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anonymous

Kindergarten: The Changes from Play to Work | Educ 300: Education Reform, Past and Present - 0 views

commons.trincoll.edu/...he-changes-from-play-to-work-2

kindergarten Ollie_iowa

shared by anonymous on 16 Jul 15 - No Cached
  • argue that kindergarten has changed from encouraging play in the classrooms, to instead, encouraging work. When the kindergarten model was adopted in the United States, kindergarten’s purpose was to prepare children for their academic future and to promote their natural development. Today, the kindergarten model has shifted and promotes academic learning, as a result of our economy and the emphasis of education.
  • Before kindergarten transformed to being academic-focused, kindergarten’s curriculum was based on the teacher’s discretion. The classrooms were play-focused because children learn the most through playing with their peers; in Froebel’s opinion, what children learn when they are playing is vital for their natural development and success later in school (Jeynes 2006).
  • anonymous on 16 Jul 15
     
    Benefits of play
amytlach

Articles: Presentation "Awakening" - 1 views

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

shared by amytlach on 16 May 15 - No Cached
    • Wendy Arch
      Wendy Arch on 16 May 15
       
      Wendy here -   This will probably be my biggest hurdle.  We always feel like our content is the most important, so limiting it to just 6 words will be tough.
  • Put it in terms people can visualize
    • Wendy Arch
      Wendy Arch on 16 May 15
       
      This makes sense.  It's one of the Active reading strategies for a reason.
  • ...31 more annotations...
  • The use of the PowerPoint presentation has been a disaster. It should be ditched."
    • Wendy Arch
      Wendy Arch on 16 May 15
       
      My AP English seniors do a presentation before community members every spring.  One of the things that several community members emphasized this year was the students' horrible use of PowerPoint.  Even worse was their use of Prezi.  So this makes a lot of sense given that earlier live feedback.
    • Karen Stern
      Karen Stern on 17 May 15
       
      Wendy, I am curious about the specifics in that feedback. What was horrible about their use of PP or Prezi? Would it have benefitted their presentation to have NO visual prompts?
    • Wendy Arch
      Wendy Arch on 18 May 15
       
      One specific panel member was adamant that PPT was too "old fashioned" and clunky and interrupted the communication between two individual.  His biggest argument was essentially what the Presentation Zen philosophy is advocating -- tell a story and be real.  He felt that PPT encouraged reading - not communicating.
  • Unexpectedness
    • kliston
      kliston on 17 May 15
       
      Trying to surprise or illustrate the holes people have in their knowledge is something that I would like to try. This tactic is something that will keep my staff engaged and motivated.
    • kmcastaneda
      kmcastaneda on 18 May 15
       
      I see so many experts and successful public people experience so much success with this tactic of Unexpectedness.  It's truly where one can shine by accessing his/her creativity, intuition, and risk-taking courage.  I'm a big, big fan of this one.  
  • Stories get our attention and are easier to remember than lists of rules.
    • kliston
      kliston on 17 May 15
       
      Storytelling is a very powerful way to get a message across. One thing I struggle with is finding stories that illustrate the points I am trying to make. I hope that this is something that we will continue to learn more about.
    • kmcastaneda
      kmcastaneda on 18 May 15
       
      Exactly!  My favorite part about listening to speakers is when they communicate personal stories to illustrate a point they're making.  "You get to their heart first and then you get to their minds."  - Dr. Raymond E. Morley
  • When you show up to give a presentation, people want to use both parts of their brain.
    • kliston
      kliston on 17 May 15
       
      I had never thought about the two sides of the brain and how they both need to be activated in order for participants to retain their focus.
    • kmcastaneda
      kmcastaneda on 18 May 15
       
      When I give presentations I lead the group first in a somatic exercise - alternate nostril breathing.  Not kidding!  I share how it helps marry both hemispheres and activates their motor skills, attention, and sense of calm.  It primes them for learning, and, is an odd but goofy fun way to sort of 'break the ice' at the very beginning of a presentation. 
  • Second, make slides that reinforce your words, not repeat them. Create slides that demonstrate, with emotional proof, that what you’re saying is true not just accurate.
    • kliston
      kliston on 17 May 15
       
      Creating emotional slides that demonstrate the content not just highlighting key words is something I would really like to focus on. When there is emotion, there is action!
    • kmcastaneda
      kmcastaneda on 18 May 15
       
      Big take-away here is Seth's use of the word 'proof'.  What a great way to frame my thinking around this.  Also, the word 'reinforce' as opposed to repeating.  Really helpful.  
    • amytlach
      amytlach on 18 May 15
       
      Reinforce, NOT repeat is a great take away. Emotional connects will make things last in the memory bank when they are long past and another image that is seen evokes that same feeling. 
    • amytlach
      amytlach on 18 May 15
       
      Reinforce, NOT repeat is a great take away. Emotional connects will make things last in the memory bank when they are long past and another image that is seen evokes that same feeling. 
  • create a written document. A leave-behind.
    • kliston
      kliston on 17 May 15
       
      Leaving the information that I typically would have put in the PowerPoint in "leave behind" handout is a great idea. This way people leave with a document that they can reference when they go back and try things in their classroom.
    • Karen Stern
      Karen Stern on 17 May 15
       
      Great idea (although more work!) This answers my question from the "Time to Ditch PowerPoint?" article.
  • putting the same information on a slide that is coming out of our mouths usually does not help
    • Karen Stern
      Karen Stern on 17 May 15
       
      This is a challenging thought for me. I have studied quite a bit about Gardner's Multiple Intelligence theory and student learning styles. How do we (as presenters) address the issue of audience members who have differing learning styles? For example, I KNOW that I am a visual learner. It helps me to read something in print rather than just hear someone else read it aloud.
  • if your presentation visuals taken in the aggregate (e.g., your “PowerPoint deck”) can be perfectly and completely understood without your narration, then it begs the question: why are you there?
    • Karen Stern
      Karen Stern on 17 May 15
       
      Ouch! That hits home! So what should be done when an administrator wants to see a presentation that can be shared later with any peers who could not attend the presentation? This article is leading me to think that I may need two presentations: one for those who are present and one for those who are not.
    • amytlach
      amytlach on 18 May 15
       
      This is the home run for me....With out the need for a person to make a presentation, my job isn't needed.  I'm there to build relationships and educate, with the help of a presentation, not vice versa.
  • No dissolves, spins or other transitions.
    • Karen Stern
      Karen Stern on 17 May 15
       
      I am glad that this is being addressed! Those transitions always seem like time-wasters to me.
  • “Curse of Knowledge.”
    • Karen Stern
      Karen Stern on 18 May 15
       
      This is so true. It is often tempting to give too much information during a presentation. What has taken me months or years to study, I feel the need to throw out to the audience all at once.
    • Wendy Arch
      Wendy Arch on 18 May 15
       
      I'm always afraid that if I don't address it, then they won't know it, and won't be able to apply it in class.  I realize that I'm adapting a presentation to a context that it really isn't meant for (teaching new ideas), but I think it still works.
  • Stories.
    • Karen Stern
      Karen Stern on 18 May 15
       
