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Deb Henkes

Introducing appointment slots in Google Calendar - Official Gmail Blog - 0 views

gmailblog.blogspot.com/...pointment-slots-in-google.html

Google calendar Google_calendar

shared by Deb Henkes on 18 Jul 11 - No Cached
  • Deb Henkes on 18 Jul 11
     
    Appointment slots area new way to help manage your own schedule. It is a feature in Google calendar and heres' how.
Eldon Bird

4Teachers : Main Page - 1 views

4teachers.org

technology resources education tools web2.0

shared by Eldon Bird on 09 Feb 11 - Cached
  • Eldon Bird on 09 Feb 11
     
    This site helps teachers locate and create ready-to-use Web lessons, quizzes, rubrics and classroom calendars
cbangert

Quia - Quia Web - 0 views

www.quia.com/web

moodle_iowa

shared by cbangert on 28 Jan 19 - No Cached
  • cbangert on 28 Jan 19
     
    Tool to create activities, quizzes, calendars, and surveys for online learning.
lisa rasmussen

ollie4: Article: Attributes from Effective Formative Assessment (CCSSO) - 14 views

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

shared by lisa rasmussen on 16 Jun 11 - No Cached
  • One key feature of this definition is its requirement that formative assessment be regarded as a process rather than a particular kind of assessment. In other words, there is no such thing as “a formative test.”
    • Peggy Christensen
      Peggy Christensen on 16 Jun 11
       
      I often times hear teacher speak of formative assessment as a noun instead of a verb. (e.g. They gave their students a formative assessment today.)
    • Cindy Blinkinsop
      Cindy Blinkinsop on 21 Jun 11
       
      You hit the nail on the head.
    • Maryann Angeroth
      Maryann Angeroth on 13 Oct 11
       
      What role does homework have in formative assessment?
    • Deena Stanley-Dostart
      Deena Stanley-Dostart on 14 Oct 11
       
      Our administrators are telling us to do more formative assessments, they are also treating it like a noun.
    • Nancy Peterman
      Nancy Peterman on 15 Oct 11
       
      These courses have helped me recognize the difference in using the formative assessment as a "process" rather than a type of test. It makes a big difference in when and why a teacher uses the strategy.
    • Perry Bekkerus
      Perry Bekkerus on 16 Nov 11
       
      Ours are as well. I think formative assessment is any kind of data that helps a teacher decide what to do next in the classroom. For instance, as a music teacher, I can listen to kids sing a particular passage as a formative assessment; if they all sing it well, they are ready for another passage. If no one is getting it, then I need to slow down the passage until they have a better handle on it. If some are getting it and others aren't, then I usually try to improve another aspect of the passage (dynamics, diction, etc.) so that the strugglers get more practice on the pitches without boring the kids who already know the notes. In essence, by differentiating, I kill two birds with one stone. The formative assessment (i.e. listening to them sing it the first time) is the crucial piece here...if I just assume that they know it (or don't know it), then I have made assumptions about their background knowledge. That is the purpose of formative assessment: an assessment that formulates some further action or inaction.
  • there are a number of formative assessment strategies that can be implemented during classroom instruction.
    • Peggy Christensen
      Peggy Christensen on 16 Jun 11
       
      In Science CABs we have shared the book, "Science Formative Assessment: 75 Practical Strategies for Linking Assessment, Instruction, and Learning," by Page Keeley. The teachers seem to really like a lot of these strategies and plan on using them in their classrooms.
    • Cindy Blinkinsop
      Cindy Blinkinsop on 21 Jun 11
       
      Teachers don't want to know the theory and research behind a strategy...they just want the strategy or strategies that will help them help their students. I'm not a science teacher but the book you refer to sounds like a great resource for science teachers.
    • Lynne Devaney
      Lynne Devaney on 16 Oct 11
       
      Thanks for the resource.
  • Learning Goals and Criteria for Success: Learning goals and criteria for success should be clearly identified and communicated to students.
    • Peggy Christensen
      Peggy Christensen on 16 Jun 11
       
      This year in Science CAB, we have started using Learning Goals and Success Criteria with the participants. We try to post these on the PowerPoint, so everyone can see them. However, our learning goals . . . and possibly even our success criteria need work.
    • Linda Hoobin
      Linda Hoobin on 20 Jun 11
       
      Throught my work with Margaret Heritage and the Iowa Core, I found this to take much more time than I thought it would. I am still learning about how to write clear learning goals and success criteria. Practice will eventually make perfect, but I have a long ways to go!
    • jalfaro
      jalfaro on 26 Jun 11
       
      The first principal I worked for required that all of us clearly post the learning objectives for the day or week on our white boards. He wanted the students to know at the beginning of class what the goal was for the day and what they were expected to do. Transparency shows that we'd thought about our lesson and that the students were a part of the equation. Thinking back to my own education, I know there were too many moment when I was left wondering what we were really trying to do and why it was important!
    • Dirk Troutman
      Dirk Troutman on 22 Jul 11
       
      Any lesson or course with clear learning objectives will be a success, any without it is unlikely to succeed.
    • Kathy Hageman
      Kathy Hageman on 12 Oct 11
       
      Is it really just a matter of "communicating" goals and criteria to students? Wouldn't students benefit from being involved in the process of identifying goals and criteria?
    • Mark McGaffin
      Mark McGaffin on 12 Oct 11
       
      Purpose for the lesson and outcomes for the students (what they will be able to do).  The students need to understand what they will be learning and how they will show it (rubrics).
    • Jean Van Gilder
      Jean Van Gilder on 13 Oct 11
       
      Also we need to communicate as instructors with our students as to how what they are learning applies in their "real" lives.
    • Gayle Olson
      Gayle Olson on 20 Oct 11
       
      A technique that I have used lots when starting a new topic is to ask the students what they hope to gain from it. That helps me call their attention to specific spots when we learn the new info. It also gives me their language, so I know better what words to use so they will be able to understand the concepts by connecting them to what is already familiar to them. It's powerful, especially when they see me referring to the list to see if we have met everyone's goals.
  • ...64 more annotations...
    • Cheryl Merical
      Cheryl Merical on 16 Jun 11
       
      The "and students" is important here. I often observe formative assessement being referred to as primarily for the teacher and not about how useful it is for students.
    • Gary Petersen
      Gary Petersen on 18 Oct 11
       
      I would agree. Most often I think of "informing instruction" as helping the teacher and do not look at "informing learning" as part of the process to help students.
  • used by teachers and students to inform instruction and learning during the teaching/learning process.
    • Jean Van Gilder
      Jean Van Gilder on 13 Oct 11
       
      I hate to say it; but we were using formative assessment long before the conference that defined it came about...but we can all work on improvement.
    • Lynne Devaney
      Lynne Devaney on 16 Oct 11
       
      I agree that teachers are (were) very good at using formative assessment. Sometimes I wonder if when the standardized and accountability measures were put in place, teachers stepped away from their good prtactice because someone else was telling them that NCLB was the "real" measurement. Maybe we lost something?
    • David Olson
      David Olson on 18 Oct 11
       
      I like that this definition is to provide evidence. This shows we are really doing it.
  • The process requires the teacher to share learning goals with students and provide opportunities for students to monitor their ongoing progress.
    • Cheryl Merical
      Cheryl Merical on 17 Jun 11
       
      Again, so important to include the student in the process, which is something that is often overlooked.
    • Linda Hoobin
      Linda Hoobin on 20 Jun 11
       
      With user friendly, clearly stated targets for the students.
    • Sandy Kluver
      Sandy Kluver on 20 Jun 11
       
      Giving students time to reflect and learn about themselves.
    • Kathy Hageman
      Kathy Hageman on 12 Oct 11
       
      It would be appropriate to add one more thought to this sentence: rather than teachers merely sharing learning goals, students should be involved in determining their goals.
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 12 Oct 11
       
      Haven't we learned that using rubrics to share expectations for students aids in learning. I've been learning the SINA process this past week. One of the focuses of the school in this process was making sure students and also parents knew and understood the standards and benchmarks used in their instruction. Sounds like they chose something that will increase student achievement!
    • Jean Van Gilder
      Jean Van Gilder on 13 Oct 11
       
      All important to involve the students; they can't just sit and absorb learning they have to actively particiapate in all facets!
    • Nancy Peterman
      Nancy Peterman on 15 Oct 11
       
      For "experienced" teachers it is a big shift from the teacher-controlled lecture to student-led learning. It is exciting to see the students actively engaged, but hard at first to "facilitate" and utilize the "teachable moments". It requires extra preparation, constantly evaluation of habits, and patience to wait for students to take ownership of the discussions and learning.
    • Gayle Olson
      Gayle Olson on 20 Oct 11
       
      I agree with Kathy - having the students involved in helping to set the learning goals would be great! Either way, having the students clued in to what the learning goals are is a big step to help them sort out the important pieces.
  • Learning progressions describe how concepts and skills build in a domain
    • Lori Pearson
      Lori Pearson on 20 Jun 11
       
      This section makes me think about the Iowa Core and how it really builds from kindergarten. Teachers are often made more aware of how a skill is "built" from the ground up.
    • Denise Krefting
      Denise Krefting on 20 Jun 11
       
      Lori- the Iowa Core needs to be in the front of our thought process! :)
    • Linda Hoobin
      Linda Hoobin on 20 Jun 11
       
      Our biggest Iowa Core question may be, who develops learning progressions. Given the amount of time they take to develop, how can the state/AEAs/LEA work toward accomplishing this very important task?
    • Deb Versteeg
      Deb Versteeg on 13 Jul 11
       
      We have done some learning progression work as a state through some of our state content teams, but much more needs to be done in light of the Iowa Core and a broader audience needs to be involved.
    • Becky Hinze
      Becky Hinze on 14 Oct 11
       
      Learing progressions must be understood by all teachers. Margaret Heritage talks extensively about this being a major problem. If teachers don't understand these progressions, they won't know how to go backwards or forwards if students don't understand or have mastered concepts. IC helps some with this, but not perfectly.
    • Judy Sweetman
      Judy Sweetman on 16 Oct 11
       
      I feel like we barely got started with this process at our last meeting. I hope we spend more time on it, as I feel that learning progressions are an important part of formative assessment, and we may not get the results we want without them.
    • Lynne Devaney
      Lynne Devaney on 16 Oct 11
       
      We have spent a lot of time talking about who should develop learning progressions. In our district we use the phrase "unpacking the standard". We go back and forth. In some cases, it seems as though the teacher and student should own that learning. But sometimes, teachers, particularly in the elementary school where teachers are more generalists, they do not have the depth of content knowledge to develop rigorous learning progressions.
  • Descriptive
    • Lori Pearson
      Lori Pearson on 20 Jun 11
       
      I also think of the word "constructive."
    • terri lamb
      terri lamb on 21 Jun 11
       
      Constructive would be a great addition to this and is implied but should be evident.
  • Helping students think meta-cognitively
    • Lori Pearson
      Lori Pearson on 20 Jun 11
       
      Many points in this article are connected to not only effective formative assessment, but also in the bigger realm of effective instruction.
    • Cindy Blinkinsop
      Cindy Blinkinsop on 20 Jun 11
       
      Totally agree - we need to teach students to intuitively know when and how to use a variety of learning and/or problem solving strategies. Schools need to focus on 1 - 2 strategies in every content area (Cornell Notetaking or Kansas Strategies) so the students really apply every day the learning strategies to help them learn all content, vocabulary, etc.
    • Lisa Buss
      Lisa Buss on 17 Jul 11
       
      Students have to 'see' the value in learning. If they are accountable for their own, it'll have much more meaning to them.
    • Jessica White
      Jessica White on 16 Oct 11
       
      Yes, that metacognition piece is so vital. Students really need to start thinking about their thinking.
    • Gayle Olson
      Gayle Olson on 20 Oct 11
       
      I agree with all of you. Effective instruction means knowing where your students are. Formative assessment is one of the main ways that you know that. It's difficult to imagine truly effective instruction without formative assessment.
  • process used by teachers and students
    • Denise Krefting
      Denise Krefting on 20 Jun 11
       
      I like that students are a part of this process! We need to remember to have them assess themselves and each other as well.
    • Deborah Ausborn
      Deborah Ausborn on 25 Jun 11
       
      I agree. When students take ownership of their own learning, there are so many more positive results.
    • Darin Johnson
      Darin Johnson on 29 Jun 11
       
      Thinking of formative assessment as a process is helpful for me. Like the writing process, it needs to become a highly personalized and organic activity for every teacher.
    • Lisa Buss
      Lisa Buss on 17 Jul 11
       
      I agree that it is a process, an on-going instruction that provides feedback. In one of my other classes, there was a lot of discussion about how the Google calendar allows us to use formative assessment and allows us to better know our students. I think the confusion was because they think we have to have a completed project to assess when in reality, all we are assessing is the 'process.'
    • Amy Burns
      Amy Burns on 11 Oct 11
       
      The word "process" should be bold and scream out at us, as a reminder that assessment is not a one-shot deal, yet how often is that the case? We do ourselves and our students a disservice if we base our assessments on a single observavation or task.
    • Cheryl Carruthers
      Cheryl Carruthers on 13 Oct 11
       
      yes, I think of the research process absolutely needing formative assessment embedded throughout the process. Too often, students proceed through a research project, getting all the way through to the final product with no feedback and then both the teacher and the student are disappointed by a poor grade. With formative assessment embedded within the research process, students are given the opportunity to gauge their own progress and success and make adjustments as needed. End result - a positive experience for both teacher and student.
    • Lynne Devaney
      Lynne Devaney on 16 Oct 11
       
      Must agree with others on the use of the word "process". As a district administrator, I often hear about students being over-tested. The possibilities of assessments being used formatively AND/or summatively is a process. Not everyone has made the shift.
    • Kevin McColley
      Kevin McColley on 16 Oct 11
       
      Amy, I love your comment on Google calendar! I truly think you nailed it on the head with your response. Verbatum I agree with you 100% and hope that things start backing the process rather than an assignment.
    • Gary Petersen
      Gary Petersen on 18 Oct 11
       
      I have heard some look at formative assessment as a product or test vs. the broader "interactive process."
  • partners
    • Denise Krefting
      Denise Krefting on 20 Jun 11
       
      Working as partners allows us to model better for our students and they to model for each other.
    • Linda Hoobin
      Linda Hoobin on 20 Jun 11
       
      And the teacher has to work on modeling so that the students can best see how this works. The culture of the classroom is something that must be nutured, it does not always occur naturally.
    • Cindy Blinkinsop
      Cindy Blinkinsop on 20 Jun 11
       
      I have found that teachers do not like to be vulnerable and have someone critique their teaching. The team must first establish trust with the peers they will be working with and understand that it is not to critique but to share ideas for improving teaching and learning for all.
    • Julie Townsend
      Julie Townsend on 27 Jun 11
       
      Collaboration is a difficult thing to create, because it takes the entire crew to effectively do so! 
    • Maryann Angeroth
      Maryann Angeroth on 14 Oct 11
       
      The AIw process has a perfect venue to allow teachers to score each others instruction based on a series of rubrics.
    • Tim Brickley
      Tim Brickley on 17 Oct 11
       
      The trust factor between teachers and students is so important to establish the partnership.  But it is hard to maintain classroom management and show vulnerability.
  • sense of trust between and among students
    • Denise Krefting
      Denise Krefting on 20 Jun 11
       
      This will take time for students to trust each other. What scaffolding steps should teacher take before collaboration can be effective?
    • Cindy Blinkinsop
      Cindy Blinkinsop on 20 Jun 11
       
      The classroom culture is set by the teacher - a place where there is mutual respect, only use positive statements, encourage one another to do and be their best at all times, confront and discuss obstables, and have rules posted for working together so all students know what behavior is exptected of them.
    • Deborah Ausborn
      Deborah Ausborn on 25 Jun 11
       
      It is so important to build that trust and sense of teamwork. In choir, it may have been easier to see how we all needed to support and encourage each other, since the end result, the choir sound, included the sum of all members. A complicating, but perhaps helpful factor in a choir is the multiple grade levels represented. I always assign older, more experienced students and mentors for younger students. Most of the time this has worked well to build a team spirit within the group. The students do critique themselves and each other live and through recordings. Emphasis is always placed on encouraging and positive criticisms.
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 22 Oct 11
       
      The sense of trust among students must come from a teacher who models this in the classroom on a regular basis.
  • adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students’ achievement of intended instructional outcomes.
    • Linda Hoobin
      Linda Hoobin on 20 Jun 11
       
      This is what seems to be most often missed--using the feedback to adjust both teaching AND learning.
    • Cindy Blinkinsop
      Cindy Blinkinsop on 20 Jun 11
       
      We've had Lead & Learn out several times over the pasts three years to present to Data Teams. Consultants were assigned to buildings to work one-on-one with building Data Teams as well. It is a new concept for most of us - using data to drive instruction. Through the help of their awesome materials, our Data Team uses their 5 step process to collect and evaluate student data.
    • jalfaro
      jalfaro on 26 Jun 11
       
      Oh, Cindy! I'm so glad you mentioned those data teams (since we've been trained for the past 3 years). Data really is a key to classroom success...too many teachers just keep teaching even though students are begin left behind. Universities need to do a better job training new teachers how to NOT teach the way we've been teaching for the past century.
    • Nathan Fredericks
      Nathan Fredericks on 12 Oct 11
       
      I whole heartedly agree here. Too often I see this happening. It is amazing have often both teachers and students have been turned into technophobes in classrooms. I still have some students that dread doing things on the computers and all but refuse to do things with technology because they've never done it any other way.
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 12 Oct 11
       
      The word adjust is a huge word in this definition as well. Formative assessesment allows us to make changes in our teaching if what we are doing isn't having the desired result. These past two years I've spent a little time learning about the General Education Plan. If one intervention doesn't work, we need to adjust or change what we're trying. I think this is difficult for teachers as well. We get inpatient and we want to see results sooner rather than later. Yet, we need continue adjusting our instruction using the data to drive our teaching.
    • Becky Hinze
      Becky Hinze on 14 Oct 11
       
      Change instruction...that is what is missing!!!! Not just putting it into the grade book and moving on.
    • Nancy Peterman
      Nancy Peterman on 15 Oct 11
       
      I am in agreement with most on the point in the past teachers see the data, but keep on teaching "to cover the content". We are beginning to recognize the need to change but it requires a change in techniques and mental approach. Similar to letting Standards drive what is taught instead of the lessons identifying which Standards are covered.
    • Judy Sweetman
      Judy Sweetman on 16 Oct 11
       
      If teachers would use the feedback to adjust their instruction, I believe we would have fewer frustrated students! These two parts of the definition--process and using feedback to adjust teaching--are critically important in the whole school improvement process.
    • Gary Petersen
      Gary Petersen on 18 Oct 11
       
