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PLE Articles - 2 views

  • PLEs place a large amount of responsibility on students and thus requires a high level of self-management and awareness. Not every student is ready for this responsibility, so teachers need to have strategies in place to guide and support these learners.
    • moodyh
       
      This is the part that I get stuck on.  Many students are either not mature enough for this yet or have been so put off by school that they think there is no educational topic that interests them.  In a more one-on-one environment, like my alt school, I can usually find something to interest them and get them going.  However, in a traditional school setting, where I see students only for an hour each day for only 60 days, and so many of them, it's hard to work with each student one-on-one to get them motivated.  I think all the comments that the whole school would have to shift (rather than just one classroom) makes sense because the students would have to learn how to deal with this new level of responsibility.  60 hours with one teacher just won't get that accomplished, no matter how phenomenal the teacher is.
    • alissahansen
       
      I definitely agree with you on this. Since I teach freshmen, I feel like a lot of time is teaching them just how to be good citizens (at school, at home, in the community, and in the world)! I only see them for 45 minutes each day, but I do see them all year. I would really like to implement a more personalized learning environment for them, but I know it's going to be an up-hill climb all of the way!
    • alissahansen
       
      Last comment by Alissa Hansen.
    • edamisch
       
      This would be a challenge for me as well, since I only have my 6th graders for 9 weeks per school year, and my 7th and 8th graders for 7 weeks per school year! 
    • Lisa Hackman
       
      Being a teacher in an alternative program, most of my students just want to be done with school as quick as possible. They are so tired of playing the game of school. I must admit, unfortunately, that I may feed that "get-done-with-school-as-soon-as-possible" mentality by pushing students to stay on track or get ahead of the game. However, if the student becomes the driver in their own learning then maybe they will be more motivated. As educators, we need to tap into the "What's in if for me?" mindset that many students have. Find an interest of the students and build their learning environment around that interest. Much easier said than done.
    • dwefel
       
      I agree with this. I also think that parents need to be aware of what teachers are doing as well. A high school teacher at my former school put everything on Twitter and one parent did not want her 15 year old daughter to have a Twitter account. Something to always think about and be ready to have alternative ways to do assignments or simply make it a requirement.
  • professionalism is far more about the effective manipulation– access, evaluation, & applicatio
    • moodyh
       
      This seems to be a recurring theme as well.  Getting students ready for the "real world" isn't so much about making sure they know lots of details about every subject area, but making sure they could find and understand any detail in any subject area that they will need.  The goal of education seems less about passing on information as teaching students how to organize and understand the over-abundance of it.  How then do we balance this with the extreme focus on core-curriculum?  Finding a balance is the challenge.
    • lisalillian311
       
      Yes, it seems there needs to be instruction on how to gather/organize the information and reliable sources, and then instruction on using it.  While the end result is positive, it will take time to jump start students in their own PLE.
  • Symbaloo has created a version of the platform specifically for educators
    • moodyh
       
      We got introduced to Symbaloo at school this year, although I might check into the EDU version.  I got logged in and played for a few minutes, but never had the time to develop something usable because as a district we were on to something different.  I like that our district provides us with many topics and learning opportunities, but I wish that I had more time to focus on one thing.  I think this is probably what it's like for students.  They get exposed to so much, but they need help organizing it and time to explore.  
    • lisalillian311
       
      Yes, Symballoo seems like more than one day of PD.  I haven't started my own yet, but I think it will take time to get a handle on the lingo as well as using the tools within the website.
    • Alison Ruebel
       
      I agree as teachers we would need to be taught or have time to explore this site and learn how to exactly model it appropriately to our grade level. I would love to see how other teachers use this and model it in their classrooms too. 
    • edamisch
       
      I can relate to this feeling, whenever I attend a conference, I learn so much that I need a day or two afterwards to just process and create the new games and activities that I've found, but it is always straight back to teaching. 
    • moodyh
       
      Some teacher as my school went to a conference this year and actually talked administration into another professional development day where they could just process all of their information.  It was pretty cool.
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  • Some instructors empower students to use their own mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones as a means to create PLEs.
    • lisalillian311
       
      We have 1-on-1 technology in our district, which is ideal for PLEs.  However, when the student forgets the laptop or has no power left in the battery, the smartphone comes in handy.  It is tougher to monitor the smartphone.
    • lisalillian311
       
      Autonomy is a great concern for me.  With collaboration being stressed in CCS, will students be able to conquer this skill without the use of technology?  At some point, some issues have to be discussed face-to-face, and there is a separate skill set for that environment.
    • lisalillian311
       
      I like the idea of Symballoo--kind of like a favorites list and bookmarks in my Google account.  What will take time for me is learning all the lingo attached to Symballoo!
    • lisalillian311
       
      What is aggregator?
    • alissahansen
       
      I have always been a support of helpful tech resources that students are interested in, which is why I am always trying to learn more about different Apps and tools and explore them myself. Once I play around a bit, I usually introduce it to my students. Sometimes the resources are new, sometimes not, but there are so many wonderful tools out there. I visit Richard Byrne's site once a day! Currently, our language arts department has Chromebook carts for each classroom and the district is allocating more and more to different departments. They are wonderful to have, but students will get bored very quickly if they are only being used for tech sake. I LOVE the idea of having students create a Symbaloo. In fact, my plan is to have them begin one at the start of the school year and then they can add to it as we move through different units. This would have been particularly helpful during our research unit.  I also like the idea of "empower"ing students to use their phones and other mobile devices, but we do have a pretty strict policy on phone usage at our school. Sometimes students' phones work much more efficiently than the Chromebooks. (Alissa Hansen)
    • spfantz
       
      I think my students would love deciding which medium to use. I also have a lot of artistic students who would chose to create a paper/pencil project similar in format to a prezi presentation or blog with pictures.
    • edamisch
       
      Choice can be such a motivator for students, we all have our strengths and weaknesses! 
    • emilyzelenovich
       
      This is something I also worry about with the students I teach. While I appreciate their willingness to use technology and the creativity it lends itself to, I worry about their ability to solve problems and communicate effectively face to face. How do you ensure they are learning these essential skills as well when things are so individualized? 
    • Jessica Athen
       
      This made me think about how difficult it is to have a PLE in a traditional classroom setting. We have 1:1 technology in our district, but students are extremely limited in what websites and programs they can use (You Tube, all social media, etc is blocked for students.) We also do not allow students to use tablets or smartphones in the classroom, with some teachers wanting to enact a school wide ban on smart phones and tablets so that they are not allowed in school at all. I am so excited to be learning about all of the opportunities PLEs offer students, but I also think there are many changes that will have to be made before we can start moving in this direction.
  • The vast array of options and sense of autonomy that lies at the very heart of personal learning environments can also be a huge inhibitor.
    • alissahansen
       
      I also worry about autonomy, as I teach freshmen English and 14 and 15 year olds do not have a "high level of self-management and awareness," at least not many. Like any classroom, however, guidelines need to be firmly in place and I think autonomy would need to be frontloaded before jumping into a PLE. I do think students would do very well in this type of environment. In fact, I often have students telling me about different resources they go to on a daily basis...whether it's to get advice, read a review, write a review, or even write a short story! The possibilities are endless, but I do think structure needs to be in place. At least to begin with. I start the year with my freshmen discussing and reading/watching material regarding civility, we made a code of civility in each class, and then we blog about our practicing of it throughout the year. I would like to implement a PLE in much the same manner. (Alissa Hansen)
  • The idea of having one site to log into daily and then a pre-constructed  dashboard of all the learning tools and spaces available to us seemed appealing to the 7th period students
    • alissahansen
       
      I do think that using a Symbaloo is a great idea to manage resources, and it looks like something my students would enjoy working with. However, my school has really moved towards using Google Classroom and teachers having Google sites, which I spend a lot of time and energy on with both. I think too many tech items can be a cognitive overload for students and teachers alike. I think if I am to use something like Symbaloo, I would need to eliminate at least Classroom or Sites and maybe even some of the other many sites that I have students use (Newsela, NoRedInk, Kahoot, etc.). It's just hard for me, especially with the site that I have created because I have spent so much time on it over the past three years. I just don't think students would benefit from having to click around to a lot of different resources, especially if they are teacher-created. (Alissa Hansen)
    • ascallon
       
      I like the idea of a daily log in for updates.  I think this would work in the Green Belt classroom for relaying information as students don't attend the same schedule each day.
  • Teachers are challenged to provide the appropriate balance between structured lessons and learner autonomy in order to facilitate self-directed learning.
    • alissahansen
       
      Great quote on the benefits of PLE, but getting students who are not "ready" or mature enough to handle this type of self-direction will struggle. A challenge for teachers indeed! I think the classroom (physical environment) setup is the first thing that needs to be changed in order to prepare students for this type of autonomy. What do the rest of you think? (Alissa Hansen)
    • alissahansen
       
      I guess I should also state that I do not think students are getting enough opportunities to be autonomous, which is why they struggle and fear it when they are given the opportunity. (Alissa Hansen)
  • A personal learning environment (PLE) with personal knowledge management (PKM) tools An eportfolio A collection of resources related to a problem-based learning challenge Study group resources
    • alissahansen
       
      I am really looking forward to starting this with students. It's like a one-stop shop for their individual needs. One of the biggest setbacks I have faced in recent years was trying out a multitude of tech resources and although some were helpful, clicking around all over the place was overwhelming! (Alissa Hansen)
    • spfantz
       
      I was devistated when google removed igoogle, and I think this could definitely take its place. I agree that students will appreciate the convenience of this site.
    • Lisa Hackman
       
      Alissa, I get overwhelmed with the amount of resources and tools available. I often don't know where to start, so I opt not to. Thankfully, I'm taking this class and I have the opportunity to investigate and use some PLE tools like Diigo and Symbaloo, things I've never heard of until now!
  • method students use to organize their self-directed online learning
    • spfantz
       
      I think this would be very powerful and I would love to create something like this, personally. I think my accellerated students would thrive, but worry that my lower level students would struggle due to a lack of confidence in themselves and lack of self-awareness. I wonder if there are certain organizational PLE templates that would work better for certain learning styles? Or perhaps a template would defeat the pourpose.....
  • attend to supporting students in developing their skills and motivations for becoming themselves networked and sophisticated online learners
    • spfantz
       
      I love the idea of supporting students individually, I just struggle to envision being able to support all my students adequately within my classroom. I feel like it would be easy to digress with a student over their PLE, but feel it could be difficult to find the time.
    • jroffman
       
      I sooo agree!!!! I would love to watch how an expert teacher teaches in a PLE classroom! I love the concept and the idea I am just struggling to make it work in the classroom.
    • Kristina Dvorak
       
      I like this concept, I think it is easier to do in a classroom that is content specific.  I can see where it would be more difficult if a teacher was responsible for teaching multiple content areas.  At the same time, that teacher doesn't have to be the the information source for all the students, time is just the factor.  
    • moodyh
       
      That's interesting.  I think PLEs would be easier to manage in multiple content areas because they would have to be working on their own thing.  The environment is really suited for it.
  • subscribe to news feeds and blogs, discern the value of social bookmarks, and set up the aggregator to manage all the Internet resources.
    • spfantz
       
      Subscribing to news feeds and blogs would be a great technique to compare and contrast views related to the students' topics of interest. This could be difficult for the teacher to monitor, digo might be a great way to track this!
    • jroffman
       
      This is what I am trying to develop in my preschool class room where the students are in charge of their own learning, and I am more of a resource. What I struggle with is classroom management, I feel like all of the students are demanding my attention and I can't help everyone. 
    • edamisch
       
      Sometimes it is hard to fathom the classroom management of a PLE of 12-22 students, which is what I currently have, let alone 30+ like many districts have.  
    • nwhipple
       
      Having your students be more independent is wonderful.  This past year I did less large group instruction and more small groups.  I taught my kindergarten students "Ask 3 before me".  They had to ask 3 people for help or what we were doing before coming to me.  When they came to me, especially when i was working with my small group, I asked them "did you ask 3 before me?".  If they didn't, they would just turn around and go find something.  This is a start for having your students become more independent.  BY creating a PLE for young students, they feel more in control of their learning too.  If you, the teacher, set it up and give them access to a variety of things to do, they will enjoy what they are doing and feel they are making "their own choices".  
  • Personal learning environments are beneficial because they support learning anywhere and allow learners to connect the diverse environments of school, home and play. Students can extend their learning into questions to parents, email conversations, Facebook posts or even twitter hashtags.
    • jroffman
       
      I don't want to sound negative in my post here because I really am all for personalized learning. I wonder how we can get administration on board with us. I struggle with old school administration who tell me as a teacher that I can not use my phone during the day, that I can not use facebook, and about passed out when they realized that parents text me, questions and changes in their child's schedule. I did have a secret facebook page and it was wonderful I would use it to include parents with our studies. 
    • Alison Ruebel
       
      Good point. I agree with your post. It is hard to get some administrators going along with this new idea of personalized learning. Even at my other school I taught at Facebook and some other social networking sites were blocked. I like the idea of having a Facebook page with parents and students to keep parents informed with stuff going on at school, and also a way for students to post and communicate with parents and classmates. I think these social websites are necessary in schools, but the big question is how do we get teachers and administration to go for it? 
    • Kristina Dvorak
       
      Our District has blocked a lot of the social sites as well, it comes from the upper levels of administration and not our building admin.  I think they tend to be out of touch with the possibilities and fear the unknown.   It would be great to use Facebook for connecting with parents and students.  The alternative given to us is Canvas in which parents have access to teachers.  But it isn't as easy or convenient as Facebook.  That is certainly one site I wish we could use at work.   I do like the idea of personalized learning environments, especially the concept of students seeking knowledge that is useful for them!  This appears to be the best way to create life-long learners!
    • edamisch
       
      Facebook is blocked at my school as well, which is a shame since it'd be a way to create an immersion like setting in my Spanish classroom.  If I see something cool on the site that related to class, such as photos from a friend's time in Panama with the Peace Corps, I turn the wifi off on my phone so that Facebook will work, and just walk around the class showing kids, which is risky, I know.  I'm sure there is a cord that I could connect from my phone to SmartBoard to make this more feasible.  I should probably get a separate teacher facebook page for things like this.  Some of the articles that pop up in my feed from magazines like Women's Health are not school appropriate!  
  • Students engaging in networked learning have to learn to be more self-directed than in the typical classroom… they are required to take a more active role in the learning process
    • jroffman
       
      by teaching students how to be self learners and how to be active in the learning process I think that as kids and adults these students will want to be life long learners and not someone who only does it because they have to. Or worse yet lets everyone else do it for them. I love the independence PLE classrooms create
    • Jessica Athen
       
      I see so many students who do not understand how to play an active role in their learning because they have been conditioned to rely on the teacher. Many students get very anxious and really don't know what to do when they are asked to complete self-directed activities. I think PLE will provide students with the opportunity to take responsibility for their own learning, which will help them throughout their lives.
  • Personal Learning Environments (PLE) are not to be confused with Learning Management Systems (LMS) that are implemented and maintained by institutions.
    • Alison Ruebel
       
      This is very important! I see the (LMS) approach in our school and in many other schools. I feel like it wouldn't be hard to confuse (LMS and PLE) these different approaches, because they seem so different. The chart gave a good outline of how different they are compared to each other. 
    • Kristina Dvorak
       
      The chart is helpful in understanding the differences.  The LMS could also be a tool in a student's PLE.  
    • edamisch
       
      Agreed, charts and lists make learning so much easier than paragraphs, at least for me. 
  • continue to collect feedback from students on how this learning tool is working for them and how they are using it for themselves as well as within their groups–I’m excited to see what will happen.  I may also informally introduce Symbaloo to some of last year’s Media 21 students and get their feedback on how they think Symbaloo compares to Netvibes and what their preferences are as students.   In the meantime, I’ve created
    • Alison Ruebel
       
      I like the idea of getting student feedback on technology and the use of different resources. You can really learn student interest and their honest opinions through surveys or different forms of feedback. 
  • It’s easy to use A learner can pull information that’s personally useful to him/her Learners can personalize tiles to make them easy to spot Learners can add to, and draw from, a community of webmixes Interactivity + personalization = fun
    • Alison Ruebel
       
      These look like awesome reasons why Symbaloo is a great learning tool for students. I can definitely see this resource being used in grades k-12. Although, for example, I teach 1st grade and I can see my students loving this, but they will need lots of guidance and modeling of how to set it up and use it to help them become independent with it. I can see once it's set up it would be awesome for students to have all of their favorite resources and sites all in one place! 
    • ascallon
       
      I like the idea of having research available at one spot.  So many times when I ask a student where he/she found the information, it cannot be located.  I want to see projects with more detail.  
    • ascallon
       
      I have a concern about distractions.  Students tend to use their phones and computers more for entertainment and chatting with friends over research and presentation.  
    • edamisch
       
      Agreed, a high school I taught at did not have locks on lockers, meaning kids brought their phones to class so that they wouldn't be stolen. Preventing snapchatting was difficult for me!  
    • marydermit
       
      I have experienced the same issues with my high schools students.  I may take a different approach based on one of the side articles that stated, "students are still learning while they are wasting time because they will see consequences are for late work."
  • “learning by doing” and “student as worker,”
    • ascallon
       
      I would like to have some strategies to help students having an understanding of the shift in learning for them to become more involved in their learning.  How do I motivate them to go beyond bookwork to exploring topics?
    • moodyh
       
      When you find the answer, please fill me in too!
    • nwhipple
       
      I feel this is a big struggle right now in our district.  Teachers are wanting their students to dig deep into a topic or their work.  Students are given choices but still only surface the top of the water, doing the bare minimum, when we want them to dive in and go to the bottom.  In my classroom, my students have a writing journal.  We write in this "special" journal once a week.  At the beginning of the year, I give them ideas to write about.  Some write while others will simply draw a picture because they don't know how to write.  By the middle of the year, every is writing something, whether it is a complete sentences or a few words.  I will give them a few choices to choose from or they can write about something they want to.  BY the end of the year, they know to take out their journals and write about anything they want.  I want my students to take control of their own learning and reflect back on their work over the year so by having this year long journal, they can see their progression and how they took control over their writing.  
  • Many students in the first class that tried Symbaloo today commented that they liked the clean, visual interface of Symbaloo and the ease of adding content; they also liked that they could customize the “tiles” they were adding and that their webmixes loaded quickly.
    • Kristina Dvorak
       
      With my limited experience with Symbaloo, I agree with the fact that it does seem easy add and customize content.  I think my students would find this to be a helpful tool.  I also like the idea of encouraging students to use it for tracking both personal and school related information.  
  • learning toward facilitation of students’ “active role in the learning process” and teachers’ provision of the right balance between structured lessons and autonomy; let’s never forget it is an ongoing balancing act.
    • Kristina Dvorak
       
      This is a good reminder.  Students need to take on a more active role, but there is always a good balance.  It probably shouldn't be all one way or all another way.  
    • principalchris
       
      How true!  It will be difficult for some students to lead their own learning.  They have been passive for so long it will be a shock to their systems.
  • a number of tiles to get you started,
    • edamisch
       
      So like the apps that come with an iphone. 
    • principalchris
       
      Just set up my account and can't wait to see what else I can add.  This is a great time saver.
  • teachers must pursue training and be knowledgeable of how to utilize PLEs to enhance learning and ensure that students are using this e-learning tool in a meaningful way.
    • Lisa Hackman
       
      I believe this is where the transformation must start, with good, consistent professional development. The key here is ensuring students are using the technology, whether that be a tablet, laptop, or smartphone, appropriately for learning.
    • marydermit
       
      I very much agree the process must start with PD.  PD needs to be personalized. From a baby boomer perspective we need mini PD sessions for technology applications.  Otherwise I think there will be resistance from this age group because of limited tech skills. 
  • I could stand to be more savvy in my own organizing of online learning and networking: I’ve been slow to use tools and develop skills for managing online resource
    • Lisa Hackman
       
      I can so relate to this comment. Finding time to explore and become comfortable with the vast array of tools avaiable is my biggest challenge. I get so caught up in the day-to-day management of 10+ students attending the alternative program (I am the only adult in the room with the students), I don't often have time to explore what's out there. Even when my admin and tech people pass along a list of resources, it is overwhelming to me. Much of my time is spent tracking down students, following up with parents, and documenting the events of the day.
    • Jessica Athen
       