      Stories will be a good way to share professional development ideas for classroom strategies.
  • Put them in your hand.
    • Karen Stern
      Karen Stern on 18 May 15
       
      This is a great idea. What is on the slides should not dictate what I am saying as a presenter. Having cue cards in hand will keep the speaking on track.
  • Simplicity. If everything is important, then nothing is important. 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.
    • kmcastaneda
      kmcastaneda on 18 May 15
       
      Ahhh! The tendency to want to include every single related thing...This has been a pattern not only in presentations, but also in everything I do in my life. I have a hard time knowing how much is enough, because I want to include absolutely everything. This is no doubt the toughest part for me. I know for the audience, they don't know what's in my head, so they don't know if I'm leaving anything out (according to me). Got to remember this!
  • will hit people at a more visceral level. “So that’s what 100 grams of fat looks like!”
    • kmcastaneda
      kmcastaneda on 18 May 15
       
      This is great - 'visceral level'.  You know you've hooked someone when they can really FEEL it in their gut.  Key.  
  • It’s how humans have always communicated.
    • kmcastaneda
      kmcastaneda on 18 May 15
       
      I hold a series of workshops and give presentations in my health coaching work that are all about the stories we tell ourselves.  Here are a few of my favorite related quotes: 1) "A person without a story does not exist.  I tell a story, therefore, I exist.  We tell our stories to define our existence.  If we do not tell a story, we do not exist."   - Shekhar Kapur 2) "There is no agony like bearing an untold story inside of you." - Maya Angelou 3) "If stories come to you, care for them. And learn to give them away where they are needed. Sometimes a person needs a story more than food to stay alive." - Barry Lopez, in Crow and Weasel
  • redundant and can actually hurt understanding. This may seem counterintuitive and it certainly runs counter to many of the ways presentations are made in business or lesson taught in schools.
    • kmcastaneda
      kmcastaneda on 18 May 15
       
      I really have mixed feelings about this.  I know too many words on a slide is ineffective and actually hurts learning.  However, I benefit from reading the text, too.  Seeing the words in a format (I really pay attention to design elements, composition, hierarchy of text in size and font variation, margin alignment, compartmentalization, etc. when I do include words on a slide) helps burn that idea into my brain, and when I recall that information, I can see it again in my mind (if it's done in an artful and design-conscious way).  I'm incredibly visual.  And I learn equally as well by audio. When I recall information in the future, the sound of the initial arrator's voice will continue to accompany the words I've read if I'm, say, following along in a book while listening to the audio version.  
    • kmcastaneda
      kmcastaneda on 18 May 15
       
      Also, as an English (and art) teacher at an alternative school where we don't have grades and students are mixed with all kinds of academic skills and experiences (I could have a 14 year old and a 21 year old in my class at once), so reading books in class while following along (active listening, lots of discussion and supplemental activities during) to the audio has been incredibly successful for all students.  
  • Now, you can use the cue cards you made to make sure you’re saying what you came to say.
    • amytlach
      amytlach on 18 May 15
       
      Back to basics for me with this.  Memory doesn't always work like it used to and this is a quick and simple fix. 
  • reinforce your words, not repeat
  • reinforce your words, not repeat
  • reinforce your words, not repeat
  • reinforce your words, not repeat them
  • reinforce your words, not repeat them
  • reinforce your words, not repeat them
  • Don’t hand out the written stuff at the beginning
    • amytlach
      amytlach on 18 May 15
       
      Very simple, but many times forgotten.  Sometimes I make presentations where things are on the table at the start of the event.  It is much harder to capture attention and get a good start when this is the case. 
  • No more than six words on a slide. EVER. There is no presentation so complex that this rule needs to be broken.
    • amytlach
      amytlach on 18 May 15
       
      This will be a challenge for me, but worth working towards. 
  • Champions must sell
    • amytlach
      amytlach on 18 May 15
       
      Selling is a concept that seems funny to use as a descriptor, but it truly what we are doing when we are teaching or presenting new ideas in front of an audience.
  • everyone else is busy defending the status quo (which is easy) and you’re busy championing brave new innovations, which is difficult.
    • amytlach
      amytlach on 18 May 15
       
      This will sometimes challenge me, but the end result will be worth it! 
  • hand out print-outs of your slid
    • amytlach
      amytlach on 18 May 15
       
      Is it beneficial to hand out something for note taking purposes as presentations change in to more visual and fewer words?? As a learner, I could see some time that I would like to have the image to take with me with some notes that would jog my memory. 
  • put your ideas in human terms
    • amytlach
      amytlach on 18 May 15
       
      This is something that I try to do every time that I present with images that jog memories or will create curiosity as mentioned above. Are there other ways to do this besides images...maybe with sounds? Dont want to get in to cheesy transitions sound effects from Power Point, but maybe recorded sounds from on a farm or even music? May sound a little far out, but with some of the younger students that I work with, it might work. 
  • real examples
    • amytlach
      amytlach on 18 May 15
       
      Sometimes the real examples in my job become controversial.  The best way to handle conversations and keep the presentation moving comes to mind here for me. 
kylejclark

iowaonlinelearning - Teaching Standards - 3 views

iowaonlinelearning.wikispaces.com/Teaching+Standards

shared by kylejclark on 08 Jul 15 - No Cached
  • Continuously uses data to evaluate the accuracy and effectiveness of instructional strategies (
    • cjterry64
      cjterry64 on 08 Jul 15
       
      This is so important. If students aren't getting a concept, repeating it over and over....or slower...isn't the answer. We must find a different way to approach them. This is true of all types of learning - traditional and online. 
    • cjterry64
      cjterry64 on 08 Jul 15
       
      This is so important for all type of instruction, whether it be online or face-to-face. If a student isn't getting the concept, repeating my instruction over and over....or slower...isn't going to help. Time to try a different approach. 
  • 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
    • cjterry64
      cjterry64 on 08 Jul 15
       
      This gets me to thinking about layout of an online course and ease of navigation. If things aren't clearly laid out or easy to navigate, it makes the learning more difficult. My daughter is taking a summer class and I'm seeing first hand how course layout has affected her. The lessons are presented in Soft Chalk with the assignment directions on the assessment page. They don't take the assessments shown there, rather the ones the instructor posts in the modules. The assignment directions are not easy to return to, The pages load slowly and there is no sliding bar to just take you to the last page. The assignment directions are not shown on the assignment page where students actually submit their work. This has been a source of frustration for my daughter. Layout and ease of navigation, along with directions on the actual assignment page are extremely important for online learners. Especially students who aren't as patient as adult learners. 
  • Tailors instruction to meet the different needs of students,
    • cjterry64
      cjterry64 on 08 Jul 15
       
      This is something I strive to do in my classroom. Face-to-face interactions make this easier. This would be more challenging in on-line learning. 
    • cjterry64
      cjterry64 on 08 Jul 15
       