      This issue of ongoing adjustment is such a powerful concept.
  • integrated into instruction
    • Linda Hoobin
      Linda Hoobin on 20 Jun 11
       
      My big learning in my study of formative assessment is that it must be planned, even informal assessment must be planned.
    • Sandy Kluver
      Sandy Kluver on 20 Jun 11
       
      I agree. Purposeful teaching leads to better teaching and more learning by students.
    • Peggy Christensen
      Peggy Christensen on 27 Jun 11
       
      This was an ah-ha for me too. It was during our Every Learner Inquires meetings that I first realized this. I worked with a teacher who write down the key questions he wanted to ask students during the lesson I observed him teaching. He addressed all the questions he had listed. However, just remember that you don't need massive quantiies of quality questions. A few well-thought out questions can go a long way.
    • Deb Versteeg
      Deb Versteeg on 13 Jul 11
       
      Peggy, I appreciated your comment about just needing a few well-thought out questions. As educators we tend to overplan, which is fine, but we need to pull back the reigns when extended questioning etc. just isn't needed for thelearning to occur.
    • Mark McGaffin
      Mark McGaffin on 12 Oct 11
       
      My district has worked extensively with teachers to identify a purpose and the measures we will use to assess their progress.  These key questions can be the measures along with a number of other strategies.  I agree that many teachers over plan, we need to realize it that some students will not get it and that we need to plan for some enrichment opportunities during the lesson.  This will help students stay on track.
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 12 Oct 11
       
      I agree that planning is important. Formative assessment must be a deliberate part of instruction.
    • Becky Hinze
      Becky Hinze on 14 Oct 11
       
      Integrated into instruction.....not taking away from instruction to teach!
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 22 Oct 11
       
      It is so important that it be a part of the instruction process, and that students be informed of the importance of their role in this process.
  • the individual students.
    • Judy Sweetman
      Judy Sweetman on 16 Oct 11
       
      And that's where differentiated instruction comes in, as well as differentiated assessment!
  • Because the formative assessment process helps students achieve intended learning outcomes based on explicit learning progressions, teachers must first identify and then communicate the instructional goal to students.
    • Sandy Kluver
      Sandy Kluver on 20 Jun 11
       
      Explicit and communicate are the two words that jumped out at me in this sentence. Teachers need to be explicit and thoughtful with their planning and then students need to know what the intended goals are. It's hard to hit a moving target but if we do these two things our students should have success!
    • terri lamb
      terri lamb on 21 Jun 11
       
      I agree, explicit and communicated expectations and criteria need to be given for the student to reach the intended goals.
    • denise carlson
      denise carlson on 27 Jun 11
       
      In my work I'm frequently puzzled by the number of teachers that do not embrace the importance of clearly communicating expecations to their students
    • Deena Stanley-Dostart
      Deena Stanley-Dostart on 14 Oct 11
       
      I also agree that criteria should be clear, otherwise a student does not know what direction they are heading.
    • Tim Brickley
      Tim Brickley on 17 Oct 11
       
      I think that sometimes the criteria and expectations are clear in my head but it is the communication that doesn't always follow through.  This happens to me the first time I assign a project or paper.  I learn after that first time.
  • Students then need time to reflect on the feedback they have received to make changes or improvements.
    • Sandy Kluver
      Sandy Kluver on 20 Jun 11
       
      I think it's easy to hand back our papers with our feedback on it and then we move on to the next topic. But we need to go one step further and ask students to think about how they can improve the assignment based on the feedback. This might just be a quick write to get the students thinking about improving their learning.
    • terri lamb
      terri lamb on 21 Jun 11
       
      I agree, we often don't give time for this and it is an important process.
    • Cheryl Merical
      Cheryl Merical on 27 Jun 11
       
      I also agree. And if a student hasn't mastered a skill/concept how (and why) would a teacher want to move on to a higher level skill?
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 22 Oct 11
       
      An art portfolio with past work shows this growth, but students need to be shown what to look for.
  • about the particular qualities of student learning with discussion or suggestions about what the student can do to improve.
    • terri lamb
      terri lamb on 21 Jun 11
       
      Since improvement is the desired goal in formative assessment, this should be a priority.
    • Cheryl Merical
      Cheryl Merical on 27 Jun 11
       
      Agree! And "disscussion or suggestions about what the student can do to improve" is key. Too many times students are given non-descriptive feedback and true learning and/or improvement does not occur.
  • that the interpretations reflect the intentions of those who make them (e.g., writers, archaeologists, historians, and filmmakers).
    • Deborah Ausborn
      Deborah Ausborn on 25 Jun 11
       
      It is very important to remember that the interpretations of historical facts never happen in a vacuum, but always reflect the worldview of the interpreter. Our students need to learn to research the background of their sources and not just take everything presented to them at face value.
    • Cheryl Carruthers
      Cheryl Carruthers on 13 Oct 11
       
      The American Memory web site (Library of Congress) has many historical artifacts that can be used in such a process. Historical inquiry is so powerful when students are able to make the connections that Deborah mentions above.
  • Where am I going? Where am I now? How can I close the gap?
    • Deborah Ausborn
      Deborah Ausborn on 25 Jun 11
       
      Nice, concise questions for us to keep in mind as we plan objectives, goals, and formative assessment of the same.
    • Julie Townsend
      Julie Townsend on 27 Jun 11
       
      These are great questions! Sort of like the 'so what and who cares' questions I keep in mind when planning curriculum. Why am I teaching this and how will my students use it?
    • Darin Johnson
      Darin Johnson on 29 Jun 11
       
      These are awesome questions. I might have to make some posters!
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 13 Oct 11
       
      I agree that these are wonderful questions for anyone attempting to reach a goal. These questions are useful not only for feedback from a teacher but also provide a structure for student reflection
    • jalfaro
      jalfaro on 26 Jun 11
       
      We must respect our students and involve them in all of the past mysteries regarding teaching and learning. It should not be an I/you situation--"we" is the pronoun of choice for classroom success.
  • However, for students to be actively and successfully involved in their own learning, they must feel that they are bona fide partners in the learning process.
    • jalfaro
      jalfaro on 26 Jun 11
       
      Too often we use "I" and "you" when we should be using "we."
    • Gary Petersen
      Gary Petersen on 18 Oct 11
       
      This principle of being partners seems to start with the respect and trust of each role, (i.e., instructor and learner) in the assesssment process. If the process is interactive, then the teacher will be both instructor and learner as well as the student being instructor (during constructive feedback to the teacher) and learner.
    • Gayle Olson
      Gayle Olson on 20 Oct 11
       
      This is such a short paragraph with so many critical pieces in it! So much of what we know about how social/emotional factors impact learning gets shoved to the back of the agenda under the pressures of better test scores, etc., when it makes all the difference in the world, for exactly the reasons listed here.
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 22 Oct 11
       
      The person who has the biggest investment in the student's learning is the student. Students who understand this have the best outcome as life-long learners.
  • by realistic examples of those that meet and do not meet the criteria.
    • Cheryl Merical
      Cheryl Merical on 27 Jun 11
       
      Like the emphasis on not only examples, but also non-examples. So important when teaching moving away from concrete to more abstract concepts (e.g., strengths and weaknesses of arguments). Along with discussion of the "whys" and "why nots".
    • Darin Johnson
      Darin Johnson on 29 Jun 11
       
      I sometimes use a college writing textbook with my students because every chapter has "professional" examples of the topic followed by two essays written by college freshmen. My "gifted and talented" students quite often attack the more realistic student essays. I have had some of the most interesting discussions as I push students to fairly and honestly identify the good qualities and areas still to improve in their own writing and in the writing of others.
  • Sharing learning goals and criteria for success with students, support
  • nvolving students
    • Julie Townsend
      Julie Townsend on 27 Jun 11
       
      Involvement--getting students to talk about what matters to them...how are they going to apply the lesson...asking them what else they might want to know1
  • appreciation of differences
    • Julie Townsend
      Julie Townsend on 27 Jun 11
       
      Showing students you appreciate their differences is a personality trait some teachers have more of than others. Cultivating this acceptance can improve the culture and climate of the classroom, and sometimes teachers can encourage with success, this trait in other teachers.
  • The teacher might first offer students a paraphrased version of that goal such as
  • n self-assessment, students reflect on and monitor their learning using clearly explicated criteria for success.
    • Lisa Buss
      Lisa Buss on 17 Jul 11
       
      Students learn best when they are responsible for their own learning.
  • Using the evidence elicited from such tasks connected to the goals of the progression, a teacher could identify the “just right gap” – a growth point in learning that involves a step that is neither too large nor too small – and make adjustments to instruction accordingly.
    • Darin Johnson
      Darin Johnson on 29 Jun 11
       
      This reminds me of the British expression "Mind the gap." This is a compelling argument, but I wonder about the simplicity of application. Is it feasible for a teacher to give "frequent feedback" of such a high quality that s/he is making sure that every students is in his/her zone of proximal development and then adjusting instruction accordingly. If teachers are to move away from industrialized models of education, then changes in the learning environment need to occur as well. I'm feeling like a Detroit auto executive in the late 1980s.
  • However, student- and peer-assessment should not be used in the formal grading process.
    • Darin Johnson
      Darin Johnson on 29 Jun 11
       
      Should teachers ever grade peer feedback? Students flock around Student A because she gives in-depth and insightful comments to their work. Student B finds to comma errors and tells his single partner that the essay is "good." Should these students be evaluated? Should they evaluate themselves? Or is this just punishing them with rewards? (I can't think of the title that I'm attempting to steal here.)
  • In this type of classroom culture, students will more likely feel they are collaborators with their teacher and peers in the learning process.
    • Jean Van Gilder
      Jean Van Gilder on 13 Oct 11
       
      I like the word collaborators used in describing the students in what we are working toward for all classrooms.
  • n addition to teacher feedback, when students and their peers are involved there are many more opportunities to share and receive feedback.
    • Amy Burns
      Amy Burns on 11 Oct 11
       
      I think we leave peer and self-assessment behind in the quest to accomplish all that is required in a 45 minute class period. There are so many online tools and formats that might fill the need for increased peer and self-assessment. Why not encourage backchannel reflections during a presentation? A site such as http://www.chatzy.com/advanced.htm might be one way for this to be accomplished.
    • Kathy Hageman
      Kathy Hageman on 12 Oct 11
       
      Do you like Chatzy better than TodaysMeet?
  • in an eighth grade writing class the students are learning how to construct an argument. They are focusing specifically on speech-writing and have examined several effective speeches, both from prominent speech-makers in history and from previous years’ eighth grade students.
    • Joletta Yoder
      Joletta Yoder on 11 Oct 11
       
      Like this lesson idea. I wonder what speeches they are listening to or viewing. I wonder how one can get these to share in class.
  • What can you do to improve or strengthen your opening paragraph?”
    • Joletta Yoder
      Joletta Yoder on 11 Oct 11
       
      This is a great way to give feeback on a weak element in writing because it causes interaction with the student, dialogue, reflection, and revision. One can be sure that with this simple question the student will revise and, in turn, grow as a writer.
    • Natalie Smithhart
      Natalie Smithhart on 14 Oct 11
       
      I agree, this is a great questin for students to think about their work and revise it on thier own, without being told what to write.
  • purposefully planned
    • David Olson
      David Olson on 18 Oct 11
       
      The key si PLANNED, not just incidental
  • In addition to communicating the nature of the instructional goal, teachers must provide the criteria by which learning will be assessed so that students will know whether they are successfully progressing toward the goal. This information should be communicated using language readily understood by students
    • Kathy Hageman
      Kathy Hageman on 12 Oct 11
       
      This section brings to mind last week's discussion of rubrics - clear expectations expressed in student-friendly language. While I think of rubrics as guides for students, I also think of them as summative assessment tools. Is there a blurring of summative and formative assessment?
    • Lynne Devaney
      Lynne Devaney on 16 Oct 11
       
      I think they can be blurred. Once the purpose of an assessment is identified, it can be used a number of different ways. ITBS can be formative if data is examined with a formative task in mind just as much as it can be summative. Not?
    • David Olson
      David Olson on 18 Oct 11
       
      Sometimes criteria is better than a rubric.
  • Learning goals and criteria for success should be clearly identified
  • 4. Self- and Peer-Assessment: Both self- and peer-assessment are important for providing students an opportunity to think meta-cognitively about their learning.
  • close the gap between students’ current understanding and the desired goals
  • goals
  • goals
  • goals
    • Nathan Fredericks
      Nathan Fredericks on 12 Oct 11
       
      I definitely think this is very important to look at in the big picture. There are school SMART goals that need reached as well as individual student goals. The two cannot be mutually exclusive and too often they are thought to be so.
    • David Olson
      David Olson on 16 Oct 11
       
      It should say best used by educators AND LEARNERS, since it is all about how students learn, as well as, how we teach
    • David Olson
      David Olson on 16 Oct 11
       
      and used by students, too.
    • David Olson
      David Olson on 16 Oct 11
       
      Students are also important
    • David Olson
      David Olson on 16 Oct 11
       
      Students are also important
    • David Olson
      David Olson on 16 Oct 11
       
      The importance of students is not mentioned
    • David Olson
      David Olson on 16 Oct 11
       
      Students are important also.
    • David Olson
      David Olson on 16 Oct 11
       
      Studetn involvement is important
    • Lynne Devaney
      Lynne Devaney on 17 Oct 11
       
      Students are important.
  • instruction. A second important part of the definition is its unequivocal requirement that the formative assessment process involve both teachers
  • There are five attributes that have been identified from the literature as critical features of effective formative assessment
    • Lynne Devaney
      Lynne Devaney on 16 Oct 11
       
      This outline of 5 attributes is very powerful! Easy for any teacher to get their hands around this. I could see PLCs spenind an entire year talking about even on eor two of these or a principal developing walk-through with these. Thanks for including this article in our reading.
  • To support both self- and peer-assessment, the teacher must provide structure and support so students learn to be reflective of their own work and that of their peers, allowing them to provide meaningful and constructive feedback.
    • Kathy Hageman
      Kathy Hageman on 12 Oct 11
       
      A former colleague had her students use MovieMaker to record messages to their parents for conferences. She reported that students were thoughtful and sincere as they described accomplishments as well as goal areas.
    • Gary Petersen
      Gary Petersen on 18 Oct 11
       
      Students are not automatically reflective. Providing support and feedback to the student on how they are utilizing formative assessment makes sense.
    • Nathan Fredericks
      Nathan Fredericks on 12 Oct 11
       
      I think it is important to make sure that students have the structure and organization necessary to help assist their learning. The management piece of this cannot be forgotten.
  • students can be encouraged to be self-reflective by thinking about their own work based on what they learned from giving feedback to others
    • Kathy Hageman
      Kathy Hageman on 12 Oct 11
       
      Perhaps this would help students learn to provide better feedback to peers. Even after teacher modeling, many students have difficulty moving beyond superficial compliments to provide thoughtful, constructive comments.
    • Jean Van Gilder
      Jean Van Gilder on 13 Oct 11
       
      This does take alot of practice for students.
  • two stars and a wish
    • Natalie Smithhart
      Natalie Smithhart on 12 Oct 11
       
      I like this idea! It seems like a good (friendly and safe) way for peers to evaluate each other. Since each student is required to give a "wish" nobdy should get upset about providing or receiving a suggestion for improvment.
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 13 Oct 11
       
      I like this as well. Phrasing can be so important. This puts everything in a very positive light. Instead of this is what you did wrong, the wish looks at what you could do better. The outcome is the same, however.
    • Judy Sweetman
      Judy Sweetman on 16 Oct 11
       
      I have seen this in action before, and it really does help the feedback to be constructive and not offensive.
  • non-threatening environment
    • Natalie Smithhart
      Natalie Smithhart on 12 Oct 11
       
      I like this part best! As early childhood teachers we understand the importance of a "safe" learning environmnet. Children need to feel secure in thier environment in order to be able to give and accept feedback and learn to the best of thier abilities! :)
    • Maryann Angeroth
      Maryann Angeroth on 14 Oct 11
       
      Have we taught students that feedback is punative and not for encouragement and to extend the learning/
    • Judy Sweetman
      Judy Sweetman on 16 Oct 11
       
      I agree that this has to be established, first. I often encourage teachers to take those first couple of weeks of school to establish that atmosphere of trust--not just between the teacher and students, but also between students and students. Then the focus can be on learning!
  • Formative assessment is not an adjunct to teaching
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 12 Oct 11
       
      Formative assessment is essential to learning. It's something that is NOT supplementary or something that might be nice to do. Formative assessment imust be part of teaching and learning. Yet as I consider my educational career, it seems that formative assessment has become a buzz word in education only relatively recently. As we continue to look at ways to increase student achievement, formative assessment is something that needs to become a permanent part of our "educational vocabulary."
    • David Olson
      David Olson on 18 Oct 11
       
      It is part of teaching, and has been, but it is an important new focus, and is being explained more explicitly than ever before.
  • they monitor and take responsibility for their own learning
    • Judy Griffin
      Judy Griffin on 13 Oct 11
       
      Students have to take ownership of their learning, and learn to monitor themselves. It's hard for teachers to let go of the reins!
    • Jean Van Gilder
      Jean Van Gilder on 13 Oct 11
       
      I agree that is one of the most difficult things; as we like to be in total control.
    • Maryann Angeroth
      Maryann Angeroth on 14 Oct 11
       
      Maybe it is time to let the students do the heavy lifting.
  • should avoid comparisons with other pupils
    • Judy Sweetman
      Judy Sweetman on 16 Oct 11
       
      This is a really important statement, as I still remember being compared (not favorably) to other students in front of the entire class when in 6th grade.
    • Kevin McColley
      Kevin McColley on 16 Oct 11
       
      Too often I see kids comparing themself to their peers and if we can get away from this and focus on an assessment that underlines what the individual child is doing and improving off of year-to-year showing this to the student hopefully they will get a sense of fulfillment in knowing their is growth in their cognitive development.
  • teachers and students receiving frequent feedback
    • Deena Stanley-Dostart
      Deena Stanley-Dostart on 14 Oct 11
       
      Sometimes feedback has a tendency to be one sided. It is good to see that both teacher and student should have feedback so that both can adjust.
    • David Olson
      David Olson on 16 Oct 11
       
      This two way feedback is really an enhancement of the Madeleine Hunter model and goes beyond just the teacher checking for understanding.
    • Jessica White
      Jessica White on 16 Oct 11
       
      I like that it is stated that formative assessment is not an adjunct to learning, but integrated. It is part of our instructional process.
  • the teacher clarifies the goal for the student, provides specific information about where the student is in relation to meeting the criteria,
    • Deena Stanley-Dostart
      Deena Stanley-Dostart on 14 Oct 11
       