      I also feel overwhelmed by all of the technology that I "should" be learning about and using with my students. We spend a lot of PD time on technology and incorporating it into our classrooms, but I feel like we just get a quick overview of whatever program they want us to use at that time, and then we never really get time to explore it and develop ways to incorporate it into our teaching.
    • jenniferlb
       
      I'm with you! There are so many cool resources and tech tools I want to learn and use...but actually finding the time to explore and implement is another story!
  • Teachers, she explains, are no longer the primary or even the best source of information available to students
    • Lisa Hackman
       
      As a teacher in a one-room alternative program, I KNOW this to be true. I feel like the jack-of-all trades, master of none on many days. I see myself more as a manager and facilitator of their learning than the direct source.
    • dwefel
       
      I always think this after I watch the history channel. I learn so much from the history channel and it is so much more interesting than listening to a lecture.
    • moodyh
       
      I am in a one-teacher room as well, and while I try to keep up, there is now way to know it all.  Even in the traditional classroom where I teach personal finance, I feel unable to keep up with it all.  But it is hard to let go of the reigns when you have taught that way and everyone else around you teaches that way.
  • I encouraged students to use their accounts as an information dashboard for “professional” or school interests as well as personal passions.
    • Jessica Athen
       
      I really like the idea of showing students how to use this technology and their learning for both "professional and personal use." I think when you tell students that it is "ok" for them to use technology this way, they learn more because they aren't compartmentalizing their usage of this technology as only for school, which means that they are more likely to use the program and play around with it, which will increase their learning opportunities.
  • This encourages students to apply their learning in different venues which creates a culture of lifelong learning.
    • dwefel
       
      This is exactly what educators are going for, to create life long learners. Using PLEs will create that. I am so excited to incorporate this in my classroom and help others do the same.
    • jillnovotny
       
      I completely agree with you that we want students to become life-long learners! When students leave school, we want students to be able to do seek out their own research, contacts, and resources to solve everyday problems. If students are never presented with opportunities to direct and manage their own learning, they will not be as successful. Giving students permission to learn about and engage with things they are passionate about can only lead to positive educational outcomes (with appropriate supports of course)!
  • For example, you can create tiles that link to challenges, quiz questions, polls, discussion forums, chat pages, and other types of content and media that will facilitate more student involvement and creativity.
    • dwefel
       
      This sounds fun. I am looking forward to set up an account. I think kids would really like this. It is nice to have one place for everything.
  • students still needed some kind of information dashboard to manage all of their information streams for the upcoming project.
    • jillnovotny
       
      I think it is a great idea to have a place for students to "store" the information they need to research and interact with their content. My students have used symbaloo in computer class and it has taken away a lot of the management concerns. Students know where to go to find the tools they need to keep progressing with their learning!
    • principalchris
       
      What a great idea!  When that notebook with all the notes is missing, it could be stored and used during class instead of searching or pretending to search.  Maybe we could teach them responsibility again!
  • PLEs give learners a high degree of control over their work by allowing them to customize the learning experience and connect to others, including experts in the field
    • jillnovotny
       
      This is exactly what we want - students to have a high degree of control over their work! By allowing them to customize the learning experience and connect with others, including experts, students are getting real-life experience that will help them solve the problems they face in their everyday lives. A PLE can help students organize this self-directed learning. Students will likely know what they want to learn but organizing that learning is often what students need support in. PLEs are helpful in providing students with tools they need to gather information, conduct research, and present their findings!
  • personalized learning that allows students to direct and manage their own learning experience while pursuing educational goals
    • jillnovotny
       
      In my opinion, this is exactly what we want students to be able to do! By supporting students in their academic endeavors, students learn to view teachers as guides or facilitators rather than "the one who knows all." In thinking about what we want students to be able to do when they leave school, we want students to be able to do seek out their own research, contacts, and resources to solve everyday problems. If students are never presented with opportunities to direct and manage their own learning, they will not be as successful!
    • marydermit
       
      You are right!  If students do not get to practice this skills by doing then they will struggle when they enter the workforce. 
  • The development of PLEs represents a shift in focus from teacher centered classrooms to more learner centered classrooms. As such, teachers must learn to effectively incorporate these social media based initiatives into their lessons.
    • jenniferlb
       
      This sounds absolutely ideal. The challenge we as educators face with students using their own technology during instruction and competing for their attention has steadily increased over recent years. How cool would it be if it were used to enhance their learning rather than get in the way of it!
    • katie50009
       
      I do have some concerns that a lot of the PLE is based on on-line learning. Students use technology constantly, but I have also seen them get frustrated with technology and on-line learning when it seems hard to navigate or they are not receiving adequate feedback.
  • The Symbaloo interface looks a bit like a high-tech Scrabble board with movable “tiles” on it. These tiles give you access to Web pages or other webmixes.
    • jenniferlb
       
      As someone completely new to this type of program, I really like the looks of it.  It appears friendly and seems to lend itself to some really great things.
  • What I do like about Symbaloo is that if I make any updates to this webmix, students receive the updates as well!
    • nwhipple
       
      This is really handy for parents as well.  I send them the link and they can access my web mix at home.  When I make an update, I alert parents via my shutterfly site.  Parents can go to my web mix and have their child show them games we are playing that reinforces our learning goals.  It is also nice because parents don't have to download anything or search for hours on something educational for their child to do because it is already done for them.
  • Because Symbaloo is web-based, you can access your favorite webmixes from different computers.
    • nwhipple
       
      This is so great because I can share this with parents and their child can access my game page at home.  If parents allow screen time at home, I feel that by providing this web mix to them to access will only benefit their child and help them learn and reinforce our learning in the classroom.  
  • The concept of PLE is not a way to replace classroom learning, but to enhance it.
    • principalchris
       
      This is the comment many teachers were hoping to read.  I understand the hesitation to give students control of the learning environment, but is it working by controlling them?
    • marydermit
       
      PLE research shows there are less behavior issues because kids get to learn based on their interests promoting intrinsic motivation to learn.  I think it would be great to teach in a PLE.  
  • Personal learning environments (PLE) are a new approach to personalized learning that allows students to direct and manage their own learning experience while pursuing educational goals. The idea for PLEs was born from the emergence of Web 2.0 tools and the ubiquity of technology in today’s society. Students now have access to desktop computers, smartphones, tablets, smart TVs and game systems that connect them to free online tools that are always available. These tools provide a medium for students to create their own learning space that is more natural and unique to their interests and learning styles.
    • katie50009
       
      One of the key phrases here is "learning goals." I think we have to also explore how to help students define and establish learning goals for themselves. I am not sure they are always able to do this--at least in a way that is pushing and challenging what they already know or are able to do.
  • The social media platform that supports PLEs creates a perfect space for peer collaboration and sharing information.
    • katie50009
       
      I must remember that baby steps can get use to PLE for more students. It is overwhelming to think about changing the traditional model of education so many are used to until I read this line and take a deep breath. The sharing and conducting of "research" students are doing in individual leassons or units is a stgep in the right direction.
  • o horribly wrong if teachers fail to prepare students and set usage parameters.
    • katie50009
       
      I feel so much better reading this. I experienced this first hand. I thought my students were ready for the responsibility I was handing over; I thought I had set the "right" parameters, but, alas, the learning was not as rich as it could have been. In many cases, it turned out to be a huge waste of time. I still feel guilty about it. I guess the positive is that I am still trying to learn more about implementing PLE's effectively.
    • marydermit
       
      Yes, it is a positive because you learned from the experience.  Now you know what worked and what needs to be revised.  
Deb Henkes

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

  •  
    Appointment slots area new way to help manage your own schedule. It is a feature in Google calendar and heres' how.
Mary Overholtzer

ollie1: Iowa Online Course Standards - 2 views

  • (K-12) • Information literacy and communication skills are incorporated and taught as an integral part of the curriculum.
    • Mary Trent
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      I would also like information, especially about fair use!
    • Deborah Ausborn
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      Formative assessments?
    • anonymous
       
      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
       
      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
       
      How true! It is important that the students clearly know what is expected of them.
    • Kathy Hageman
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      I am going to try to use next year with my CoPi blended classroom.
    • Amy Kemp
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      I love the idea of giving students ownership in their learning!
  • Technologies are chosen that are accessible to students
    • rcordes1961
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
       
      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
Peggy Steinbronn

ollie4_1: Article: Attributes from Effective Formative Assessment (CCSSO) - 1 views

  • Formative assessment is a process used by teachers and students during instruction that provides feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students’ achievement of intended instructional outcomes.
    • Kay Durfey
       
      I can get on board with this definition!
    • Heather Whitman
       
      Yes, I agree. I cannot imagine how many hours went into this one short sentence. :)
    • Aaron Evans
       
      Agreed. We had to do this for an Iowa Core training and it was a lot harder than it looked.
  • Learning Goals and Criteria for Success: Learning goals and criteria for success should be clearly identified and communicated to students.
    • Kay Durfey
       
      I think this is an area that has gotten a lot of attention in the last five years, and teachers have become more efficient at this.
    • Heather Whitman
       
      We have been working on this as well. I hope students see why we are doing it. I remember asking a geometry teacher when will I ever use this or why are we doing it. He never did answer me, and I was already confused by the subject. It may have helped me to know why we were doing it.
    • kangas
       
      I try to give my students a unit plan/overview at the start of the unit, that lists my goals, the activities we are going to do and a tentative schedule. As we get to projects/assessments, we've already practiced skills and work on fine tuning the rubric together. I hope they are able to see how things fit together but, I am not always sure they get why they need to retain the knowledge for future use. Foreign Language requires you to use prior knowledge of Spanish and English Grammar. This year we will add the references to the national foreign language standards and competency based grading to the mix. Should be interesting action research.
    • Lisa Jacobs
       
      Yes, teachers need to be very clear about learning goals and success criteria. A part of our Gradual Release classroom walk throughs including interviewing students to see if they can state in their own words what they are learning.
  • Descriptive Feedback: Students should be provided with evidence-based feedback that is linked to the intended instructional outcomes and criteria for success.
    • Kay Durfey
       
      Specific and evidence-based feedback is most effective for everyone involved.
    • Heather Whitman
       
      It is the biggest bang for the buck to improve learning compared to any other strategy. This does need to be our focus.
    • Bob Pauk
       
      I agree that this should be our focus. Unfortunately this is more time consuming so for many teachers this can get put on the back burner.
  • ...16 more annotations...
  • The primary purpose of the formative assessment process, as conceived in this definition, is to provide evidence that is used by teachers and students to inform instruction and learning during the teaching/learning process.
    • anonymous
       
      This makes such perfect sense and sounds like it would be so easy.
    • kangas
       
      Using google forms and the flubaroo script (add-in) makes quick feedback an easy part of my class. 10 quick questions on the iPad and feedback almost immediately. I wait until everyone is done then send it to them. Then we can look at it again as a whole group.
    • Lisa Jacobs
       
      It seems important to me that the evidence is for both students AND teachers.
    • Peggy Steinbronn
       
      Thanks for sharing about the Google add-in, flubaroo. It seems like it provides quick, easy feedback that would be useful to students.
  • The students must be actively involved in the systematic process intended to improve their learning. The process requires the teacher to share learning goals with students and provide opportunities for students to monitor their ongoing progress.
    • Bob Pauk
       
      I think too often we do not involve the students in even formative assessment. A test, quiz or any other assessment is usually seen by the student as something that is done to them. The teacher gives it to them, grades it and show the grade, rather than it being more of a cooperative project involving both student and teacher with the clear goal of finding out what is being learned in order to improve future learning opportunitites.
    • Aaron Evans
       
      This goes back to the argument of how and why we grade. Why do students expect a grade for everything they do? Because we, as teachers and society, have taught them that the grade is important. Lost in that approach was the idea that the learning is the important aspect of school.
    • kangas
       
      I had students tell me that they don't try as hard if it is not graded. So I tell them everything is graded (some is completion, some is accuracy. If it's going to be like the real world/a job, all the things you do are looked at in your performance review, not just one assignment/project. It shows me a lot about work ethic and accountability for my own learning if they don't take the activities seriously. Some are meant to be fun, but they are also educational and chosen for a purpose.
    • Lisa Jacobs
       
      Good point comparing quality school work to job performance. In the world of work, each day contributes to a person's performance evaluation.
    • anonymous
       
      This seems to be a part that is skipped sometimes. Teacher are actively involved in formative assessments, but are kids always involved? Do the kids know when they need further instruction or reteaching?
  • Helping students think meta-cognitively about their own learning fosters the idea that learning is their responsibility and that they can take an active role in planning, monitoring, and evaluating their own progress.
    • anonymous
       
      This sometimes seems like the hardest part to me - getting kids to realize that they are responsible for their own learning. Sometimes students want to take a more passive role and it becomes quite a challenge to engage and motivate them to become active participants.
    • Aaron Evans
       
      Agree! Especially second semester of senior year!
    • Heather Whitman
       
      I do not feel that education has done a great job of making learning relevant to THEIR lives. I am hopeful the Core will push us to give projects, assessments, etc. where the kids see their connection (relevant now- not when they are 25) to the world & learning- not just something a teacher assigns.
    • A Hughes
       
      I went to the AEA 11 TIC/TOC presentation on Project Based learning. It was eye opening to see teachers really challenging their students with a project. I do know some students that just want the easy grade of an objective test instead of projects.
  • Descriptive feedback should be about the particular qualities of student learning with discussion or suggestions about what the student can do to improve. It should avoid comparisons with other pupils
    • Heather Whitman
       
      This is a big statement. It requires a solid rubric, checklist, or whatever the assessment may be in order to have students see exactly what they did and keep us from comparing it to other students.
    • Aaron Evans
       
      I think that with the grade removed, the ease (and temptation) to compare students to each other is reduced. Summative assessments for a grade almost mandates comparisons since you have to rank students, either to each other or to a pre-existing scale. Providing feedback for each individual to do better doesn't have this built in competitive dimension.
    • Heather Whitman
       
      I did this in the writing process. It was difficult for students but powerful. I know now that I needed to model what suggestions for improvements & positives looked like besides, "spell better" or "it was good."
  • there is clearly no one best way to carry out formative assessment.
    • Heather Whitman
       
      And this is what making teaching so difficult yet makes it so awesome at the same time.
    • keri bass
       
      I think this also supports the idea that you need to vary the assessment as well to make sure that an accurate picture of the the students' learning is assessed.
  • In peer-assessment, students analyze each others’ work using guidelines or rubrics and provide descriptive feedback that supports continued improvement.
    • A Hughes
       
      How does the teacher get the students to give positive descriptive feedback? I would be concerned that students would just give their friends the "ok you did great" kind of feedback.
    • kangas
       
      I think that this is particularly challenging in foreign language, where students are still acquiring skills of writing. To do this effectively, I think you need to scaffold it, and then have the student look at his/her work with a definitive list of criteria and then have a peer look at it with the same list and ultimately have them compare it. I am not sure how to account for kids who don't have the skills to do the task....
  • Formative assessment is not an adjunct to teaching but, rather, integrated into instruction and learning with teachers and students receiving frequent feedback.
    • Aaron Evans
       
      This is the important part for teachers to understand. We often think, or hear other complain, about every new idea being somethign new added to their workload. This is actually a purposeful planning of many concepts that you already employ, just being used for a more structured and planned purpose.
  • Collaboration: A classroom culture in which teachers and students are partners in le
    • A Hughes
       
      Collaboration between the teacher and students takes time to establish. As a librarian, this is extremely difficult for me to do. I drop in and collaborate with the classroom teacher for a short lesson.
  • teachers must provide the criteria by which learning will be assessed so that students will know whether they are successfully progressing toward the goal
    • jquandahl
       
      This is such an important point. Teachers and students need to be "on the same page" - understanding where they they are going, why, and how they will get there.
  • A teacher needs to have modeled good feedback with students and talked about what acceptable and unacceptable comments look like in order to have created a safe learning environment.
    • jquandahl
       
      Another important thing to remember. Sometimes, as teachers, we can lose sight of how important it is to MODEL MODEL MODEL in order for students to truly understand and be successful.
  • formative assessment be regarded as a process rather than a particular kind of assessment.
    • keri bass
       
      I like that it repeats the importance of the process here. I noticed that in the official definition it does not mention a means of ranking students, but rather a process intended to improve student achievement. I think too much emphasis gets place on the grade by both students and the teacher and not enough emphasis on the learning.
    • Peggy Steinbronn
       
      I agree with your comment about emphasis on the grade--parents seem to be in the same "boat". How can we get that turned around?
  • A further benefit of providing feedback to a peer is that it can help deepen the student’s own learning. However, student- and peer-assessment should not be used in the formal grading process.
    • keri bass
       
      While I believe that teaching the subject encourages deeper understanding, the counselor me is more cautious about the potential harm in pairing the wrong students. I think it would be imperative to choose the right partners to insure optimal learning.
  • feedback
  • 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. This feeling is dependent on a classroom culture characterized by a sense of trust between and among students and their teachers; by norms of respect, transparency, and appreciation of differences; and by a non-threatening environment.
tvalline

Articles: Delivery - 8 views

  • Most presenters fail here because they ramble on too long about superfluous background information or their personal/professional history, etc.
    • marydirksen
       
      It is so important to avoid the "expert syndrome" as was alluded to in one of our earlier lessons. TMI is very damaging. It is NOT about us as presenters. We need to remember what the goal of the presentation is and stick to it.
  • Turning the lights off — besides inducing sleep — puts all the focus on the screen.
    • marydirksen
       
      My students will testify that this is absolutely true. Presentations put them to sleep if the lights are out.
  • So look at things from their perspective, and proceed carefully.
    • marydirksen
       
      It really does help to know your audience. When I present to our faculty, I am already aware of the "hot button" issues. However, if we are to present to an unknown audience, it would be great to find someone "on the inside" who can prepare us for areas of contention.
  • ...27 more annotations...
  • "We know through research that 93 percent of the impression you leave on somebody has little to do with content and everything to do with body language and verbal ability—how you talk, sound, look and what you're wearing,
    • marydirksen
       
      Wow. This sounds like a very high statistic. Are we really so judgmental that we reject the message because of the messenger?
    • nathanjenkins
       
      This is concerning.  I may become a bit more self-conscious after hearing this...well not really.  Those high schoolers are going to be judgemental no matter what, I think I'll just keep on doing what I do.
  • So keep the presentation to less than 20 minutes.
    • marydirksen
       
      Yes! What will be remembered are the discussions and responses to the material that is presented. Audiences/Students must be given the opportunity to engage the material, to "enter into" in what is presented.
    • merle64
       
      Hmm.  I find myself resisting this blanket statement, both as an audience member who has listened to a lot of engaging presentations that were in the 30 to 60 minute category, and as a presenter who usually talks for 30-45 minutes (with activities/discussion) Depending on the topic, and the level of engagement of the audience, I would think this 20 minute rule may not apply to every situation?
  • The first 2-3 minutes of the presentation are the most important. The audience wants to like you and they will give you a few minutes at the beginning to engage them — don’t miss the opportunity. Most presenters fail here because they ramble on too long about superfluous background information or their personal/professional history, etc.
    • merle64
       
      This is true even for presenters who have already established a relationship with the audience.  The presenter still has to work to continue to win the audience over, rather than rest on the success of past presentations.  
  • Get closer to your audience by moving away from or in front of the podium. The podium is a barrier between you and the audience, but the goal of our presentation is to connect with the audience. Removing physical barriers between you and the audience will help you build rapport and make a connection.
    • merle64
       
      I notice that children do this naturally.  They love to scoot up front, as close to my legs as possible.  They're establishing a connection, and that helps them listen, attend, and learn.  
    • medidiigo
       
      Oh, but we like our podium. It feels safer to hide behind the barrier, especially when we're not used to giving presentations to adults. This will take some getting used to.
    • nathanjenkins
       
      This always increases classroom participation.  I continually use this technique in order to gain attention.  It keeps the participants on their toes and allows the presenter to be more "present".
  • To advance your slides and builds, use a small, handheld remote. A handheld remote will allow you to move away from the podium. This is an absolute must.
    • merle64
       