      This is something I strive to do in my classroom. Online learning presents challenges in this area. Great care and planning would be involved. I can see the importance of having a student coach. 
    • milemieux
      milemieux on 16 Jul 15
       
      Accommadating for students with special needs would be a tough in the online setting. With the use of some technologies such as text to speech I think that some of those challenges could be addressed. I agree though, if it is a full online class, then a student coach would be ideal.
  • ...16 more annotations...
  • Understands and uses data from assessments to guide instruction
    • cjterry64
      cjterry64 on 08 Jul 15
       
      This ties in with the first item I highlighted.
    • cjterry64
      cjterry64 on 08 Jul 15
       
      This ties to the first item I highlighted. Assessment data, whether it be formative or summative, must guide what we do as teachers. How many times over the years have I given an assessment and didn't do anything with it? I continually strive to do better with this. 
    • milemieux
      milemieux on 16 Jul 15
       
      I like this one as well. It is so hard to be a learner when you do not understand something, and the teacher continues to plow forward.
  • Creates a learning community
    • cjterry64
      cjterry64 on 08 Jul 15
       
      A sense of community is what makes a classroom such a great place to learn. The challenge would be to create such a learning community with online learners. 
    • cjterry64
      cjterry64 on 08 Jul 15
       
      A sense of community is so important for learning. This seems so much easier to me with face-to-face learning. Definitely a learning curve for educators as we head towards more online learning. 
    • klsgwin
      klsgwin on 17 Jul 15
       
      Agreed! The connections in face-to-face learning environments are more naturally occurring but in an online environment where a large component to understanding lies in the ability to effectively communicate the material, an educator must facilitate an open and safe place to do so.
  • Communicates with students effectively and consistently
    • cjterry64
      cjterry64 on 08 Jul 15
       
      Finding how to effectively communicate and monitor students consistently in an online course seems extremely important to me.  Adult learners are more likely to be independent and push on when things aren't clear. Not the case with children or teenagers. They are more likely to just "shut down" and blow the course off if they weren't able to communicate with their coach and/or instructor. 
    • cjterry64
      cjterry64 on 08 Jul 15
       
      Finding out how to effectively communicate with online learners seems critical. Again, the importance of a student coach surfaces. Adult learners tend to push on and problem solve more. Student learners, not so much. Feedback, help with assignment, tech help, etc. must be given consistently and as quickly as possible. Finding the balance between being available and being on 24/7 would be challenging. Letting students know when you are available, when to expect a reply to message, when things will be graded must be communicated up front. And communicate if changes occur. I know even my 5th graders appreciated updates if something was taking longer to grade than anticipated or if I needed to help them a little later. 
  • Your thoughts?
  • encourages collaboration
    • elgehrke
      elgehrke on 14 Jul 15
       
      I feel like maybe last year I was so focused on classroom management that I didn't really take many risks in the collaboration department. I know how important that collaboration is... I just have to figure out how to make sure my students stay actively engaged with our learning during these group work or partner work times.
    • Beth Moss
      Beth Moss on 16 Jul 15
       
      I could see how with younger students this could be... "risky." AS adults, and professionals, we self regulate and censure ourselves well. Especially with topics that are not controversial.  I wonder if canvas has a way that kids can post, and you can moderate before it is shared?
  • appropriate use of the internet
    • milemieux
      milemieux on 16 Jul 15
       
      Using techniques to engage the students will push them to do more than the minimum. If they become engaged and are enjoying it they could take their learning to another level. In this class, I feel I have learned about a lot of new resources that will help engage my students in their learning.
  • 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)
    • milemieux
      milemieux on 16 Jul 15
       
      This seems silly to highlight this, but students need to have an instructor that is trained in the subject matter and has the technology skills to help students as well. It brings validity to the material when presented by someone that has learned about it, experienced it and has taught the material. I would be horrible at teaching an online course about Language Arts because that is not my strength area and have limited skills providing online learning. In my opinion, if you want something to be successful you need to be fully invested and not cut corners.
  • Selects and uses technologies appropriate to the content that enhance learning (SREB M.3, Varvel IV.D, ITS 3.e, ITS 4.f)
    • milemieux
      milemieux on 16 Jul 15
       
      Technology is great but sometimes technolgy does not always fit every learning situation. Choosing the right format or multiple options, can make or break instruction. I found it very easy to follow along with the videos provided to sign up for diigo, where I probably would have struggled to more if I had to read directions and figure it out on my own. Visually seeing it put me more at ease.
  • Understands student motivation and uses techniques to engage students
    • milemieux
      milemieux on 16 Jul 15
       
      Being able to motivate and engage students helps to push them to do more than just the minimum. Hopefully, they will take more ownership of the learning and take it to another level.
  • Demonstrates ethical conduct as defined by state law and local policies or procedures (ITS 8.a, ITS 8.b)
    • Beth Moss
      Beth Moss on 16 Jul 15
       
      This is potentially hard to do. There is so much copyrighted material that floats around the internet, namely on youtube and on google image search. Its tempting to just use all the resources you can easily find, and those are two HUGE sources of information. I hear the AEA website has an copyright OK picture library for school use, and I know there where some learning licensed video sights listed on the resource wiki we looked at. Anyone know some more specifics on these? #ollie_iowa
    • klsgwin
      klsgwin on 17 Jul 15
       
      When you are using Canvas and posting information on your class page, you can click an icon above the text box that has a list of video resources available. I would be able to tell you more however, I am new to it as well. It is the little blue V in the center of the bar above the text box.
  • 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)
    • Beth Moss
      Beth Moss on 16 Jul 15
       
      This is no different than any other course in real life, but it speaks to the rigor thats expected no matter what the delivery method. 
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face (SREB C.1, Varvel V)
    • klsgwin
      klsgwin on 17 Jul 15
       
      This seems like a no-brainer but the two are distinctly different.
  • Has experienced online learning from the perspective of a student
    • klsgwin
      klsgwin on 17 Jul 15
       
      This is integral to a student's success. I have always held fast to the belief that if you don't understand the context of a student, you are missing out on teaching opportunities.
  • Aligns assessment with course objectives (SREB I.3, Varvel VI.C, ITS 5.a) • Communicates assessment criteria and standards to students, including rubrics for student performances and participation (Varvel VI.D, ITS 5.b)
    • klsgwin
      klsgwin on 17 Jul 15
       
      Not any different from the Learning Targets we create for our Priority Standards for our face to face classes.
    • kylejclark
      kylejclark on 20 Jul 15
       
      This is critical with an online course.  Not only do your criteria and standards need to be clear, but you also must have an efficient way for students to seek clarification and ask questions, just like they would in a normal classroom.
  • 8. Adheres to, models, and guides ethical behavior, including technological use (ITS 8)
    • kylejclark
      kylejclark on 20 Jul 15
       
      This standard as a whole is my weak point.  My knowledge about copyright laws is minimal at best.
juliefulton

Adaptive Learning System Articles - 2 views

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

shared by juliefulton on 17 Jul 15 - No Cached
  • Don’t be content to merely argue that you can’t be replaced by a machine. That’s a losing strategy. The winning strategy is to prove it.
    • lisa noe
      lisa noe on 17 Jul 15
       