      Just saying "good job" or "needs work" does not help a student. Specifics are important.
  • their responsibility and that they can take an active role in planning, monitoring, and evaluating their own progress
    • Deena Stanley-Dostart
      Deena Stanley-Dostart on 14 Oct 11
       
      I think that this ties in with a student centered classroom. Students are responsible for their learning and not just relying on the teacher to be the sole provider of feedback.
  • For example, students can work in pairs to review each other’s work to give feedback.
    • Natalie Smithhart
      Natalie Smithhart on 14 Oct 11
       
      I like this idea, students can learn a lot from providing postive or constructive feedback for their peers. I would think it also helps them improve their own writing when they learn ideas from their peers.
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 22 Oct 11
       
      I agree. With the teacher's guidance this is one of the best learning environments.
  • determine how formative assessment may best be used by the nation’s educators.
    • Nancy Peterman
      Nancy Peterman on 15 Oct 11
       
      This states "best used by" tells me that it should be a useful tool that reduces the daily tasks of the classroom teacher and not documentation tasks that sit on the bookshelf.
  • informal observations
    • Judy Sweetman
      Judy Sweetman on 16 Oct 11
       
      Often the informal observations yield just as much information as the purposefully planned techniques. Walking around small groups and jotting down snippets of conversation gives a lot of information.
  • In the year following, the FAST SCASS and FA Advisory Group isolated the attributes that, based on the research and current literature, would render formative assessment most effective.
    • Lynne Devaney
      Lynne Devaney on 16 Oct 11
       
      Our district has been working with AfL for several years, but I have not had the opportunity to read this article before. It is great! Great synthesis and easily difenstible. Would love to (and intend to) use with principals and teachers.
  • itions of formative assessment and related research. The FA Advisory Group and FAST SCASS devoted substantial effort to clarify the meaning of “fo
  • the individual teacher
  • evidence
  • A teacher needs to have modeled good feedback
  • sufficient detail
    • Gary Petersen
      Gary Petersen on 18 Oct 11
       
      I often wonder how much I miss in my instruction or learning due to not enough specificity in many areas of the process. For examle, are the learning outcomes stated in enough detail; do the assessments provide enough detail, etc.?
  • They are able to connect formative assessment opportunities to the short-term goals to keep track of how well their students’ learning is moving forward.
    • Gayle Olson
      Gayle Olson on 20 Oct 11
       
      I think this is important for the students to know, also. Some learning styles have a difficult time learning one piece unless they can see how it fits into the bigger picture. Helping the students understand how the short term goals all fit together would be so helpful for these students. And formative assessment is a great way for both teacher and student to make sure they are on track.
  • through pictures, plays, films, reconstructions, museum displays, and fiction and nonfiction accounts
    • lisa rasmussen
      lisa rasmussen on 22 Oct 11
       
      These creative activities for students use so many excellent questioning techniques as students compare and contrast, and in the evaluation and synthesis of ideas.
Mary Overholtzer

ollie1: Iowa Online Course Standards - 2 views

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

shared by Mary Overholtzer on 17 May 11 - No Cached
  • (K-12) • Information literacy and communication skills are incorporated and taught as an integral part of the curriculum.
    • Mary Trent
      Mary Trent on 17 May 11
       
      Communication is key in online classes. I know I have been lost a time or two. I like checklists of requirements for the course.
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 19 May 11
       
      Information literacy becomes even more important as more resources are available for our students. They need the tools to be able to filter through all the information out there and search out what is best. Middle school kids seem very willing to believe it if they saw it on the internet.
    • mhauser
      mhauser on 22 May 11
       
      I'm 57 years old. My dad, who had an eighth grade education and would be in his 90s were he still alive used to tell us, "Don't believe everything you hear." He would also say, "Don't believe everything you read." My dad was wise. We need to be skeptics. Everyone needs to ask the questions, Who is sharing this information? Why should I believe them? What is their purpose? How old is this information? Can I understand the context in which it's offered? I'm a teacher librarian. I've been working on this for 16 years and love that information literacy is in these standards.
    • Mary Overholtzer
      Mary Overholtzer on 12 Jun 11
       
      Communication is the hardest thing I do as a wife, mother, teacher, and friend. When I think I am communicating well, it's obvious that others are not!!!! HA! The hardest job I will every do is communicating.
  • • The course design provides opportunities for appropriate instructor-student interaction, including timely and frequent feedback about student progress based on the learning targets.
    • Mary Trent
      Mary Trent on 17 May 11
       
      It's important to encourage students to feel comfortable to ask questions especially when they are lost. Quick, easy, multiple ways to contact the instructor are important.
    • Julia Schreckengast
      Julia Schreckengast on 18 May 11
       
      I would agree so many students are too afraid to ask questions in front of a class. They are just satisfied with not knowing rather than risking embarassment.
    • Laura Eklund
      Laura Eklund on 18 May 11
       
      I am involved in a grant program that is about blending the online teaching with face-to-face teaching, which will make the instructor-student interaction easier.
    • Bob Pauk
      Bob Pauk on 19 May 11
       
      Obviously this is important, but also challenging when you see as many as 150 students per day. It makes things like clickers and online communicaiton that much more important.
    • Nancy Peterman
      Nancy Peterman on 19 May 11
       
      Technology has made instructor-student interaction easier, while also making it difficult for students to not become involved. Students quickly see that they are accountable and instructors can track their participation.
    • Kevin Kemp
      Kevin Kemp on 22 May 11
       
      Students and instructors both need feedback in order to achieve.  Progress can only be achieved with an ongoing, positive conversation
  • All resources and materials used in the course are appropriately cited and obey copyright and fair use.
    • crjessen44
      crjessen44 on 18 May 11
       
      This is something I would like to know more about in the on-line world. I'm not sure on certain issues relating to this and would like to be more clear on my understanding.
    • Ashley Weaver
      Ashley Weaver on 18 May 11
       
      I would also like information, especially about fair use!
    • Deborah Ausborn
      Deborah Ausborn on 19 May 11
       
      This is one of the greatest concerns I have in planning an online course. I did find a section in the orientation materials for this course that addressed it. It is called "Copyright BriefNotes" and is available from the AEA. I can't tell you exactly where I found it; explored way too many links to be able to retrace my steps and the printout doesn't have a web address. It was a pdf file on a link.
    • Kathy Hageman
      Kathy Hageman on 20 May 11
       
      It is critical that we model appropriate citing, observance of copyright, and fair use for our students. My middle schoolers have difficulty grasping both the significance and the proper methods of these concepts.
    • Jessica White
      Jessica White on 23 May 11
       
      This is one of the most important details! Yes, middle school students struggle with citing. It is only going to be more important as more and more online resources are available.
    • Deb Ritchie
      Deb Ritchie on 23 May 11
       
      I'm pretty clear on rights for print materials, but less sure when the item in question is a graphic, picture, etc. Does it make a difference that our course is only available to students in our classroom and not going out to the world wide web?
  • ...27 more annotations...
  • Sufficient learning resources and materials to increase student success are available to students
    • crjessen44
      crjessen44 on 18 May 11
       
      This is where I think Moodle or other similar tools will have an advantage. I like that I will be able to group all relevant resources together for students. I have a lot of resources right now but they are all scattered..
    • Nancy Peterman
      Nancy Peterman on 19 May 11
       
      I definitely agree with you about these online tools making resources more available. Like you, I have many resources in many locations. I am gradually moving the resources to my Moodle course pages and plan to expand this to include Diigo. Grouping the resources will provide students with a consistent location while working and provide me with a better method for keeping web pages current.
  • Ongoing and frequent assessments
    • Ashley Weaver
      Ashley Weaver on 18 May 11
       
      Formative assessments?
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 19 May 11
       
      Good question - Would this be a good spot for using some of the online quiz tools that we saw on the Cool Tools website? Is it easier or harder to complete formative assessments in an online setting?
  • Instructions to students on how to meet the learning objectives are adequate and stated clearly.
    • rcordes1961
      rcordes1961 on 18 May 11
       
      AS Stiggens said many years ago, students need to know the target before attempting to hit the target. Trying to hit a moving target is frustrating and difficult for everyone!
    • Deborah Ausborn
      Deborah Ausborn on 19 May 11
       
      How true! It is important that the students clearly know what is expected of them.
    • Kathy Hageman
      Kathy Hageman on 20 May 11
       
      My nine-year old even undertands this! He recently commented, "This assignment would be so much easier if (the teacher) had given us a rubric."
    • Kevin Kemp
      Kevin Kemp on 22 May 11
       
      If our students don't know what to expect, what are we doing?  Students need and deserve to know what they are responsible to know.
    • mhauser
      mhauser on 22 May 11
       
      I need to get better about making clear daily objectives. That's new to me, but my faculties have their learning goals posted on their walls each day. It's great for everybody. Kathy, I love what your son said. Kevin, you are right on the money!
    • Victoria Guilliatt
      Victoria Guilliatt on 26 May 11
       
      I put my lesson objectives on the board when I teach my elementary library classes, it makes it easier for the students to know what I expect.
    • Mary Overholtzer
      Mary Overholtzer on 12 Jun 11
       
      What's amazing to me is when I have a student say, "Give me a rubric, and I can easily get an A with less effort." This scares me....to me it's a way of putting forth mediocre work by "beating" the system. Tha'ts why every rubric I build has a perception component of quality when comparing project/discussions/etc with peers.
  • Assessment strategies and tools, such as "self-check" or practice assignments, make the student continuously aware of his/her progress in class and mastery of the content beyond letter grades.
    • Julia Schreckengast
      Julia Schreckengast on 18 May 11
       
      I am going to try to use next year with my CoPi blended classroom.
    • Amy Kemp
      Amy Kemp on 22 May 11
       
      I hope to create some practice problems or a quiz using Softchalk.  I have never created anything myself for them to do online.
  • The course instruction includes activities that engage students in active learning
    • Laura Eklund
      Laura Eklund on 18 May 11
       
      This is a great place for the cool tools for school, but there are so many out there I don't know where to begin. Also, it seems like everytime I find a tool that engages students a new and better tool comes out and I have relearn everything about that tool.
  • The course instruction includes activities that engage students in active learning
    • Bob Pauk
      Bob Pauk on 19 May 11
       
      Students today live in a different world than the one most of us in this class experienced when we were young. Sitting for 45 minutes with nothing more than an overhead projector or chalkboard to look at and nothing more than a teachers voice to hear is just completely out of touch with the way students experience things outside of the classroom. As educators we need to keep that in mind or we really will have kids bored to death.
    • Joleen Louwsma
      Joleen Louwsma on 19 May 11
       
      Students are multitaskers and grow bored when not challenged. Active and interactive learning is one way to keep them engaged. I also feel that as teachers we need to change our " tools" and raise the bar for learning.
    • mhauser
      mhauser on 22 May 11
       
      In most classes, I think we have about 10 minutes to direct students toward the learning that we hope will happen that day. Then we have to let them get started on their learning and coach them as needed for the rest of the class. If there is confusion or a common thread shows up during the class time, the coach/facilitator/teacher might stop the student work to explain, or to have a student explain the issue, but otherwise, the focus is definitely not on the teacher. It's not about us. ;-)
  • • Academic integrity and netiquette (Internet etiquette) expectations regarding lesson activities, discussions, e-mail communications and plagiarism are clearly stated
    • Matt Tracy
      Matt Tracy on 19 May 11
       
      This, I believe, is more and more important because our students really struggle with understanding that once something is on the web, it's out there for good. They also struggle with understanding just the basics of appropriateness.
    • Kathy Hageman
      Kathy Hageman on 21 May 11
       
      Do you think that in many cases students do know what is appropriate and what is not? I think that students sometimes push the limits to see if the instructor cares enough to hold them accountable.
  • 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
    • Bob Pauk
      Bob Pauk on 19 May 11
       
      This one is so simple, yet doing this effectively is probably on of the most important things an instructor can do to avoid problems down the road.
    • rcordes1961
      rcordes1961 on 19 May 11
       
      I agree, Bob. I think sometimes we believe students are suppose to be mind readers when it comes to what they will learn or be able to do.
    • Jason Gomez
      Jason Gomez on 07 Jun 11
       
      My school went to putting the learning target on the board everyday. I think it was good, but should be incorporated with a "ticket out the door" activity.
  • Instruction provides students with multiple learning paths to master the content, addressing individual student needs, learning styles and preferences
    • Deborah Ausborn
      Deborah Ausborn on 19 May 11
       
      I really love the idea that we can tailor courses to meet the needs of individual students. I would like to explore ways to have various paths leading to mastery. Once a student has mastered a concept, he or she can move on to the next concept. A student who needs more practice could be redirected to more learning activities on the same concept. One size does not fit all.
    • Kathy Hageman
      Kathy Hageman on 20 May 11
       
      As I learn more about online learning and using Moodle, I am excited about the possibilities for differentiation. I see this as one of the greatest strengths of the format.
    • Bev Berns
      Bev Berns on 20 May 11
       
      I love the idea of giving students ownership in their learning!
  • Technologies are chosen that are accessible to students
    • rcordes1961
      rcordes1961 on 19 May 11
       
      We need to keep in mind not all students have internet access at home. Online learning cannot be another way of separating the haves from the have nots.
    • Tresa Zaragoza
      Tresa Zaragoza on 20 May 11
       
      This is the one that worries me the most. Between having enough computers and having them work when we need them.
  • A clear, complete course overview and syllabus are included in the course
    • Joleen Louwsma
      Joleen Louwsma on 19 May 11
       
      This is an important factor in making a successful class. What I think is clear and concise may be confusing to my students. Writing the syllabus, the course overview, expectations, and lesson instructions will be an ongoing process.
  • Instructions make clear how to get started and where to find various course components
    • Kathy Hageman
      Kathy Hageman on 20 May 11
       
      As students in this course, many of us understand that it may be easy to be overwhelmed when starting out in online learning. We help our students with simple and clear guidance.
    • Mary Overholtzer
      Mary Overholtzer on 12 Jun 11
       
      As time goes on, what we consider to be so difficult, becomes easier as time goes on. We must note that while we teach online learners---and naturally, while they teach us too.
  • The requirements for student work, including student interaction, are clearly articulated.
    • Kathy Hageman
      Kathy Hageman on 20 May 11
       
      Limited experiences teaching online have taught me that the quality of student interaction rises significantly when there are rubrics that spell out expectations for student posts. Otherwise, students easily slip into the language and style of non-academic online social interactions.
  • The course provider offers the course teacher, school coordinator assistance with technical support and course management. .
    • April Tidwell
      April Tidwell on 21 May 11
       
      I feel this is so important. One of my biggest concerns about going 1:1 next year is the lack of tech support. I haven't seen any plan to increase the tech department, and I often have to wait days to get answers currently from the help desk. Students get extremely frustrated when technology doesn't work especially if there is no one there to help them.
  • The course provides opportunities for appropriate student interaction with the content to foster mastery and application of the material.
    • Heather Gould
      Heather Gould on 21 May 11
       
      Rigor and Relevance is the Characteristic of Effective Instruction that comes to mind as I read this. Good instruction is good instruction, regardless of the teaching modality. In a student-centered environment, as this suggests, students are encouraged to collaborate with others as they take their new knowledge and apply it.
    • Steven Petersen
      Steven Petersen on 21 May 11
       
      This is critical. Without face-to-face interaction there has to be a method put in place for frequent contact by the teacher. Students always have questions and an inability to address those questions will lead to frustration.
  • The course accommodates multiple school calendars; e.g., block, 4X4 and traditional schedules
    • Steven Petersen
      Steven Petersen on 21 May 11
       
      Why should this matter. Unless it is a blended class the confines of the school schedule should be immaterial.
  • The course provides opportunities for appropriate instructor-student and student-student interaction to foster mastery and application of the material and a plan for monitoring that interaction.
    • hollysoby
      hollysoby on 22 May 11
       
      This is one I'm excited about - I'm hoping by mixing online with face to face learning I can have more interaction with quiet students - though I know from taking online classes it can be easy to just do enough to get by if there aren't a lot of opportunities to interact.
    • Tim Hadley
      Tim Hadley on 22 May 11
       
      I am hoping that is portion of the "face to face" is built in to help accomodate learning for students who are having trouble mastering the content. My worse fear of online learning is making the material move too quickly for students to keep up, making them frustrated and not positive learners.
  • The course structure includes a wide variety of assessment procedures to assess students’ mastery of content.
    • hollysoby
      hollysoby on 22 May 11
       
      This is something I feel like I need to be careful about - I think it's easy to get so excited about new ideas I throw a lot of projects at students at once - I need to think really hard about what I want to assess them on.
    • Tim Hadley
      Tim Hadley on 22 May 11
       
      Glad it isn't just me, I find that I also get pumped about something, throw it out to the students to "try" and then I realize at the end that I had no way to measure whether it was really effective or not.
  • • Grading policy and practices are easy to understand.
  • 21st century skills in the course, including: using 21st century skills in the core subjects, 21st century content, learning and thinking skills, ICT literacy, self-directed learning, global awareness
    • Tim Hadley
      Tim Hadley on 22 May 11
       
      Courses being online in and of themselves are 21st Century learning skills. However, I believe, online instruction should include more than just being posted on the internet. It should push students to be self-directed and global learners. Fulfilling this standard will take work, but I believe it is one of the most important goals of learning.
  • Hardware, web browser and software requirements, as well as prerequisite technology skills are specified.
    • Tim Hadley
      Tim Hadley on 22 May 11
       
      This is something I hadn't really thought about, but it makes sense. If students can't access your course from the beginning it would make it hard to impossible to be able to complete it.
  • Specific and descriptive criteria, including rubrics, are provided for the evaluation of students’ work and participation.
    • Jessica White
      Jessica White on 23 May 11
       
      This is always important to me as a teacher. Students must know how they are graded before the assignment/project is started. This would be the same with online learning.
  • The course provides opportunities for students to engage in higher-order thinking, critical-reasoning activities and thinking in increasingly complex ways
    • Deb Ritchie
      Deb Ritchie on 23 May 11
       
      This is the standard that I'm most interested in. How do we make sure students are not doing the same old things only now with a computer? We need to keep the bar up there for higher-order thinking skills and critical reasoning. I'm hoing to gather ideas from class to help me do this.
  • instructional materials are aligned with the content
    • Victoria Guilliatt
      Victoria Guilliatt on 26 May 11
       
      This is very important when I teach the elementary students in the library because it is very easy for them to become lost in the lesson
  • The course content and assignments are aligned with state’s content standards or nationally accepted content standards
    • Jason Gomez
      Jason Gomez on 07 Jun 11
       