      And carry extra batteries for said remote, too.  It's very easy to forget to turn the remote off after the presentation.
  • If your presentation has to be long, break it into 10-minute chunks. "At every 10 minutes or so, try to reengage the audience with something different—don't just keep showing slides," he says. Try inserting a short video clip, introduce a quick demonstration, or have another speaker get up and briefly present. "Try to find some way to break up the presentation into manageable chunks of time," he says, "so people don't get too bored."
    • merle64
       
      Bingo!  This is the key for the longer-scheduled presentations.  Students need opportunities to move, talk, laugh, and share how they're processing what's being presented.  
    • nathanjenkins
       
      I often did break my presentations up, but more like 20-30 minute intervals.  Having only 10 minute intervals will aid in discussions and feedback.  I am looking forward to trying these time frames out.
    • tvalline
       
      Most of my presentations are to students and I'm expected to fill 48 minutes.  By using this principle and breaking it up every 10 minutes I will have a much better chance of keeping them engaged.  They respond to video well and as mentioned, need to interact with the content.
  • Too many presenters stick to the PowerPoint template, Gallo says, then cram as much information into bullets as humanly possible—making it exceedingly hard for people to read the slides. And then the audience gets bored. And people start checking their BlackBerrys. (To see eight of the worst PowerPoint slides ever created, see "8 PowerPoint Train Wrecks.")
    • medidiigo
       
      This is so true. And I am just as guilty as the next presenter for using this standard technique. Somehow we thought that a spash of color here or there would make it more interesting. These kinds of "Death by PowerPoint" presentations are going to be even more difficult to endure as an audience member, now that we know Presentation Zen.
    • tvalline
       
      Guilty.  Working on it, though. :)  Trying to incorporate less words and more images to illicit better retention.
  • If you press the “B” key while your PowerPoint or Keynote slide is showing, the screen will go blank.
    • medidiigo
       
      Simple, yet effective. I didn't know about this
  • Anticipating resistance forces you to really think about the people you’re presenting to, and that makes it easier to influence them. If you’ve made a sincere effort to look at the world through their eyes, it will show when you speak. You’ll feel more warmly toward them, so you’ll take on a conversational tone. You’ll sound — and be — authentic when you address their concerns. As a result, you’ll disarm them, and they’ll be more likely to accept your message
    • medidiigo
       
      Empathy. Understanding the issues from the audience perspective. This is a very proactive approach to changing the minds and hearts of others. I will consider this when I review the slides for my project.
  • He has internalized the content, and he's very fluid and smooth. And that's because he rehearses.
    • medidiigo
       
      Honestly, I have never done this. I understand the need to internalize the content but practice 10 hours? Who has that kind of time for practice?
    • tvalline
       
      A valid point.  I try to go through my presentations silently a few times, but 10 hours seems like a lot.  I would love to have that kind of time, but just don't.
  • Practice 10 hours
  • Grab your digital video recorder, deliver your presentation and watch yourself, he says. Watch for these key factors: eye contact (you should be making eye contact 90 percent of the time); posture (don't slouch, stand up straight and natural, and avoid putting your hands in your pocket); voice (don't speak in a monotone voice). "You don't need an expert coach to be there to find these things," Gallo says. "You'll pick out one hundred things on your own that are annoying or maybe are some bad habits that you never knew you did."
    • medidiigo
       
      This is a great tip for those who want to become better presenters. If we're going to rehearse for 10 hours, we might as well video tape ourselves and then watch that as part of the practice time so we can critique ourselves in action.
    • tvalline
       
      I haven't done this for a few years, but it is likely time to do it again.  It's uncomfortable, but necessary if the goal is to improve.
  • Use a TV for small groups
    • nathanjenkins
       
      There is such a drive for "bigger is better" these days.  I truly believe gigantic screens can be overwhelming at times, therefore distracting.  This is a wise tip.
  • Fail to Rehearse
  • Does your audience hold fast to a bias, dogma, or moral code — and do your ideas violate that in some way?
  • This is just the human condition, especially so for the busy (often tired) knowledge worker of today.
    • Joe Brekke
       
      Great reminder. I am presenting at a conference next week, and mine is the final presentation on a Friday afternoon, the second and final day of the conference. Those who stick around will be ready to roll. I'm keeping it short!
  • This is an absolute must.
    • Joe Brekke
       
      I'll have to make some inquiries at our school. I'm not sure if we have these. 
  • The true professional can always remain cool and in control.
    • Joe Brekke
       
      I wish I could feel this way every day in class. Truth is, I don't. Gotta keep working toward it. 
  • you’re not the star of the show. The audience is. It’s in their power to embrace — or reject — your ideas.
    • Joe Brekke
       
      This takes all the pressure off! I am going to write this on my first note card. 
  • So expect them to resist
    • Joe Brekke
       
      More great advice for teachers. They resist. Oh, they resist. 
  • You’ll feel more warmly toward them, so you’ll take on a conversational tone. You’ll sound — and be — authentic when you address their concerns.
  • Most people listening to presentations tend to tune out after about 10 minutes,
    • Joe Brekke
       
      Duly noted! 
  • "When you prepare and rehearse the presentation—out loud, over many hours and many days—you'll come across as much more engaging as a speaker and effortless."
    • Joe Brekke
       
      Public speaking 101. This is a must, and it seems obvious to those of us who have to watch unrehearsed student presentations day after day. Grrr. 
  • "They don't just wing it."
    • Joe Brekke
       
      Right!
  • Try looking at individuals rather than scanning the group.
    • tvalline
       
      I am a scanner, it seems to feel safer when I'm presenting. However, it makes good sense to look at individuals to increase connection and attention.
  • By considering different points of view and addressing doubts and fears before they become roadblocks, you’ll demonstrate an open mind
    • tvalline
       
      I like this idea of empathizing.  Stepping to the "other side", the audiences side, to see/feel/think what they may.  This allows us to work through any challenging differing points of view prior to our presentation.
  • "Most presenters who are just considered average or mediocre are usually caught reading the text on their slides,"
    • tvalline
       
      Agreed.  This is very annoying to me.  I can read.  Engage me with something that is not on the slide.  I can say this is one thing I feel pretty comfortable with in my own presentations.  I glance at my slides for reminders or to jog memory, but try never to read them.
Jamie Fath

ollie1 (Peterman): Iowa Online Teaching Standards - 28 views

  • Has experienced online learning from the perspective of a student
    • Gary Garles
       
      This is the part that I need to spend a lot of time on...
    • ronda fey
       
      I agree. I need to first understand the tools available from a student's point of view before I can bring it into the classroom.
    • Paloma Soria
       
      Yes, it is a very good personal experience.
    • Charmaine Carney
       
      I think that taking online courses ourselves humbles us and helps us to empathize with our students who experience problems with online learning.
    • Steve Leach
       
      Each time I come to this class, I am engaged in a riveting conflict that involves the following extremes: the fear of being a miserable failure vs. the thrill of successully participating online in a manner that I did not even know exsted two weeks ago.
    • Elizabeth VanDeHey
       
      Working as a student in an online course is so beneficial to those who will later be an instructor in an online course! I believe it provides instructors with empathy and an understanding that it will not be easy for every student and the challenges will vary with each technology tool!
    • Karen Hobbs
       
      I agree that this is a humbling experience.
    • Mari Haley
       
      I think this would be such a plus. I always thought my best early childhood college instructors were those that had had experience in an elementary classroom
    • Jonathan Wylie
       
      As educators, perhaps we should be doing more to experience what our lessons are like from a learner's point of view, and I mean online and offline. We would learn a lot from this.
    • Catherine Leipold
       
      I agree with so many of the comments in this section. It is beneficial to be attempting an online class before presenting an online class. (Or hybrid) And it is good to recall what our students will feel - the 'riveting conflict' as described by Steve Leach is something good to experience.
    • Catherine Leipold
       
      Being able to understand the issues students have with respect to the online presentations can help us 'fine-tune' our lessons. It can perhaps motivate us to search for easier programs or give ideas we can suggest to the publishers of our favorite program to make them work better. It is a humbling experience to jump from feeling like you know what you are doing to being totally 'lost'.
    • manderson34
       
      Frankly, it's fun to be a student when a lesson is engaging and hits our optimal zone of learning and challenge, but on the flip side if a lesson is poorly conceived it is difficult, even for an adult, to stay focused. It is important to put ourselves in the shoes of students in order to grow as educators. Reflection is so important.
    • meliathompson
       
      I think this is very important. One of the reasons I want to get involved in creating my own online course is because I enjoyed being a student and taking classes online. I feel like I know some of the criteria and how to navigate somewhat around an online course that will help me relate to my students. I always like to emphasize to my student whether in the classroom or adult students, that I am sure there will be times when we are going to be learning together.
    • ronda fey
       
      Being able to be in contact with the instructor (and other students) is imparative during an online course.
    • Charmaine Carney
       
      I agree, Ronda. Students, especially those new to online learning or using a new online platform, need that instructor support to avoid becoming too frustrated. Also, contact with other students helps students to learn from each other.
    • Steve Leach
       
      I am one of those students who is new to online learning. On a daily basis, I use face-to-face contact in order to succeed, so this is a very challenging way for me to learn. I am encouraged to know that my instructor and my classmates are there to help me when I have a simple question or am feeling overwhelmed by how much I don't know.
    • Karen Hobbs
       
      This is crucial. Technology is only a vehicle to learning. If the process is too difficult students won't be spending that time on the content.
    • tamela hatcher
       
      Karen, it is nice to know there is a troubleshooting area in online classes and other students to ask questions of.  It is a new way of accessing when we can't see the person on the other end.
    • ronda fey
       
      It is important for instructors to be able to use technology to better prepare out students
    • Charmaine Carney
       
      The challenge is staying current because the technology emerges so quickly.
    • Jamie Van Horn
       
      I agree, it is very hard to keep up and stay current with all of the new and better programs that are constantly emerging. It seems like the students are one step ahead all of the time since they are so comfortable with technology.
    • tamela hatcher
       
      I agree Jamie, it is a challenge for teachers to stay current on technology as it changes so fast.  School age kids can fit new technology quickly into their skill set because they have always had technology in their life.
    • cvryhof
       
      I agree the technology changes so fast that for teachers it is more difficult to 'keep up'. I wonder if we get used to one site that works and we get comfortable and we don't keep looking for new ideas or sites to improve our teaching.
    • Steven Sand
       
      With my students, we feel more of a responsibility to expose them to educational sites. The population I teach is comfortable with tech, but using it in an educational setting is were they struggle.
  • ...87 more annotations...
    • Paloma Soria
       
      I have been teaching my subject for twelve years now, but do I know how to demonstrate competence in content knowledge using technology?
  • Assists students with technology used in the course (Varvel III.C)
  • Assists students with technology used in the course (Varvel III.C)
    • Paloma Soria
       
      It is my wish that this class will help me to assist my students with technology as we move to 1:1 school, next year.
    • Steve Leach
       
      Paloma, Does 1:1 mean that every student will have a laptop or some other form of technology available for every class period?
    • jwest70
       
      I would also like to be more technology literate after this course.  While I will not be teaching an online course, I will be enhancing my classroom courses with online resources. 
    • Paloma Soria
       
      I am thinking about the importance of collaboration with other teachers and the help of the school's IT Department to help us growing technologically.
    • Steven Sand
       
      I think collaboration is very important. I'm the only social studies teacher in the middle school level at my school. I love getting together with other middle school social studies teachers and pitching around ideas of what we're using tech wise in class.
  • Communicates with students effectively and consistently
    • Paloma Soria
       
      I wanted to say THANK YOU! to Nancy for doing a great job communicating with all of us, effectively and consistently. Great example in teaching us how to create a community of learners.
    • Charmaine Carney
       
      Yes, Paloma. Nancy is a great example. I took another course with her and was very encouraged when I communicated my frustration.
  • Identifies and communicates learning outcomes and expectations through a course overview/orientation
    • Charmaine Carney
       
      I believe one key to student success in any course is getting them off to a good start. A good overview/orientation is essential so that students know what they will be learning and what will be required of them.
    • Steve Leach
       
      I agree, Charmaine. I found the "Topic 1 Pacing Chart" to be especially helpful last week. I printed it and used check marks to keep track of my progress.
    • Gary Garles
       
      Having one place with all assignments listed by due date was a feature of all my classes. I would continue thta in this context.
    • Steven Sand
       
      This is a must with the population that I teach. We have a high ELL group (many children of first generation immigrants). Have detailed explainitions, not only at the beginning, but throughout any activity or class is needed.
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face
    • Charmaine Carney
       
      I think that understanding these differences is essential. What works in one environment may not work in the other. Taking our face-to-face course work and merely putting it online may not be effective nor desirable.
    • Steve Leach
       
      As a newcomer to online learning, I believe the directions need to be incredibly explicit because the students don't necessarily "see" what the instructor sees, and the instructor isn't standing in the same room as the learner with the ability to just point at the concept that is causing the confusion.
    • Gary Garles
       
      Yes, and I had a glitch that prevented me from seeing these notes earlier, and that was very frustrating. Have to allow for tech issues.
    • Karen Hobbs
       
      Being a student in this class gives me an opportunity to experience what my students may encounter. I am presently working from three different computers and each one works (or doesn't) a little differently.
    • barb jens
       
      From my perspective, I feel that you need to be an online student yourself first before you can design and guide an online class. Being a student gives you the understanding and need to predict student needs when designing online instructions that are different and more challenging than face-to-face instruction. It initially takes more time to design online instruction than face-to-face
    • Mari Haley
       
      This is definitely something to think about. Some things would be similar, but others would be very different. I've taught face-to-face classes with adults, but never online
    • Diane Jackson
       
      I agree with you Mari. I believe it is very beneficial to be an online student first before you design your own course. I have worked on a course this year, but am learning so many different ways to present information and engage students by taking this course. I think this will make the course I have been working on more rigorous and engaging to the course participants.
  • Utilizes a course evaluation and student feedback data to improve the courseþff
  • Knows the content of the subject to be taught and understands how to teach the content to students (SREB A.3, Varvel II.A, ITS 2.a)
  • Knows the content of the subject to be taught and understands how to teach the content to students
    • Steve Leach
       
      At my school, North Polk, we are currently discussing how we teachers must be constantly adjusting the strategies we use to teach so that we are better able to meet the needs of all learners. It is not enough to know our curriculum; we must be able to deliver it successfully too.
    • andersonlisa
       
      This is so true! Quality teaching will have the most impact on student achievement - not resources, class sizes or the use of technology.
    • joycevermeer
       
      I appreciate the 2nd half of this statement most--understands HOW to teach the content to students. We must be developing 21st century skills through all content learning and that doesn't happen by using 19th century teaching methods. Cooperative learning and deep thinking needs to occur.
  • • Promotes learning through online collaboration group work that is goal-oriented and focused (SREB C.5, Varvel V.I)
  • Utilizes a course evaluation and student feedback data to improve the course
    • Gary Garles
       
      Considering my struggles with the technology to this point, anything I create would be heavily modified during pr after it's first use.
  • Is knowledgeable and has the ability to use computer programs required in online education to improve learning and teaching
    • Elizabeth VanDeHey
       
      Using technology in a classroom is only appropriate if it is beneficial to the learning process for students. Sometimes I believe it is easy to think that using technology is in itself helping students learn, because this generation tends to focus more when on the computer or with a video game type learning device. I imagine this can make it easy to implement technology without a true educational benefit for students and teachers must stay away from that.
  • 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
    • Elizabeth VanDeHey
       
      I think this standard is closely related to a standard in ITS 4 which brings up the fact that online learning is different than face-to-face learning. That is very true and because of that online instructors must strive to make their course understandable and beneficial through the presentation of the content and the use of various tools to enhance understanding.
  • • Continuously uses data to evaluate the accuracy and effectiveness of instructional strategies (SREB J.7, ITS 1.c)
    • Karen Hobbs
       
      I am part of our school's Biology Data Team. We are beginning to implement Data Director to collect data to analyze our student's progress.
  • Provides and communicates evidence of learning and course data to students and colleagues (SREB J.6, ITS 1.a)
    • Karen Hobbs
       
      I provide pretest and post test data to my students. I work collaboratively with another teacher to improve instruction. We always discuss methods and analyze our student data.
  • Assists students with technology used in the course
  • 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
    • renaudr
       
      These are very important for the same reason as what I posted above.  Because students can be more bold online, it is important to make sure that they are being appropriate in their communications...and that the discussions and work stay on task.
  • • Maintains an online social presence that is available, approachable, positive, interactive, and sincere
    • renaudr
       
      I would be interested to know how other teachers do this.  I am new to doing things online for my courses, but I would like to know how other teachers tailor their online material to fit the different needs of students.
    • barb jens
       
      Sometimes I follow the forum discussions and from these discussions, I ask more guiding questions that seem to follow student interests or other sites that may support their topics for further research
    • renaudr
       
      I have found that students are more open to communication via online tools than they are in class.  Discussions tend to go much deeper when they are online than in the classroom.  I have had students ask me some rather profound questions that I don't think they would have face to face.
    • Jonathan Wylie
       
      I would agree with that. From my experience, online communication tends to break down some barriers for some students. It seems less threatening to them somehow, but this does not always apply for all students.
  • • Sets and models clear expectations for appropriate behavior and proper interaction (SREB D.6, ITS 6.b) • Creates a safe environment, managing conflict (Varvel VII.D, ITS 6.e)
    • renaudr
       
      This is, of course, good for the teacher to be able to do, but I have found that as rapidly as technology changes, often times it is the students who are able to help me!
    • tamela hatcher
       
      I agree!  When I get lost, I turn to our children or another student to help me.  
  • Selects and uses technologies appropriate to the content that enhance learning
    • James Koop
       
      This is important because technology is not "one size fits all" and you want the technology to help the learner not distract the learner.
    • patesl
       
      Yes, I agree, we must select the right tool for the right job. The tool needs to be selected after the objective of the lesson has been decided, then the tool is selected to "enhance the learning". We also need to remember that instruction on how to use the tool should be taught before it is expected to help with content learning. It is too easy to forget the content and focus on "tool proficiency."
  • Provides substantive, timely, and constructive feedback to students
    • James Koop
       
      If you don't give students appropriate and timely feedback, how will they know what to do? This is important in a face-to-face class and probably more important with online classes when you don't see the teacher each day.
    • Marcia Jensen
       
      I am weak in this area, but last summer experienced a total lack of communication in one of my online courses that really left me frustrated. I resolved to make sure my students never had to experience the same thing at that point.
    • cvryhof
       
      I think this is so important especially for those who are not sure if they are doing an assignment correctly.
    • jbrosnahan
       
      You are so right -- it's easy to get frustrated when there is a lack of communication.  
  • 4Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face (SREB C.1, Varvel V)
  • 4 Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face (SREB C.1, Varvel V)
  • 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)
    • apeich
       
      I wonder how - pr even if - this might be different for adult learners, particularly in nonformal adult education.
    • Mari Haley
       
      This is very similar to what we already do in our regular classrooms, so not much different for online teaching standards.
  • Understands student motivation and uses techniques to engage students (Varvel V.D, ITS
    • jbrosnahan
       
      Technology can do wonders in the motivation area.  Today's students have grown up with technology and it's technology that can engage students in online or face to face classes.
    • andersonlisa
       
      So true - everyday I have 2-3 students ask "are going to use the iPads today?". It really is amazing how it is so much apart of their lives and I'm just learning and trying to keep up.
    • jbrosnahan
       
      We are going 1:1 next year - ready or not.  It's going to be a learning opportunity for everyone.  Since I teach the business classes - Microsoft Office - they won't be used as much in my room, but I'm still looking for ways to incorporate them.
    • Mari Haley
       
      Just like I said in the first section, this is very similar to what is expected in a classroom. I'm not sure how this would be done for creating an online class, other than having a variety of ways to get information, communicate and share what you have learned. I would think that those people taking an online class would have a more similar learning style.
    • Diane Jackson
       
      I've seen several instances that technology is used just for the sake of technology. It really doesn't enhance the learning. I think in an online course this hopefully would not be the case.
  • Demonstrates effective instructional strategies and techniques, appropriate for online education, that align with course objectives and assessment
    • Marcia Jensen
       