      I don't believe that a machine will every take the place of a teacher.  Building relationships with students is crucial to their success.  No significant amount of learning occurs, when a student's needs are not met.  Student-teacher relationships are fundamental to a student's academic success.
    • kburrington
      kburrington on 17 Jul 15
       
      I don't mean to disagree with you Lisa but I think good programs can replace poor teachers. I agree the programs can't replace a good teacher. A good teacher will learn how to use it as a supplement and teaching tool.
    • ahawthorne
      ahawthorne on 19 Jul 15
       
      Good programs are very valuable but I don't think teachers need to worry about being replaced. Students can get instruction but still need the interaction with others.
    • juliefulton
      juliefulton on 22 Jul 15
       
      Students that struggle academically will not be motivated to learn with out without adaptive technologies. A great relationship with a teacher can engage the student to learn and adaptive technologies are a great resource to aid that teacher!
  • Many students in the United States fail to complete school. 7% of high school students drop out before graduation and nearly half of the students who start college don’t finish within six years. Many of those students who don’t make it to graduation day are the kind of non-traditional students attracted to online learning.
    • lisa noe
      lisa noe on 17 Jul 15
       
      Many of my students have indicated that they prefer online learning over the traditional classroom.  Sometimes I worry they aren't getting the same education but at the same time I am thankful they have the opportunity to learn.  I imagine that many of them would have dropped out, if this option was not available.
    • bakersusan
      bakersusan on 18 Jul 15
       
      I agree with you Lisa that for some students, online learning is an option that has helped keep them in high school. I think it is important to talk to students who are thinking of dropping out to find out why. The issue may not be school but life. Though having an online program is often a way to help them return if they have left school.
    • kaberding
      kaberding on 19 Jul 15
       
      From my experience working with at risk students at the high school level, along with the intermediate level, most all of them prefer some online learning.  They thrive at the opportunity to use technology.  The only thing I hope we don't do is deface the value of making a connection with the at risk student.  These students not only like non-traditional, they also thrive with making a connection with teachers/adults who show interest in their well-being.  I love the technology, but also love the interaction and connections I make with students.  
    • ahawthorne
      ahawthorne on 19 Jul 15
       
      I agree, online learning has definitely kept some of my students in school. 
    • sheilig
      sheilig on 19 Jul 15
       
      I agree that the kids need to have a connection with a teacher, too. Our online credit recovery students are encouraged to work in the library on their classes. They know that the library staff will help them. They also have gone to the content teachers for help if they don't understand the explanation online. In addition to the facilitator of our credit recovery program, they have other staff members who are looking out for them and helping them succeed.
  • Adaptive learning tech will let them know when they need to slow down a bit and pay closer attention to the material.
    • madonna63
      madonna63 on 17 Jul 15
       
      When we work on our own, we're able to rush thru, maybe not doing the best work we can. AL won't let the student go too fast without letting them be aware of it. It's great that it calls attention to this. This way, the student can either slow down, or decide to do it later, when he/she is able to pay more attention.
  • ...23 more annotations...
  • Teachers don’t want to waste time on the stuff students already know, when what they need is specific help with this one thing that they just can’t figure out.  The data produced by adaptive learning tech allows faculty to steer those conversations in the directions most important to helping the student succeed.
    • madonna63
      madonna63 on 17 Jul 15
       
      Typically teachers cover all areas in lessons that they think students might need to know, which takes up a good chunk of classes. With AL, teachers can help students only if the student can't figure something out, thereby eliminating reteaching something they already know. A huge timesaver, plus it gets right to the problem, leaving no time for boredom.
    • kburrington
      kburrington on 17 Jul 15
       
      I really enjoy it in my U.S. History class because it gives me the time to expand on what they already know. Normally they would only get the basic information, now I have the time to ask why or what are going to be the consequence's? (Ken)
    • bakersusan
      bakersusan on 18 Jul 15
       
      What a wonderful way to personalize learning for each student.
  • A student using a physics program answers quiz questions about angular momentum incorrectly, so the program offers supplemental materials and more practice problems on that topic. A history student answers questions about the War of the Roses correctly the first time, so the program waits an interval of time and then requizzes the student to make sure that she is able to remember the information. A math student makes a mistake with the specific step of factoring polynomials while attempting to solve a polynomial equation, so the program provides the student with extra hints and supplemental practice problems on that step. An ESL writing student provides incorrect subject/verb agreement in several places within her essay, so the program provides a lesson on that topic and asks the student to find and correct her mistakes.
    • madonna63
      madonna63 on 17 Jul 15
       
      These are lessons that are particularly tailored to each student. Most teachers aren't able to do this for each student. These are done instantly, also, which a classroom teacher is also not able to do. Or, maybe the teacher is busy with other students the whole class time and isn't able to get to the student that day. He/she would have to wait or try to figure it out on their own.
    • kburrington
      kburrington on 17 Jul 15
       
      I agree with you. This can especially be helpful when you are working with larger size classes. Sometimes it's just impossible to get around and help everybody. You also have those who won't ask for help. The program is going to help them whether they want it or not. (Ken)
    • bakersusan
      bakersusan on 18 Jul 15
       
      If these programs truly do what is listed here, that is great. I know that when I was in the classroom, there were days I wasn't able to get around to all of my students and there were only 30 at most. In most districts that is climbing. I am concerned that the software in these programs doesn't really do what it says it can and therefore, students are the ones left out.
    • ahawthorne
      ahawthorne on 19 Jul 15
       
      I agree if these programs can really do what this says that would be wonderful. Always in need of additional resources to help students learn different concepts.
  • Adaptive technology can follow a student’s progress as they work and recognize which concepts they’ve mastered and in which areas they need further instruction.
    • kburrington
      kburrington on 17 Jul 15
       
      At the end of a chapter we sit with the student in what we call teaching moments. During these teaching moments we cover material that they did poorly on. It's nice that the program identifies these because time is not wasted on what they already have mastery of. (Ken)
  • If one student’s acing everything they do, the teacher know don’t need any intervention.
    • kburrington
      kburrington on 17 Jul 15
       
      This addresses I situation I often run into. That stigma that Alternative Ed. students aren't as smart. Several of my students are highly intelligent and are extremely bored in traditional classrooms. The adaptive learning programs allow them to move at their own pace and not waste time on stuff they already know or wait while the teacher helps those students who struggle. (Ken)
  • how much you trust the software to do what it claims it can do. These are your students, and you are turning them over to the care of a tutor. Do you trust the tutor to teach the right concepts and, perhaps more importantly, not to give false or misleading guidance?
  • it is critical to develop a clear and well-articulated position on which teaching functions the software can fulfill and which it can’t in order to defend the value of a real college education and the faculty who deliver it.
    • madonna63
      madonna63 on 17 Jul 15
       