      This always worries me; is the content of my class the same as the state's content? My district has gone to content mapping which makes it very easy to know that we are following state standards
Barbara Day

Favorite Moodle Uses | Megan Hayes-Golding - 0 views

kalamitykat.com/...favorite-moodle-uses

moodle moodle_iowa technology

shared by Barbara Day on 09 Jun 14 - No Cached
  • If you hear Moodle is ugly remember most folks are comparing it to commercial tools like Schoology. Those tools draw you in with a Facebook-like appearance but the tradeoff of less functionality kills it for me.
  • I’ve embedded Google Calendars, YouTube videos, and Dropbox files into Moodle pages
  • In its basic mode, Moodle lets you post files for kids to download, post links, and host your PowerPoint notes.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • Where Moodle really stands out is with the question bank and quiz/test  options.
  • Barbara Day on 09 Jun 14
     
    Article about Moodle uses
mschutjer

ollie-afe-2019: Educational Leadership: The Quest for Quality--article - 6 views

moodlesw.aealearningonline.org/...view.php

shared by mschutjer on 25 Mar 19 - No Cached
    • nealjulie
      nealjulie on 25 Mar 19
       
      I thought this quote was interesting. I always believe that having more than one data point helps a teacher see more of a rounded picture of that student. Relying on just one assessment isn't fair to the student. I believe we should look at multiple assessments, formative assessments, check points to help our students grow. JN
  • assessor needs to have a clear picture of what achievement he or she intends to measure. I
    • rhoadsb_
      rhoadsb_ on 30 Mar 19
       
      Assessment needs to be directly tied to the standard you are teaching too.
    • Deborah Cleveland
      Deborah Cleveland on 03 Apr 19
       
      When we were rolling out the Iowa Core, we really emphasized how content, instruction, and assessment were part of the "curriculum". Each piece playing an integral part in student learning.
    • nealjulie
      nealjulie on 25 Mar 19
       
      I think we as teachers need to make sure we are focused on what essentials we need to assess. We have the mindset that we must teach the content, and not the process. JN
  • ...66 more annotations...
  • Do the results provide clear direction for what to do next?
    • nealjulie
      nealjulie on 25 Mar 19
       
      Do we use the data for reteaching? JN
  • Students learn best when they monitor and take responsibility for their own learning
    • kmolitor
      kmolitor on 28 Mar 19
       
      I really like this idea of having students take responsibility for their own learning, and putting the learning target in language they can understand would definitely help!
    • mpercy
      mpercy on 29 Mar 19
       
      I agree that students do learn best when they take on the responsibility but I also think this is the ideal situation and often does not happen. How do we motivate more students to do this?
    • alisauter
      alisauter on 30 Mar 19
       
      I agree with this, but it seems so foreign to students. I think we need to plan on a lot of modeling to shift the responsibility to them.
    • nealjulie
      nealjulie on 25 Mar 19
       
      Student friendly learning targets! I believe involving students in tracking their own learning targets is very powerful! It's high on the Hattie scale. JN
  • f 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.
    • Wendy Arch
      Wendy Arch on 26 Mar 19
       
      While this seems like a straightforward idea, in reality, making a learning purpose clear and understandable to everyone - students included - can be difficult. Especially in English, the skill were teaching is not clear cut. CCSS Reading Literature 11-12.6 asks students to "Analyze a case in which grasping a point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant." However, there's no "right" answer to this skill. Student analysis of "what is really meant" could encompass a huge range of ideas. Crafting an assessment and teaching/learning opportunities that clearly delineate "proficient" analysis from "poor" analysis can't always be put into clear and understandable language. How can you quantify the qualitative?
    • kimgrissom
      kimgrissom on 29 Mar 19
       
      There is truth in the challenge. But I know I have been guilty of knowing what I was looking for but not clearly communicating it to students. Then they are left to guess...which means they are likely to guess in at least some ways incorrectly. I think the more modeling we do, the more "anchor papers" we provide, the better students achieve our expectations. Putting those expectations into words and examples is its own challenge, but a worthy one.
    • cathy84
      cathy84 on 31 Mar 19
       
      It is nice to hear from other high school English teachers about the difficulty of measuring such subjective skills. I always struggled. One strategy I did find helpful was assigning paragraph writing as an assessment and scoring them 1-5, with a 3 being adequate and a 5 outstanding Then we would do several together and discuss what constituted a 3 and the differences between 3-4-5. That did seem to help, and students personalized the challenge of getting at least a 3 to show competency and reaching for outstanding.
  • t also helps them assign the appropriate balance of points in relation to the importance of each target as well as the number of items for each assessed target.
    • annott
      annott on 30 Mar 19
       
      I really like this chart, it's easy to follow and easy to read.
  • minimizing any bias that might distort estimates of student learning.
    • Wendy Arch
      Wendy Arch on 26 Mar 19
       
      This is where I know as an English teacher, I can get bogged down in the details. All of my writing assignments have an assessment category for "M.U.G.S." as we call them (mechanics, usage, grammar, spelling), but those aren't actively taught and retaught every unit. We just expect students to have a certain level of proficiency at this point. However, that isn't always the case. There are MANY students who have not internalized the "rules" of writing. Their mechanics (punctuation) seems haphazard, grammar atrocious, usage nonexistent, and spelling like they fell asleep on their keyboard. However, a complete lack of those skills might not prevent them from being able to distinguish "what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant." I have to be careful to not allow my internal bias against poor writing ability to distort an accurate estimate of a student's learning and demonstration of the skill.
    • kmolitor
      kmolitor on 28 Mar 19
       
      When I read through this about minimizing bias it made me think of the old ITBS/ITED tests and a student we had that was new to this country. The student was very bright but he did not perform well on the test because of bias. One example I recall was he had no idea what a fir tree was as where he was from there was no such thing.
  • Will the users of the results understand them and see the connection to learning?
    • Wendy Arch
      Wendy Arch on 26 Mar 19
       
      This is also where I struggle. Our department uses the online program Turnitin.com to give students feedback on written assessments and grade almost all work. This is partially to alleviate issues with plagiarism, but mostly because it gives students and teachers a one access point to communicate feedback. The program allows users to submit rubrics that students can see. We've started assessing rough draft using the final rubric so students can see where their work is in the rough draft stage so they know which paper criteria need work. They also can view my feedback on the paper that tells them how to fix what they need to fix. My frustration is when students aren't willing to go back and look at the feedback on the paper or rubric so they know what learning skills they still need to work on. How can we motivate them to look at the results, see the connections, and make the progress in learning?
    • kmolitor
      kmolitor on 29 Mar 19
       
      That is a great point! How do we motivate kids to go back and look at the feedback and make changes. Many of our kids just want to know what do I need to know to pass the test or assignment and once they pass that's all that matters.
    • jennham
      jennham on 02 Apr 19
       
      You have mentioned before that kids always want to know what they have to do in order to get an A or pass...but that's what I want to know when I take a course. I want/need to know what the expected outcomes are. I feel that kids have so many classes, tests, and assignments that if they don't ask those questions or think in that kind of a structured fashion that they will crash and burn. I get that we want them to LEARN and be passionate, but especially in required courses, the passion just isn't always there and the class literally is a box to check off.
  • From a formative point of view, decision makers at the classroom assessment level need evidence of where students are on the learning continuum toward each standard
    • Wendy Arch
      Wendy Arch on 26 Mar 19
       
      This is another area where I personally struggle. The time and flexibility needed to be truly responsive is astronomical. I currently teach 4 of the 10 sections of English 10 at Indianola High School. As a class cohort, we try to be within a day or two of each other in content delivery. However, if my students don't get a concept, it's difficult to take a day to reteach since that throws off my alignment with the other teachers. It also means that I would have would have different periods at different places. I'm hoping the flipped and blended learning opportunities will help with the time and organization issues I currently have. If I can break groups up into smaller cohorts based on skill, then use flipped/blended methods for each group, I can (hopefully) accomplish more within the time frame. It makes organization more complicated, but allows more flexibility.
    • kimgrissom
      kimgrissom on 29 Mar 19
       
      This is why common formative assessments can be so helpful. If some of your students aren't getting something, it's likely that others aren't either. If you look at the whole team's formative data, it could be that everyone needs to adjust rather than just you.
    • barbkfoster
      barbkfoster on 01 Apr 19
       
      And if your class is doing more poorly than another class, you can have conversations about the different instructional practices being used. We all do our best but it's ok to not be the best. Together we can do what is best for our students.
  • Do the results provide clear direction for what to do next?
    • mgast40diigo
      mgast40diigo on 28 Mar 19
       
      We receive a lot data but never do much with it. What do other schools do with their data? There are great questions within this paragraph that should be asked when the results are in. MG
  • 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.
    • mgast40diigo
      mgast40diigo on 28 Mar 19
       
      SBL and transitioning from all letter grades is a lengthy process but very beneficial for feedback purposes. MG
    • tommuller4
      tommuller4 on 29 Mar 19
       
      I agree with you about the SBL and how it shows a student exactly what they know or what they need to improve on. A letter grade just give them a percentage of the time they have a correct answer. Doesn't give them any information at what they know or don't know.
    • kmolitor
      kmolitor on 29 Mar 19
       
      I agree Matt, but how do we get kids to go back and internalize the feedback?
  • aim for the lowest possible reading level,
    • mgast40diigo
      mgast40diigo on 28 Mar 19
       
      I am curious to see if the new Iowa Assessments focus on this. MG
    • kimgrissom
      kimgrissom on 29 Mar 19
       
      I think this is also interesting because I know there are some tests that do this purposefully to "increase the rigor" of the test. For instance, AP exams notoriously use vocabulary to make the questions harder. This is saying it could be not just separating those who know less about the content, but also those who have different background, cultural knowledge, or just English as a first language. I, too, wonder how the ISASP will do with this.
    • mpercy
      mpercy on 29 Mar 19
       
      Are we challenging our top students and preparing them for their futures when we use low reading levels? Seems to contradict what we are trying to accomplish.
    • rhoadsb_
      rhoadsb_ on 30 Mar 19
       
      This is so very important as we are seeing a dramatic increase in student populations that are not fluent in English.
    • jennham
      jennham on 02 Apr 19
       
      I have developed a system where I always read math tests out loud. That way students are not missing information due to not understanding the vocabulary.
    • chriskyhl
      chriskyhl on 03 Apr 19
       
      Jenn that's an interesting concept of reading the tests outloud....have never thought of doing that in a HS classroom but might help!
  • The classroom is also a practical location to give students multiple opportunities to demonstrate what they know and can do, adding to the accuracy of the information available from that level of assessment.
    • rhoadsb_
      rhoadsb_ on 30 Mar 19
       
      This is an important thing to consider in the design of your course.
    • tmolitor
      tmolitor on 02 Apr 19
       
      I agree, providing students multiple opportunities to show their knowledge, and understanding needs to be done.
  • Most assessments developed beyond the classroom rely largely on selected-response or short-answer formats and are not designed to meet the daily, ongoing information needs of teachers and students.
    • mgast40diigo
      mgast40diigo on 28 Mar 19
       
      I fall into this trap with assessments. I do need to incorporate more questions that focus on higher DOK levels. MG
    • jennham
      jennham on 02 Apr 19
       
      You are not alone. So do I. When I have an average of 70+ students to assess on math skills, these are easier.
  • Five keys to assessment quality
    • sjensen21
      sjensen21 on 28 Mar 19
       
      To summarize, the 5 keys to assessment quality are: 1. clear purpose 2. clear learning targets 3. sound assessment design 4. effective communication of results 5. student involvement in the assessment process
    • cathy84
      cathy84 on 31 Mar 19
       
      Great idea on how to use an annotation tool. I can see this being very beneficial to high school students
    • chriskyhl
      chriskyhl on 03 Apr 19
       
      thats a really cool usage! Could see teaching my kids to do this when doing technical reading
  • grouping the assessments
    • sjensen21
      sjensen21 on 28 Mar 19
       
      Grouping assessments into levels: ongoing classroom assessment (daily work/observation), periodic interim/benchmark assessment (weekly quizzes/ group work), and annual state/district standardized assessments. I would add summative unit assessments (tests/projects) here also.
    • kmolitor
      kmolitor on 29 Mar 19
       
      Grouping assessments should give us a better picture of where students are at and help to identify where they need help.
  • cannot measure more complex learning targets at the heart of instruction
    • sjensen21
      sjensen21 on 28 Mar 19
       
      Our school district is doing the ISASP this year for the first time. This is a computer based test based on the Iowa Core. I worry how these results will be used to evaluate student mastery of content specific standards. How much effort will students put into the test and are there too many distractors that will bias the results?
    • kimgrissom
      kimgrissom on 29 Mar 19
       
      Those are legitimate concerns. On the other hand, what this quote makes me think of regarding the ISASP is that at least the types of questions are not only selected response. So many of the standards in the Core can not be measured by the only multi-choice questions in the previous test.
  • Bias can also creep into assessments and erode accurate results.
    • sjensen21
      sjensen21 on 28 Mar 19
       
      On the new computer based standardized tests, ISASP, I worry that there will be skewed results, because this if the first time students have had to take a standardized test online.
  • descriptive feedback
    • kmolitor
      kmolitor on 28 Mar 19
       
      We do need to make sure that our feedback is helpful. Telling students "fix this" or "revise this paragraph" doesn't help them learn, the feedback needs to be more specific and point to the learning target.
    • tommuller4
      tommuller4 on 29 Mar 19
       
      I totally agree with giving feedback about why they missed a question or problem. If you just count it wrong the student might now have any idea why they got the question wrong.
  • The assessor must begin with a clear picture of why he or she is conducting the assessment.
    • kimgrissom
      kimgrissom on 29 Mar 19
       
      I think a lot of times we default to "for a grade" but there are lots of other reasons to consider.
    • tommuller4
      tommuller4 on 29 Mar 19
       
      I think this is very important sentence. I know I don't do the greatest job of outlining learning goals everyday and explaining value in each. It's same thing for test. Are testing because its end of chapter or because you want to assess learning goals from the chapter that were the most important from the chapter and meet the standards for your class.
    • annott
      annott on 30 Mar 19
       
      I agree Tom, I am not the best at covering learning targets with students. And maybe standards based learning will help focus my lesson designing and improve student learning.
    • rhoadsb_
      rhoadsb_ on 30 Mar 19
       
      I think it is very important that we focus on the learning that is taking place within our classrooms and not on grading. Our assessments should be an avenue to strengthen learning and to inform the teacher what they need to do for learning to continue to occur.
    • alisauter
      alisauter on 30 Mar 19
       
      This reminds me of UBD, or working backwards. The teacher knows the outcome first, and then builds the learning and assessments.
  • Selecting an assessment method that is incapable of reflecting the intended learning will compromise the accuracy of the results.
    • kimgrissom
      kimgrissom on 29 Mar 19
       
      I thought the assessment brainstorming we did at the end of last week with ways to assess face-to-face vs. online was an interesting way to think of all the ways we can assess. I think as teachers we often default to a couple content-specific norms and it would be good to open up to other alternatives on occasion.
    • barbkfoster
      barbkfoster on 01 Apr 19
       
      Many years ago I remember assessing my math students at the end of the year with a multiple choice test. None of my tests during the year were multiple choice, but finals were required and it was the most efficient way to get my grades done :( I'm sure it did compromise the accuracy of the results.
  • This means that teachers need to write learning targets in terms that students will understand.
    • kimgrissom
      kimgrissom on 29 Mar 19
       
      I was a part of a John Hattie book study this year. In Visible Learning he talks a lot about success criteria being so clear that students can accurately self-assess their work. I think that's a really great goal for any rubric or learning target.
    • rhoadsb_
      rhoadsb_ on 30 Mar 19
       
      Again here we should aim to write them in the lowest reading level possible
  • common assessments.
    • kylelehman
      kylelehman on 29 Mar 19
       
      I totally agree with this statement that we are assessing more than ever before. I don't think that it has to be a bad thing. However, I could see from a student's point of view that it could be overkill if they don't understand why.
  • Teachers have choices in the assessment methods they use
    • mpercy
      mpercy on 29 Mar 19
       
      Is it important for assessments to contain all 4 types of responses?
    • jennham
      jennham on 02 Apr 19
       
      I don't think so. I think the teacher is to pick the best assessment method for that particular learning target.
    • tmolitor
      tmolitor on 02 Apr 19
       
      I agree with Jen. I think the teacher would need to use professional judgement to decide what the best assessment method would be. Sometimes it may include all 4 types though.
  • inform what decisions?
    • kylelehman
      kylelehman on 29 Mar 19
       
      This has been a large debate that we have been having at our district. We need some sort of feedback roll out that will say how we have managed the data and what the data is and will be used for.
    • tommuller4
      tommuller4 on 29 Mar 19
       
      I think is important part for a teacher after each assessment to use results to maybe modify teaching topics that students performed poorly on. Maybe need an extra day to cover certain topics more in depth if students struggled with it on test or maybe we have a poorly written question on the test causing students to miss points.
  • communicated
    • kylelehman
      kylelehman on 29 Mar 19
       
      This has been another large debate that we have had. We want to make sure that our assessments are given back in a timely manner but we also want to make sure that they have correct and accurate feedback as well as to help the student know what they did well and where to improve and all of that takes time.
    • barbkfoster
      barbkfoster on 01 Apr 19
       
      TIME! It's a four-letter word in teaching! The feedback we give students is WAY more important than the grade, and way more time consuming. How do we effectively give the feedback necessary for student growth in a timely manner? I'd love to hear strategies from others here.
  • Summative applications
    • kylelehman
      kylelehman on 29 Mar 19
       
      I think that this becomes more and more important as we look into SBG. Summatives are what tell you the story of how the students mastered something and if you want to see the evidence along the way, that becomes the formatives.
  • Periodic interim/benchmark assessments can also serve program evaluation purposes, as well as inform instructional improvement and identify struggling students and the areas in which they struggle.
    • mpercy
      mpercy on 29 Mar 19
       
      Our math department has been looking at the AAIMS tests for Algebra students which could be used as data to support the learning taking place.
    • annott
      annott on 30 Mar 19
       
      This makes me think of the concept of scaffolding. Which I have used in my classroom when lesson designing. Now I need to do the same thing with assessing. Assess students periodically both formative and summative.
  • minimizing any bias that might distort estimates of student learning.
    • kmolitor
      kmolitor on 29 Mar 19
       
      As teachers we do have to be careful of bias and making assumptions. When I read through this about minimizing bias it made me think of the old ITBS/ITED tests and a student we had that was new to this country. The student was very bright but he did not perform well on the test because of bias. One example I recall was he had no idea what a fir tree was as where he was from there was no such thing.
    • cathy84
      cathy84 on 31 Mar 19
       