      This has been something I have had to do deliberately because it is too easy for me to keep the same sort of activities happening all the time. I took another OLLIE course that taught me various ways of doing this. It was helpful because I was having difficulty visualizing what I could do on my own.
    • Marcia Jensen
       
      I have had this experience as an online student and have included it as an online instructor. In both cases, people who collaborated worked face to face, even though there was an online option. I think as a student you really have to push for inclusion in the collaboration. It is somehow less satisfying than being physically present.
  • Understands and uses course content that complies with intellectual property rights and fair use, and assists students in complying as well (
    • joycevermeer
       
      This needs to be a standards, but there seems to be a lot to know about how one would follow it. Sometimes I think people, myself included, may not even know they are doing things unethical. I appreciate that we are learning about this throughout the Ollie classes.
    • Marcia Jensen
       
      This would seem easy, but I have found it to be tempting to skim over it, doing the bare minimum. It is amazing how much content I want to borrow from other sources, which is fine, but also how much I leave the attribution to the bitter end.
    • Jamie Van Horn
       
      It could be difficult to use the data from assessments to guide instruction in a current course because often the online course is already established and changes cannot be made. However, data from assessments could be used for future classes.
  • As a newcomer to online learning, I believe the directions need to be incredibly explicit because the students don't necessarily "see" what the instructor sees, and the instructor isn't standing in the same room as the learner with the ability to just point at the concept
  • Networks with others involved in online education for the purpose of professional growth
    • Jonathan Wylie
       
      Google+ and Twitter and my go-to places to network with teachers online, so these would be my starting points for looking to meet this standard. The majority of online teachers seem to have some kind of presence on at least one of these networks.
    • tamela hatcher
       
      Moodle_iowa must be tagged to get full credit.  You must also search ollie iowa and join the group before the drop down menu will give you any other option but "private".
    • tamela hatcher
       
      The interactive, collaboration and learning community of #5 is important as we move into the online learning arena.
    • tamela hatcher
       
      The interactive, collaboration and learning community of #5 is important as we move into the online learning arena.
    • tamela hatcher
       
      Tamela is able to respond to notes already posted but not able to post original thread.  I am logged in and can see everyone's notes.  I have changed the dropdown menu to Ollie_Iowa.  What am I doing wrong?
    • tamela hatcher
       
      I think it finally worked.  I am not sure what I did differently!  This brings me to #7...it is so important to experience online learning from the perspective of a student :)
    • tamela hatcher
       
      Just like face to face learning, online teachers need to remember to provide opportunities that enable student self-assessment.
    • tamela hatcher
       
      It is important we select and use technology appropriately with the content and not get caught up in the bells and whistles.  I have been to classes where they used Power Point and had every icon flying in with a different sound...annoying.
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face
    • jwest70
       
      It's also important to be available to help students.  They will not be learning any of the important content if they are lost in "online never-never-land".
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face (
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face
    • Julianne Manock
       
      It is important for people to understand how to communicate when teaching online. This is different from face to face teaching. People cannot see facial expressions and cannot hear the tone of the teacher online. Making sure communication is clear, positive and professional is important.
  • Communicates assessment criteria and standards to students, including rubrics for student performances and participation
    • Julianne Manock
       
      Students like to understand how they are going to be graded on a project. Making sure that you show them by using a rubric will help with any questions they may have later on about their score. A rubric can also be like a checklist for students to make sure they have covered all parts of the assignment.
  • Establishes standards for student behavior that are designed to ensure academic integrity and appropriate use of the internet and written communication
    • Julianne Manock
       
      This is important because students need to understand that their online course is a classroom setting not a private chat room setting. Being professional and respectful in their posts and comments is important.
    • jwest70
       
      I think it's also important to stress the use of proper sentence structure, proper grammar, etc.  Just because it's online doesn't meet texting rules apply.
    • jbrosnahan
       
      It's frustrating to see text abbreviations in an academic class.  It's something I stress - the difference between what is appropriate and when it is appropriate.     
  • to stay current with emerging technologies (SREB B.5)
    • jbrosnahan
       
      By Jan Brosnahan -- Sometimes I thinks it's hard to stay current with all the new technology out there.  That's why classes like this are helpful to bring people together with ideas that can help other teachers.
    • Barbara Day
       
      Insuring that students feel safe and included is of extreme importance when we are all learning in isolation, particularly when you can't rely on visual clues like in face to face education. Also written communication can so easily be misunderstood.
    • Barbara Day
       
      #7 is extremely important. Technology changes so quickly that you have to be constantly exposing yourself to new learning, and then you have to utilize it.
  • Aligns assessment with course objectives
    • patesl
       
      This just underlines the importance to test how we teach, remembering each students ability level and background knowledge. I think we have a special name for that, oh yeah, differentiation.
  • • 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)
    • andersonlisa
       
      It's so important to know the standards and teach those to our students. We can't expect them to know what they haven't been taught.
  • • Applies research, knowledge, and skills from professional growth to improve practice (SREB C.8, ITS 7.c)
    • Steven Sand
       
      I am a firm believer in this benchmark of standard 7. I feel as if I'm falling behind when I'm not taking classes to expand my horizon. Which explains my interest in learning about moodle, etc.
    • jbrosnahan
       
      You will probably be able to tell my age .... but I've been going to school for 50 years!  If I don't keep taking classes on technology that can help my students, I feel like I'm not preparing them for their next step.
  • • Understands and uses data from assessments to guide instruction (SREB J, ITS 5.c)
    • bgeanaea11
       
      Formative assessment is so important to adjust instruction to meet learner needs.
    • bgeanaea11
       
      This can be difficult and what I find most challenging with online courses.
  • Proposed Online Teaching Standards
  • Proposed Online Teaching Standards
  • Proposed Online Teaching Standards
  • These standards are an alignment of the Iowa Teaching Standards (ITS), the Southern Regional Educational Board's iNACOL standards (SREB), and the standards put forth by the University of Illinois (Virgil Varvel)
    • Steven Sand
       
      Asked this one the on the course standards as well. Are these standards subject to change with the coming of the Iowa Core.
  • 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)
    • patesl
       
      Not only do we need to promote a collaborative and interactive situation in the face-to-face classroom, online collaboration that promote interactive activities while teaching content is very important however challenging for someone just starting to learn how to develop online classes. The tools to form collaborative situations sound great but learning how to take advantage of their full potential takes time. I think to start with I'll find one tool, maybe two, to focus on.
    • jbrosnahan
       
      In today's business world - teamwork is an important skill.  You are right when you say we need to promote collaborative skills with out students.  The online classes can help students work together while not being in the exact location or time.
    • natehernandez
       
      This one hits home with me being a science teacher. We need more scientists. We need students graduating and heading to college and majoring in the sciences. One way to capture attentiion and make science intruiging is through technology. I have found that using things like LoggerPro with Vernier Software and Hardware get students that hands-on experience that facilitate learning when they don't know they're learning.
    • natehernandez
       
      I believe in trying new things and I'm not afraid to jump out there along with the students. This year, we tried two new projects in class involving two different software programs. One of which, I had zero experience with and the other, minimal technical practice. One was Google Sketchup and the other was Audacity. With Sketchup, the students were highly skeptical, but became extremely more than proficient. Some got really good. When we went to Audacity, it jsut took a reminder that they can do anything they put their mind to. Students are highly adaptable when it comes to technology.
  • 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 (SREB A.1, Varvel II.A)
    • joycevermeer
       
      I developed great respect for teaching standards over the past few years as I was required to learn all about Iowa's Early Learning Standards in my position as an Early Childhood Consultant for Northwest AEA. I observed that teachers who get to know and implement the standards have better outcomes for children. Having the credentials and meeting the standards for whatever you are teaching, on or off-line, brings credibility to what you are doing.
    • jwest70
       
      I'm new to online teaching.  What are your thoughts in rigor?  Do you find online classes more or less rigorous than traditional class?  
  • Creates or selects multiple assessment instruments that are appropriate for online learning
    • joycevermeer
       
      I agree. We need to have various ways to assess online learning. We need to do quick screens to get an indication of where students are at, but we must also do ongoing observations. There is value in both formal and informal types of assessment.
  • Utilizes a course evaluation and student feedback data to improve the course
    • jwest70
       
      I think reflective teaching, while very important in a standard classroom, is even more critical for an online class.  With ever changing technology, lessons will need to be continually modified
  • Demonstrates ethical conduct as defined by state law and local policies or procedures
    • jwest70
       
      If students see instructors violate copyright laws, how can we expect them not to?  
  • Maintains an online social presence that is available, approachable, positive, interactive, and sincere
    • apeich
       
      I work with many learners who insist that they cannot connect online the same way they do in person. It's my goal to win over some of these reluctant learners, but I think I need to provide them with many options for interaction.
    • Jamie Fath
       
      I taught a hybrid course last semester out of scheduling necessity and feedback (about the structure of the course) from students was the most beneficial part of the course for me as an instructor. I underestimated what teaching online required before that experience!
  • evaluate learning materials and resources that align with the context and enhance learning
    • Jamie Fath
       
      I know it's been mentioned above but this so closely replicates the Iowa Teaching Standards yet is so different at the same time. Remembering that learning material and resource needs are different for students in an online environment is so important! Again, wraps back to the importance of being an active online learner yourself to understand the needs and demands your students will require.
  •  
    Utilizes student feedback data to improve the course
  • ...8 more comments...
  •  
    Utilizes student feedback data to improve the course
  •  
    This is important because technology is not "one size fits all" and you want the technology to help the learner not distract the learner.
  •  
    From my experiences as an online student and an instructor, I have found these two criteria very important. The reasons I have found is that you have to think about how to describe in detail expectations that a variety of individuals may have as an online instructor. When you are face-to-face, you can be more general and as students immediately ask questions or you can read body language, you can adjust immediately. So, you have to use many previous experiences to predict concerns which students may have and be ready to differentiate at any time.
  •  
    Helps students with disabilities to understand the lessons snapped a picture of what is required of them for the assignments, or connect the subject lessons in reading and writing parts for all other students in class or online lectures. also works to shorten the time of the study. Asma Ali
  •  
    studying of Diigo, help increase the teacher in his style in the study, and may be a means of importance in a variety of teaching methods
  •  
    If you don't give students appropriate and timely feedback, how will they know what to do? This is important in a face-to-face class and probably more important with online classes when you don't see the teacher each day.
  •  
    Standards for teaching on-line
  •  
    Online Teaching Standards
  •  
    If you don't give students appropriate and timely feedback, how will they know what to do? This is important in a face-to-face class and probably more important with online classes when you don't see the teacher each day.
  •  
    From my experiences as an online student and an instructor, I have found these two criteria very important. The reasons I have found is that you have to think about how to describe in detail expectations that a variety of individuals may have as an online instructor. When you are face-to-face, you can be more general and as students immediately ask questions or you can read body language, you can adjust immediately. So, you have to use many previous experiences to predict concerns which students may have and be ready to differentiate at any time.
cherylfletcher

Articles: Presentation "Awakening" - 1 views

  • One of the findings mentioned in the article: it is more difficult to process information if it is coming at you both verbally and in written form at the same time. Since people can not read and listen well at the same time, the reporter suggested, then this may mean "the death of the PowerPoint presentation."
    • leahjmiller
       
      As I read this, I know this is true.  I attend Professional Development all the time in which the person presenting is "reading" the slides as I am trying to also read them.  Most times I am also trying to take notes.  Obviously, this is not an effective way to remember the content.
    • dahrens20
       
      You are correct about this now that I think about it. A lot of that has to do with the time in preparation as we all know time is precious with just our regular schedule. 
    • Evan Abbey
       
      While reading off the slides is never good, it is especially painful when the person is up front and cranes his neck around to read the slides, turning away from the audience.
    • berlandson
       
      I try so hard to help my students be confident enough about their presentation to realize they don't have to write every word!!  I've always encouraged brief bullets and now I think I will have to work on dropping bullets.
  • Next time you plan a presentation, then, start by using a pencil and pad, a whiteboard, or a stick in the sand — anything except jumping headfirst into slideware on your computer with its templates, outlines, and content wizards that may point you down a path you wish not to go.
    • leahjmiller
       
      This will be a new practice, to plan before just diving straight into the presentation but it will be beneficial. 
    • cherylfletcher
       
      Most of us do dive in before planning, remember back to the days of writing the report and then typing it up?
  • No more than six words on a slide. EVER. There is no presentation so complex that this rule needs to be broken.
    • leahjmiller
       
      This is a big one for me!  It's an "a-ha" that I will put into practice right away!
  • ...28 more annotations...
  • six key principles in common: simplicity, unexpectedness, concreteness, credibility, emotions, and stories. And yes, these six compress nicely into the acronym SUCCESs.
    • leahjmiller
       
      What a great acronym to help remember these six key principles.
    • berlandson
       
      I wrote this down in the list I am keeping of improvements I know I want to make immediately!!
    • cherylfletcher
       
      Hopefully can remember the SUCCESs acronym. I seem to never forget the RICE one!
  • One of the components for creating sticking messages is story.
    • leahjmiller
       
      I don't think I've thought about presentations being presented as a story.  However, stories are usually very memorable so this will be a great strategy.  However, I do see how time consuming it will be!
  • Words should be presented as speech (i.e., narration) rather than text (i.e., on-screen text) or as speech and text.
    • dahrens20
       
      It's much more interesting listening to someone presenting when it's an actual presentation and  not just reading word for word as what this article has referred to.
    • Evan Abbey
       
      This is very true. However, not all speaking is golden. It takes some skill (and confidence) to make that work.
  • No more than six words on a slide. EVER. There is no presentation so complex that this rule needs to be broken.
    • dahrens20
       
      This was an eye-opener for me to read as I'm still use to teaching the 7x7 rule...no more than 7 words in a line and no more than 7 lines on  a slide. Makes perfect sense though as the majority of the time it needs to be more of a presentation instead of a read along.
    • Evan Abbey
       
      Yes, the 7x7 rule leads to quite a bit of text still.
  • Don’t hand out print-outs of your slides. They don’t work without you there.
    • dahrens20
       
      I think this largely depends on what you're presenting. I understand what they're saying but this one I say isn't 100% correct. What if you're presenting in Math class???
    • cherylfletcher
       
      I think follow up handout is good but it should not be the same as your presentation. Make a cheat sheet of instructions.
  • Sound effects can be used a few times per presentation, but never use the sound effects that are built in to the program.
    • dahrens20
       
      This is fun for the younger students and keeps them engaged but I agree, not for presentation purposes.
    • Evan Abbey
       
      I am really not sold that even ripped CD sounds have a purpose. I wouldn't use these either. The only sound that should come from your computer is either from a video or a Skype-like live broadcast from someone afar.
    • cherylfletcher
       
      Hate the presenters who think the sounds effects are so cool so they put them in on about every slide.
  • Assignment: Pre-Class PresentationTutorial: Diigo Account SetupEnrichment: Are You Addicted to Power Point?
    • pfineran
       
      I sure PowerPoint isn't going to go away! I am looking forward to learning the proper way to use it!
    • pfineran
       
      This sounds so easy! I keep seeing advice to START prepping for a presentation on paper NOT in a slide show. Makes sense using these four steps!
    • pfineran
       
      Love when steps are in easy to remember acronyms!
  • why are you there?
    • kluttenegger
       
      This is a great question for any presenter to ask.  I have been part of innumerable staff meetings that existed to communicate information that should have been sent in an email or a printed sheet in teachers' mailboxes.  If the presenter isn't an integral piece than the presentation itself is doomed for mediocrity.
  • First, make yourself cue cards. Don’t put them on the screen. Put them in your hand. Now, you can use the cue cards you made to make sure you’re saying what you came to say.
    • kluttenegger
       
      Aside from a student speech that didn't involve any slides, I can't remember the last time I saw a presenter using cue cards. Seems to be a dying strategy that is actually much more useful than reading verbatim from the slides themselves.
    • berlandson
       
      I use the "notes page" within the presentation software to make bulleted lists as reminders to me.  I print the slides with notes and put them in a folder so I can review what I wanted to share with students before the presentation.  I find it easier than keeping track of notecards.  I notice my notes pages get pretty "messy" as I add things in ink after I print!
    • cherylfletcher
       
      Love the notes page - helps me tremendously to make sure I get all the facts out.
  • No cheesy images. Use professional stock photo images.
    • kluttenegger
       
      Do "cheesy images" include personal photos, silly or otherwise? When the audience and presenter are very familiar I tend to think that familiarity can encourage relevancy and engagement for the audience. Perhaps "cheesy images" simply refers to the world of clip art.
    • berlandson
       
      I'm excited to have sources for "free" pictures.  I've used a lot of poor clipart in the past!!  That will definitely have to go!
  • If everything is a priority, then nothing is a priority. You must be ruthless in your efforts to simplify—not dumb down—your message to its absolute core. We’re not talking about stupid sound bites here. Every idea can be reduced to its essential meaning if you work hard enough.
    • kluttenegger
       
      This is such a challenge because as teachers we want to be as thorough as possible. There is so much information we want to communicate to students and/or colleagues that we never want to leave anything out. From the perspective of an audience member, however, "quality over quantity" is always preferred.
  • Proverbs are good, say the Heath brothers, at reducing abstract concepts to concrete, simple, but powerful (and memorable) language.
    • kluttenegger
       
      I used proverbs for an assignment during the past school year and was amazed at how much they resonated with students. I hope to utilize them in newer presentations I create. Why fret at coming up with the perfect words when a centuries-old phrase can do it for you?
  • why are you there
    • gsmutz
       
      This final questions really made me think.  You want the audience to be listening and paying attention to you, not the computer screen.  Good last remark!
  • Second, make slides that reinforce your words, not repeat them
    • gsmutz
       
      This was well put.  So often, it seems the presenter says exactly what the slide said, but maybe in different words.  I like the idea of slides that reinforce your words.
  • IMPORTANT: Don’t hand out the written stuff at the beginning! If you do, people will read the memo while you’re talking and ignore you. Instead, your goal is to get them to sit back, trust you and take in the emotional and intellectual points of your presentation.
    • gsmutz
       
      I like this idea.  A lot of times at staff development (especially if we have a guest speaker), we get a huge packet of the powerpoint.  Although it is nice to have an outline, I often would find myself flipping through the packet instead of focusing on the presenter.  It would be better to watch the powerpoint and get a document with the most important parts of the presentation.
  • If you are famous in your field, you may have built-in credibility
    • gsmutz
       
      I am starting my 12th year of teaching, but my first year in the Iowa City School District.  I really want to work on my first day presentation so that the students know who I am without boring them.
    • cherylfletcher
       
      My role is not a teacher so when I present it is to parents, student groups and board. I need to work on this so my presentations follow my work ethic.
  • If everything is important, then nothing is important.
    • berlandson
       
      Note to self.  This lesson is so hard for teachers!!  We are constantly encouraged to walk away from facts/details and focus on the big picture.  In the end the students cannot remember EVERYTHING so I think it is my job to help them sort out what is most important!
  • Stories get our attention and are easier to remember than lists of rules.
    • berlandson
       
      I think this helps students tie to "real life".  I also thinks it helps build relationships with students when they hear personal stories from the teacher on occasion instead of just "bulleted lists". Takes time to build the stories!  I like to keep bookmarks and clippings of things I see and link them in to my presentations....I always tell the students I've found a friend who can tell the story :)
    • pfineran
       
      Thinking about PPT as a medium rather than a method is an interesting way to think! It's a means to an end, a vehicle to get a message across. But it has limits just like any other medium, and it's important to keep that in mind.
    • pfineran
       
      I have had some exposure to Cognitive Load Theory, but I never really thought about it in regards to my audiences who are experiencing my presentations. Just because I know what I'm saying doesn't mean they will magically "get it" especially when I throw too much at them at a time in multiple ways.
    • pfineran
       
      THese images help me visualize the important features of a good presentation. This speaks to me very loudly as I am a visual learner.
  • it is more difficult to process information if it is coming at you both verbally and in written form at the same time
    • gsmutz
       