      All of these positions need to be considered when deciding on what software to purchase. It would, also, be helpful to communicate with another school which uses it. They could tell you where there are strengths and weaknesses. You would need to know as much as you can about what you are specifically wanting from the program. It would be nice to have a trial period to see if it works with what you're needing before you have to purchase it.
  • Furthermore, the study also found that the OLI students took 50% less time to learn all of the content and perform the same or better relative to the traditional students
  • "Let's say you want to teach engineers how to build a bridge," he said. "Do you want them to read something, watch something and then answer a multiple choice quiz, or do you want them to build a bridge with a simulator that gives them specific feedback and specific activity based on that?"
    • kburrington
      kburrington on 17 Jul 15
       
      When looking at different programs this was one of the main things I looked for. One of the main reasons we decided to go with the program we went with was because it contained several interactive experiments in it's science programs. We acknowledged that the students were missing out not being in a traditional classroom doing the hands-on work.
    • juliefulton
      juliefulton on 22 Jul 15
       
      Students deperately want to be challenged to their individual level and technology has their attention. Utilizing technology with innovative opportunities to learn are win-win for students and teachers.
  • A big part of what appeals to students about the possibility of online learning is being able to approach the material on their own time, at their own pace.
    • lisa noe
      lisa noe on 17 Jul 15
       
      As much as this sounds good, students must have the self-discipline to do their work in a timely manner.  Unfortunately, many do not.  
    • sheilig
      sheilig on 19 Jul 15
       
      I have seen this, too. Most of our credit recovery students need someone to make sure their "own pace" doesn't drag out too long - or wait until the week before school is out. 
  • Important to note, of course, is that in-person instruction does not fall out of the picture in most cases; in fact, it many strengthen instruction as faculty take on a more supporting, coaching role, with less time devoted to delivery of content, which students may or may not already have mastered, and more time focused on one-to-one student engagement and self-paced guidance through a curriculum.
    • lisa noe
      lisa noe on 17 Jul 15
       
      I like the idea of being more of a guide on the side than a sage on the stage.  That is the role I prefer to have with my students.  I think it is definitely an important component in a PLE. 
    • sheilig
      sheilig on 19 Jul 15
       
      The students really need that guide still. In addition to learning the content, they are learning how to manage their time and meet deadlines independently. A lot of the students need help with this.
    • ahawthorne
      ahawthorne on 19 Jul 15
       
      If we want students to become lifelong learners we need them to be able to access information and use that knowledge. As teachers the guide on the side should always be our role, in my opinion. 
  • adaptive learning models as one approach along a spectrum that enables personalization."
  • The CogBooks platform also supports an adaptive approach that takes the student on a pre-programmed path in response to his or her input or pre-test results. The system also incorporates consideration of the best learning sequences, based on a student's responses, knowledge profile, learning-style preferences and even context
  • The root of the problem is not the adaptive technology itself so much as the belief that a “good” education is entirely quantifiable and therefore manageable by computer.
  • You should assess the number of remedial students served yearly, the successes of existing initiatives, the unique challenges faced by the many types of students that can fall within this population, and how successful your institutions is on the whole in serving these students
    • kainley
      kainley on 19 Jul 15
       
      I think it is important to look at your data. Tier 2 students may need something in addition to their Tier 1 instruction. Maybe the Tier 1 instruction can benefit from using the technology, but it will all be based on the data. This will determine what kind of technology the school will need to provide.
  • we wonder whether some confusion persists about the role of this technology and how drastically it may impact traditional instruction
    • kainley
      kainley on 19 Jul 15
       
      I wonder this as well as I take the course. If what we are currently doing is showing progress, I would want the technology to show me ways to improve the progress, not just do what we are already doing.
  • offer additional lessons on a subject until the student gains mastery
    • kainley
      kainley on 19 Jul 15
       
      I love this idea. The idea that a student will be able to come back to it time and time again and gain mastery of a standard is wonderful. When teaching a large group of 20-30 students, we move on when 80% have mastered the standard. I created small group time in my classroom to reach the students who have not mastered it. Using adaptive technology would be a great alternative to that.
  • Adaptive learning technology can help recognize the challenge they’re having and provide additional resources to help them work through it on their own, especially at times when a professor isn’t available to give help.
    • kainley
      kainley on 19 Jul 15
       
      Having addition resources is key to success. If a student is experiencing a challenging subject for them, it is nice to teach it to them in a different way.
  • Students can also get a clearer idea of when they’re ready to move on. If they’re rushing to complete their work, it can be easy for students to assume they’ve understood what’s in a chapter and jump ahead ­– unless they have to take a quick quiz that shows what information they’ve retained
    • kaberding
      kaberding on 19 Jul 15
       
      I really like the tracking.  I can see who might be having trouble where and I especially like to use it to see if I have a group of students that are not understanding a particular concept.  I can pull not only individuals, but also pull a small group of students to reteach the concept.  
    • juliefulton
      juliefulton on 22 Jul 15
       
      Students tend to work on their academics very late in the evening - whether it is due to extra-curricular activities, a job, or procrastination! With this technology, students can get assistance regardless of the time of day/night, when they are in the mood to learn.
  • "I'm a big believer that we should not take the teacher away from the teaching process," he says. "We should build the technology around the teachers to empower them and put them at the center of the story. We want them to be able to leverage the technology, rather than being replaced by it."
    • kaberding
      kaberding on 19 Jul 15
       
      I love this!  The teacher needs to be the center of the learning with many tools and resources available to help students learn in their particular way.  We need access to as many tools and resources we can get, however these programs are costly.  Also, once a teacher gains familiarity with a program, there is risk that it will not be endorsed by the school the following year.  We are experiencing this for the upcoming school year; a program we have used and are very familiar with was just cancelled with no replacement.  That's upsetting.  
  • Adaptive learning technology tracks what and how each student is doing so that teachers can keep up with each student’s progress.
  • There is a cultural temptation, fed somewhat by eager vendors and a press that tends toward an excess of techno-optimism, to believe that adaptive learning platforms are the future of education and can be full replacements for teacher-facilitated classes.
    • sheilig
      sheilig on 19 Jul 15
       
      So true. The students need teachers who care how they do and hold them accountable.
  • "The technology is now cheap enough and powerful enough for this kind of approach to be applied effectively and widely," Martin said.
    • sheilig
      sheilig on 19 Jul 15
       
      Our students have become frustrated with some of the adaptive systems we have tried because there was a lot of down time with the systems. Hopefully as it's use increases the bugs will be fixed. After losing class time to technology issues, I had students tell me to "just give me a worksheet!" 
  • "One of the benefits of adaptive learning is that it frees up faculty members to spend more time with students, to work with them in small groups and individually, essentially flipping the classroom," Johnson said. "We see this [approach] as part of a much bigger pedagogical picture. The technology is a tool that gets us to our goal of rehumanizing our large classes."
    • juliefulton
      juliefulton on 22 Jul 15
       
      If Adaptive Technologies can free up a teacher to work in small groups and individually, allowing for personalized learning, then I believe that it benefits the entire educational system. This statement gives me hope that PL is possible given our climate on educational funding.
kluttenegger