      I completely understand this. Teaching writing and reading at the secondary level is so very difficult.
  • Creating a plan like this for each assessment helps assessors sync what they taught with what they're assessing
  • Knowledge targets, which are the facts and concepts we want students to know.
    • annott
      annott on 30 Mar 19
       
      As our district moves toward standards based grading, understanding our knowledge targets is naturally happening during this process.
    • alisauter
      alisauter on 30 Mar 19
       
      We are working on Power Standards in our buildings. I think this would fit with those too.
    • barbkfoster
      barbkfoster on 01 Apr 19
       
      It all goes back to 1) what do we want them to know and 2) how will we know when they know it. We are working hard on choosing power standards. It is a long and exhausting process but a necessary one. Even after power standards are chosen, we need to break them down into learning targets our students can understand.
  • students to track their own progress on learning targets
    • whsfieldbio
      whsfieldbio on 30 Mar 19
       
      I have seen this done throughout a unit of student with a Red Light, Yellow Light, Green Light rating for students to self assess their percieved understading of a learning target. This self assessment was revisited frequently and used to drive student to specific learning activities that they needed to work on.
    • tmolitor
      tmolitor on 02 Apr 19
       
      I think allowing the students to self-assess and set goals is really beneficial. I like the idea of using red light, green light, and yellow light for students to show the teacher their understanding.
  • performance assessment or personal communication may be less effective and too time-consuming
    • whsfieldbio
      whsfieldbio on 30 Mar 19
       
      One dilema that teacher face is the factor of time which we all know. I have worked with teacher who have over 200 students in their classes and often default to a selected response assessment item even when a performance based would be more appropriate. It is challenging to assess and provide feedback in timely manner with this many students. This is not an excuse, but a barrier that needs to be explored.
  • or making the correct answer obvious
    • whsfieldbio
      whsfieldbio on 30 Mar 19
       
      I would also suggest to make non correct answers plausible and avoid answers that are glaringly impossible. If student select the incorrect answer then teachers could be able to identify misconceptions from an item analysis.
  • dependable data generated at every level of assessment.
    • whsfieldbio
      whsfieldbio on 30 Mar 19
       
      I wonder how much professional develoment or preservice teacher training is spent on looking at data to make decisions. There is most likely a range of understanding of what data should be used to design instruction. This is why is it good to have a strong PLC for teachers to work through data and assessment creation (which is really challenging in itself).
    • chriskyhl
      chriskyhl on 03 Apr 19
       
      we are starting this assessment process and it is very challenging
    • mistermohr
      mistermohr on 05 Apr 19
       
      It is amazing to me that data acquisition/analysis and student feedback/scores are largely two separate endeavors. In this day and age, these should be the same step. Without some automation, I don't think this can actually be done. At least not in a meaningful manner.
  • track their own progress on learning targets
    • whsfieldbio
      whsfieldbio on 30 Mar 19
       
      I have seen this done throughout a unit of student with a Red Light, Yellow Light, Green Light rating for students to self-assess their perceived understanding of a learning target. This self-assessment was revisited frequently and used to drive student to specific learning activities that they needed to work on.
  • if students will be the users of the results because the assessment is formative
    • rhoadsb_
      rhoadsb_ on 30 Mar 19
       
      Use of formative assessment is vital to the success of students and to inform teachers. this should be a daily practice and done through multiple types of measures.
  • n the past, few educators, policymakers, or parents would have considered questioning the accuracy of these tests.
    • alisauter
      alisauter on 30 Mar 19
       
      Is this because educators had more trust among these stakeholders back in the day?
  • Assessment literacy is the foundation for a system that can take advantage of a wider use of multiple measures.
    • alisauter
      alisauter on 30 Mar 19
       
      We need to be teaching assessment literacy in teacher prep classes.
  • inform students about their own progress
    • mrsmeganmorgan
      mrsmeganmorgan on 31 Mar 19
       
      Shouldn't this be the goal of all assessments? If it serves other purposes great. If this does not become the focus of the assessment, then a student will start chasing points.
    • mschutjer
      mschutjer on 28 Apr 19
       
      Ideally testing should serve the purpose of helping the teacher and student see areas where they need improvement...
  • clear curriculum maps for each standard, accurate assessment results, effective feedback, and results that point student and teacher clearly to next step
    • mrsmeganmorgan
      mrsmeganmorgan on 31 Mar 19
       
      I believe that this is important because highlights the role feedback plays in the assessment process. I think we often forget feedback.
    • tmolitor
      tmolitor on 02 Apr 19
       
      I agree, feedback is really important. It also needs to be provided as quickly as possible.
    • zackkaz
      zackkaz on 03 Apr 19
       
      Feedback is most certainly key for something that can be so subjective like writing, but I also think providing feedback on LOT can also improve students understanding. I know that is something I struggle with - leaving the necessary feedback. There's always a time crunch, and sometime students that assessed well receive little feedback even though they could use it too.
  • students can use the results to self-assess and set goals.
    • mrsmeganmorgan
      mrsmeganmorgan on 31 Mar 19
       
      We need to model how to self-assess and set goals. I was guilty of expecting that my students knew how to do this.
    • Deborah Cleveland
      Deborah Cleveland on 03 Apr 19
       
      Yes. It is indeed a paradigm shift for teachers and students. Modeling the process to students and talking about it will help them get the most out of the assessment process.
  • learning targets represented in the assessment into a written test plan that matches the learning targets represented in the curriculum.
    • mrsmeganmorgan
      mrsmeganmorgan on 31 Mar 19
       
      I wonder if the creators of ISASP has taken this into consideration. It would be interesting to learn how they accomplished this.
    • cathy84
      cathy84 on 31 Mar 19
       
      Excellent point!
    • cathy84
      cathy84 on 31 Mar 19
       
      I wonder who "we" are when the authors say "we're betting." I don't think it's the teachers, for we know the limits of testing.
  • cultural insensitivity.
    • cathy84
      cathy84 on 31 Mar 19
       
      I think this is a way bigger problem than ,most people realize.
    • cathy84
      cathy84 on 31 Mar 19
       
      I think this is a real problem with ISASP
    • zackkaz
      zackkaz on 03 Apr 19
       
      I'm willing to let ISASP run its course though - I think it is vastly improved from the old ITBS. At least it does have open ended questions and require students to process and write instead of the good ole A, B, C, or D.
  • Making decisions that affect individuals and groups of students on the basis of a single measure
    • robertsreads
      robertsreads on 01 Apr 19
       
      The idea that a single measure can accurately assess students is absolutely baffling to me. ~KMR
    • chriskyhl
      chriskyhl on 03 Apr 19
       
      definitely a scary concept with the large presence and weight placed on these assessments
    • mschutjer
      mschutjer on 28 Apr 19
       
      it seems this concept totally contradicts what education stands for. Only good test takers like these tests.
  • We're betting that the instructional hours sacrificed to testing will return dividends in the form of better instructional decisions and improved high-stakes test scores
    • robertsreads
      robertsreads on 01 Apr 19
       
      I could not agree with this more. The amount of hours we spend preparing students for a single test is astounding. The time would be better served to actually teaching students content.
  • The goal of a balanced assessment system is to ensure that all assessment users have access to the data they want when they need it, which in turn directly serves the effective use of multiple measures.
    • robertsreads
      robertsreads on 01 Apr 19
       
      Given the requests for data from our administrators and other stakeholders, this is imperative.
  • From a summative point of view, users at the classroom and periodic assessment levels want evidence of mastery of particular standards; at the annual testing level, decision makers want the percentage of students meeting each standard.
    • robertsreads
      robertsreads on 01 Apr 19
       
      It is more beneficial for students to demonstrate mastery of standards than for students to test well.
  • assessment formatively
    • barbkfoster
      barbkfoster on 01 Apr 19
       
      I feel like we could do a better job of formatively assessing students. When students hear the word assessment, they think quiz or test and they get apprehensive. We need to change their mindset and show them how they can use formative assessments (exit tickets, class polls, one-minute papers, etc) to help them take control of their own learning.
  • the use of multiple measures does not, by itself, translate into high-quality evidence
    • jennham
      jennham on 02 Apr 19
       
      I happy to say that in our district we are working very hard at using only those assessments that we find useful to both the teachers as well as the students. We have drastically cut back on the number of assessments our students take.
  • At the level of annual state/district standardized assessments, they involve where and how teachers can improve instruction—next year.
    • jennham
      jennham on 02 Apr 19
       
      I feel this takes us dangerously close to teaching to the test. Is that really what is best for students? Changing everything around in order for them to score well on standardized tests? If the goal is truly to benefit students and how they learn, I am all for it no matter what.
  • "I can make good inferences. This means I can make a guess that is based on clues."
  • Who is the decision maker?This will vary. The decision makers might be students and teachers at the classroom level; instructional leaders, learning teams, and teachers at the periodic level; or curriculum and instructional leaders and school and community leaders at the annual testing level.
    • zackkaz
      zackkaz on 03 Apr 19
       
      For those that teach AP they also have the AP board to assess
  • or summatively—to feed results into the grade book.
    • zackkaz
      zackkaz on 03 Apr 19
       
      Evan, just curious since you suggested that potentially the answer is no grade book? How would use summative assessments? Would students just keep repeating until they were garnered proficient?
  • Effectively planning for the use of multiple measures means providing assessment balance throughout these three levels, meeting student, teacher, and district information needs.
    • chriskyhl
      chriskyhl on 03 Apr 19
       
      so important to consider all 3 levels when planning
  • Reasoning targets, which require students to use their knowledge to reason and problem solve. A reasoning target in math might be to use statistical methods to describe, analyze, and evaluate data. Performance skill targets, which ask students to use knowledge to perform or demonstrate a specific skill, such as reading aloud with fluency. Product targets, which specify that students will create something, such as a personal health-related fitness plan.
    • Deborah Cleveland
      Deborah Cleveland on 03 Apr 19
       
      These categories of learning targets seem to tie in nicely with authentic learning.
  • balanced system
  • balanced system
    • Deborah Cleveland
      Deborah Cleveland on 03 Apr 19
       
      Do districts map out these different groups of assessments on a yearly calendar? It would be interesting to see how many days a year are students engaging in assessment and also the types of assessment.
  • overflow of testing
    • Deborah Cleveland
      Deborah Cleveland on 03 Apr 19
       
      Yes. There is a lot of testing these days One of my friends mentioned that between testing and snow days she hadn't "taught" from MLK day to almost President's day. Needless to say she was anxious about how well students wee going to demonstrate learning when they hadn't had much instruction for over a month.
  • schools now make decisions about individual students, groups of students, instructional programs, resource allocation, and more.
    • mistermohr
      mistermohr on 05 Apr 19
       
      I think that these decisions are made too infrequently. One test may place a student in a group that is not in your zone of proximal development. They may be stuck there for quite some time.
  • We're betting that the instructional hours sacrificed to testing will return dividends in the form of better instructional decisions and improved high-stakes test scores
    • mistermohr
      mistermohr on 05 Apr 19
       
      and to think of the potential impact on opportunities available to students...crazy
    • mschutjer
      mschutjer on 28 Apr 19
       
      too much time is spent testing....
  • about the overall level of students' performance.
    • mistermohr
      mistermohr on 05 Apr 19
       
      From my experience, most of the high stakes testing explicitly states that the results should not be used on the individual student decision making level. Oh the irony....
  • ults
r kleinow

online1: Iowa Online Teaching Standards - 43 views

205.221.40.124/...view.php

shared by r kleinow on 05 Sep 10 - Cached
  • Proposed Online Teaching Standards
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 05 Sep 10
       
      These standards are non-evaluative. They are meant to provide guidance in nationally recognized best practices for teaching online.
    • ksteingr
      ksteingr on 15 Sep 10
       
      I'm getting ready to work with a group of teacher librarians and we are starting by looking at our guidelines from Dept. of Ed for school library program. I think each year, as we add new tools, strategies, we have to not lose sight of the progress we are making on any standards or guidelines. Seeing how close we are to best practice, only helps us focus on what work we have to do. So, they may be non-evaluative, but maybe also not "optional". Does that make sense? Kristin
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 18 Sep 10
       
      I think that makes sense. There is a proper procedure (I'm assuming) inclusive of the BoEE, SAI, and ISEA on setting standards that would be evaluative... and therefore necessary for licensure. These haven't gone through that process. One of the best things about the standards is exactly what is being done on this page... they lead to good discussions about what is great teaching.
  • Knows and aligns instruction to the achievement goals of the local agency and the state, such as with the Iowa Core (Varvel I.A, ITS 1.f, ITS 3.a)
    • denise carlson
      denise carlson on 12 Sep 10
       
      This is not unique to the online teaching standards. It would seem prudent to align anything we teach to students and/or adults with the Iowa Core or the newly adopted Common Core Standards in reading and math.
    • bonnie smith
      bonnie smith on 19 Sep 10
       
      I agree; with so much to teach these days, the classroom time needs to be tightly tied your Content Area Standards (in my case Reading) and Technology. My students will be in a world quite different from mine, so more Technology use is needed. They are already experimenting with Online usage but without supervision and guidance. The Standards will help me as a teacher to focus on ethics for Internet use and help in guiding them into the best pratices.
    • Julie Townsend
      Julie Townsend on 18 Jan 11
       
      The teaching standards have always provided me with guidance when selecting content to teach my students. When I taught Art, Science or Social Studies. Technology knowledge is critical to everyone, including students in special education. I was unaware until taking this Moodle course, of the online teaching standards. I agree that it is a good tool for teaching.
    • r kleinow
      r kleinow on 20 Jan 11
       
      I have always had a strong interest in knowing and aligning the instruction with the goals. It is very easy to fall in to the practice of doing things because: "they have always been done", because I found an exciting new tool, or it is the catch phrase of the month, I feel it is good practice to regularly revisit the desired goal to better assure the alignment of that goal and the instructional opportunities to achieve said goal. I am glad this is here and glad it is at the top, intended or not.
    • r kleinow
      r kleinow on 20 Jan 11
       
      Aligning insturction with the goals is somethign I have always had an interest in. I think it is very easy to fall into the practice of: always having done it that way, or trying the new exciting tool, or jumping on the catch phrase of the month with out considering the learnign goal. I think it is very important to regualry revisit the learning and achievement goals to make cetian that the instruction is aligned to that goal. I am glad to see it mentioned here, and intendedl or not, glad to see it at the top.
    • r kleinow
      r kleinow on 20 Jan 11
       
      I would agree that aligning the instruction with the goal is an important and often over looked piece of instruction. Way to often instructional practice is done because; "that's the way it has always been done, or because we found a new exciting tool, or because of the catch phrase of the month. I am glad to see the 'goal-instructional alignment" piece mentioned and glad to see it at the top.
    • r kleinow
      r kleinow on 20 Jan 11
       
      I would agree and have always been a big fan of aligning instruction with the learning or achievement goals. Way to often I have used a particular instruction because 1. That's the way it was always done, 2. There was a new exciting tool or 3. There was a new or popular catch phrase going around. I am glad to see this listed, and intended or not, glad to see it at the top. I view it as very important to often revisit the goals to assess if the instruction is aligned to that goal.
    • r kleinow
      r kleinow on 20 Jan 11
       
      I would agree and have always been a big fan of aligning instruction with the learning or achievement goals. Way to often I have used a particular instruction because 1. That's the way it was always done, 2. There was a new exciting tool or 3. There was a new or popular catch phrase going around. I am glad to see this listed, and intended or not, glad to see it at the top. I view it as very important to often revisit the goals to assess if the instruction is aligned to that goal.
    • r kleinow
      r kleinow on 20 Jan 11
       
      I would agree and have always been a big fan of aligning instruction with the learning or achievement goals. Way to often I have used a particular instruction because 1. That's the way it was always done, 2. There was a new exciting tool or 3. There was a new or popular catch phrase going around. I am glad to see this listed, and intended or not, glad to see it at the top. I view it as very important to often revisit the goals to assess if the instruction is aligned to that goal.
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 21 Jan 11
       
      Checking to see if this note goes through.
    • r kleinow
      r kleinow on 21 Jan 11
       
      test
    • linda vann
      linda vann on 22 Jan 11
       
      I too was unaware of the online teaching standards, but they make perfect sense. If we expect to bring students into the 21st century classroom, then using standards to guide that work will help all stakeholders. Otherwise, there is really no way to measure our effectiveness in the online environment.
  • 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)
    • denise carlson
      denise carlson on 12 Sep 10
       
      This one puts a bit of trepidation in my soul. I want to use technology well when I teach adult learners. However, I know that I still have a lot to learn in this realm.
    • jalfaro
      jalfaro on 13 Sep 10
       
      It's impossible to stay trained and current on all of the available tools. Just pick a few that work for you and work with incorporating those. You are better off knowing a lot about a few tools than knowing a little bit about hundreds of tools.
    • Leslie Roberts
      Leslie Roberts on 13 Sep 10
       
      I agree that it is impossible to stay current and trained on all available tools, but I don't think this is what the standard is saying. My interpretation is that it just encourages online educators to be lifelong learners and stay abreast of changes. I also agree that it is better to find the tools we like the best and learn to use and apply them to our course objectives.
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 15 Sep 10
       
      I think this goes back to the discussion we had last week. Knowing what tool will work best in a particular learning situation is important. I try to stay current, but that really is almost impossible. Just in the first week, others in class referenced many online tools that I wasn't familar with, but wanted to learn more about. Using Diigo is another example. I've used this tool for awhile and that is evident by looking at my bookmarks. However, I have not utilized the group function nor have I used the discussion feature. I think this would be a wonderful tool to use in the online environment!
    • ksteingr
      ksteingr on 15 Sep 10
       
      I think the focus here makes a good point. An online class will be by definition part of synchronous and asynchronous communication. So instructors and students have to work with tools such as Skype, meebo, Adobe Connect for webinars, videoconferencing, etc. In the case of Skype, this morning I worked with a partner in South Carolina and we used Skype to share screens, send messages, but we didn't use the web camera because seeing each other for this meeting wasn't necessary. We only needed to hear each other and see items on our desktops. And secondly, (although you have it listed first), if you are online, you need a CMS - in this case, Moodle to tie it all together. Teachers need to practice in this environment - set up a meeting with someone to use Skype, register for a free webinar, etc. Expand your learning! :-)
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 18 Sep 10
       
      I think the modifier "knowledgeable" and the "ability to use" instead of "has mastery of" is crucial. Those that wrote the national standards recognized what everyone here has said, that technology changes so much, mastery is not only impossible, but foolish to seek.
    • bonnie smith
      bonnie smith on 19 Sep 10
       