      I was surprised to see this quote.  I would have thought it would be easier for your brain to process information if you could see it and hear it.  I didn't think about the multi-tasking aspect, rather, I just thought they went together.
  • Is it finally time to ditch PowerPoint?
  • I am assuming that what Professor Sweller means is that the way PowerPoint is used should be ditched, not the tool itself
    • cherylfletcher
       
      Powerpoint is just a tool, the same as a computer. We would not ditch the computer but we should find a better way of using the tool.
  • Structure will help bring order to your presentation and make it easier for you to deliver it smoothly and for your audience to understand your message easily.
    • cherylfletcher
       
      I definitely need to be more structured when creating my presentations. It seems I am always forgetting something or adding something else.
Chad Jilek

online1: Iowa Online Teaching Standards - 10 views

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

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

  • And this will be done 24/7 and on the move
    • Drinda Williams
       
      I'm not sure I buy this. The decision makers (school boards) are a long way from this leap.
    • Valerie Jergens
       
      Yes, but wouldn't it be exciting if things were on a more 24/7 schedule and school could fit life? I would love to engage with my children and their homework but currently it is so dry and doesn't agree with any kind of discussion or collaboration.
    • Alan Junck
       
      AP is dead? I'm not sure that will happen anytime soon. It will certainly undergo some changes in the future - but I doubt it goes away completely.
  • Differentiation won't make you 'distinguished'; it'll just be a natural part of your work.
  • Organization of Educational Services by Grade
    • Drinda Williams
       
      This had made sense for a long time...hard to change an institution. I would love to see this happening.
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  • Nutrition information
  • This is already happening.
    • Drinda Williams
       
      This is happening some places. It usually takes a district large enough to have PD specialists and / or a smaller district with the right kind of administration. It makes the Moodle option even more relevant.
Drinda Williams

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

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

ollie1sweetman: Iowa Online Course Standards - 2 views

  • Information literacy and communication skills are incorporated and taught as an integral part of the curriculum.
    • Andrea Accola-Sabin
       
      This will become an integral part of the curriculum when you are using online classes.
    • Jean Bontemps
       
      As it should be. The problem is going to be making sure there is enough teacher training in the right areas to assist with this process.
  • • The course is organized into units and lessons. • Each lesson/unit includes content and activities, assignments, and assessments to provide multiple learning opportunities for students to master the content. Each unit includes an overview that describes the objectives of the lesson, as well as introduce the upcoming content, activities, assignments, and assessments of the unit.
    • Janelle Schorg
       
      Do all courses would need to be set up week by week? Could a course be completed as you go with a deadline at the end.
    • A Hughes
       
      Courses could be completely independent except for the forum collaboration. The students would have to be on the same schedule in order to discuss.
  • • The course structure includes a wide variety of assessment procedures to assess students’ mastery of content. • Specific and descriptive criteria, including rubrics, are provided for the evaluation of students’ work and participation. • Ongoing and frequent assessments are conducted to verify each student’s readiness for the next lesson.
    • Bret Larson
       
      This is a good standard and makes sure that we test students in a variety of different ways to make sure they are progressing. Frequent assessment will allow us to see if the student is ready for the next lesson.
    • Jean Bontemps
       
      I agree that we need a variety of ways to assess them. I also like giving students rubrics ahead of time so they know exactly how they will be assessed.
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  • • The course is easy and logical to navigate, including self-describing links • Aesthetic design presents and communicates course information clearly throughout the course. • All web pages are visually and functionally consistent throughout the course. (CP) • The course meets universal design principles, ADA compliance, Section 508 standards and W3C guidelines to ensure access for all students.
    • Bret Larson
       
      The teacher needs to do a good job of designing the page so the students can easily navigate from one item to another.
  • 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.
    • Janelle Schorg
       
      This can be a problem or maybe a misundertanding that some students/teacher have about moodle. Some think they have fulfilled the requirements by completing the assignments. Should effort only be documented by time?
  • 21st century assessments
    • Perry Bekkerus
       
      This seems like a "buzz word," that may sound silly in a few years.  It's kind of like hearing about the Sputnik science and math push of the 60s....good at the time, but horribly outdated now.
  • accessible to students
    • Perry Bekkerus
       
      Does this mean "learnable" by students, or "available for use" by students?  If it means "available," that is a major sticking point for many of my students.  As fast as technology is growing, there is a definitely growing divide between those that have the advanced technology and those who don't.
Jamie Van Horn

ollie_4: Educational Leadership: The Quest for Quality--article - 5 views

  • multiple measures
    • Mary Trent
       
      I think quality, multiple measures are important. Too often we give students one shot to get it beacuse we are so focused on covering the content or getting through the book that we miss the most important part....are the students learning the material?
    • Mary Overholtzer
       
      As an educator, I have found that I am expected to give multiple measures from directives "on high" only to find myself not able to look at the data,analyze it, and make decisions about it. Yes, we are all at different periods of our lives, yet we all have been given only so much time.
  • responsibility for their own learning
    • Mary Trent
       
      Absolutely! Students should feel as though they are in control of their grades. They should be giving a clear picture of what is expected of them and offered options to get back on track if they fall to the way side.
    • Lorilee Hamel
       
      I so agree. Giving students power and knowledge about their own learning is extremely engaging and motivating for the student.
    • Brooke Maine
       
      I also agree- my best students have always been the ones who take responsibility for their learning and not just because they want to earn an A, but because they actually care about their learning.
    • Dan Jones
       
      I will concur as well, when they have a clear picture of what is expected of them, they learn more and when the don't hit the target, they are still motivated to learn. Testing should promote learning
  • Effectively planning for the use of multiple measures means providing assessment balance throughout these three levels, meeting student, teacher, and district information needs.
    • anonymous
       
      It is so important to use many different measures to meet the needs of students, teachers and districts because of the large group at hand.  There needs to be a balanced use of these measures.  There are many things to consider with these assessments that the key is to find out what is important to know and how to go about presenting these assessments.
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  • they can provide information about student progress not typically available from student information systems or standardized test results. 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.
    • anonymous
       
      Standardized test only give a certain amount of information for teachers to see.  Often times, it's a guessing game for kids.  In the classroom, students can be creative and add their style to the assessment with different opportunities to present the information.  
    • Dan Jones
       
      I like seeing teachers use a combination of testing approaches. I think kids get burned out filling in ovals, students like to be creative and can show that better through other means beside multiple choice or darkening ovals.
  • demonstrate
  • Stephen Chappuis, Jan Chappuis and Rick Stiggins
    • Lorilee Hamel
       
      This is crazy--I have spent the entire day reading about assessment and this entire year have been working with Carol Commodore a colleague of Stiggins on this exact material. In fact, I am preparing it for professional development with my groups. Crazy!
  • Knowledge targets
    • Lorilee Hamel
       
      These are vital to know since when you (see below) are ready to assess these, it is important to link the correct type of  target with the type of assessment/s that is/are best for assessing the target.
  • Reasoning targets
  • Performance skill targets
  • Product targets
    • Lorilee Hamel
       
      I was unable to see the figures on this page regardless of the browser that I used. FYI.
    • Jason Martin-Hiner
       
      Same here....
    • Jodi Leimkuehler
       
      Same here...I tried both Firefox and Chrome.
  • Selecting an assessment method that is incapable of reflecting the intended learning will compromise the accuracy of the results.
    • Dan Jones
       
      I think teachers create an assessment tool and think if they have a variety of response types, they have a good test. I think there needs to be an added emphasis on making sure the respones format matches the learning that has taken place.
  • This key ensures that the assessor has translated the learning targets into assessments that will yield accurate results. It calls attention to the proper assessment method and to the importance of minimizing any bias that might distort estimates of student learning.
    • Lorilee Hamel
       
      This information aligns the assessment with the type of target that  is being assessed.
  • Specific, descriptive feedback linked to the targets of instruction and arising from the assessment items or rubrics communicates to students in ways that enable them to immediately take action, thereby promoting further learning.
    • Lorilee Hamel
       
      I became very adept over the years as a writing teacher (and eventually began applying it to my teaching in general--reading and social studies) at descriptive feedback. I am an advocate and proponent because I have seen that feedback instead of scores/marks promotes learning. 
    • Jason Martin-Hiner
       
      This certainly aligns well with the information from last week and writing rubrics with "fix" correctives in order to promote student improvement. A great way to focus on the formative piece.
    • Holly Palmersheim
       
      I would like to see something added here about timely. Specific descriptive is great but if the student doesn't receive the feedback in a timely fashion it becomes more difficult for them.
  • 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.
    • Lorilee Hamel
       
      Our district is really moving in the direction of standards-based assessment and reporting. This really does present to all stakeholders the specific and most important data---how well is each student meeting the standards of the Iowa Core?
    • Jason Martin-Hiner
       
      I know one question that comes up frequently with groups when we discuss SBAR - how many times must students demonstrate they can meet a standard before they are "checked off"?
    • Mary Overholtzer
       
      This creates a concern for me because so many students have it today and it's gone tomorrow. The forgetful hormones set in- in middle school.
  • In such an intentionally designed and comprehensive system, a wealth of data emerges. Inherent in its design is the need for all assessors and users of assessment results to be assessment literate—to know what constitutes appropriate and inappropriate uses of assessment results—thereby reducing the risk of applying data to decisions for which they aren't suited.
    • Lorilee Hamel
       
      This really should be taught in pre-service courses--but is not. And now that the information exists--I wonder why it isn't taught. Why aren't new/pre-service teachers entering the workforce with this information in their tool box?
  • Sound Assessment Design
    • Jason Martin-Hiner
       
      This entire realm is both challenging and time-consuming. In order to have a high level of confidence, assessments usually need to be used many times and checked for validity and reliability…especially if they are being used as a summative assessment.This entire realm is both challenging and time-consuming.
  • Assess learning targets requiring the "doing" of science with a multiple-choice test.
    • Jason Martin-Hiner
       
      As obvious as this statement is, and even though "doing science" has been an expectation in the Iowa Core (and now the NGSS), there is a general lack of 'performance assessments' in science - especially at the elementary level.
    • anonymous
       
      I'm not typically in the classroom, so I'm asking... why is that? Is it because performance assessments aren't readily available, not easy to score, not easy to administer, messy to set up, time consuming? If these are true, I see lots of barriers in the way of performance testing. Even though they may be more authentic and reliable.
    • Mary Overholtzer
       
      I have found many districts concentrate on reading and math at the elementary level...as a result, science is on the back "burner".
    • Andrea Compton
       
      Mary, I absolutely agree! The publishers of the elementary reading series' are caught up in trying to include the required amount of non-fiction reading material for the students and so they have focused on material that is also grade level appropriate to what should be studied in the science and social studies curriculum at each grade level. Teachers are beginning to use the reading series' material as a substitute for real science and social studies lessons as a way to "save time" in their day and still cover all the required material. This does not bode well for the science and social studies learning of our younger students.
  • Figure 1 shows a 3rd grade math test plan
    • anonymous
       
      Figure 1& 2: can be seen in this version of this article: ( http://goo.gl/9S26Q )
    • Jodi Leimkuehler
       
      Thanks Clair!
    • Sally Rigeman
       
      Strange that only "Number Sense" has 4 items worth 10 points! Could one question be weighted or did they really assign each correct answer 2.5 points?
  • Effective Communication of Results
  • results communicated in tim
  • Will the users of the results understand them and see the connection to learning
    • Andrea Compton
       
      This is my contention with MAP testing. As an AEA consultant, I think it's wonderful for tracking student progress, and making instructional decisions for students, but I have found in more than one school I work with that the teachers receive this data from the testing and then have no idea what it means or what to do with it. It is so sad! They have received training on how to use the results, but by the time the test takes place and they receive the data, they have forgotten how to access it and what to do with it, so in essence the test was a waste of time because it's not going to bring about instructional change for the students in the classroom
  • results provide clear direction for what to do next?
  • Students learn best when they monitor
    • anonymous
       
      I once read a study where students with behavior disabilities saw an improvement in their behavior when they began to track and chart their actions in a spreadsheet. When they could see the change in a chart it became a positive goal to make improvements and watch the trendline go up. Monitoring and taking responsibility.
  • Ongoing classroom assessments
  • Periodic interim/benchmark assessments
  • Annual state and local district standardized tests
  • betting
    • Holly Palmersheim
       
      It is difficult to think we are betting on these practices.
    • Mary Overholtzer
       
      Great point. I have always said, when we are assessing, we are not instructing. I have found as an educator, it's during the test that students will ask the most questions. I consider it low stakes testing when I can tutor them one on one and as a result, some of the best learning takes place.
  • summative tests, the reason for assessing is to document individual or group achievement or mastery of standards and measure achievement status at a point in time.
    • Mary Overholtzer
       
      I have found it interesting that we give semester tests, yet very few supervisors, parents, administrators, or students want to know the overall level of student performance....they just want to know the "grade". As a result, I see a need for doing summative testing a bit differently.
    • Jodi Leimkuehler
       
      How would you do summative testing differently? This makes me think about the cumulative projects I have my students complete. Very rarely do students come in to find out how they did. I think I need to move the end date of those projects up a couple of days so I can sit down with the student and go over the project before the last day of class.
  • Teachers should design the assessment so students can use the results to self-assess and set goals.
    • Mary Overholtzer
       
      As an educator, I have found that having students self-assess is a lesson in itself. So many students think they are excellent, even after seeing many of their peers doing the same task with varying degrees.
    • Pam Rust
       
      I agree that we must teach our students how to self-assess. In some classrooms we have never asked them to do this, so we can't expect them to fully grasp the concept unless we provide ongoing support while they learn to self-assess.
    • Mike Todd
       
      I give a lot of written assessments in science, but have failed to make goal setting explicit. I think this could be really effective at getting students to view the feedback differently, especially if the student had to talk with the teacher about the goal.
  • Use a reading score from a state accountability test as a diagnostic instrument for reading group placement.
  • annual accountability purposes
    • Pam Rust
       
      How do we get our students to care when taking these tests (i.e. Iowa Assessments) so we can truly monitor their knowledge?
  • sacrificed to testing
    • Jodi Leimkuehler
       
      Is it possible to over-assess? If new assessments are being added, will students get burned out from being tested?
    • Brooke Maine
       
      Yes! I definitely think students get burned out from testing. My district did away with a few non-required standardized tests and the students did better on what they were required to complete, because they felt it was more necessary and appreciated that they weren't being forced to do all of it.
  • students
    • Jodi Leimkuehler
       
      I think this is key - writing the learning targets in student/parent friendly language. I have started to transition mine into "I can" statements.
  • the use of multiple measures does not, by itself, translate into high-quality evidence. Using misinformation to triangulate on student needs defeats the purpose of bringing in more results to inform our decisions.
    • Brooke Maine
       
      I wish more people understood this! It seems like non-educators (and maybe some people in the education field) just think adding more measurements and assessments means that it is high quality evidence because they equate more evidence as high-quality evidence.
  • The assessor must begin with a clear picture of why he or she is conducting the assessment. Who will use the results to inform what decisions?
    • Brooke Maine
       
      Unfortunately, I feel like this is not something I was ever taught in college and it took me several years of teaching to really think about this and understand it. I definitely feel like I (and my students) missed out on some things in class that could have been better because my knowledge was lacking in this area.
  • selected-response formats
    • Mike Todd
       
      I would have liked to see more specific discussion about the creation of selected-response format questions. I know "concept inventory" type questions that were developed using student misconceptions from previous written assessments are extremely valuable at assessing student learning, especially when compared with traditional questions from a textbook publisher.
  • etter instructional decision
    • Andrea Compton
       
      I wish this were the case. So often I work with schools that are giving multiple forms of assessments in an attempt to insure that students are learning the core material and will do well on the Iowa Assessment only to find that the teachers have no idea how to interpret the scores and data they receive from the tests. This leads to no instructional decisions being made for the student after taking the tests and the testing being nothing but a waste of time.
  • it is not capable of informing the student about the next steps in learning.
    • Andrea Compton
       
      This is so true!! Unless a teacher provides feedback in some way - whether in a conference style or a written style - the student will have no idea how to improve. Too often high school students receive a composition paper back with a letter grade and no comments or only spelling corrections underlined. This does not help the student to know what it is that was done poorly - other than the spelling - or how to improve on the next paper. I firmly believe that even papers that are considered to be "A" papers need to have feedback given - what was done well, what areas might the student extend themselves in next time, what areas could be better even though they were sufficient for this assignment.
  • considered questioning the accuracy of these tests
    • Dan Jones
       
      I create very few tests as I am in special education at the high school level. I am most often proctoring, administering or trying to interpret test results. I actually find myself questioning the accuracy of tests more often than you would think. The students are often asking me what a particular question means. Without giving any clue to the answer, I find myself trying to clarify when I am asking the same question. The way tests are framed and questions are asked can affect the accuracy of tests. I think creating a test that provides accurate results is an incredibly hard task. Kudos to those that are good at it, we need more of you
  • This means that teachers need to write learning targets in terms that students will understand.
  • This means that teachers need to write learning targets in terms that students will understand.
  • This means that teachers need to write learning targets in terms that students will understand.
  • This means that teachers need to write learning targets in terms that students will understand.
  • This means that teachers need to write learning targets in terms that students will understand.
  • The assessor needs to have a clear picture of what achievement he or she intends to measure. If we don't begin with clear statements of the intended learning—clear and understandable to everyone, including students—we won't end up with sound assessments.
    • kellie kendrick
       
      This is very important to keep and mind, and is something that I had an issue with at the beginning of my teaching career. It is imperative that a teacher knows what the intended outcome of an assessment is going to be before writing that assessment, so that they can look to those outcomes for guidance when writing questions, creating rubrics, or deciding a number of points for the assessment.
  • and highlight crucial words (for instance, most, least, except, not).
  • and highlight crucial words (for instance, most, least, except, not).
  • and highlight crucial words (for instance, most, least, except, not).
  • and highlight crucial words (for instance, most, least, except, not).
    • kellie kendrick
       
      I have found that highlighting, bolding, or putting words in italics has really helped my students to pay closer attention to the directions or questions and has led to students increasingly getting answers correct.
  • , and highlight crucial words (for instance, most, least, except, not).
  • You can improve it by explaining why you think that will happen
    • Sally Rigeman
       
      Better - ask the student, "How could this statement be more complete? Are you missing something in this component of the rubric?
  • effective feedback
    • Sally Rigeman
       
      Resource: "The Power of Feedback" by John Hattie & Helen Timperley (2007) in Review of Educational Research.
  • For each assessment, regardless of purpose, the assessor should organize the learning targets represented in the assessment into a written test plan that matches the learning targets represented in the curriculum.
  • Quality
  • the assessor should organize the learning targets represented in the assessment into a written test plan
    • Jamie Van Horn
       
      This seems necessary if we are to achieve the highest level of assessment making sure we are actually assessing the learning targets appropriately, but I struggle with the fact that teachers have the time in their busy schedules or will take the time to create a test plan for every assessment they give.
  • Assessment literacy is the foundation for a system that can take advantage of a wider use of multiple measures
    • Jamie Van Horn
       
      Sadly, I feel assessment literacy is lacking in education. We not only need to focus on the assessments we give our students but also on training our educators and classroom teachers on assessment creation and effective use of assessment results.
  • 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
    • Jamie Van Horn
       
      It's too bad that these tests are being used to make so many decisions in the education system when they are not fully assessing the students learning and mastery of skills.
Joanne Cram

ollie1-cohort7: Iowa Online Teaching Standards - 0 views

  • • Maintains an online social presence that is available, approachable, positive, interactive, and sincere (
    • kellie kendrick
       
      From both taking and teaching online classes, I know that this is extremely important. Students want to feel like someone is watching them and cares about what they are doing and contributing to class. If a teacher 'shows up' to class more often and updates class, then students will want to log on to class more often too.
    • Katy Lee
       
      Yes, Kellie, I agree. Relationship building is so important. Students are much more likely to take creative risks and accept/give feedback when they feel a connection with the instructor and other students.
  • • Promotes learning through online collaboration group work that is goal-oriented and focused
    • kellie kendrick
       
      This for me is a big challange when I teach online classes. I want my students to collaborate, but I hate the uncertainty of wondering when my students will log on and complete work. I hate the thought of one student working really hard on group work and then another student coming in at the end and not having an opportunity to complete anything, because the project is already done.
    • Kathleen Goslinga
       