Articles: Design - 0 views

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

shared by kluttenegger on 19 Jun 15 - No Cached
  • You can then save the PowerPoint file as a Design Template (.pot) and the new template will appear among your standard Microsoft templates for your future use. You can also purchase professional templates on-line (for example:
    • leahjmiller
      leahjmiller on 19 Jun 15
       
      Awesome!  I didn't know that you could do this.
    • cherylfletcher
      cherylfletcher on 30 Jun 15
       
      Good to know.
  • Colors can be divided into two general categories: Cool (such as blue and green) and Warm (such as orange and red). Cool colors work best for backgrounds as they appear to recede away from us into the background. Warm colors generally work best for objects in the foreground (such as text) because they appear to be coming at us.
    • leahjmiller
      leahjmiller on 19 Jun 15
       
      I often don't think in terms of the cool/warm colors but just try to pick colors that go together.  Now I will be more mindful.
  • Lots of extras actually take away meaning because they become a distraction.
    • leahjmiller
      leahjmiller on 19 Jun 15
       
      Throughout the course readings, I've come to really understand this.  The great examples speak for themselves.
  • ...32 more annotations...
  • Do any slides feel text heavy? Be honest with yourself.
    • leahjmiller
      leahjmiller on 19 Jun 15
       
      I realize that my slides have been very text heavy in the past.  Now it is easy to think, duh, why put all the text on the slide, if I'm going to be sharing the information with my audience anyways.
  • This happens when you take a low-rez jpeg (from a website, for example) and stretch it out.
    • leahjmiller
      leahjmiller on 19 Jun 15
       
      This is very frustrating to me.  I've experienced this many times and I often end up picking a different picture.
    • cherylfletcher
      cherylfletcher on 30 Jun 15
       
      This is a hard topic to explain to people. I have worked with staff for many years explaining bigger is better. You can always make it smaller and be ok but the oppposite is not true.
  • People should be able to comprehend each one in about three seconds
    • dahrens20
      dahrens20 on 22 Jun 15
       
      Being a business teacher I'm seeing a lot of similar traits to building resumes and app letters...the effectiveness of white space and as  mentioned here the eye test.
  • A clear visual hierarchy allows viewers to quickly ascertain a slide’s most important elements:
    • dahrens20
      dahrens20 on 22 Jun 15
       
      These slides are really hitting home with me with the larger font on the statistic. I'm realizing now that I haven't utilized statistics this way in the past in my presentations and will change that going forward!
    • berlandson
      berlandson on 30 Jun 15
       
      I also find myself trying to be "consistent" so I don't vary the font size.  This illustrates how important it is to emphasize the important!
  • The arrow comes in later to underscore the point: Our future looks good!
    • dahrens20
      dahrens20 on 22 Jun 15
       
      I've never seen a chart with the added emphasized arrow...I like it!  It definitely grabs your attention right away!
  • you hate bullet points
    • dahrens20
      dahrens20 on 22 Jun 15
       
      I'm definitely agreeing with using as few as bullet points as possible after looking through all the articles and lessons in this class. You're making me think real hard how I'm going to approach my college computer class that I teach. Obviously we aren't in PPT very long compared to the other Microsoft applications but never have I discouraged using bullets...now you're making this hard on me!  : )  There will definitely be some itmes and ideas that I take from this class and learn it forward.
  • Try to bold only the key parts of each point — limit it to as few words as possible.
    • dahrens20
      dahrens20 on 22 Jun 15
       
      Very simple but yet very productive!
    • pfineran
      pfineran on 26 Jun 15
       
      I have done this far too often in the past and also been in presentations that used too many bullets. I'm very excited to learn how to avoid this pitfall.
    • pfineran
      pfineran on 26 Jun 15
       
      When I first learned how to work with PPT, I thought animations and fades and such were a plus. Now I realize they get a little distracting.
    • pfineran
      pfineran on 26 Jun 15
       
      This a great rule of thumb to go by!
    • pfineran
      pfineran on 26 Jun 15
       
      As someone who is very visual in the way I process information, I can see that this second example would be what I would prefer. It's simple and it's a lot less to take in.
    • pfineran
      pfineran on 26 Jun 15
       
      I thought too much white space was a bad thing. Here it actually works to make the image/text stand out. I always thought there had to be strict balance.
  • if it is included in the software, your audience has seen it a million times before
    • kluttenegger
      kluttenegger on 28 Jun 15
       
      This seems so incredibly obvious, yet I have never considered it. The same clip art is being reused through the world and many presenters are probably unaware.  With high schoolers at least, I think overly cheesy or old graphics are a quick way to lose both credibility and engagement.
    • berlandson
      berlandson on 30 Jun 15
       
      In my personal finance class I have always used the company slides with my changes.  I was worried most about content and then last year one of my students asked if I had considered using a different template for each unit (it was stated in a kind way, just wondering way) and it made me see the need for change.  Last year I just changed templates....which they liked.  I wish they could see the changes this class is bringing for me!
  • Use appropriate charts
    • kluttenegger
      kluttenegger on 28 Jun 15
       
      The power of these charts lies in their simplicity. When we usually see charts in PD or staff meetings they are cram too much information into one slide. While I'm very unfamiliar with creating charts, I think well-designed and visually simple ones could enhance several of my presentations.
  • contains watermark
    • kluttenegger
      kluttenegger on 28 Jun 15
       
      I'm not sure there is a quicker way to advertise that your selection of images is lazy than to have a gigantic watermark plastered on a screen.  Students also need to be reminded how poorly this can reflect on a presenter.
  • Think of your slides as billboards
    • kluttenegger
      kluttenegger on 28 Jun 15
       
      This combined with the three second rule mentioned above are helpful tips, but also very practical. You don't need a degree in design to consider how quickly your slide can be comprehended.  I've never considered how quickly people give up on a slide that is confusing, but we all do it.
    • cherylfletcher
      cherylfletcher on 30 Jun 15
       
      Great concept. We only put important information on a billboard and that should follow suit on presentation.
  • Follow these steps to reduce and simplify your text-heavy bullet points
    • kluttenegger
      kluttenegger on 28 Jun 15
       
      I was getting a bit frustrated at being told why so many slides are crap but not having enough practical advice to prevent it. This list of steps is incredibly helpful. I can't wait to try and simplify some of my presentations, though I'm scared how long it may take for such a text heavy person like myself!
  • Image is stretched vertically & distorted
    • berlandson
      berlandson on 30 Jun 15
       
      This is a #1 "bad presentation" thing for students!  Sometimes I think they think they are at the mercy of the software and decide "I can't do anything about the strange picture"!  Distorted images draw the audience to the image rather than the message!
  • And this is even better…
    • berlandson
      berlandson on 30 Jun 15
       
      This really proves "a picture is worth 1000 words"..the slide started out so wordy and see it move to one "word" is impressive!
  • Remove all extraneous copy from bullet points
    • berlandson
      berlandson on 30 Jun 15
       