      As a Reading Teacher I expect myself to be knowledgeable and have the ability to use (though mastery would a goal), but are these Standards for the classroom teacher or the teacher of Technology?
    • fgmcveigh
      fgmcveigh on 20 Sep 10
       
      "has knowledge" is a beginning point. Some of our group members don't feel "knowledgeable" even though they have used many of the Web 2.0 tools. Those wise folks know exactly how big the "ocean" of technology is - that's why there is a bit of discomfort. When that discomfort or thirst for more knowledge leads one to a class like this, IT's a Very good end result!!!
    • Cheryl Mullenbach
      Cheryl Mullenbach on 20 Jan 11
       
      Like anything else, you can always find someone who is more knowledgeable, but you can always find someone is less knowledgeable than you are too!
    • Valerie Jergens
      Valerie Jergens on 21 Jan 11
       
      Too bad these standards are for online course teachers only. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we were moving to blended classes everywhere? It would be for me-I'd like to see a lot more use of online resources. There are so many simulations, games, virtual environments that students could be exxperiencing. And, then having conversation about outside of the classroom. Wouldn't that be an improvement on a worksheet for homework?
    • linda vann
      linda vann on 22 Jan 11
       
      This is a rather daunting standard at first glance. Keeping up with technology is not an occasional event. What it does say to me is that we have to be willing to make this an ongoing effort and not become complacent with learning just one or two tools, but to stay open to trying new tools. I think the key is matching the technology to the learning goal.
    • Jeny Schoenhard
      Jeny Schoenhard on 24 Jan 11
       
      I was wondering the same think as Bonnie, are these standards for the classroom teacher or the teacher of Technology. I feel that we should have some basic knowledge of a tool before introducing it into a classroom full of students, however being that we are all lifelong learnings it is a given that the students will find things within that tool that we didn't know about and be able to teach us something. I just feel that if I wait to master something before bringing it to my students they will never experience it.
  • ...53 more annotations...
  • Understands and uses data from assessments to guide instruction
    • denise carlson
      denise carlson on 12 Sep 10
       
      Is this speaking to formative assesment/assessment for learning? How can we be sure that all readers of this document have the same definition of "assessement"? Lack of a common vocabulary sometimes leads to misconceptions and misunderstaindings.
    • fgmcveigh
      fgmcveigh on 17 Sep 10
       
      That's a very critical issue! There are way too many assessments "given" that are not used! And then who gets to decide which assessments should be privileged over others. Reliability and validity do need to count as major players in the decisions!
    • Kim Wise
      Kim Wise on 18 Jan 11
       
      Good points. Lots going on in this short sentence. I would hope that the intent would be around student learning and not just completion of tasks. This would lead the instructor to be a critical consumer of what data would help him/her accomplish teaching for understanding.
    • r kleinow
      r kleinow on 20 Jan 11
       
      I would agree this is an important and, for me, challenging aspect. I am guessing this is implied but I think it is crucial to use data from valid and reliable assessments (whatever that means) as many times I hear of decisions being made based on data that has little to do with the actual skills and abilities we would like the learner to have. Finding easy to use assessments that can provide meaningful data to guide instruction has been a challenge for me but one that I think can help to be addressed by the influx of technolgy tools and their ability to collect and provide graphic representations to aid in analysis of the data. On the simpler side I think it speaks to the importance of the instructor learner relationship. If learning is going to be advanced the instructor must have and use information of where the learner currently is and then instruct accordingly.
    • r kleinow
      r kleinow on 20 Jan 11
       
      Using data to guide intruction is another area that I have a great deal of interest in. I am a fimr beleiver that the single most important thing a teacher needs to know is to find out what the learn knows, figure that out then instruct accordingly, and this would need to be an ongoing process. The challenge, for me, is to find assessments that can efficiently provide that information but I think technolgy tools can can certainly help in that area with alll that can be doen to collect and organize data for easier analysis. A key piece to that being certain that I am collecting data that is well aligned with what the learner needs to know and be able to do, as I often see decisions that seem to be made based on data that seems to have little to do with what we really want learns to know and be able to do.
    • r kleinow
      r kleinow on 20 Jan 11
       
      I would agree that this is a key piece. I am a believer that the single most important thing a teacher needs to know is what the learner already knows and then to teach accordingly. Collecting and using that information is an important part of any learning process.
    • r kleinow
      r kleinow on 20 Jan 11
       
      Again this is something I am glad to see. I am a believer that the single most important thing a teacher needs to know is what the learner already knows. Then to take that information and teach accordingly. I think this standard speaks to the importance of that and the ongoing process that should be taking place with any quality instruction.
    • r kleinow
      r kleinow on 20 Jan 11
       
      Again this is something I am glad to see. I am a believer that the single most important thing a teacher needs to know is what the learner already knows. Then to take that information and teach accordingly. I think this standard speaks to the importance of that and the ongoing process that should be taking place with any quality instruction.
    • r kleinow
      r kleinow on 20 Jan 11
       
      Again this is something I am glad to see. I am a believer that the single most important thing a teacher needs to know is what the learner already knows. Then to take that information and teach accordingly. I think this standard speaks to the importance of that and the ongoing process that should be taking place with any quality instruction.
    • r kleinow
      r kleinow on 20 Jan 11
       
      Again this is something I am glad to see. I am a believer that the single most important thing a teacher needs to know is what the learner already knows. Then to take that information and teach accordingly. I think this standard speaks to the importance of that and the ongoing process that should be taking place with any quality instruction.
    • r kleinow
      r kleinow on 20 Jan 11
       
      Again this is something I am glad to see. I am a believer that the single most important thing a teacher needs to know is what the learner already knows. Then to take that information and teach accordingly. I think this standard speaks to the importance of that and the ongoing process that should be taking place with any quality instruction.
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 20 Jan 11
       
      I'd reiterate what Denise said... it is a critical question to ask!
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 20 Jan 11
       
      This is a valuable question to ask, Denise!
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 21 Jan 11
       
      Kim, you said, "I would hope that the intent would be around student learning and not just completion of tasks." I couldn't agree more! This is assessment FOR learning (formative assessment) as we know it in the Iowa Core characteristics of effective instruction. (I think denise mentioned it in an earlier sticky note, now that I look back at it...). Effective instruction in a face-to-face environment seems to be similar to an online environment, too...to some degree.
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 21 Jan 11
       
      This is a good question you posed, Denise!
  • Utilizes a course evaluation and student feedback data to improve the course (Varvel VI.F)
    • jalfaro
      jalfaro on 13 Sep 10
       
      This step is crucial. It's very tempting to set up a course and never touch it again. Given the constantly changing online environment, it is even more necessary to stay current with a regularily-scheduled course review process.
    • Leslie Roberts
      Leslie Roberts on 13 Sep 10
       
      I have been in online classes where the instructor has taken a course and just "refried it" from offering to offering. Links are no longer valid, dates are incorrect, technologies have changed, etc.
    • denise carlson
      denise carlson on 15 Sep 10
       
      That would be terrible. I'm spending so much time putting together my course. I want to be positive everything is in top working condition so participants won't face any frustration.
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 18 Sep 10
       
      "Refried it". I've never heard that term before... it's now part of my lexicon! Denise, what you mention is so true. There is a bit of pride involved in a course, whether online or F2F (at least I should say you can tell the teachers who take pride in their work very quickly). On the other hand, links expire without notice very quickly, and updates are made to Moodle servers behind your back that all of a sudden change the way your course looks. It's tough to keep up sometimes.
    • bonnie smith
      bonnie smith on 19 Sep 10
       
      Each year I have had the students reflect on units covered this year...It has always been for my benefit...interesting to see it as a proposed Standard now.
    • Sara Youngers
      Sara Youngers on 16 Jan 11
       
      I think "Refried" courses happen whether they are online or in the classroom. This standard should be for all courses, not just online ones.
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 17 Jan 11
       
      I agree, Sara. Our AEA has an online evaluation for courses with participants responding to Likert scale items and given the chance to add comments. Much depends on the instructor's willingness to honestly examine that feedback, consider patterns in the responses, and make adjustments that improve the course.
  • • Assists students with technology used in the course (Varvel III.C)
    • Leslie Roberts
      Leslie Roberts on 13 Sep 10
       
      I feel that assisting online learners in a course is very important to keep them from being frustrated and spending too much on the technology and not enough time on the learning. I find that I have to deliver one-on-one help in my online class to teachers who are not as tech savvy as others.
    • Gale Zellweger
      Gale Zellweger on 14 Sep 10
       
      Leslie, I have been on the student side of this standard and totally agree with you!
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 15 Sep 10
       
      Leslie: I agree as well. If possible, I think it would be a good idea to have some F2F time. This might work well at the beginning of the class so participants will feel comfortable with the interface. I also think this might alleviate fears learners might have and consequently content will become primary and the technology secondary.
    • Judy Sweetman
      Judy Sweetman on 18 Sep 10
       
      Great point about the content remaining the primary focus and the technology secondary. I know I appreciate the tutorials in this course and in others I have taken when it has been provided. If I have to find my own online tutorial or read about it, it takes way too much time and I'm totally stressed before I even begin the actual assignment.
    • Kathleen Goslinga
      Kathleen Goslinga on 28 Sep 10
       
      Staying focused on the content is critical in reaching the overall goals of a course. When I first stated taking online courses I would often find myself double checking what I did to make sure a post occurred or paper uploaded. The more online courses I have participated in has yielded a comfort level with the technology tool and thus the focus can be on the content.
    • charles krueger
      charles krueger on 20 Jan 11
       
      I can strongly relate to this, I'm one of those less than tech savvy teachers. There are so many new and potentially very useful tools that it is hard to know which will be useful to me.
    • Jeremy Nally
      Jeremy Nally on 20 Jan 11
       
      I agree with that helping with the technology takes the stress off. I think that tutorials over the technology being used is a great way to help both student and teacher save time. This way if something is forgotten you can go back and see what the next step is.
    • Jeremy Nally
      Jeremy Nally on 20 Jan 11
       
      I know that when I have something that has to be done using technology I can get frustrated really easily. Having a tutorial like I have for the class I am in right now has been very helpful and that way if I feel like I am lost I can go back and watch the tutorial to see if what I need to do next.
    • Jeremy Nally
      Jeremy Nally on 20 Jan 11
       
      I agree with the comments. I know that when I have anything dealing with technology I sometimes get a little worked up. The more I am comfortable with what I am doing the better I do. I really like to the online class I am in right now because the tutorials really help me with the assignments. They allow me to learn the technology before I have to use it.
    • Gale Zellweger
      Gale Zellweger on 14 Sep 10
       
      This sounds like "super teacher!"
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 18 Sep 10
       
      Standards have a way of sounding like that, don't they?
    • fgmcveigh
      fgmcveigh on 20 Sep 10
       
      But high expectations are really good for all learners! And if we aren't life-long learners as teachers, how will our students ever be life-long learners? (It's in most of our 35 school districts' mission statements!)
    • Mike Bevelacqua
      Mike Bevelacqua on 18 Jan 11
       
      Content knowledge is one factor that is very highly correlated with student achievement. At least in Math Eduction research...
  • • Maintains an online social presence that is available, approachable, positive, interactive, and sincere (SREB C.3, Varvel VII.A)
    • Judy Sweetman
      Judy Sweetman on 18 Sep 10
       
      I know this is one thing I need to work on in my classes. Because I take online classes as well as teach them, it's easy to forget to check in with the classes I teach, as I'm so worried about deadlines for my own assignments.
    • Tony Amsler
      Tony Amsler on 20 Sep 10
       
      I've really try to maintain an online social presence by.... 1. weekly "check-in's" to post tips and suggestions, 2. to setup a calendar that will attempt to keep students "on pace" between due dates, rather posting an email that everything is due tomorrow. 3. always responed to student's posting with discussion forum. I know I could do more.... always looking for innovative ways to do it... even considered meeting in Second Life (keep in mind I teach college students online ;-)
    • fgmcveigh
      fgmcveigh on 20 Sep 10
       
      I think it's also important to think about the " positive and the interactive" that are built in through "community building". I've been in some on-line classes where many folks are working at the "minimum" level of participation and really don't even add much more than a sentence in response to a comment. (YES, worse than the kids when they want to know How Much they need to write!)
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 17 Jan 11
       
      Does this also mean actively participating in social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter?
    • Eldon Bird
      Eldon Bird on 19 Jan 11
       
      I sure hope it doesn't. As much as I am tied to the computer at both work and home, I have avoided the social networking sites with diligence. I don't have a problem interacting with others regarding work related items, etc., but I have a real hesitation to 'share my personal life and thoughts' with the cyber-world. Even the ability to select those 'friends' doesn't really give me any reassurance that a link can be made to those that I don't select.
    • Steve Van Gundy
      Steve Van Gundy on 19 Jan 11
       
      I have to believe it means some type of professional site, and not Facebook/Twitter. I've avoided social networking sites like the plague, mostly because I like to be off the computer if I'm not working. And I agree with Eldon, I don't necessarily want to put my personal life out there for all to read. But I have no problem maintaining a "professional" online presence.
    • Steve Van Gundy
      Steve Van Gundy on 20 Jan 11
       
      I have to believe it's not including Facebook/Twitter or whatever else is out there. I've avoided those like the plague, mainly probably because I don't like being glued to the computer when I'm not working.
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 21 Jan 11
       
      I'm wondering what it *does* mean then...any ideas, Eldon?
  • Identifies and communicates learning outcomes and expectations through a course overview/orientation (Varvel IV.A, ITS 3.b)
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 15 Sep 10
       
      I took the instructional design class this past summer. One of the things we needed to do was to create an overview/orientation for our learners. Before I took the class, I already had my course somewhat organized, but had neglected to include this feature in my course. Now, I realize how really important this is. One of my colleagues at work often uses the phrase, "go slow to go fast." I think that's so applicable here. It takes time to create the overview and you're really not having students learn content. However, by providing the necessary guidelines and instructions immediately, things will go much smoother in the class.
    • fgmcveigh
      fgmcveigh on 17 Sep 10
       
      I, too, like the "go slow to go fast"! because teachers need time to absorb the learning. That means that we have to begin with the end in mind or we won't make it to our learning destination. I often compare that to heading to Des Moines but ending up in Detroit, Michigan. They are both DM towns so that would be OK? It gives a "light-hearted" view of the necessity for the overview as you said Pam.
    • Kathleen Goslinga
      Kathleen Goslinga on 28 Sep 10
       
      How very true to "go slow to go fast". I would be one of those individuals who "absorbs the learning". I want to make sure that my skills are to a level that will benefit the learner and not cause confusion.
    • Erica Larson
      Erica Larson on 21 Jan 11
       
      I often struggle with the phrase 'go slow to go fast' as I am not quite sure how 'fast' benefits any kind of learning. And I don't mean to equate fast to speed; but rather to equate fast to skimming the surface. In the experiences I have had with online courses for adult learners I find using a landscape post to reflect back some of their own quotes helps them think more deeply about the essential question to which they are responding. That deep thinking results in much more conceptual understanding (and dare I say paradigm shifting).
  • Has experienced online learning from the perspective of a student
    • ksteingr
      ksteingr on 15 Sep 10
       
      You know this is interesting. We most likely teach as we were taught, but in reality, we need to be teaching very differently today than in the past. Our students are motivated by different things. So taking an online class is a very good idea, but I think "living" and "working" more like our students is as helpful. If they are texting their friends to set something up, are we texting our students? That is their world. Something to think about maybe!
    • fgmcveigh
      fgmcveigh on 17 Sep 10
       
      I can remember not being happy with elementary teachers who had taught my father some 30 years earlier. These times have changed. That ship has sailed! Lectures and standing in front of a group delivering knowledge are not helpful in promoting learning that leads to application and creation!!!
    • Judy Sweetman
      Judy Sweetman on 18 Sep 10
       
      I think this is an important benchmark! I know I was very appreciative of what I had learned from the many online classes I had taken before I was asked to teach one. I "borrowed" the ideas that I really liked--especially organizational ideas, and embedded them in my classes.
    • Jenny Sinclair
      Jenny Sinclair on 19 Sep 10
       
      I heard a quote recently about this exact thing and it really made me think. It was a young student speaking. He said, "Don't prepare us for your world, prepare us for ours."
    • Tony Amsler
      Tony Amsler on 20 Sep 10
       
      As I jumped into online teacher over a year ago, all the material and books on the subject stressed this very point... to teach an online class it is best to experience it from the student perspective. This certainly was helpful when it came to design and implementation of my own course. I have recently join a peer review group called Learning Triangles - 3 instructors all enroll in each other's class for the purpose of furthering improve our instruction.
    • Jason Martin-Hiner
      Jason Martin-Hiner on 17 Jan 11
       
      This standard is certainly a big reason why I'm participating in this course. Trying to prepare to teach an online course through "traditional" methods seems a little like trying to learn to swim by reading a book.
    • Eldon Bird
      Eldon Bird on 19 Jan 11
       
      Once again - Jason speaks the right words! We think of how we offer PD - one of the critical pieces of teaching a new strategy or concept is to put the teacher in the student desk and allow them to experience the learning. As always - the best way to learn is by doing. "Sit and git" just doesn't make it!
    • Cheryl Mullenbach
      Cheryl Mullenbach on 20 Jan 11
       
      I think everyone who teaches online should first have taken an online course. You really need to see it from both sides.
  • Selects and understands how to evaluate learning materials and resources that align with the context and enhance learning
    • ksteingr
      ksteingr on 15 Sep 10
       
      Is this the only place where we mention resources? I think the type of resources works with differentiation, motivation and learning in general. Are we adding content to our classes - digital video, access to print - online, online databases? This is very important, I think.
    • Cheryl Carruthers
      Cheryl Carruthers on 16 Sep 10
       
      Yes, selection of quality resources would be important. Online resources today are vast, and we want to have our students using resources that are age appropriate, MCGF, authoritative, differentiated for learning styles, and that will advance the learning goals of the class. Students should be evaluating the resources that they find online as to validity and usefullness. Lots of opportunities for teacher librarians to work with teachers designing online opportunities for their students in the area of resources!
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 18 Sep 10
       
      In answer to your question, Kristin, this is primarily it for the teaching standards and resources, as utilizing resources in online teaching heavily falls in the instructional design process (std. 3). Specific applications of resources are more heavily identified in the course standards.
  • 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)
    • Leslie Roberts
      Leslie Roberts on 15 Sep 10
       
      I feel that course design and presentation are very important. Using good desing techniques helps the student to become more focused on content and better able to organize thoughts. If a site is too hard to follow visually, it can be confusing, distracting and frustrating, especially for novice online learners or technology learners.
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 18 Sep 10
       
