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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I think these are key words! So often technology in education to add "bling" to our lesson or presentation. It doesn't necessarily improve learning or teaching. This is a reminder to keep our eye on the ball, so to speak.

Appropriate behavior is very important and teaching appropriate expectations.....through your class

This was a test

How different can it be from F2F? I'm wondering...

I believe this is essential in all areas of teaching - to design the structure of the class. This is essential in all courses as there should be a sequence/structure that flows utilizing the tools needed to "teach" the content. It is our roadmap to what our outcome is.

If in college, my online courses were as effective as this one, I would have been more engaged. This class motivates me to want to do more and learn more. I feel motivation is key int having an engaged class.

I think it's essential to consider student feedback so we can keep improving our online courses...sometimes, feedback is gathered but not looked at or not used to make changes, so this will be important to provide the optimal online learning environment

I am excited about the possibilities of both synchronous and asynchronous communication tools...there may be times when synchronous learning would be most beneficial (having students view the same instruction or community learning at the same time), but how convenient would it be if everyone did not have to be in the same location?? They could view or join in the conversation from anywhere they have a computer! And I love the asynchronous tool possibilities, as in today's age, we can reach so many more learners when they can do the learning at their own convenience and whatever time works best for them! Love the possibilities both of these types of communication tools offer!!!

I attended an Ethics presentation Friday and there is so much that educators need to know about dealing with students. Where can we find more about these 'techniques?'

Using techniques to engage adult learners will be critical for a successful online class. I think that this will require use of a variety of tools, including those that involved audio and video components. Even "content rich" online courses would have difficulty engaging the learner if they only involved reading, web lessons, powerpoints, etc. (without some sort of screencasting, video or audio).

I agree...videos and audio components make online learning way more meaningful and enjoyable!

This standard reminds us that aside from providing an engaging, motivating course via techology, educators need to sure that their offerings align with district/student needs. We want to design courses that will impact student learning and achievement.

Key in any assessments. Important to include formative assessments to make sure students are on track to meet course objectives

Although helpful to understand some of what the students are experiencing. It could be a struggle if you are a frequent online student and are "use" to the structure on online course it's easy to forget what it feels like to be a new online learner. Also, adults sometimes learn different than students.

I think that using feedback is a great tool to get a feel for how students feel about a course. what kinds of things could be added or removed to improve the overall experience for the learner.

The use of synchronous and asynchronous instruction in online teaching, jumped out at me. It has been an area of focus and discussion in some of the other B/F classes I have enrolled in. I wasn't aware of the difference between the two models before taking such classes.

I think the concept of differentiation is well understood by most educators but often poorly implemented. A great way to meet the needs of a diverse group of learners is to use an intelligence inventory at the beginning of the year to identify different learning styles. Allowing for choice and autonomy in the classroom supports differentiation as well.

I feel like most teachers/educators do this when they go through their syllabi at the beginning of a course. I try to do it with each unit that we do as well to make sure learners are aware of learning targets. I have seen some teachers write objectives on the board daily to keep students on track (this is great practice).

Whew! Not yet - but I am working on it. I am fairly tech savvy, but sometimes the amount of computer work needed is overwhelming and I just get tired of sitting. I love being able to interact with my students - I learn more about them from the face to face, and it is tougher to get to know them when we are online.

Whew! Not yet - but I am working on it. I am fairly tech savvy, but sometimes the amount of computer work needed is overwhelming and I just get tired of sitting. I love being able to interact with my students - I learn more about them from the face to face, and it is tougher to get to know them when we are online.

This is always good for me - especially in my ICCC classes. I want to know how effective I have been. I want that student feedback - even if it is 'bad' - that way I know what I need to improve and/or work on for the next time I teach that course.

This is always good for me - especially in my ICCC classes. I want to know how effective I have been. I want that student feedback - even if it is 'bad' - that way I know what I need to improve and/or work on for the next time I teach that course.

This is a huge challenge - especially for asynchronous learning. In my ICCC class, it is a little easier, but we sometimes still struggle due to lag time or people's wifi accessibility issues.

This is a huge challenge - especially for asynchronous learning. In my ICCC class, it is a little easier, but we sometimes still struggle due to lag time or people's wifi accessibility issues.

I think this is really important - if you don't know what it feels like from the other side of the screen, you won't know what issues you should be worrying about.

I think this is really important - if you don't know what it feels like from the other side of the screen, you won't know what issues you should be worrying about.

If you understand how the teaching is similar and different between online and face-to-face learning, you can better prepare learning experiences that meet the needs of all learners and that supports what we know about best practices in teaching and learning. You can also make decisions about what may or may not be best suited for online learning.

In face-to-face, you can use formative data to make changes in the content on the fly. Based on the data you get from participants you might need to revisit the content but in a different way or take the content deeper. You adjust and modify the content and how it is delivered based on what the participants know, say, and do. It will be interesting to see how one can make adjustments to content and instruction in an online environment when the content and sequence seem predetermined and somewhat 'fixed'.

Educators need to align content and instruction through the Iowa Core.

Many elementary teachers must develop a greater understanding of the math content they teach.

It will be very important to provide clear directions in how to use all tools we choose in developing our online class.

It will be very important to provide clear directions to students for all tools we use in our online classes.

I think that this is a very important point. Group collaboration MUST have a focus and be goal-oriented. without these components high quality learning is not possible.

Our instructor has already done a very good job of modeling this standard. I hope to learn more from him related to this standard through the series of OLLIE classes. 

Communication still is so important even when the mode of communication changes from face to face to technology. I think courses in communication should consider teaching how we can communicate better via technology. The potential absence of non verbal skills can interfere with communication event.

It has been very helpful to have a cohort of AEA colleagues taking the OLLIE courses together. It offered both online and face-to-face interactions while learning the content.

This becomes more and more important as information is online. We must be role models for students making sure we don't have any copyright infringement as well has teaching students about the importance of complying with copyright.

if people don't have these types of technology skills, I don't see how they would be able to function teaching in an online environment. This seems like a "no brainer" to me.

Seems like this could take a lot of time perfecting because it probably depends on age level and content of the course.

I agree. Online learning takes more discipline and self-motivation than coming to a class face-to-face. As I look at the Iowa Core-the Characterisics of Effective Instruction will be in the forefront of my planning. How do you create a class that embeds all five characteristics (START)?

Another factor to consider is that technology changes so quickly. What seems like a great tool today may be replaced by a better tool in the near future. Continuous lifetime learning!

This is so important with face-to-face and online learning. It seems like online class size needs to be managable for instructors to do this successfully. Are there guidelines regarding online class size?