      Something to consider might be building in a number of different timeframes thorughout the unit or class where students need to respond or work collaboratively within their group. This could result in all students working together as opposed to a few. Setting a number of target dates with certain assignments to be complete could reduce the number of students who see an end date posted and wait until the last minute to complete their work.
    • Julie King
       
      However, one thing I have found with my one attempt at providing a course for graduate students at the University is that they are very opposed to such timelines, indicating the reason they signed up for the class is so they can complete things in their own time.
    • Gina Rogers
       
      Personally, I like having some mini due dates built into the course (as I complete my assignments for one of those mini due dates at the eleventh hour). I helps me stay forcused and priortize what needs to be finished by what point.
  • iNACOL
    • Evan Abbey
       
      iNACOL = International Association for K-12 Online Learning.  Are these standards "universal", or do you think a different set would apply to teaching adults?
    • Katy Lee
       
      As I read through these standards I thought they would apply universally. I searched for standards related to online learning for adults. I found one resource that has teaching standards for k-12 as well as postsecondary. http://publications.sreb.org/2006/06T02_Standards_Online_Teaching.pdf
    • Katy Lee
       
      I found the above resource to be aligned with the standards described here.
  • ...26 more annotations...
  • • Identifies and communicates learning outcomes and expectations through a course overview/orientation (Varvel IV.A, ITS 3.b)
    • Travis Wilkins
       
      I think it is essential that the learning outcomes, targets, and expectations are clearly explained, stated, and communicated to the online participants.  This not only sets the stage for learning, but also provides a roadmap for the work that is to be completed.  The online learning environment can feel isolated at times.  Knowing the outcomes and expectations can help to put new and experienced students at ease.
    • Deb Vail
       
      You've made a good point here, Travis. I can feel like you are isolated at times. The roadmap is critcal - especially the big picture, not just the details of the assignments.
    • Kathleen Goslinga
       
      Travis and Deb, Both of you make some good points on providing participant with a roadmap. Knowing what is needed up front along with estimated timeframes can provide participants with a suggested plan on what can be accomplished today, tomorrow, and next week.
  • Creates a learning community that encourages collaboration and interaction, including student-teacher, student-student, and student-content (SREB D.2, Varvel VII.B, ITS 6.a
    • Travis Wilkins
       
      I think that this will be one of the most important yet challenging parts about facilitating an online course.  Insuring that the course is designed to encourage collaboration and interaction in all three of theses areas without making the course cumbersome and overly time consuming could be a challenge.  The use of forums and wikis would seem like to two tools that could easily aid in making this possible.  However, at times I feel that forums turn into posts that are done due to obligation and become a contrived conversation and interaction.
    • Steven Hopper
       
      I agree completely, Travis.  One of the things I loved about my masters program is that it was based primarily in face-to-face classes with some work online.  Since we were in the same place at the same time, the learning community really seemed to develop naturally.  In an asynchronous course, these opportunities have to be far more explicit (without feeling completely contrived.)
  • Tailors instruction to meet the different needs of students, including different learning styles, different interests and backgrounds, and students with special needs or whom are language learners (SREB C.7, Varvel V.H, ITS 4.c)
    • Katy Lee
       
      Evan has done this with our course by allowing those of us who are not familiar with or have much experience with online teaching with the option of using the template site (BB101). This has allowed me to focus on the process and use of tools rather than worrying about the content of my "course".
    • Deb Vail
       
      I don't like the "language learners" term. Aren't we all language learners? I assume they mean non-native language.
    • Kathleen Goslinga
       
      Recognizing that our students may have a variety of differnt learning styles should result with instructrion being customized. Evan has tailored our course to provide us with the opportunity to focus on the areas needed (whether it be the course tools for set up and design or the content).
  • Networks with others involved in online education for the purpose of professional growth (SREB L.1, ITS 7.b)
    • Katy Lee
       
      I am curious how models such as Collaborate Learning Teams/Professional Learning Communities have been incorporated into the work of those providing online education. What examples do others have of what this might look like?
  • Incorporates social aspects into the teaching and learning process, creating a community of learners
    • Deb Vail
       
      This seems so critical in an online course. Travis made a great point above about how online learning can feel a little isolated at times. Quick frustrations or questions take more energy to resolve. You don't have quite as easy or immediate access to answers in an asynchronous environment.
  • Understands and uses course content that complies with intellectual property rights and fair use, and assists students in complying as well (SREB E.5, Varvel I.B)
    • Deb Vail
       
      This is something I did not take as seriously as I should have in the past. I am trying to get up to speed with copyright, fair use, COPPA, etc. There is a lot to wrap your head around and it seems like there's a lot of gray area.
    • Steven Hopper
       
      Unfortunately, I think you'll find that the gray area is only going to get even murkier in the years ahead.  Just look at the variety of creative commons licenses available now.
    • Julie King
       
      I agree, there have been videos from youtube that I have embedded into instructional videos that later I was contacted by someone saying it was copywrited materials. Who knew? I feel like the more I get into this, the more I realize I don't know.
  • technologies appropriate to the content that enhance learning
    • Steven Hopper
       
      There are literally hundreds of technologies available to online educators.  However, the most effective teachers know that you should only rely on "cool tools" when you have a clear instructional objective in mind.
    • Gina Rogers
       
      Yes, Steven, I ageree with your assessment here. It seems like you first have to think to yourself what is that learning target and then match instructional technology to the learning target that helps facilitate the learning.
  • Demonstrates techniques for dealing with issues arising from inappropriate student technological use (SREB E.7)
    • Steven Hopper
       
      Administrators need to understand that taking away a student's device or trying to "lock down" a network are NOT the most effective way to deal with inappropriate technology use.  Not only does it take away a valuable learning device, especially in 1:1 schools, but it can also create additional hurdles for the students who are using the technologies appropriately.
    • Julie King
       
      This is an interesting point Steven, as an individual who works with students with behavior problems, I can see how there would be a knee-jerk response to just take away the device (I am not currently in any 1:1 schools, so have not see it happen yet). What might be some other alternatives?
  • Utilizes a course evaluation and student feedback data to improve the course
    • Kathleen Goslinga
       
      Evaluations and feedback are essential for effective design and delivery of a course. Upon completion of every course I teach a survey is made available for participants to complete (the return is around 80%). Questions presented to the participants are related to the course content, materials, connections to the curriculum and state standards as well as instructors knowledge, organization, support and availability. The information received from the survey will often times result in making some modifications within different unit/modules along with changes in the amount of time spent on a specific topic area. A pre-assessment (survey) is also sent to participants ahead of class to gather information on internet access, technology skills, knowledge of content, grade level and curriculum area. There survey includes an open ended question for other concerns. This has been helpful in gauging the amount of time needed for instruction along with customization towards curricular areas.
  • Knows the content of the subject to be taught and understands how to teach the content to students
    • Kathleen Goslinga
       
      Knowledge of the content for instruction is significant. Participants for a course rely upon each of us as experts and look for us to provide the highest level of training possible. The worst impression one can present is the inabilitiy to respond accurately to a question or fumble through the content being delivered. We need to be continuously on alert and checking for changes or updates. I will often spend the night or morning before a class checking websites and links to make sure something hasn't been changed or removed.
  • Assists students with technology used in the course
    • Kathleen Goslinga
       
      Technology can be overwhelming to our students and if we are asking them to utilize specific tools we need to be available to provide support as needed. There are a number of databases that are utilized in my courses and teachers sometimes find it difficult to set up teacher accounts, create folders and save content to specific folders. I have already seen the value of creating a short video to walk-through the steps, instead of a phone call or face-to-face meeting. The short video used to demonstrate highlighting and annotations has spark the idea of creating video to set up teacher accounts among other items for certain databases used in my course.
    • Lynn Helmke
       
      Kathleen, I agree with you that technology can be overwhelming to students…adult or school age….maybe more for adults.  Right now I am teaching the Para Certification class to 42 adults, and I am amazed that some people do not know how to do the basic functions on the computer. But, I am determined that everyone will be successful.  Being new to online learning, I can identify, though, with the feelings of inadequacy or panic that my adult students have felt. When taking Ollie: Introduction, I was so appreciative of Mary's patience and help with technology.  Now Evan is assisting.  The video clips are very helpful.  A participant can see, hear, and then do which is multisensory.
    • Katy Lee
       
      I agree that video clips can be very helpful. My experience in trying to talk my mother through navigating her new iPad over the telephone reminds me of how futile and frustrating for all this can be. Providing a video and screenshots can be extremely helpful in helping to guide people in using technology that is new to them.
  • Understands and uses data from assessments to guide instruction
    • Julie King
       
      This statement reminds us that "creating" an online should not mean there is a finished product that does not change with the needs of the students. I know the next time I provide an online class, I hope to utilize more formative assessment measures that better differentiate the instruction based on student need.
    • Michelle Jacobsen
       
      Having taught several online courses as an adjunct instructor for a local university, I found it very difficult to use data from assessments to guide instruction. It was difficult because the courses were all designed (not by me) prior to the start of the course, and students were given access to all discussion topics and assignments when the course began so they could proceed through the requirements at their own pace. Therefore, there was no opportunity for me to let the assessments guide the instruction. This was very difficult for me having come from an elementary classroom where formative assessments guided my instruction on a daily basis! Do you have any thoughts as to how you might utilize more formative assessment measures the next time you teach an online class? I would love to hear your ideas!
  • Is knowledgeable and has the ability to use computer programs required in online education to improve learning and teaching, including course management software (CMS) and synchronous/asynchronous communication tools (chat, email, web 2.0, videoconferencing, webinar, whiteboard, etc.)
    • Julie King
       
      This is a statement that will need to be supported by teh institutions doing teh pruchasing of the CMS programs. It seems taht many times an institution with change their software and/or hire new faculty with little to no orientation as to how best to use the program
    • Gina Rogers
       
      I agree with your statements here Julie. The purchasing of a CMS program is a huge investment for an instution. It seems that is order to get the best return on investment instutions should provide ongoing PL opportunities for faculty who are using the CMS. All programs - although somewhat similar - have very nuanced differences. For example, I have worked with both Moodle a little and ANGEL a little more and although they have many of the same features they do have enough differences that it is not always an easy transition.
  • Communicates assessment criteria and standards to students, including rubrics for student performances and participation
    • Christina Glaub
       
      It is helpful for students to have an idea of the expectations and how they align with the standards. I have used rubrics several times in my teaching and students, and teachers, appreciate knowing what is expected of them.
    • Deanna Weber
       
      When students can see expectations and where they are in line with the standards, they are more prepared to learn.
  • Provides opportunities that enable student self-assessment and pre-assessment within courses
    • Christina Glaub
       
      I think it is important for both the student and teacher to be aware of their understandings or misunderstandings. This should help guide instruction.
  • Has knowledge of and informs student of their rights to privacy and the conditions under which their work may be shared with others
    • Deanna Weber
       
      I work with this all of the time. It doesn't just involve students. Fair use is for all. Fair use involves how information is used and how we give credit for the resources we use.
  • Provides substantive, timely, and constructive feedback to students
    • Joanne Cram
       
      I appreciate the flexibility of the feedback and timely grading- when the assignment is done. This has been very helpful in trying to balance a career, household, and extracurricular schedules.
    • Lynn Helmke
       
      Timely and constructive feedback to enhance learning has been well documented in educational research for face-to-face instruction. I am finding as a student taking part in online learning, it is critical for me to have feedback to enhance my learning.  It is not about the grade.  I want to learn.   I want to know that I am understanding what is being taught and I can apply that learning. 
  • Designs the structure of the course and the presentation of the content to best enhance student learning, including using unit/lesson overviews and reviews, using patterns in lesson sequencing, and using appropriate visual web design techniques (SREB C.14, Varvel V.F)
  • Designs the structure of the course and the presentation of the content to best enhance student learning, including using unit/lesson overviews and reviews, using patterns in lesson sequencing, and using appropriate visual web design techniques (SREB C.14, Varvel V.F)
    • Gina Rogers
       
      I think this is really interesting becuase I never really thought about how necessary it is to have a basic understanding of web design when one is an online instuctor. I guess it makes sense becuase you have to figure out ways to visually represent content to your audience. It seems as though the best online instuctors wouldn't necessarily be those with the best understanding of threir content, but rather the best understanding of how to communicate that content in an effective, visual manner.
  • Has experienced online learning from the perspective of a student
    • Gina Rogers
       
      I think this is a really important expereince for an online teacher to have, and maybe one that is taken for granted. Online teacher need to have the experence of what it is like to be an online learner to understand what works in online instruction and what doesn't.
  • Knows and aligns instruction to the achievement goals of the local agency and the state, such as with the Iowa Core
    • Michelle Jacobsen
       
      I find this to be one of my biggest challenges this year when working with teachers in mathematics. Several districts still use a curriculum that is not aligned to the Core, and some teachers are torn between aligning their instruction to the Core and teaching each lesson from their curriculum as they have for the past several years.
  • Demonstrates effective instructional strategies and techniques, appropriate for online education, that align with course objectives and assessment
    • Michelle Jacobsen
       
      We have had many discussions as AEA consultants about what our Professional Development offerings will look like in the future. Knowing that online course offerings are more than likely coming down the pike for us in the future, being able to demonstrate effective instructional strategies and techniques appropriate for online education will be something that requires a lot of thoughtful planning.
  • (SREB J.6, ITS 1.a)
    • Gina Rogers
       
      Test post
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face
    • Joanne Cram
       
      At this point in my online learning, as a student going through this class it is very apparent what the differences are between online teaching and face to face. I think that each instructor should be required to take an online class such as this to help guide them in how to be a more effective and helpful instructor.
Michelle Jacobsen

ollie1-cohort7: Iowa Online Course Standards - 0 views

  • multiple learning paths
    • Deb Vail
       
      I think "multiple paths" are especially important in an online learning environment where it can be significantly more challenging to really know your students' preferred learning styles, strengths, challenges, etc. I think there needs to be a certain amount of choice involved in how students demonstrate what they know.
    • Michelle Jacobsen
       
      I definitely agree with you, Deb. Creating math tasks that allow for students to succeed through multiple learning paths is something we are working on with our elementary math teachers, and this same philosophy will uphold for participants in an online learning environment.
  • videoconferencing
    • Deb Vail
       
      It has been my experience that online learning can feel pretty impersonal. I think I am going to make sure to include video conference component early on in my online classes. If that is difficult to schedule, then perhaps I'll have participants record a video introduction of themselves.
  • • All resources and materials used in the course are appropriately cited and obey copyright and fair use. (iN 4.9, QM 4.3)
    • Deanna Weber
       
      This again goes back to Fair use with citing sources properly.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • • The course design provides opportunities for appropriate instructor-student interaction
    • Michelle Jacobsen
       
      When I completed my Master's degree, I commuted 2 1/2 hours one way once a week because I wanted the face-to-face interaction with the instructor. When I completed the coursework for my EdD, I did so in an online setting. I was pleasantly suprised that there was a very strong level of instructor-student interaction , and I do not feel I would have been successful in the coursework had this not been a part of the course design. I experienced first-hand the importance of ensuring the instructor-student interaction in an online format.
  • Ongoing and frequent assessments
    • Michelle Jacobsen
       
      I found this to be one of biggest struggles when I was teaching online courses. The courses I taught were 5 weeks in length, and being able to conduct ongoing, frequent assessments was a challenge. If anyone has taught online courses and has any suggestions as to how to best incorporate these ongoing, frequent assessments, I would be very interested to learn from you!
anonymous

Blended Learning: Making it Work in Your Classroom | Edutopia - 0 views

  • Target One Grade Level at a Time
    • anonymous
       
      This would be very important for me as the music teacher.  Focusing on just my 4th grade lessons instead of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade would make it much less overwhelming.
  • provide students with differentiated instruction
    • anonymous
       
      This can be quite hard since I only have my students for 45 minutes.  They don't get to come for extra time or with a different grade/ability level because of scheduling.  Using online resources could help me implement more differentiation.
  • formative assessment
    • anonymous
       
      I've never actually had time to do much assessment.  I started this year experimenting with Google Classroom, and I think I could find ways to utilize that resource more for my formative assessments.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • what is already working well in your classroom, and what might be better suited as digital content.
    • anonymous
       
      You don't have to make everything into an online version.  Showing students a recorder fingering works better when you can manipulate their fingers.
aneppl

Articles: Preparation - 0 views

  • If your audience could remember only three things about your presentation,what would you want it to be?
    • stac34
       
      I think this is a great question to ask yourself when planning a presenation. To make it purposeful, you want to think about what others will gain from the presentation.
    • jsoland
       
      I love this as well. I think it will really help me to focus on what truly is important and help me to limit all the other content that I may have thought was needed, but would just take away from the presentation.
    • KIM BYRD
       
      This is a very good way to think about your presentation. This will help us make sure it is not too long.
  • he analog approach (paper or whiteboard) to sketch out my ideas and create a rough storyboard really helps solidify and simplify my message in my own head.
    • stac34
       
      I like the idea of this, but realistically so much of what i do is digital, I plan so much on Google Docs so I can access my thoughts from any of my devices. Maybe I should try going analog to see if mind mapping like that is beneficial for me.
  • We do not tell a story from memory alone; we do not need to memorize a story that has meaning to us. If it is real, then it is in us.
    • stac34
       
      Yes. This. I have sat through presenatations where others are just sharing information and I have presented when I have been assigned a slide or two to present. I have received excellent feedback when I have been able to present about a topic that I am passionate about and connected to. When I can share why it is important to me the message is so much easier to get across. I'm trying to think about how traditional required PD can be reformatted to include more story telling.
  • ...44 more annotations...
  • en is the optimal number of slides in
    • stac34
       
      I kinda shudder when I think about how many presentations I have given that are 30, 40 even 50 slides long (in a day long class) and how overwhelmed people must be. I like that it lays out what the ten topics are, but I would be interested to know what this would look like with education topics.
    • sarahjmoore
       
      I agree that it would be very interesting to see what this list would be in education topics. I wonder if you would need a broader scope too because of the different audiences. I also wonder about our students and how they are handling even 10 slides perhaps 8 times a day depending on their workload! 
    • Evan Abbey
       
      This is a good point. We consider just our audience for our presentation, but what if they are absorbing presentations all day long?
    • brendahack
       
      When I wrote the list of 10 down, I wondered what the translation from business model to education might look like. Anyone give it a shot?
  • meeting
  • a PowerPoint presentation because a normal human being cannot comprehend more than ten concepts in a
  • Documentaries do not simply tell facts; rather, they engage us with the story of war, scientific discovery, a dramatic sea rescue, climate change, and so on
    • stac34
       
      This is good to realize that it can be a heavy subject or a non fiction topic and still be covered through the format of storytelling. If our brains naturally gravitate towards stories, then the audience is automatically at a higher level of engagement.
  • Do not fall into the trap of thinking that in order for your audience to understand anything, you must tell them everything.
    • jsoland
       
      I am guilty of this. In previous articles, it also highlighted the importance of restraint in information, but I struggle to identify what is and isn't important to someone else.
    • Evan Abbey
       
      Me too. It is hard to say "this is important, but not something I need to tell them."
  • No software to get in my way and I can easily see how the flow will go. I draw sample images that I can use to support a particular point, say, a pie chart here, a photo there, perhaps a line graph in this section and so on.
    • jsoland
       
      This resonates with me because I have always found myself scrambling to find images in the past to fit a slide without really purposely planning what the image should be. My focus was the reverse of what it should have been. I should be focusing on what image to use to illustrate the content.
  • “Statistics are used to tell lies...while accounting reports are often BS in a ball gown.”
    • jsoland
       
      I find this quote funny as we used to joke all the time in graduate school that you could make stats say anything you wanted. I think people look at numbers and just take them to be the truth without realizing that number can be manipulated as well.
  • Use visuals in an active way, not a decorative one.
    • jsoland
       
      This is a theme that I'm seeing throughout the course and probably one of my biggest take aways as I have always thought of visuals as a compliment to the text on the screen rather than being the primary focus.
    • Evan Abbey
       
      This takes practice. I'm better at this, but even when I pick really stunning visuals and use them full-slide like we'll look at in our next section, that doesn't mean that they reinforce the message I'm trying to send.
  • You should give your ten slides in twenty minutes.
    • KIM BYRD
       