      It's funny how something like the design of your Moodle site seems so non-academic (or non-Iowa Core-ish), and yet you are exactly right.
    • Jenny Sinclair
      Jenny Sinclair on 19 Sep 10
       
      At times I have questioned if I have addressed all of the course requirements, completed the assignments, etc. Taking a course yourself is a good reminder that someone else is going to have to follow your train of thought and act upon it. If my students are confused by the structure, it will take away from their ability to comprehend the material. I am experimenting with color on my Moodle site to see if it helps younger students. For example, all assignments that have to be completed have blue text. Additional resources, tutorials, etc. have red text. Hope that helps them...
    • fgmcveigh
      fgmcveigh on 20 Sep 10
       
      I really like your color coding idea, Jenny. I have been shocked at how "un-linear" I have been in this class as I start in one place and don't necessarily go through the list. I have liked anything that says "you are done!" So anything you do to make those tasks more visible for students will be helpful!
    • Drinda Williams
      Drinda Williams on 16 Jan 11
       
      I agree--color coding sounds like a good idea! Might the Heartland Moodle consider some consistent colors? So as participants move from class to class, they colors stay the same?
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 17 Jan 11
       
      Leslie, I couldn't agree more with your thoughts on course design and presentation. I completed a hybrid online/f2f graduate program a few years ago at one of IA's regents institutions. One of the courses in the sequence was perceived by several in the cohort to be very poorly done. Why? The design, layout and navigation were much different (and perhaps less linear) than the rest of the courses.
  • 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
    • Cheryl Carruthers
      Cheryl Carruthers on 16 Sep 10
       
      Online tools provide lots of opportunites to diferentiate instruction, everything from providing resources at varying reading levels, text to speech capabilities, language translations, visual resources; technology can really be "assistive" for all learners.
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 18 Sep 10
       
      That's one benefit of online learning that is not mentioned enough. We stress flexibility in terms of time, pace, and place, but the flexibility of access to content using online tools is such an untapped benefit for students with different needs.
    • Carla Lee
      Carla Lee on 17 Jan 11
       
      We also should talk about student engagement. Many students are much more engaged in on-line learning than in the old traditional mode. So this meets that engagement piece as well. I would also agree with both of you as far as access to different types of resouces.
    • Eldon Bird
      Eldon Bird on 19 Jan 11
       
      Possibly one of the biggest hurdles to this is also the primary reason we use online instruction. The logistics of face-to-face are difficult to overcome, so we go online. We can offer many scenarios, but do we really know without the personal interaction how the participants are reacting to the instruction. Is there enough feedback opportunities to vary the instruction as needed? I don't want to seem too negative - just appears to be one of those difficulties without the f2f.
    • Tera Schechinger
      Tera Schechinger on 19 Jan 11
       
      Tailoring instruction online seems like it is much easier than fce to face. Purposeful planning is always difficult but an online environment allows the teacher to support those who need it when they need it and push those students to go beyond what they ever imagined they could do. I agree with cheryl that online tools provide teacher with many resources to differentiate for each and every student based on their needs.
    • Phyllis Anderson
      Phyllis Anderson on 20 Jan 11
       
      Even if instruction isn't designed for specific students' needs, it can be varied in ways that allow different avenues for students to gain understanding. The tenants of Universal Design for Learning fit in here beautifully.
  • Understands and uses course content that complies with intellectual property rights and fair use, and assists students in complying as well
    • Cheryl Carruthers
      Cheryl Carruthers on 16 Sep 10
       
      We just held a workshop at our AEA this past week on Digital Citizenship for Today's Schools that addressed this topic. Our presenter emphasized the importance ot teaching students about ethical use of technology. It becomes especially important as student work moves outside of the 4 walls of the classroom and out on to the Internet and social media. This topic ties directly into the 21 Century Tech Literacy part of the Iowa Core - Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility.
    • fgmcveigh
      fgmcveigh on 17 Sep 10
       
      And ethical use of technology needs to be DEMONSTRATED by all staff, all the time. It's hard to "condemn" students for plagiarizing when the teacher never gives proper credit for visuals or text that may or may not be in the public domain!
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 18 Sep 10
       
      Very well said, Fran. I've been guilty of that myself.
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 17 Jan 11
       
      This is a convicting criteria. I did not do a very good job as a f2f teacher citing my sources - even more important in an online environment!
  • Selects and uses technologies appropriate to the content that enhance learning (SREB M.3, Varvel IV.D, ITS 3.e, ITS 4.f)
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 17 Sep 10
       
      We spent time discussing this in last weeks forum. How do you select the best technology to use in your class? How many different tools do you need in your toolbox so you have an adequate selection? In order to meet this criteria, I think we need to do our best to stay current. Obviously, that can't mean we are familiar with everything, because that would be impossible. We do need to be aware, however, about the different catagories of tools..wikis, blogs, screencasts, etc. This class will certainly help us in that endeavor.
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 17 Jan 11
       
      When I read this criteria, I thought of the TPACK framework and some of the work done on learning activity types: http://activitytypes.wmwikis.net/ When does it make the most sense to use a blog rather than a wiki? My guess is that an effective online teacher can answer these types of questions effectively.
    • Eldon Bird
      Eldon Bird on 19 Jan 11
       
      Ditto Ditto! I was very impressed, but also overwhelmed at all the tools available online. Being a 'dabbler' by nature, I have to force myself to pick a few and try to become proficient at those rather than be less than adequate at a large number of tools. A good carpenter is necessarily a good plumber!
  • Demonstrates growth in technology knowledge and skills in order to stay current with emerging technologies (
    • bonnie smith
      bonnie smith on 19 Sep 10
       
      How will this be measured?
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 21 Sep 10
       
      Some districts use a skills checklist or Atomic Learning-style skill inventories as a requirement for teachers (they post these in their portfolio). Others would include completion of a class, although the skeptic could say that's not necessarily showing growth. There is the actual lessons or technological artifacts produced from technology work (if you saw a copy of this class from 2 years ago to a copy of it today, you'd definitely see how I've grown in this area).
    • Kim Wise
      Kim Wise on 18 Jan 11
       
      My family's district had both students and parents fill out a technology skills survey. I'm not sure how it matched up to the skills of our teachers (we're a one to one district) but it was informing for me. My 7th grader was unsure of lots of the terms which indicated to me she wasn't using that technology.
  • student self-assessment and pre-assessment
    • fgmcveigh
      fgmcveigh on 20 Sep 10
       
      Wow! Student ownership for self-assessment and pre-assessment so it's not the teacher who is always doing the "assessing". It seems like the learner is often "left out" of a lot of assessment systems!
    • Drinda Williams
      Drinda Williams on 16 Jan 11
       
      This aligns well with the Iowa Core's characteristics of effective instruction--being more student centered and using assessment for learning. Yeah!
    • Phyllis Anderson
      Phyllis Anderson on 20 Jan 11
       
      Peer and self assessment are important attributes of Assessment for Learning. They can help students develop life-long learning skills.
    • Erica Larson
      Erica Larson on 21 Jan 11
       
      Drinda, I agree that this one reflects the research about the benefits of assessment for learning lying in the students' owning the assessment process through peer and self assessment. Do you find that students you have worked with are reflective and skilled peer and self assessors of their learning?
    • Valerie Jergens
      Valerie Jergens on 21 Jan 11
       
      I was seeing the connection between this statement and the CEI as well. I think metacognition is woven throughout the attributes of the CEI. If you can do self-assessment well you can have a real start on teaching with CEI.
  • Creates or selects multiple assessment instruments
    • Eldon Bird
      Eldon Bird on 20 Jan 11
       
      How often are we so guilty of using the 'easiest' assessment to grade/evaluate, but it is not the most appropriate for the content and the student? Even less often do we have multiple assessment for different learners.
  • Communicates assessment criteria and standards to students, including rubrics for student performances and participation
    • Kathleen Goslinga
      Kathleen Goslinga on 28 Sep 10
       
      Students need to be made aware of the criteria established for assessment. The rubric provided should clearly identify what is considered to be above, below or meeting standards. Students will then be held accountable for the level or depth of individual learning.
    • Philip Giltner
      Philip Giltner on 19 Jan 11
       
      I agree. Rubrics provides a tool for students to compare their work against the acceptance criteria allowing them to better assess there work prior to submitting it.
  • Promotes learning through online collaboration group work that is goal-oriented and focused
    • Kathleen Goslinga
      Kathleen Goslinga on 28 Sep 10
       
      Collaboration among students in an online learning environment needs to occur early in the course. Just we were asked to complete a profile that provided information as to position, interest, etc...the same hold true for other online courses. Students need to feel as contributing member on the group and fellow students need to be observant in responding to all over time so no single individual is omitted from feedback on their viewpoint of a question, etc...Successful collobration among students may lead to a richer discussion and depth of learning.
    • Carla Lee
      Carla Lee on 17 Jan 11
       
      No kidding. Working on line would be very important for students to get to know the other students in the classroom. Especially if they are to work together. I also think this is the way of the future and getting students prepared for the work place. Many corporations use on line meetings to cut expenses etc. If we don't start teaching this way, how can we justify that we are getting students ready for work place?
    • Jeremy Nally
      Jeremy Nally on 20 Jan 11
       
      These would be good for teachers to use to see if the students can explain some things in a way to peers that may help in the classroom. There discussions online could really help them see diffenrent ways the material was seen online or in the class.
    • Erica Larson
      Erica Larson on 21 Jan 11
       
      I particulary appreciate the opportunity to 'see' a photo image of the other learners as well as to 'hear' their voices through the threaded discussions when I am collaborating with others on a common online assignment/task/product.
  • Provides and communicates evidence of learning and course data to students and colleagues
    • Sara Youngers
      Sara Youngers on 16 Jan 11
       
      This is right in line with collecting formative assessments. Not only do we need to collect this information, we need to share it with class participants.
    • Sandy Kluver
      Sandy Kluver on 19 Jan 11
       
      We are collecting so much data on students now but it's very important to communicate that data to the students too! I think we sometimes forget that they can learn a lot about themselves through the data too.
    • Martha Condon
      Martha Condon on 19 Jan 11
       
      This first standard (in it's entirity) really sticks out to me as crucial for effective learning. Formative assessment and data-based decision making is the only way for students and teachers to make changes to improve learning outcomes. Online learning adds a new element, in that the instructor must be incredibly purposeful in how data and feedback is provided. With no nonverbals to assist in our feedback to learners, online teachers must become very effective "words-only" communicators.
    • Sue Runyon
      Sue Runyon on 21 Jan 11
       
      I agree that this is formative assessment that not only informs our instruction but informs students about their learning and what they can do to improve their learning
  • Creates a safe environment, managing conflict
    • Sara Youngers
      Sara Youngers on 16 Jan 11
       
      This safe environment is crucial for learners who may struggle. It needs to be a learning environment free from ridicule.
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 17 Jan 11
       
      Handling conflict in an online environment - that could be an entire course in itself! I'm interested to learn more about this one.
    • Jason Martin-Hiner
      Jason Martin-Hiner on 17 Jan 11
       
      Hopefully this is addressed in the course expectations - I'm noticing quite a bit of overlap between the teaching standards and the course expectations...I guess I shouldn't be surprised since the course design is so closely tied to how the course will be taught.
    • Sandy Kluver
      Sandy Kluver on 19 Jan 11
       
      I've heard college students complain about some on-line classes they took and conflict between participants was one of their main concerns. Instructors need to monitor conversations very closely but this can be hard to do when you have 25-50 participants and lots of discussions going on at once!
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 21 Jan 11
       
      It would seem this is why the community building as part of the course intro is so important - to reinforce that real people - not avatars - are on the receiving end. The illusion (and often the reality) of anonymity causes some people to lose all sense of propriety and decency in online discussions. Just looking at comments on news sites and blogs is evidence. I would agree with Matt: teaching this could be its own course.
    • Valerie Jergens
      Valerie Jergens on 21 Jan 11
       
      Handling conflict like this could be a whole new skill set for instructors. Before I read this statement, I would have assumed that this doesn't happen-that there is respect for everyone and their ideas-guess I need to be prepared and learn more.
  • Demonstrates ethical conduct as defined by state law and local policies or procedures
    • Drinda Williams
      Drinda Williams on 16 Jan 11
       
      This needs to be a constant conversation. We recently debated for several days the difference between sharing something online in a webinar, and posting something online. What permissions did we have? Did the originator actually understand what permission we were seeking? What precedent would be set?
  • Applies research, knowledge, and skills from professional growth to improve practice
    • Drinda Williams
      Drinda Williams on 16 Jan 11
       
      Part of this becomes bringing along your students, clients, and participants. Sometimes taking a risk with something online does not go as well as you'd like. Have you let them know what to expect? Have you asked them for feedback to improve your skills? It's not just about the teacher trying new things, it's about teachers and students as a community trying new things.
    • Sandy Kluver
      Sandy Kluver on 19 Jan 11
       
      This phrase reminds me of a phrase from the Iowa teaching standards. Very important to use research based strategies as we make decisions that directly effect the students.
  • Has knowledge of learning theory appropriate to online learning,
    • Drinda Williams
      Drinda Williams on 16 Jan 11
       
      This is where I feel I am floundering. I am so glad to have OLLIE to begin developing these skills.
    • Peggy Christensen
      Peggy Christensen on 18 Jan 11
       
      Drinda, I'm right there with you. Online learning is a whole new world for me. It is definitely different teaching online than it is face-to-face.
    • charles krueger
      charles krueger on 20 Jan 11
       
      It is very difficult to know if a student "has knowledge" about anything, especially in an online venue. Best a student can do is give appropriate responses
  • Meets the professional teaching standards established by a state-licensing agency, or has the academic credentials in the field in which he or she is teaching
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 16 Jan 11
       
      This criteria may stifle innovation a bit, but at the same time could make the standards more credible. What does everyone else think?
    • Erica Larson
      Erica Larson on 21 Jan 11
       
      Matt, would you elaborate on how you feel this criteria could "stifle innovation"?
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 21 Jan 11
       
      "meeting a standard," in my mind indicates aiming for a baseline proficiency. If moving towards the status quo is the end result (rather than above and beyond), it may be setting the bar too low and in turn stifling innovation. I think I'm overanalyzing it a bit, but that was my gut reaction.
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 17 Jan 11
       
      This understanding is certainly enhanced by 7.1 - "Has experienced online learning from the perspective of a student" Having taken an online class, I am more aware of challenges students might face and have a greater appreciation of how skillful instructors anticipate and address potential challenges.
    • Julie Foltz
      Julie Foltz on 21 Jan 11
       
      I agree with you, Mary, that having had meaningful learning online is helpful to an instructor in both designing and facilitating an online course!
  • Provides substantive, timely, and constructive feedback to students
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 17 Jan 11
       
      Not meeting this standard is one of the biggest criticisms I hear about online classes. When instructors and students are not in the same room at the same time, the nature and timeliness of feedback takes on a whole new dimension.
    • Jeremy Nally
      Jeremy Nally on 20 Jan 11
       
      I know that sometimes we need to get immediate feedback and this can't always be the case with online classes. We have to find a happy medium so that questions and feedback gets back in a matter that it's still important to the students.
  • Demonstrates techniques for dealing with issues arising from inappropriate student technological use
    • Carla Lee
      Carla Lee on 17 Jan 11
       
      I would be interested in understanding how some of this might be dealt with. This would be something very new to me. Dealing with behavior is one thing...dealing with inappropriate behavior in an on-line class...if it's written down, students certainly can't deny it, can they?
    • Greg Sleep
      Greg Sleep on 20 Jan 11
       
      We have went to one-one laptops in our school. We are in our second year of having laptops for our 6-12 students. We have boot camp for all new students that come into our district. In that boot camp we address appropriate use. We now have a page in our handbook dealing with our laptops. It is still new and our policies will be forever evolving with technology. We do have a scripted policy for inappropriate use and the consequences.
    • Sue Runyon
      Sue Runyon on 21 Jan 11
       
      I think that one of the issues is that what is written down is there and can't be erased! I think this addresses "bullying" - am I right or is that addressed somewhere else?
  • effective instructional strategies
    • Peggy Christensen
      Peggy Christensen on 18 Jan 11
       
      When I see "effective instructional strategies" I think of the Characteristics of Effective Instruction from the Iowa Core.
    • Valerie Jergens
      Valerie Jergens on 21 Jan 11
       
      That is what I have been thinking of lately as well, but I have to wonder what role specific strategies in literacy, math, science, ... will continue to have for Iowa educators. I am worried that this leads to a pendulum swing to only focusing on these and possibly neglecting subject specific things.
  • connectivism
    • Peggy Christensen
      Peggy Christensen on 18 Jan 11
       
      Our Professional Learning Team at Heartland AEA is studying the idea of "connectivism" and how we might use connectivism in our work. I'm trying to wrap my brain around this whole idea of "connectivism."
  • Continuously uses data to evaluate the accuracy and effectiveness of instructional strategies
    • Kim Wise
      Kim Wise on 18 Jan 11
       
      I think we often use data to judge student achievement but often fail to use it to look at the effectiveness of instructional strategies. I think that may be a belief system change for some teachers--what I DO may have to be changed instead of "I taught it, they just didn't get it."
    • Eldon Bird
      Eldon Bird on 19 Jan 11
       
      I think you really nailed one of the real problems in education today - teachers expect the students to learn how they learned and how they teach. It is very difficult for them to believe that much of the problem is the effectiveness of the instruction that is delivered. I don't think this is any different that f2f instructional needs.
    • Jeremy Nally
      Jeremy Nally on 20 Jan 11
       
      I agree with both of you. I have heard a lot of people say well they they just don't get. Well maybe it's not them that's not getting it, maybe they just need to try to deliver the material a different way. I know that sometimes I can get my mind set that my way is the only way and that I need to remember that students learn a variety of ways.
    • Valerie Jergens
      Valerie Jergens on 21 Jan 11
       
      I think the information we use to judge the effectiveness of our instructional strateiges is often misaligned. We may be using a test of pure content knowledge to judge the effectiveness of our science instruction, when Inquiry instruction has so many more goals than content attainment.
    • r kleinow
      r kleinow on 21 Jan 11
       
      test
  • 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)
    • Mike Bevelacqua
      Mike Bevelacqua on 18 Jan 11
       
      Diggo goes much further with the Social Networking capabilities than other Social Bookmarking tools that I have looked at previously. Seems that the use of Diigo as a teaching practice has the potential of exposing students to this standard.
  • understands how to teach the content to students
    • Mike Bevelacqua
      Mike Bevelacqua on 18 Jan 11
       
      This is important because we are always talking about content with standards...here this document is talking about how we teach...what have proven practices produce results.
    • Martha Condon
      Martha Condon on 19 Jan 11
       
