or one year. I need a suggestion of a good blog or online resource I can use to keep up-do-date with all of the online design developments.
  • To achieve precedence you have many tools at your disposal:
  • To achieve precedence you have many tools at your disposal:
    • denise carlson
      denise carlson on 28 Jun 14
       
      These make perfect sense to me. I'm thinking that if I can remember and use these 5 chunks of precedence I would be taken a giant step toward fine-tuning the online lessons I create. 
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 01 Jul 14
       
      One slight difference between the online lesson and the "webpage" this designer is talking about is that there is going to be more stuff on the webpage. An online lesson doesn't have as many elements vying for attention.
  • some pretty bad examples out there.
    • denise carlson
      denise carlson on 28 Jun 14
       
      The DE website is a "pretty bad example" if you ask me. (Although there have been improvements made over time.)  There is just SO much there that is difficult for me to find what I want and need. I guess I could use that website as a non-example of effective navigation. 
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 01 Jul 14
       
      True. Of course, Heartland's old website was bad too. That is one of the occupational hazards of people like us who have our fingers in everything.
  • Adhering to Standards
    • denise carlson
      denise carlson on 28 Jun 14
       
      So what are some other things people expect? Where might we learn more about these ideas? The one example here is a good one, but now I'm curious about other expectations that I should be aware of. 
  • good set of CSS stylesheets
    • denise carlson
      denise carlson on 28 Jun 14
       
      Hmm. . . .what is a CSS style sheet?  So much unfamiliar content specific vocabulary in this article makes me wonder if I'm actually understanding what is being said. 
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 03 Jul 14
       
      A CSS style sheet is a set of rules (in the shape of a bunch of code) that govern a website. It would look like this: All headlines are in Maroon, 24 point, centered All sidebars have a box that is 100 pixels by 80 pixels. Except... in a language we can't understand.
  • Here’s what the golden ratio looks like:
    • denise carlson
      denise carlson on 28 Jun 14
       
      But, didn't we read somewhere earlier in the class to place pictures/photos on the left-hand side of  slide? Do these 2 ideas contradict each other? Someone please clarify for me. 
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 03 Jul 14
       
      Well... in our lessons, we advocated for putting them on the right side, as it helps with wrapping of text. Though putting them on the left is not a design faux pas. The "golden ratio" layout is more beneficial for designing a website, where you have grids to place content.
  • This is similar to Paradox of Choice – the more choice you give people, the easier it is to choose nothing.
    • denise carlson
      denise carlson on 28 Jun 14
       
      OK, i can see how too many choices is confusing in web design. But as an educator, I want to assure that my students have the freedom to make some choices regarding assignments and activities I ask them to complete in order to show their understanding. How will I balance these 2 ideas when creating online lessons/courses? 
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 03 Jul 14
       
      I think you already answered your question. Design is different than learning choice. It's like the new textbooks that have so much sidebar information that students aren't reading the main text. Too much design choice. In a lesson, you can present students with different learning options (enrichment, accomodated assignments, etc), but keep the webpage consistent.
  • the right is more interesting?
    • denise carlson
      denise carlson on 28 Jun 14
       
      I don't think the image on the right is more interesting? What am I missing? 
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 03 Jul 14
       
      "Interesting" is of course subjective. Typically, the rule of thirds means if you move the subject over to the 3rd-line of the picture, the picture shows more dynamics. Instead of "here's this rock formation", it's "Here's the rock formation, in its habitat, and now your eyes are moving over to this side of the photo to examine what is around it"
  • provide an email address if they were asked for it after they’d seen the feature work, so they had some idea of what they were going to get in return.
    • denise carlson
      denise carlson on 28 Jun 14
       
      I so agree. If I'm asked for email or other info to enter a site, I just close out. I want some hint of what the site has to offer me before I give them all my info.  Great tip!
    • Linda Hoobin
      Linda Hoobin on 29 Jun 14
       
      I steer away if I am asked for identifying information before I can explore the site's information.
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 03 Jul 14
       