      I need to try to remember this in my next presentation. Sometimes I have so much to say, i need to make sure I cut down the information.
  • The best presenters illustrate their points with the use of stories, most often personal ones
    • KIM BYRD
       
      I thought i was interesting reading that you should include your personal life, like you kids and family. All within ten slides! Yikes!
    • Evan Abbey
       
      True, but I wouldn't make slides for my personal anecdotes. They would simply weave into the overall story that I'm making with my presentation.
    • brendahack
       
      I was surprised by the inclusion of persoanl life, but it does create a connection with your audience.
    • candace berkley
       
      Yes, again, like writing compositions, personal anecdotes are a great way to support claims.
  • A good story is not the beginning-to-end tale of how results meet expectations
    • KIM BYRD
       
      We must remember to add SUSPENSE! :)
  • Visuals should be big, bold, clear, and easy to see.
    • KIM BYRD
       
      The articles stated that less is more. Ten slides, twenty minutes, and thirty point font.
  • I suggest you start your planning in “analog mode.”
    • KIM BYRD
       
      I liked the idea of using post-its before you start building your presentation. This helps to simplfy and organize your ideas.
  • Thirty-point font.
    • sarahjmoore
       
      This is hard in a classroom. Especially if the powerpoint is being used to give concepts or information. I completely understand the concept from a true presentation standpoint, but I wonder about what it looks like as an educational tool for students.
  • The brain cares about story.
    • sarahjmoore
       
      I have found that this also works when you are trying to explain a concept to a struggling student. If you can give them a story they can understand (be it true or not) the brain can catch on to it faster and make sense of the concept. Truly powerful!
  • do not simply tell facts;
  • “tell the story” o
    • sarahjmoore
       
      My department has added in a unit on documentary and bias to get to this very point. The idea is that they are telling the story they want to tell. They have little-to-no obligation to tell us the truth. Stories are used to make us think and decided what we think is right or wrong. They are a conversation starter, not a conclusion. Thus, if we were to end out presentation with a story, we perhaps would begin the conversation for them to have after the presentation is over. It could be very powerful. 
  • “data dump.” A data dump — all too common unfortunately
    • sarahjmoore
       
      I wonder if this is why the presentations in the educational world struggle so much. For the most part, they are used to give information or data. Then the discussion comes based off of that. I sat through 3 presentations today that did just that. I find myself struggling with the two concepts of zen and content. What is the balance that is truly needed?
    • Evan Abbey
       
      The weird thing is, we don't teach like that in our classes, do we? I mean, yeah, we all know of that boring lecturer, but that's more of a college professor thing than a common high school teacher thing. You would think education presentations would be more "fluffy touchy feely" without any tangible data/information than the other way around, but you'd be wrong.
  • Introduce the problem you have (or did have) and how you will solve it (or did solve it). Give examples that are meaningful and relevant to your audience. Remember, story is sequential: “This happened, and then this happened, and therefore this happened, and so on.” Take people on a journey that introduces conflict and then resolves that conflict. If you can do this, you will be miles ahead of most presenters who simply recall talking points and broadcast lists of information
    • brendahack
       
      If I can get to this point, I will feel successful. I have been reflecting on the presentation that I am working on, and realized when I am teaching students I have done this, but not intentionally. I plan to use a personal story that demonstrates the power of the information I will be presenting. What I am finding challenging is selecting the "right" image to show the emotion I want to invoke. Since this is content that I am very familar with, I am not concerned about bullets, or list of info, but I feel the challenge of getting it all flowing.
  • I am evangelizing the 10/20/30 Rule of PowerPoint. It’s quite simple: a PowerPoint presentation should have ten slides, last no more than twenty minutes, and contain no font smaller than thirty points.
    • brendahack
       
      So much power in so few words! Pass the elevator test? yep. 10 slides, a bit scary, but do-able, 20 minutes about what I can expect from students, but when presenting to peers, it is generally much more. However that can be broken up with activities and group work, individual work and check for understanding, in addition to just the power point. I like that font syle and size are being addressed. I play around with that too much, not sure if I have it right, so now I have a tool to guide me. Thanks.
    • aneppl
       
      This makes me think about the importance of a "mini-lesson" in whole group. The term mini-lesson for some has not aligned for the length of their lesson. 10-20 minutes for a whole group lesson on inferencing should be the target
  • Force yourself to use no font smaller than thirty points. I guarantee it will make your presentations better because it requires you to find the most salient points and to know how to explain them well. If “thirty points,” is too dogmatic, the I offer you an algorithm: find out the age of the oldest person in your audience and divide it by two. That’s your optimal font size.
    • brendahack
       
      I love it! I am going to play this game in class, how old are you, wait a minute, slides adjusted to "correct" font. Seriously, in adult education this is a big issue. No one wants to admit that they can't read the slides because the font is too small. Ego?
    • candace berkley
       
      This reminds me of learning targets: What do we want students to know/do? How will we get them there? How will we know when they get there? (This is the second time I have tried to post this comment. The first one was much better composed! Learning curve...)
  • if your presentation is not based on solid content, you can not succeed.
    • candace berkley
       
      Occasionally, I need to remind myself of the purpose for using technology in my classroom: To enhance student learning, not to entertain students (or myself) or just simply to accomplish a task in a different way. I would like to use technology to push kids to a higher level of learning.
    • candace berkley
       
      I don't know why I never considered pre-writing and making a rough draft for a presentation. When I write anything else, I always follow an "analog mode," but with presentations I just jump right in.
    • candace berkley
       
      I tell my AP Composition students that when they write, they should always be able to answer the big "So what?" Why is this issue serious? Why should it be taken seriously? What makes it relevant? I am now seeing that composing a presentation is not so different from a rhetorical composition. Interesting.
  • If we know our material well and have rehearsed the flow, know what slide is next in the deck, and have anticipated questions, then we have eliminated much (but not all) of the unknown.
    • candace berkley
       
      Nothing worse than a slide that is out of place, a visual that pops up at the wrong moment, or when what you are saying is totally incongruous to what is on the slide. Practice in front of your family, colleagues, friends and have them give a little input to help the presentation go smoothly.
    • candace berkley
       
      Nothing worse than being surprised when a slide is out of sequence, the wrong visual appears, or what you are talking about is incongruous to what the slide shows. Practice with your family at home, your dog, imaginary audience.
  • “people are not inspired to act on reason alone.”
    • candace berkley
       
      Yes: logos, ethos, pathos.
  • ven R2D2 and C3PO are engaging characters, in large part because of their strikingly different personalities.
  • n your own presentations, look for contrasts such as before/after, past/future, now/then, problem/solution, strife/peace, growth/decline, pessimism/optimism, and so on. Highlighting contrasts is a natural way to bring the audience into your story and make your message more memorable.
    • candace berkley
       
      Something very basic (and simple!) to remember when it is time to work on the presentation. I like these kinds of very clear statements as I can visualize what the examples might look like in a presentation.
  • Make your presentation—visuals and narration—participatory.
    • candace berkley
       
      This entire section was really interesting. I never thought of a presentation as a kind of narrative performance, story telling. And participatory. Very cool to think of presentations using these ideas. I also like the conciseness of these 5 points.
  • ou believe in y
    • candace berkley
       
      Authenticity is vital to establish a connection with the audience.
  • t reads ahead of you because it can read faster than you can speak. The result is that you and the audience are out of synch.
    • candace berkley
       
      So true. Students will quickly read what is put before them and not pay attention to anything else that is happening, and then they wait for the next thing to read
  • (or from a scheduled one hour to 30 minutes)
    • aneppl
       
      On Monday we had a professional development day. We had over planned for content, but when we scrambled (in front of our staff) on what to cut out so we could still send the teachers off to lunch when we promised we unintentionally cut out the section titled "the importance of a wrap-up or closure" within their literacy workshop model. In other words we actually practiced the opposite of what one of our most important points was to be for the presentation....ugh!
  • examples to support your major points
    • aneppl
       
      I have often told stories, sometimes personal and sometimes passionate. What I often miss is making the link or connection to our focus. I need to be more purposeful with making that connection.
  • “and the key to their hearts is story.”
    • aneppl
       
      This year this has been more challenging as I am with an entirely new staff that has come together in new building. In my previous position, my stories or sharing of personal challenges lead to a level of trust with staff. They were used to my personal approach, and I get the feeling the new staff I work with are not used to the principal showing emotion, sharing personal information or challenges.
  • Allow graphic elements to fill the frame and bleed off the edges.
    • aneppl
       
      I just did this on a slide for a presentation on Monday. Instead of the graphic/picture just being to the right of the text, I made the picture the entire background an ended up with just a few words.
  • What is the purpose of the event?
    • aneppl
       
      So critical - I truly believe teachers need to know the purpose and how the learning or new information will impact them or their students. For me, the purpose is almost related to improved student learning - making the clear connection is the challenge...
  • legal pad and pen
Evan Abbey

Articles: Preparation - 3 views

    • pkmills
       
      This is my most common mistake. I know I tend to cram too much information. I am taking the same source document I used for the first presentation to try to re-do the presentation from scratch
  • Simple does not mean stupid. Frankly, thinking that the notion of simplifying is stupid is just plain, well, “stupid.” Simple can be hard for the presenter, but it will be appreciated by the audience. Simplicity takes more forethought and planning on your part because you have to think very hard about what to include and what can be left out
    • pkmills
       
      Simplifying my presentation will be the smartest but the most difficult thing I have done in a long time.
  • ...41 more annotations...
  • I suggest you start your planning in “analog mode.” That is, rather than diving right into PowerPoint (or Keynote), the best presenters often scratch out their ideas and objectives with a pen and paper. Personally, I use a large whiteboard in my office to sketch out my ideas (when I was at Apple, I had one entire wall turned into a whiteboard!).
    • pkmills
       
      I am looking forward to this step. my sister-in-law quilts and does this step to see what the quilt will look like laid out. I bought sticky notes just for the occasion,
    • aboevers
       
      You could use different colored sticky notes and make your own "quilt"!
  • When building the content of your presentation always put yourself in the shoes of the audience and ask “so what?” Really ask yourself the tough questions throughout the planning process.
    • pkmills
       
      This idea of "so what?" was my a=ha moment. It will probably be the one question to help me determine what is really important.
  • Ten slides.
    • ney4cy
       
      i know this is geared toward a venture capitalist but I think with some minor changes this would be great for a teacher. So much of what we do in education involves all 10 of these topics.
  • Twenty minutes
  • Thirty-point font
    • pkmills
       
      10/20/30 was another a-ha moment for me. I had not heard the 10 slides rule before. I had heard that 20 minutes was the ideal time and 30 point font for projecting. I am looking forward to getting to see if I can make my presentation work
    • Evan Abbey
       
      I actually disagree with this part of Kawasaki's post, though the math works out if you have only 20 minutes (since the general rule of thumb is 1 slide = 2 minutes). I have seen presentations where people use slides that build off one another, which means you are able to click through a series of 10 slides within 30 seconds to illustrate a point. Obviously, these presentations won't follow the 10 slide rule, and they will work fine.
    • chaneline
       
      Maybe that is a good rule to start with, but sometimes it will depend on the purpose of the slide.  For instructional sake, you may have a series of pictures that tell a quick story or give visual examples.  
    • suzdohrer
       
      I am posting on Ollie Iowa, but do not know why Evan's name shows up but mine does not. Am I missing some step? Does it matter? I agree that I had heard about 10 slides before, but I had not heard of the 10-20-30 ratio. It gives me a starting point of reference.
  • always volunteer to go first or last, by the way)
    • dougmay
       
      Always good to make the first or last impression
    • Evan Abbey
       
      Depending on the venue, you DO NOT want to go last. At conferences, for example, people will often leave before the final presentation. When we get stuck with the last presentation at a statewide conference for teachers, we are basically resigned to the fact that we will get 10% of the audience we would have gotten in the first two time slots. After lunch is also really bad. If the venue was for an interview, that might be a different story. My preference, though, would be to go second. The studies I've seen on this say that if a person "knocks it out of the park" early, it presents a hire-able option right away and they tune out to the rest of the interviews. They will give the first two people a chance just for the sake of comparison, but after that, it might not matter how good you are.
    • ney4cy
       
      My hsband speaks quite a bit on sunbstainablity and carbon trading. He always hated when he was scheduled to speak right after lunch. He said the audience was usually not as attentive.
  • If you want your audience to remember your content, then find a way to make it relevant and memorable to them
    • dougmay
       
      Making a connection will invest them.
    • rabraham
       
      Yes! and it will help them remember the important aspects.  Connections are  great way to help it be memorable.
  • When you remove the unknown and reduce anxiety and nervousness, then confidence is something that will naturally take the place of your anxiety.
    • dougmay
       
      I used to have my fifth graders perform Shakespeare memorized on stage. They were always nervous but I would tell them that it is just like we rehearsed over and over again. PREPARATION POWERS PERFORMANCE!
    • Evan Abbey
       
      Having one successful presentation does wonders for your confidence. You have memories of what you said and how you said it that connected with the audience, and you can always fall back on those if you feel an audience isn't warmed up to you yet.
    • mrswalker_
       
      I always remind my students that there are two types of nerves: ones for when you're unprepared (the bad kind) and ones for when you're excited (the good kind). If presenters are prepared, then they can use confidence and excitement to connect with the audience.
  • Remember, even if you’ve been asked to share information, rarely is the mere transfer of information a satisfactory objective from the point of view of the audience
    • bdoudwaukee
       
      This is an interesting point to ponder. I'm finding myself thinking about what I enjoy in a presenter an then thinking about how I present to the students. Am I using the same strategies to get my point across to the students? Sadly, I don't think I am.
    • Evan Abbey
       
      This is a good maxim for all of teaching, not just for presentations. We are here to inspire, guide, coach, and provide feedback more than we are to transfer information, especially in an age where there is so much information and it is readily accessible.
    • chaneline
       
      This point made me think about my presentation coming up.  I was asked to present because of my knowledge base, but I need to go beyond that.  What information does my audience need?  What are they interested in?  The answer to these questions will change and vary based on the audience knowledge level.  
    • ney4cy
       
      I agree.I always presume that I would be wasting peoples time to do anything beyond "just the facts" But when I reflect on some of the more memorable presentations I have attended, I would say that the ones with a connecting theme and story are more engaging and I retan more of the informtion presented. This is an A-ha moment for me.
    • aboevers
       
      I was also about to highlight this sentence and write the same things recorded here.
  • Do not fall into the trap of thinking that in order for your audience to understand anything, you must tell them everything.
    • bdoudwaukee
       
      Oh how I want to tell the students everything! I'm learning (through this and inquiry learning) that I should leave them curious for more.
    • chaneline
       
      I definitely do not appreciate being dumbed down to during a presentation.  Taking time to do some probing questions will help to know what level of understanding the audience is currently functioning.
  • The brain cares about story.
    • bdoudwaukee
       
      While I know this to be true in my own experience sitting through presentations, it also scares me. How am I to come up with a relevant story for every presentation I make? I don't have that many stories, and I'm really not the greatest storyteller. I get it, but this can be stressful in itself!
    • chaneline
       
      When the presenter is a good storyteller, it's magnificent! I marvel at those people that can tell  interesting stories.  It's what I remember from presentations.
    • mrswalker_
       
      I agree that the best presenters are the best storytellers. I've found that my students love stories about me when I was younger. I've started adding in some of my funny childhood pictures to add some personality and connection to the content!
  • Simplicity takes more forethought and planning on your part because you have to think very hard about what to include and what can be left out. What is the essence of your message?
    • rabraham
       
      Keep it simple! By really thinking about and getting right down to the essence of your message, it may save a presentation and not have as many people tune out what is being shared.  These are the things that I take notes on at other presentations, why not just cut to the chase.
  • Cliff Atkinson in his 2005 book, “Beyond Bullet Points,” smartly states that starting to create your presentation in PowerPoint before you have your key points and logical flow first worked out (on paper or a white board in my case) is like a movie director hiring actors and starting to film before there is a script in hand.
    • rabraham
       
      I need to keep this in mind while creating PPts.  In the past, I started at the computer, but I think it would be more effective to write out the flow.
  • Humans have been sharing information aurally and visually far longer than we have been getting information by reading lists. A 2003
    • rabraham
       
      This supports the elimination of bullet points.
  • “In a story, you not only weave a lot of information into the telling but you also arouse your listener’s emotion and energy,” he says.
    • rabraham
       
      I like this idea and need to keep it in mind while putting together presentations.  The information is included, but it is also hooked to an emotion that helps it stay with the audience.
  • “But as a storyteller, you want to position the problems in the foreground and then show how you’ve overcome them,” says McKee. If you tell the story of how you struggled with antagonists, the audience is engaged with you and your material.
    • rabraham
       
      This is essential, especially to educators.  Many people are afraid to do something new because they may fail or have difficulties.  If you share how this happened to you, it helps the audience think of you as a real person rather than someone who got it right the first time...which is not reality most of the time.
  • Twenty minutes
    • rabraham
       
      I usually teach 30 minute classes, so my goal for a longer PPt is usually 15-20 minutes.  If I want to have more discussion, I usually aim for 10-15 minutes.
    • chaneline
       
      For the 50 minute presentation, this is a bogus rule.  People will not be happy with a 20 minute presentation with the rest of the time for discussion.  I would find that very annoying.
    • mrswalker_
       
      I have 40 minute classes... I don't think this is a good or workable rule. My kindergarten-5th grade students would NEVER have 20 minutes of meaningful discussion. I do often add extra gadgets to my presentations: games, videos, music, pictures to keep them focused and not just reading the text the whole time. 
    • vmcgee
       
      Twenty minutes is probably about the right amount of time for a Junior High class.  Go beyond that, and we start going beyond their attention span.
  • he stories and the connections they made with the audience caused these relatively small points to be remembered because emotions such as surprise, sympathy, and empathy were all triggered.
    • chaneline
       
      Isn't this so true!  We all remember those powerful stories and are drawn to them.  It's what connects us all.  If a presentation has this, it must be a winner.
    • aboevers
       
      Good point here! But we do need to remember some of the lesser points as well.
  • we learn best with a narrative structure.
    • dougmay
       
      I keep wondering how to use stories in an educational presentation such as information about the solar system.
    • ney4cy
       
      in a previous course I read about the power of anaarative on retention of information. This was from the work by Eric Jensen.
    • vmcgee
       
      Yes, I think that maybe "Narrative" is a good term to think of.  "Story" makes it difficult to put in terms of factual information that we deal with.  Maybe it would be easier for me to approach this if I think of it in terms of providing a narrative for students with my content.
  • We do not tell a story from memory alone; we do not need to memorize a story that has meaning to us. If it is real, then it is in us
    • dougmay
       
      This is so true in retrospect.
  • find out the age of the oldest person in your audience and divide it by two. That’s your optimal font size.
    • dougmay
       
      This may not work when teaching 12 year olds. HA
    • bdoudwaukee
       
      I was thinking the same thing! Ok, if my oldest kid could possibly be 14, then the font is 7 - nope! Right now in my elementary art room it could be much smaller. Funny
    • mrswalker_
       
      I have kindergarteners- so I'm guessing 2.5 font isn't what the author means. This article seems more directed at professional presenters rather than elementary teachers. 
    • ney4cy
       
      I would agree. if I were usng this with children I think I would be more likely to stick to larger end of the 30 point max. Yung children need larger font to focus and i would think find it on the slide.
  • The majority of the presentations that I see have text in a ten point font
    • bdoudwaukee
       
      I just went to the ISEA's training for Mandatory Reporter. It was a video of an RN taking nonstop for 3 hours and going back and forth to a Powerpoint. It was horrible - her slides were the crayon template - what does that have to do with child abuse - and she crammed lots of words on a slide. One slide that she kept going back to, you couldn't even read it was such tiny print. Death by Powerpoint!
  • EXERCISE If your audience could remember only three things about your presentation,what would you want it to be? (1)__________ (2)__________ (3)__________
    • mrswalker_
       
      This should always be the first step to a presentation. It will help the presenter organizer their ideas around the key points, rather than from beginning to end.
    • ney4cy
       