      I think this is truly essential for online learning (for all learning, really). We've all been in classrooms, presentations, etc. in which the teacher/presenter was highly knowledgeable in the content but did not know how to teach the content to others. I believe online teaching requires additional precision in the "how" to teach. We must be cautious in the tools, methods, applications, etc. we utilize to best enhance participants' learning.
    • Erica Larson
      Erica Larson on 21 Jan 11
       
      Mike, I am curious if you see a difference in the pedagogical content knowledge a facilitator must have in a face to face classroom environment and that required in an online classroom environment?
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 21 Jan 11
       
      good point, Mike. we can't forget the "how." This is why I like the Iowa Core framework...both "what" and "how."
  • engage students
    • Eldon Bird
      Eldon Bird on 19 Jan 11
       
      Important here that we not only engage their "doing" but also engage their "thinking".
    • Erica Larson
      Erica Larson on 20 Jan 11
       
      Glad you brought this up as I can often see the 'thinking' in the online venue; but struggle to see the 'doing'. This is where we want to learn to upload videos as evidence.
    • Greg Sleep
      Greg Sleep on 20 Jan 11
       
      I feel that motivation of students through online teaching is somewhat of a different animal then direct contact instruction. How do you really know what motivates some when it is impersonal to some extinct.
  • appropriate
    • Philip Giltner
      Philip Giltner on 19 Jan 11
       
      I think that "appropriate" is a very key word to consider for online learning. The technologies introduced need to make sense and have a purpose. For example, just because so many people have ipods and they are "cool", the use of ipods would need to make educational sense and not just because they are cool. I was a computer programmer in the corporate world and I all too often saw applications that had eye capturing "bells & whistles" but did not contribute to the objective of the application. All too often these things were added because they could be done, not because they served a purpose. So the question that needs to be asked when introducing a technology is does it serve its purpose?
  •  Demonstrates growth in technology knowledge and skills in order to stay current with emerging technologies
  • Demonstrates growth in technology knowledge and skills in order to stay current with emerging technologies
  • Demonstrates growth in technology knowledge and skills in order to stay current with emerging technologies (SREB B.5)
  • Demonstrates growth in technology knowledge and skills in order to stay current with emerging technologies (SREB B.5)
  • • Demonstrates growth in technology knowledge and skills in order to stay current with emerging technologies (SREB B.5)
  • Demonstrates growth in technology knowledge and skills in order to stay current with emerging technologies (SREB B.5)
  • • Demonstrates growth in technology knowledge and skills in order to stay current with emerging technologies
  • 7Has experienced onl in e learning from the perspective of a student
  • cognitivism
    • Erica Larson
      Erica Larson on 20 Jan 11
       
      I was curiuos about this term...so I looked it up and found; "Cognitivism often takes a computer information processing model. Learning is viewed as a process of inputs, managed in short term memory, and coded for long-term recall. Cindy Buell details this process: "In cognitive theories, knowledge is viewed as symbolic mental constructs in the learner's mind, and the learning process is the means by which these symbolic representations are committed to memory."
  • models clear expectations for appropriate behavior and proper interaction (SREB D.6, ITS 6.b)
    • Erica Larson
      Erica Larson on 20 Jan 11
       
      My experience with facilitating online courses in the past indicates that this criteria, when done effectively, can be the reason learners 'stick with' an online course.
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 20 Jan 11
       
      Sticky note - OLLIE
  • Establishes standards for student behavior that are designed to ensure academic integrity
    • Steve Van Gundy
      Steve Van Gundy on 21 Jan 11
       
      I'm guessing it's pretty easy for students to copy and paste from a website and thus end up plagerizing something. I think that is what this is addressing. I taught math and didn't have my students write papers, but I'm wondering what kinds of standards (and penalties) other teachers have when a student has obviously plagerized something.
  • Networks with others involved in online education for the purpose of professional growth
    • Julie Foltz
      Julie Foltz on 21 Jan 11
       
      I find it takes networking with others at times to learn the 'buttonology' as well as the content!
  • appropriate for online learning
    • Julie Foltz
      Julie Foltz on 21 Jan 11
       
      Throughout this document "appropriate for online learning" appears. To me this means that most are a good practice in any instruction but may need adaptations to improve efficacy online.
  • techniques
    • Julie Foltz
      Julie Foltz on 21 Jan 11
       
      A couple years ago I (and my team) took a course for online facilitation. In that course we learned about the importance of online 'voice'. The tone of online communication with students is critical and words must be chosen carefully so that communication is clear and succinct.
  • Understands student motivation
  • Knows the content of the subject to be taught
  • written communication
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 21 Jan 11
       
      Sample note
  • University of Illinois (Virgil Varvel)
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 21 Jan 11
       
      Sample note
  • Eldon Bird on 20 Jan 11
     
    self-assessment and pre-assessment within courses Participant self-assessment is so critical at mulitple points - summative assessments are definitely not FOR learning
  • bdowney on 01 Nov 17
     
    Technology is contstantly changing. How can a teacher stay current and teach with fidelity?
Kim Foley-Sharp

ollie1 (Peterman): Iowa Online Teaching Standards - 21 views

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

shared by Kim Foley-Sharp on 10 Jan 17 - No Cached
  • 2. Demonstrates competence in content knowledge (including technological knowledge)
    • krcouch
      krcouch on 11 Jan 17
       
      I feel that this is important that you know the content you are teaching and able to do what you are teaching. I do feel that you should also be willing to learn new things if needed.
    • theatregoddess
      theatregoddess on 13 Jan 17
       
      I struggle with technology sometimes because it changes constantly :-)
    • dykstras
      dykstras on 13 Jan 17
       
      Constantly changing is right! Technology is the ultimate 'life-long learner' example!
    • Kim Foley-Sharp
      Kim Foley-Sharp on 16 Jan 17
       
      Constant learning is the key word. When it comes to technology you have to be in the constant learning mode or you will not keep pace!
  • 2. Demonstrates competence in content knowledge (including technological knowledge)
  • • Has knowledge of learning theory appropriate to online learning, which may include (but is not limited to) age and ability level, multiple intelligences, didactic conversation, student developmental influences, constructivism, behaviorism, cognitivism, connectivism, and group theory (Varvel V.A)
    • Mike Radue
      Mike Radue on 11 Jan 17
       
      This is a healthy reminder of the why and the how we do what we do. Pedagogy is not only interesting but essential to effective teaching. Much thought should go into the nuances of online learning and how activities and interactions should be structured to capitalize on and enrich learning.
    • aricriede
      aricriede on 12 Jan 17
       
      This is an issue that I see with my the teachers I am currently coaching. Developing lessons that are age and ability level appropriate can assists with many other issues that arise in a classroom because it will keep the students constantly engaged.
  • ...31 more annotations...
  • 6. Incorporates social aspects into the teaching and learning process, creating a community of learners (ITS 6)
    • Mike Radue
      Mike Radue on 11 Jan 17
       
      I think the core of good teaching is relationship and community building. This is an essential component to facilitating rich learning experiences for traditional and online students alike. in particular, I feel being approachable and interactive are especially important when evaluating a learning environment.
    • saladinoj
      saladinoj on 12 Jan 17
       
      This standard is so helpful and it does help build relationships
    • dassom
      dassom on 14 Jan 17
       
      In the future if/when we start creating online learning opportunities for the staff it will be nice for teacher in the same building to talk about the class they are taking. We are getting that kind of experience with us all being in the same cohort.
  • Has experienced online learning from the perspective of a student (SREB F.1, Varvel II.E)
    • krcouch
      krcouch on 11 Jan 17
       
      Once again experiences help us deliver good instruction. So if we are taking classes and learning we in turn become better teachers and know what struggles may happen or what worked and what didn't
    • jlchrstn
      jlchrstn on 18 Jan 17
       
      Up until this course, I honestly had no idea how difficult it was to do everything for a course on the computer. Despite being very tech savy, I find myself somewhat challenged to manage the different windows required.
  • Designs the structure of the course and the presentation of the content to best enhance 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)
    • saladinoj
      saladinoj on 12 Jan 17
       
      I really don't understand how you can adjust for different learning styles and abilities--its the same assignments for all unless you create online course that has different levels of abilities
    • blockerl
      blockerl on 14 Jan 17
       
      I think you could start by offering choice. If a student has to discuss theme in a story, their products could be an essay, a video, a Presentation, or something else. Additionally, you could create different assignments for different students if they need it. An online course would be an easy way to make that happen since students aren't necessarily seeing what their peers are producing. I know Google Classroom just made it available to provide assignments to specific students. I would imagine Moodle can do the same thing.
  • Creates a safe environment, managing conflict
    • aricriede
      aricriede on 12 Jan 17
       
      Working both in a school setting and outside of the schools, I see this as a standard that should come at or near the top of most instructors lists. I want my students to have an environment that they feel safe and want to come learn. I want my students to feel that instructors genuinely care for our students and want the best for each of them.
  • Utilizes a course evaluation and student feedback data to improve the course
    • aricriede
      aricriede on 12 Jan 17
       
      I love to give students a voice in their classroom. It can be something as big as classroom rules and expectations to something as small as a choice of what to do next from teacher selected activities, and anything in between. Giving students a voice will give them some ownership of the class and give them a reason to want to keep coming back.
    • saladinoj
      saladinoj on 12 Jan 17
       
      I need to do this because I get set in my ways and need to find out what the students would like to learn in my classes.
    • emmeyer
      emmeyer on 18 Jan 17
       
      Agreed! This is a very important, even though you may get feedback that is difficult to read. It is extremely helpful in knowing what is most effective from those that are actually completing the assignments. When students have a voice it makes it more meaningful and more effective.
  • • Establishes standards for student behavior that are designed to ensure academic integrity and appropriate use of the internet and written communication (SREB E.2)
    • saladinoj
      saladinoj on 12 Jan 17
       
      This is a good introduction for new students. A lot of people think netiquette is understood by everyone but some people have never been informed about proper online communication
  • University of Illinois
    • dykstras
      dykstras on 13 Jan 17
       
      ILL-INI! Love that Iowa's Teaching Standards come from the great state (and University) of Illinois :-)
    • dassom
      dassom on 14 Jan 17
       
      ME 2!
  • Networks with others involved in online education for the purpose of professional growth
    • dykstras
      dykstras on 13 Jan 17
       
      This is why I love my fellow TILTS ... and OLLIE classmates! Networking is critical for a guy like me
    • Kim Foley-Sharp
      Kim Foley-Sharp on 04 Feb 17
       
      Networking takes on a whole new meaning in education, especially at the HS level. We no longer can teach in isolation. We have to work not only with our colleagues, but also the community. This includes businesses and agencies that can help us to produce well rounded students for their workforce.
  • • Provides substantive, timely, and constructive feedback to students (SREB D.8, Varvel VI.F, ITS 5.e)
    • tifinif
      tifinif on 14 Jan 17
       
      I think this is so important when it comes to having student complete assignments online. In a face to face classroom communication can be easy, quick and personable. As educators we can't loose site of this when the class and assignments are online. We have to still find ways to connect and let our students know that we may not be face to face but we still care about their learning.
    • Kim Foley-Sharp
      Kim Foley-Sharp on 16 Jan 17
       
      This is just as important as timely feedback in a traditional classroom course! When the instructor is not face to face with the students it is sometimes harder to know what the next step might be, without the feedback from the previous assignment or feedback on a discussion board.
  • Selects and uses technologies appropriate to the content that enhance learning
    • Jen Van Fleet
      Jen Van Fleet on 14 Jan 17
       
      I think there is a two-fold situation brewing here. On one end of the spectrum, we have teachers who are happy to explore lots of ways to use digital tools and processes. We see a lot of app and extension requests come in from "these kinds of people". After a while, the district has started to take a stance and wants a way to filter out the requests to the essential ones. It's a slippery slope, however, because no one has definitively decided what is essential, and even if they had, it could change overnight. On the other side of the spectrum, you have teaches who are overwhelmed by all the choices, and so they select none. They would prefer that someone tell them "THIS one" when choosing the right tool for the right job. I believe there is happy medium in the middle where vetted tools are supported. Not quite there yet. It's a bit of a jungle.
  • Selects and uses technologies appropriate to the content that enhance learning (SREB M.3, Varvel IV.D, ITS 3.e, ITS 4.f)
    • tifinif
      tifinif on 14 Jan 17
       
      I feel that is standard is so important because at an elementary level we have a wide range of abilities. Its nice to have websites and technology that is appropriate for a kindergarten student vs a 5th grader.
  • Selects and uses technologies appropriate to the content that enhance learning
    • Jen Van Fleet
      Jen Van Fleet on 14 Jan 17
       
      I think there is a two-fold situation brewing here. On one end of the spectrum, we have teachers who are happy to explore lots of ways to use digital tools and processes. We see a lot of app and extension requests come in from "these kinds of people". After a while, the district has started to take a stance and wants a way to filter out the requests to the essential ones. It's a slippery slope, however, because no one has definitively decided what is essential, and even if they had, it could change overnight. On the other side of the spectrum, you have teaches who are overwhelmed by all the choices, and so they select none. They would prefer that someone tell them "THIS one" when choosing the right tool for the right job. I believe there is happy medium in the middle where vetted tools are supported. Not quite there yet. It's a bit of a jungle.
  • a variety of assessments
    • Jen Van Fleet
      Jen Van Fleet on 14 Jan 17
       
      Another vision for down the road is an accessible repository for high quality assessment items linked to standards which could be pulled while our collaborative teacher teams start to build their common formative assessments.
  • Maintains an online social presence that is available, approachable, positive, interactive, and sincere (SREB C.3, Varvel VII.A)
    • blockerl
      blockerl on 14 Jan 17
       
      I think this is especially important because it is hard to be sincere in an electronic space. I love when teachers introduce themselves. I need the personal touch to be more invested in the coursework. Students will need that, too.
  • Knows the content of the subject to be taught and understands how to teach the content to students
  • Assists students with technology used in the course (Varvel III.C)
  • Understands and uses course content that complies with intellectual property rights and fair use, and assists students in complying as well
    • Kim Foley-Sharp
      Kim Foley-Sharp on 16 Jan 17
       
      This is so critical as we move to even more online content for classes. We need to teach our students to give credit where credit is due.
  • Promotes learning through online collaboration group work that is goal-oriented and focused
    • hansenn
      hansenn on 16 Jan 17
       
      I think the first part of this goal is easier to meet now with cloud based programs like G-suite products, but it can be challenging to have middle students to stick to working together to reach a learning goal.
  • current with emerging technologies
    • hansenn
      hansenn on 16 Jan 17
       
      I think it is extremely difficult to stay current on all of the technology tools. There are the new tech tools and then the others are continually being updated. We seem to have certain leaders who are know about certain products. We all know who to ask about Google Calendar. moodle-Iowa
    • emmeyer
      emmeyer on 18 Jan 17
       
      I definitely agree with this!! I used to think that I was good with technology and doing well with new things until we went to ISTE last summer! That, along with these classes has really showed me how much I really don't know!
  • Demonstrates competence in planning, designing, and incorporating instructional strategies
    • Heather Whitman
      Heather Whitman on 16 Jan 17
       
      I strongly believe this is the most essential part. It is the understanding of the big picture (Understanding by Design concepts from the late 90's), assessment, and how are we going to get there is the key to any teaching. This front loading, upfront planning, and focus on the big picture will ensure more learning. It is planned and not rushed. You will always need to adjust, and the moodle allows ample ways to adjust instruction as the students need it. Technology or no technology, this is the heart of teaching.
  • Provides opportunities that enable student self-assessment and pre-assessment within courses (SREB K, Varvel VI.I, ITS 5.d
    • Heather Whitman
      Heather Whitman on 16 Jan 17
       
      I really struggled which to pick out as being most essential in the 2nd area and I went between self assessment and the ability to differentiate with all learners. I decided to go with the self-assessment and pre-assessment. Hattie studied thousands and thousands of strategies and found the number one way to improve learning is through reflection- knowing where I am, setting goals, and reflecting along the way. This is the nice part with online learning as it forces all students to be transparent and not blend in with the class and not engage. With solid planning for a variety of abilities in the classroom, good assessment & feedback, and constant reflection, we should see improvement in learning.
    • Nancy Peterman
      Nancy Peterman on 17 Jan 17
       
      This is a demonstration note
  • 2. Demonstrates competence in content knowledge (including technological knowledge) appropriate to the instructional position (ITS 2)
    • jwalt15
      jwalt15 on 18 Jan 17
       
      I feel this is essential because an online teacher should possess the content and technological knowledge necessary to design and implement coursework. If they don't know how to navigate and utilize the technology then they shouldn't be teaching online.
  • Selects and understands how to evaluate learning materials and resources that align with the context and enhance learning (SREB C.15, SREB M.4, Varvel IV.C, ITS 3.e, ITS 4.f)
    • jwalt15
      jwalt15 on 18 Jan 17
       
      I feel this is an essential standard because learning materials and resources are the foundation of any course whether it is online or face-to-face. Instructors need to know how to select and evaluate the materials that they will use to teach others. It is the core of any instruction.
  • • 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)
    • jlchrstn
      jlchrstn on 18 Jan 17
       
      This class is a great resource for starting to learn how to use these tools. I am curious as to how long one would have to use these tools to be confident in being able to also require students to use them. I certainly see them as a great resource, but to what extent would teaching students how to use the tools overshadow the learning that is to take place about the actual content for which the tool is being used?
  • • Communicates with students effectively and consistently (SREB D.1, ITS 1.g)
    • jlchrstn
      jlchrstn on 18 Jan 17
       
      The ability for students and teachers to communicate is perhaps one of the greatest benefits for online learning. In what other educational setting does a student have the opportunity to freely communicate with the instructor about a vareity of topics without the presence of their peers.
  • Provides opportunities that enable student self-assessment and pre-assessment within courses
    • christymccarthy
      christymccarthy on 28 Jan 17
       
      Self-assessment are not very helpful because the user often does not answer the questions truthfully.
  • Incorporates social aspects into the teaching and learning process, creating a community of learners
    • christymccarthy
      christymccarthy on 28 Jan 17
       
      Joan Walton has helped me with this class. the student-student interaction has help me with this learning process.
  • • Establishes standards for student behavior that are designed to ensure academic integrity and appropriate use of the internet and written communication (SREB E.2)
    • Kim Foley-Sharp
      Kim Foley-Sharp on 04 Feb 17
       
      This is a critical piece. It has to start not only at home, but at the lower elementary and be consistent throughout a childs k-12 life. We also need to have consequences in place if students do not follow the guidelines. That is all part of the learning process, but cannot be a repeat continuously.
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