      I hate it too. I have an email site dedicated to these throwaway signups that I never check (unless I need to confirm an account). I grumble every time.
  • he more options a user has when using your website, the more difficult it will be to use (or won’t be used at all).
    • rmfredrickson
      rmfredrickson on 29 Jun 14
       
      I agree with this Paradox of Choice; a few good options is better than a lot of medicore ones.
  • The best images follow the rule of thirds: an i
    • rmfredrickson
      rmfredrickson on 29 Jun 14
       
      I have never given this thought before, or had any idea how layout (in thirds) affects someone's perception of a page; fascinating, yet useful!!
  • Users don’t read, they scan. Analyzing a web-page, users search for some fixed points or anchors which would guide them through the content of the page.
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 01 Jul 14
       
      I admit, I was visualizing the scene from Clockwork Orange when thinking about this activity.
  • Unity has to do with all elements on a page visually or conceptually appearing to belong together. Visual design must strike a balance between unity and variety to avoid a dull or overwhelming design.
  • White space is used around text and between sections to allow the page to breath
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 01 Jul 14
       
      I think white space is probably the most critical attribute for a teacher-designer to master. The simple adding of white space makes the whole thing breathe and makes it look a lot better.
  • Similarity refers to creating continuity throughout a design without direct duplication. Similarity is used to make pieces work together over an interface and help users learn the interface quicker.
  • 9 Essential Principles for Good Web Design
  • Good Web design, perhaps even more than other type of design, is about information.
  • Padding is the space between elements and text. The simple rule here is that you should always have space there.
  • Navigation — Where can you go?
  • Think about user tasks
  • Think about user tasks
  • At the end of the day, your Web design is a tool for people to use, and people don't like using annoying tools!
  • The simplest way to maintain consistency is to make early decisions and stick to them.
  • 8 Effective Web Design Principles You Should Know
  • Design is not just something designers do. Design is marketing. Design is your product and how it works. The more I’ve learned about design, the better results I’ve gotten.
  • So, if your layout width is 960px, divide it by 1.618 (=593px). Now you know that the content area should be 593px and sidebar 367px. If the website height is 760px tall, you can split it into 470px and 290px chunks (760/1.618=~470).
  • With effective web design, you need to make sure things that do NOT go together, are not perceived as one. Similarly, you want to group certain design elements together (navigation menu, footer etc) to communicate that they form a whole.
  • White space is all about the use of hierarchy. The hierarchy of information, be it type, colour or images.
  • Effective web design and art are not the same.
  • Web users are impatient and insist on instant gratification.
  • the web-page should be obvious and self-explanatory.
  • Avoid cute or clever names, marketing-induced names, company-specific names, and unfamiliar technical names.
  • The “keep it simple”-principle (KIS) should be the primary goal of site design.
  • testing one user is 100% better than testing none
  • if you want a great site, you’ve got to test.
  • Incorporating space into a design helps reduce noise, increase readability, and/or create illusion. White space is an important part of your layout strategy.
    • lwymore
      lwymore on 29 Jun 14
       
      The use of space can be often overlooked or just not something that we always pay attention to.
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 01 Jul 14
       
      Lisa, I agree. In fact, my opinion is its the best place to start, since it is one of the easier elements to understand (not sure I can identify what "good Gestalt" is) and one of the easiest to actually do.
  • White space is used to give balance, proportion and contrast to a page.
  • White space is used to give balance, proportion and contrast to a page.
    • lwymore
      lwymore on 29 Jun 14
       
      Using "white space" as a tool to balance, proportion and contrast on a page; also helps with readability; something to keep in mind when editing and trying to avoid text-heavy pages. Consider how can one use white space to prevent the text from looking too overwhelming.
  • You should direct the user’s eyes through a sequence
    • lwymore
      lwymore on 29 Jun 14
       
      This is the same thing we want to do with self-paced lessons.
  • Aligning makes your design more ordered and digestible, as well as making it seem more polished.
  • Simple, minimal design does not automatically mean the design works, or is effective. But in my experience simple is always better than the opposite
    • lwymore
      lwymore on 29 Jun 14
       
      Clean and simple design can help maintain the balance and consistency needed for effective lessons
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