      Love this advice.  Hard for teachers to walk away from "the list", but this advice improves "the list"!
  • Your slides should have plenty of “white space” or “negative space.” Do not feel compelled to fill empty areas on your slide with your logo or other unnecessary graphics or text boxes that do not contribute to better understanding. The less clutter you have on your slide, the more powerful your visual message will become.
    • gsmutz
      gsmutz on 30 Jun 15
       
      Before this class, I had never thought about how important the white space was.  I am looking forward to making my powerpoint effective by using the white space to my advantage.
    • cherylfletcher
      cherylfletcher on 30 Jun 15
       
      White space - guess I always thought it looked blank and needed to be filled. I will have to practice this one.
  • If the photographic image is the primary area I want the audience to notice (such as a picture of a product), then the image can be more pronounced and little (or no) text is needed.
    • gsmutz
      gsmutz on 30 Jun 15
       
      I like how this idea was explained.  If the picture is the focal point, make it stand out!  If the text is the focal point, blur the picture and the text will draw the eye first.
  • Spend time in the slide sorter
  • Spend time in the slide sorter
  • Spend time in the slide sorter
    • gsmutz
      gsmutz on 30 Jun 15
       
      I don't think I have ever used this screen on powerpoint.  This will be beneficial to make sure my slides have a consistent theme and that they flow nicely.
    • cherylfletcher
      cherylfletcher on 30 Jun 15
       
      I remember when I have worked with staff who do not use powerpoint very much how excited they were to see the slide sorter. Some of them had deleted slides in the past because they were in the wrong order. OH MY!
  • Can you just send me your PowerPoint slides?” But if they are good slides, they will be of little use without you
    • cherylfletcher
      cherylfletcher on 30 Jun 15
       
      This happens at a lot of the conferences I attend. I get the documents with links and things but the actual presentation? It should NOT be any good without the speaker.
  • Use high-quality graphics including photographs.
    • cherylfletcher
      cherylfletcher on 30 Jun 15
       
      The AEA provides great clip art and real photography. I push it to my staff but I feel they use the google images way to much and they are not always appropriate.
  • Unity. Slides with visual unity look as though the same person created them and make your message feel cohesive. You can achieve this through consistent type styles, color, image treatment, and element placement throughout the slide deck. Here’s a pair of slides to illustrate:
    • gsmutz
      gsmutz on 01 Jul 15
       
      I like how this looks.  How do you find images that you can do this with (put on any color screen)?  I also notice how each image is placed in line with the other images.
  • Step 4b: Replace bullet points with images
  • Step 4b: Replace bullet points with images
    • gsmutz
      gsmutz on 01 Jul 15
       
      This is a good way to get more pictures and less text.  It would also be easy to present on, given the pictures that you were showing.  I am assuming you show the whole slide at once, and not get one picture animated after another.
  • Step 4b: Replace bullet points with images
  • informed
ksteffener

Implementation in a Secondary Classroom (Articles) - 2 views

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

shared by ksteffener on 26 Jul 15 - No Cached
  • At the end of the project they can choose how they will present their findings.
    • Kristina Dvorak
      Kristina Dvorak on 26 Jul 15
       
      In my classroom, this might be allowing students to choose themes or subjects for their final projects while using the techniques we are studying.  
    • alissahansen
      alissahansen on 28 Jul 15
       
      I find that the possibilities are endless in the English classroom as well. I use RAFTs often where students choose the role of themselves as the writer, their audience, the format of the writing, and the topic, and they excel with this. With English, work is not just organized around a work of literature, it's really much more about what is gained through that exposure to said literature. This really helps makes giving choices possible in this type of environment. It is hard to give much choice when students need to be able to write a research paper in MLA format, however. They do have the opportunity to choose a topic, resources (I give them some, but do not force them to use the ones I provide because they are pretty knowledgeable when it comes to tech resources). The research paper is probably the most difficult unit for students and I think it is because it is so rigid of an assignment. I would love to offer more choice with this, but I am not sure if that would be possible. Choice in my classroom relates to learner interest as well. I always make sure to offer options that appeal to all, whether it is acting out a scene, writing an alternative ending, creating a Facebook account for a character, a podcast, writing a blog, or creating a comic book storyboard. 
  • It is a messier way to teach, though it takes more organization on the teacher’s part, not less. You really have to be on top of things to allow the students choice since now there is more than one “right” way of doing something in the classroom. And Julie Ison (the team’s mathematics teacher) adds, “You have to have a principal who understands that when he walks into a roo
    • Kristina Dvorak
      Kristina Dvorak on 26 Jul 15
       
      This is very true.  As I attempt to make sense of this for my classroom, I am realizing the amount of prep work that is involved.  I realized I can continue to develop the resources that I make available to students, but I want it to be meaty to begin with.  
    • edamisch
      edamisch on 28 Jul 15
       
      I am often overwhelmed by the amount of resources there are for Spanish since there are 20+ Spanish speaking countries.  It is often difficult to know where to start since I write my own curriculum. 
    • bleza66
      bleza66 on 30 Jul 15
       
      This is also true in the special education environment. Each student is working individually on the subject they need assistance with or on an IEP goal area. It is often difficult for people who are not familiar with what we do to see what we are working towards. 
  • The classroom is more disorganized, with one student working one way, another a different way—you get the picture.
    • Kristina Dvorak
      Kristina Dvorak on 26 Jul 15
       
      This quote really spoke to me.  This is often what an art room looks like.  To a degree it is already personalized, but it can be more personal for the students.  That is my goal. It is funny because so many times administrators assume I can do more because I 'just' give my students a project and they work on it all week, so of course I must have all kinds of time.  But really the classroom is constantly in motion, I just don't stand at the front and direct all the motion.  It really does take an understanding administrator for this to work well.  
    • Lisa Hackman
      Lisa Hackman on 28 Jul 15
       
      This spoke to me as well. Working in an alternative education environment, I may have 10 students working on 10 different classes at any one time. Some may be working on-line while others are working out of a text book. Others may be in the hallway doing some fitness activities and still others curled up in a comfy chair reading a book. I, in the meantime, am usually traveling from student to student providing assistance. There is never a dull moment, that is for sure! And yes, an understanding and supportive administration is KEY!!
    • ksteffener
      ksteffener on 04 Aug 15
       
      What is normal to the spider is chaos to the fly. That is how I view my job! I love when administration walks in shakes their head and leave!
  • ...51 more annotations...
  • They’ll have to post a couple of responses—and post a couple of responses to responses— as part of the class. That’s going to get them trading ideas about the literature we read in class
    • Kristina Dvorak
      Kristina Dvorak on 26 Jul 15
       
      This whole quote reminds me of the importance of critique. Implementing this method of teaching really makes critique even more important.  It also allows students to learn from each other and explore ideas and techniques even deeper.   
    • bleza66
      bleza66 on 30 Jul 15
       
      I really like this idea because it allows deeper thought and more meaningful conversations to happen. I can see where this would lead to larger conversations with students and the class as a whole. 
  • Coach Debbie Camp remembers with a chuckle what most of the kids said—they loved doing it because it was a break from math!
    • lisalillian311
      lisalillian311 on 26 Jul 15
       