      This is an excellent idea on how to plan your presentation. A must remember for sure!
  • Your audience needs to see where you are going.
  • Visuals should be big, bold, clear, and easy to see. Allow graphic elements to fill the frame and bleed off the edges. Use visuals in an active way, not a decorative one. Aim to carefully trim back the details. Make your presentation—visuals and narration—participatory.
    • vmcgee
       
      This really goes hand in hand with the focus of our lessons.
  • Contrast is about differences, and we are hardwired to notice differences.
    • vmcgee
       
      In science I think this can be done by emphasizing differences between a correct and an incorrect model.  I have found that students can learn what is correct often by understanding what is incorrect, as long as they understand why this is the case.
  • I guarantee it will make your presentations better because it requires you to find the most salient points and to know how to explain them well.
    • vmcgee
       
      I think that giving ourselves guidelines like this is a good way to force ourselves to make adaptations to the way that we do things.  It all comes back to concentrating on the focus of the lesson.
    • aboevers
       
      I wish all presenters followed these rules!
    • aboevers
       
      But usually students won't read assigned material and you need to present a summary--but this has to change!
  • elevator test. This exercise forces you to “sell” your message in 30-45 seconds
    • aboevers
       
      I do this (but I call it an Elevator Pitch) with my students when they are preparing the Proposal or Problem/Solution paper. They act like they are on "Shark Tank" and sell the idea to the class in a short speech. It is a great way for them to decide what are the most important support points and solidify the topic.
  • storytelling is the key to leadership and communication in business:
  • aim to unite an idea with an emotion
    • aboevers
       
      I see some connections to advertising here. We are creating emotional, logical, and persuasive presentations to "sell" the information we are presenting.
  • If clarity and economy of expression are the goals, it would be hard to find a more perfect medium.”
    • aboevers
       
      This is where power point originated, I suppose!
  • ten slides, last no more than twenty minutes, and contain no font smaller than thirty points.
    • aboevers
       
      Good rules to live by!
  • PowerPoint
  • PowerPoint
  •  
    Articles: Preparation-This is a perfect "motto" to go by when creating presentations that I will begin using. In other readings we've already had, it was mentioned about having ten powerful slides and getting across the main idea, instead of having a long drawn out, boring presentation that doesn't allow the audience to take much away from it in the end. Working with this in mind, that is where the practice of my presentation comes into the picture. If a presentation is practiced well enough, the large font and small amount of text won't matter since will be able to expand the information on the slides.
  • ...1 more comment...
  •  
    Articles: Preparation-Whatever you are presenting needs to have a story behind it-somehow-as well as making the story interesting. Most of the time presentations can be given by doing so with personal experiences. Personally, I love hearing about other's personal experiences when it comes to pertaining to my career and their lives, due to the fact that it helps me learn from them. I feel by incorporating into the presentation some personal experience, this allows the presenter to be more comfortable in front of the audience, know their material well, and the audience will remember the presentation. Many presenters do a great job of incorporating comedy into their presentations, which adds to the creativity and helping the audience relate and remember the content.
  •  
    Articles: Preparation-I love the exercise that forces you to "sell" your message in 30-45 seconds. This is a great exercise to test yourself to see if you know your presentation. Would the presenter be able to do this? Would I be able to do this? Do I know my information I need to present? What do I need to do to improve my presentation in order to be able to sell in it such a short amount of time? This exercise would be a great way for my students to run through their presentation with another student as a practice for the actual presentation.
  •  
    Articles: Presentation-There are quite a few that mention font size. I feel this is a problem for many either questioning what size to have, if the size they are using is too large or too small, as well as what actual font to use. I find humor in the comment using the oldest person in the audience and divide by two with that being the font size. Using the 10/20/30 is the way to go to have an effective presentation. This is what I will be using and what part of my expectations will be for my students for any of their presentations to be more effective.
lkmace

"Personalized" vs. "Personal" Learning - 2 views

  • many school district leaders require public school educators to teach a specific curriculum that will be evaluated on standardized tests, while at the same time telling teachers to be innovative and creative within their classrooms
    • anonymous
       
      This is a major concern I have been struggling with in regard to Personalized Learning. The content many elementary teachers have been presented with is very specific - follow the basal or system of information you have been given, present it in the order it is to be taught, in the confines of the time you have to teach it, however, be creative (but don't stray from the plan because you have Standards Based goals to achieve), reach all students with it irregardless of ability or interest (make sure you meet with those groups every day to ensure they learn the content) and get good scores on our standardized tests (but don't teach to the test and you need to show growth).  It is a challenge we face but the dream of personalized learning is not an impossible reality. We just have to understand how it can be done. 
    • wolson86
       
      I agree and can easily connect with your comment about sticking to the curriculum, yet being creative. This is also a major concern of mine. I often feel that there is so much to fit in and little time. A guaranteed curriculum is important but I believe teachers need to have some freedom within their room to create plans and lesson that can be personalized and meet the standards.  Once teachers are better acquainted with personalized learning I believe we will see more and more of it within classrooms across the country. 
    • Megan Schulte
       
      I can relate, too.  I mentioned earlier that we work in PLCs, so we write curriculum together and then go to our rooms to teach it, share Data later, and learn from each other.  I feel like this setup is too restrictive for me to implement PL.  Instead of throwing the idea away, we need to experiment with implementing PL small then look at the data and see if we can convince others to go with it.  We won't be able to make the full switch in a year, over the summer, or even within a few years until the entire system gets on board and works toward this common goal of implementing PL..
  • In a world where we can explore almost every interest or passion in depth on our own or with others, it’s crucially more important to have the dispositions and the skills to create our own educational opportunities, not be trained to wait for opportunities that someone else has selected for delivery.
    • anonymous
       
      As an adult learning individuals, if we want to continue to learn and grow, we need to reach out and ask questions and find the answers rather than waiting for the world to find us. We need to inspire that in our students as well. Motivation and drive with a purpose!
    • lkmace
       
      To instill this drive for learning and seeking one's own understanding seems so important when developing skills in our young students. When we as adults have that drive for learning continuum, modeling that passion, sharing examples on how this is evident in work environments, as well as higher education, should be a skill all students be taught. PLEs could be a great tool to do just that!
  • Personal learning entails working with each child to create projects of intellectual discovery that reflect his or her unique needs and interests. It requires the presence of a caring teacher who knows each child well. Personalized learning entails adjusting the difficulty level of prefabricated skills-based exercises based on students’ test scores.   It requires the purchase of software from one of those companies that can afford full-page ads in Education Week.
    • anonymous
       
      Personal Learning requires "heart" Personalized Learning requires "hardware"
  • ...17 more annotations...
  • Thus, while making sense of ideas is surely personal, it is not exclusively individual because it involves collaboration and takes place in a community.
    • anonymous
       
      Personal doesn't mean individual. 
  • Personalization is often used in the ed-tech community to describe a student moving through a prescribed set of activities at his own pace. The only choice a student gets is what box to check on the screen and how quickly to move through the exercises. For many educators that’s not the true meaning of “personalized learning.”
    • amorarend
       
      At the district I teach in we have many computer programs like this. Our lower elementary students (K-4) work on ST math and our upper elementary students (5-6) work on ALEKS. Our district also recently purchased and is going to start implementing Lexia Reading Core5. I personally have not worked with any of these programs, but from what I've heard teachers really like ST Math and ALEKS. 
    • wolson86
       
      Our district has also just started implementing Lexia Reading Core 5 this year. I have found it to be engaging for the students, but I have a student who has already passed all levels. At this point there is nothing left for her to do. I think personalization is more than a computer program, however I am a fan of computer programs that are tailored to the students' needs. 
    • Megan Schulte
       
      From some of the things I've read in the PL Environment articles, these computer programs are only one part of Personalized Learning.  They have a purpose for some students who need it, but shouldn't really be implemented as a "work until you complete the program" type of thing.  More of a "you need more practice..go here" type of situation. Until we really embrace PL and truly personalize, we'll continue to encounter these issues.  So hard to do!
  • “It meets the needs of an individual in a very standardized way, but it doesn’t take into account who that kid is.” For Laufenberg, personalization only comes when students have authentic choice over how to tackle a problem.
    • amorarend
       
      I don't think many teachers and administrators realize this. I think most feel like the computer programs, such as ST Math, ALEKS and Lexia Reading Core5, are personalized because each student is working at their own level. From what I've learned so far in this class is that Personalized Learning takes it a step farther. 
    • lkmace
       
      I have felt hesitation from adminastartion with using computer programs for student learning. I'm looking for evidence that supports research in this area. Is it best for certain learning styles? I believe so.
    • lkmace
       
      Ditto! I've tried some pilot computer learning, and students enjoy and stay engaged. Trying to receive support from administration isn't easy - district policy, costs, and balance between classrooms are the constraints I find.
  • Personalization comes at the expense of denying students opportunities to learn personally, forming the habits of mind and “network literacies” that will serve them much more effectively than most of the content knowledge that, as we know from experience, never gets applied in real life.
    • amorarend
       
      I agree and disagree with this statement. I think every student in America has asked the question "When am I ever going to use this in real life?" at some point in their educational career. I know I did when I was sitting in Pre-Calc my senior year of high school. On the other hand I cringe every time one of my 5th grade students doesn't know that Iowa is a state. I had to have all of the states and state capitals memorized in 3rd grade! I do feel there are some things every well educated person should know, but the question is how do we decide what is important enough for every person to learn.
    • kelsi-johnson
       
      There are definitely basic, foundational skills that need to be learned by all students. For example, since our district has focused less on teaching and grading students on grammar, punctuation, and elements outside of the content of a paper, we have noticed huge gaps in performance. I had to spend an entire class period with my ninth grade students explaining when to capitalize a letter before printing their final papers. I was also able to listen to Richardson speak at my school last year, and he claimed that all math classes would be rendered irrelevant over the course of the next decade due to technology resources; however, he used many graphs and statistics in his presentation. Luckily, I had great math teachers throughout school in order to possess the skills necessary to interpret his presentation data! I would agree that we have to develop certain basic skills in all students before we can set them off to work completely independently. I think it all comes down to your final question...how/who determines those priority skills or standards?
    • Megan Schulte
       
      I completely agree!  However, I feel we're just not advanced enough as a system or society to truly see what we're doing work well.  The standards are set up to build upon the previous year's standards.  Unless everyone is covering his/her standards, it won't work as well.  We saw this first hand at my school when our JH/HS started aligning to the core before our elementary did.  It was very difficult for our 7th grade teachers to even teach the 7th grade standards because our students were back on the 2nd/3rd grade level according to the standards.  We had to back up and teach those skills first in order to get anywhere close to our own standards.  However, in the last 4 years I have seen much improvement!  Our elementary has begun aligning, and we're not (almost) able to do our own jobs!  I have hope!
  • But the red light flashes here not just because of the focus on standardized tests but because of the larger preoccupation with data data data data data.
    • amorarend
       
      With being a Title 1 teacher everything I do is based on data. The school I teach at just got done doing the FAST testing for winter and when it was done I sat down with the principal and the other Title 1 teacher and used the student's test scores to determine who was going to be receiving Title 1 services. I am not a huge fan of testing, but when the state requires students who are flagged as "substantially deficient" to be in an intervention and students who are flagged as "at risk" to be progress monitored we have no choice but to be driven by the data. I really like the idea of personal learning, but I don't think school are going to be able to make that switch until the government changes things.
    • kelsi-johnson
       
      It is frustrating that this information/research is out there and many teachers want to shift towards learning that is less test-focused, but unfortunately we don't have the power to make those changes! I also wonder how parents would respond to a change from the traditional school format. I know when we even discussed switching to standardized based grading, we got a lot of push back and criticism from parents. I don't know how we start making these changes.
    • lkmace
       
      This is directly connected to the students I serve that are identified as gifted. Testing often displays data that doesn't seem to reflect their total understanding, often posing a picture where students haven't reached that area of one year's growth. This has engaged many debates as to pushing core v. pushing student interests.
  • ‘We often say we want creativity and innovation – personalization – but every mechanism we use to measure it is through control and compliance.’
    • kelsi-johnson
       
      But at some point, don't we have to hold students and ourselves accountable for the learning taking place in the classroom? With the requirements of the current education system, there doesn't seem to be much that we as classroom teachers can do here: at some point we have to prove that we have created growth in our students through data. I wish the article would have specified other methods for depicting learning/student achievement rather than simply debunking the current ones. While I am all for personal learning and a change in the way we view student performance, I have yet to see a realistic method presented to ultimately score or evaluate the results of our students in the classroom.
    • wolson86
       
      I agree that it would be nice to have some other specified methods to collect data and show student growth. I do believe what we have now is not a true judgement of our students, they are so much more than a score. 
    • anonymous
       
      I think our major hiccup lies in our struggle with producing "proof" of learning. It is important that you state a realistic method of scoring students. In a perfect world, we would have a personalized instruction for each student with a personalized rubric guiding the learning. However, that is not realistically possible, especially if I want them to be authentic and innovative at their own level. As long as I am expected to prove my kids are learning, regardless of the system used, time will play into how personalized the instruction can be.
    • lkmace
       
      Before reading your post, my thinking directed to the time constraint and proving a year's growth in each of our students. This is a major component in our classrooms and often fogs up the importance of addressing individual learning needs. How do teachers with large groups of students realistically find time to implement successful PLEs? I have 40+ students on my roster between two buildings. PLEs could be the answer to providing challenges more than 30--40 minutes 1-2 times per week. That part I am excited about. Assisting with all 40+ PLEs sounds a little overwhelming, but initial skill development in students in designing their own with my assistance seems to be my starting point.
  • it implies moving away from the industrialized form of education that pumps out cookie-cutter students with the same knowledge and skills
    • wolson86
       
      This first sentence really stuck out to me, especially the statement cookie-cutter students. Why would we want to create students to all have the same talents? What kind of future would that be, with students who all have the same specific skills?
  • Can the Web and laptops, et al., support and expand intrinsic engagement for those parts of the world that interest us? Absolutely! But while a multimedia textbook on an iPad may be more engaging than the dog-eared paper one we’ve been handing out for decades, a textbook is still a textbook. You want to really engage kids? Give them opportunities to learn personally, to create their own texts and courses of study, and to pursue that learning with others in and out of the classroom who share a passion.
    • kelsi-johnson
       
      This makes me reflect on the learning we have done about the SAMR model. Because our students recently became 1:1 with iPads in our building, we have done a lot of learning on making technology usage meaningful rather than just "fluff" in the classroom. Here is a link for those of you not familiar with SAMR: http://tinyurl.com/posterV4 As Richardson indicates, we can't simply put technology into the hands of students and call ourselves innovative. It is what we allow our students to do with technology in order to generate new ideas that stimulates innovation and creativity.
  • meaningful (and truly personal) learning never requires technology
    • kelsi-johnson
       
      I found this statement to be particularly profound; I never thought of it that way!
    • Megan Schulte
       
      Especially nowadays when technology is such a big part of their lives.
    • lkmace
       
      Fifth graders in our district are fortunate to have Chrome Books. After working in secondary for the past 4 years, coming back to elementary made things very exciting to know these students would have tech access at their fingertips. After a few weeks working with this age level, I found the tools could be very distracting. Starting with personal understanding to form inquiry and learning proposals allowed for focus on goals. Technology came in next as a great resource, but ending with communicating new learning (sometimes with tech, but often through discussions, writing or small group share.)
  • A personalized environment gives students the freedom to follow a meaningful line of inquiry, while building the skills to connect, synthesize and analyze information into original productions.
    • Megan Schulte
       
      This is so hard to really implement correctly!  Most of us are in school systems where we are really restricted by required classes, bell schedules, teacher certification, the previously mentioned DATA COLLECTION (!!!), which would look much differently in a true PL classroom.  I'm personally struggling with how to implement PL because we work in PLC teams where we have common formative assessments that need to be administered around the same time.  That allows very little room for kids to work at their own pace.
  • resource rich.
    • Megan Schulte
       
      I have found that finding good resources for English is really hard.  There are so many factors when it comes to literature, like readability level, topic, concept, that it's hard for ME to find resources, let alone have my students find them on their own.  Unfortunately, if someone develops something that is good, they're going to want money for it making it unattainable for many of us.  I was excited to hear about the pilot going on with the AEA Online for students.
  • Our kids (and we ourselves) are suddenly walking around with access to the sum of human knowledge in our pockets and connections to literally millions of potential teachers.
    • Megan Schulte
       
      A few problems come to mind.  1)  This is why it's important to climb the ladder of Bloom's with our activities and lessons and make them real life.  2) Students don't value knowing the basics because they can just Google them.  The part of speech of a word...Google can tell us that, so it isn't important.  But it IS important to know when it's applied later, for instance writing complex sentences and identifying clauses/subjects.     Or is it?
    • kelsi-johnson
       
      Think about how much longer it would take for students to complete seemingly simple aspects of a project or task if they had to look up every single smaller bit of information. It seems that this is where we need to set priority standards in order to determine what basics are most important for students to know in order to complete and take part in personal learning.
  • give opportunities for our kids to do personal learning.
    • Megan Schulte
       
      This is it!!  This is all we can hope for.  Having the perfect school, unit, support, funding, etc. to do this is not anywhere in our near future.  If our classroom is set up to give opportunities for our kids to do personalized learning, we're on the right track.  I feel it will snowball into more opportunities.  Kids will want it, the ever-important test scores will prove it, and schools will slowly jump on the PL train!
  • the best thing we can do for kids is empower them to make regular, important, thoughtful decisions about their own learning, what they learn and how they learn it, and to frame our use of language in that larger shift, not simply in the affordances for traditional curriculum delivery that the tools of the moment might bring.
    • Megan Schulte
       
      This is the beginning.  Find opportunities for this wherever you can and then let personalized learning grow from there.
    • lkmace
       
      Advanced differentiation conversations often involve the, "how do we develop independent learners?" This shift is dearly needed. Enabling students with PLEs - tool to make the shift?
  • as long as he ends up fundamentally similar to everyone else:
    • Megan Schulte
       
      Agreed, but this is what students need to understand when it comes to PL.  You don't just get to pretend you're working, you are still held accountable to reach the end target; you can just get there how you want.  This is my biggest fear with "setting kids free" in PL.  I'm afraid I'll check-in with their progress and they'll have done nothing.  What's the consequence?  How do you hold them accountable daily (at first) and realize they still have to do something.  Hopefully interest level, real life applications, etc will help hold them accountable.  They'll be on stage for someone hopefully.
    • anonymous
       
      I have a self-paced system currently in place in my classroom. Often times, I do check in, and they will have done nothing. I have the daily goal for where they should be to be on target to finish on time. My kids have figured out that I will fail them. I akin it to a job. If you do not do the task, the boss will penalize you for it. That said, grades are fluid. I have no problem changing the grade once I receive the work. Normally the work happens after a few angry emails from parents, pulling from study halls, and a little bribing. This morning I sent out an email stating I was still missing fifty papers from students, giving their names. The immediate consequence is failing, with the understanding that once work is shown, failing is not a permanent ultimatum .
  • She cautions educators who may be excited about the progressive educational implications for “personalized learning” to make sure everyone they work with is on the same page about what that phrase means.
    • anonymous
       
      I find it interesting that she says everyone we work with needs to be on the same page about the implications of personalized learning. I find, that when I try something new, even if my co workers aren't on board right away, my results speak for themselves. I am not sure it is important that BEFORE I start personalized learning, EVERYONE is onboard. 
    • lkmace
       
      As I "pilot" PLEs with some of my students, taking evidence from their experience to share with staff could begin those "on board" conversations and reel teachers towards learning more and trying in their classrooms, as well as sharing with administrators. Many past learning models have sounded wonderful, but without having data to show evidence of success, hesitance exists.
  • Our systems and assessments assume that neither content nor access to teachers is widely available, and that we must deliver a proscribed, fairly narrow curriculum to each child because if they don’t have it in their heads when they need it, they will fail at the task.
    • anonymous
       
      I find it interesting that the Web and other pieces of technology have expanded the capabilities of learning, yet our standardized testing and other assessments specify exactly what they "need" to know. I question how, regardless of how the Internet has changed education, we still use the same methods to prove proficiency. 
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