      Amazing comment from the students!  They didn't even know they were learning!
  • choices that promote feelings of control, purpose, and competence are likely to be more motivating than choices that do not.
    • lisalillian311
      lisalillian311 on 26 Jul 15
       
      What if a student doubts his choice to the point of frustration?  How can the student be redirected to make a confident choice that will turn into a learning experience? As the teacher, I would be afraid to over-assist a student with choices, if that student is not confident in their learning.
    • alissahansen
      alissahansen on 28 Jul 15
       
      I agree! I think students need to learn how they work best and to make choices based on that. I think this is hard for some of the students that I work with. It can be difficult when students just are not used to being given choice, then all of a sudden they are asked to choose what is best for them... I think there are some that will struggle(successfully and  otherwise) and some will be even resistant to the choices offered, but students will learn how to make choices that best suit them. It just takes time. We cannot just expect them to make the best choices right away. (Alissa Hansen)
  • “without deep and flexible understanding of content, teachers are handicapped in the critical task of helping diverse students find points of access to the school curriculum”
    • lisalillian311
      lisalillian311 on 26 Jul 15
       
      As teachers need more depth of knowledge in their respective subjects, I would think that universities would begin requiring more courses to "cover" everything in a given subject.
  • A sense of competence
  • sense
    • lisalillian311
      lisalillian311 on 26 Jul 15
       
      I especially like "competence" as a part of this formula.  Students need to feel like they know how to learn and learn how to know.
    • spfantz
      spfantz on 04 Aug 15
       
      Teaching meta-cognition is a life-long skill they will use forever.
  • Not anymore. Now she says, “One of you needs to move. You decide.” It is less stressful to her and focuses the students on what they need to do to regain control.
    • Lisa Hackman
      Lisa Hackman on 27 Jul 15
       
      I love using this technique when students aren't being productive when sitting together. I'm all about giving students choices and then they learn they have to deal with the consequences of their choices. I've had students ask me if they can leave early. I always tell them, "It's your choice, but be prepared to live with the consequences of not meeting attendance and progress goals."
    • marydermit
      marydermit on 29 Jul 15
       
      I have use the you decide but I really like your answer to students about leaving early.  I am going to try it out this year.
    • bleza66
      bleza66 on 30 Jul 15
       
      I also use the "it's your choice" technique. It is important for student to take responsibility for their own actions and learn that sometimes the consequences of making that choice is not worth it. Real life learning at its best. 
    • ascallon
      ascallon on 30 Jul 15
       
      I use this quite often also.  It puts students in control of consequences.  It's interesting to hear their reflections when graduation requirements aren't met.  Most take responsibility for not attending and getting work done.
    • ksteffener
      ksteffener on 04 Aug 15
       
      This sounds a lot like Love and Logic to me.
  • “One of the things I had to learn recently was to let go and allow the kids to experience the consequences of their choices.
    • Lisa Hackman
      Lisa Hackman on 27 Jul 15
       
      I see this as my biggest struggle in the day-to-day happenings in my classroom. Many of my students have already failed based on the choices they have made in the past. They attend the alternative program as what some may consider a last chance. I feel like I'm not doing my job if I "let go and allow failure." I guess in my eyes, if they fail, I fail. My principal has told me numerous times over the years that there will come a time where you just have to let go.
    • katie50009
      katie50009 on 28 Jul 15
       
      Lisa--This is a struggle for me as well. The feeling of "if they fail, I fail" is something very real for educators because we care so deeply about our students. 
    • Lisa Hackman
      Lisa Hackman on 29 Jul 15
       
      I oftentimes feel like we, as educators, care more about our students' education than the student does. It's an uphill battle I face every year...not with all of them, but there are always a few.
    • spfantz
      spfantz on 04 Aug 15
       
      I understand allowing a student to fail, but it seems silly to allow a student to fail a core class because they were unable to problem solve or troubleshoot a technology issue. I think we need to evaluate what it is that we want students to come away with. Also, project based curriculum can often times be lengthy, so I would fear students we allow to fail could loose weeks of learning.
    • ksteffener
      ksteffener on 04 Aug 15
       
      I have heard the same thing and I really believe that because we take our job so personally- failure is not ok. I always try and focus on the success not the failure. You may have failed the class but you did this this and this right.
  • Choices like this honor divergent ways of thinking and, in doing so, help promote strong feelings of competence in students.
    • Lisa Hackman
      Lisa Hackman on 27 Jul 15
       
      I enjoy seeing students come up with different ways to solve the same problem. For those that struggle, I try to model a few different techniques and then have them pick the technique that makes the most sense to them. Sometimes they come up with something totally different and I'm OK with that.
    • alissahansen
      alissahansen on 28 Jul 15
       
      I like the idea of having students pick a technique that makes most sense for them and that was modeled because if I see students struggle, it is usually because they just don't know where to start. Not every student will have that innate ability of taking the initiative. I know teaching freshmen that this is an area students really struggle with because they just don't trust themselves and moving forward can be paralytic because of it. (Alissa Hansen)
  • Photo Story
    • edamisch
      edamisch on 28 Jul 15
       
      Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses - I usually let students choose how they want to present their information too.  Unless I'm trying to teach a specific skill such as how to create a strong power point presentation, where everyone would be required to create one. 
    • spfantz
      spfantz on 04 Aug 15
       
      I would love to see the rubric aligned with standards and benchmarks to see how they reach goals through activities and through their culminating project.
  • give my students a choice:
    • edamisch
      edamisch on 28 Jul 15
       
      For my 6th graders Spanish speaking country capital unit for example, I have four ways that they can choose from to study for the quiz - two technology based (quizlet.com and a youtube video) and two more paper based - worksheets and flashcards.  This works well in case kids don't have internet at home. 
  • d the
  • The kids can choose any one of those methods as long as they follow a rubric that I created about what I am looking for.”
    • jenniferlb
      jenniferlb on 28 Jul 15
       
      I love it when I have the opportunity to allow students to choose how they will demonstrate their learning. We use one common rubric to suit multiple ways they present their information. I have found, however, that sometimes when students have freedom to choose, some are resistant to it.  Some want a specific, step-by-step set of instructions or blanks to "fill in" and having freedom to choose how they present their learning makes some uncomfortable. I find that interesting!
    • moodyh
      moodyh on 30 Jul 15
       
      It is great when students have an opportunity to present in their own ways, but I find my students struggle with it.  I give them the opportunity to present their final financial literacy project any way they want, but most of them just wrote me a paper that covered what the rubric asked for.  I think students will need as much training as teachers to get used to individualized learning
  • Giving choice is about empowering students. It makes them feel that they are part of the process, not powerless; that’s the kind of feeling that motivates everyone.”
    • alissahansen
      alissahansen on 28 Jul 15
       
      This quote really speaks to me because it holds so much truth! It's amazing how much psychology goes into teaching! That said, choice, motivation and empowerment all go hand-in-hand. Students do so much better when they can own something (well most of the time), and when they have the opportunity to choose how they will represent their understanding to you, it also shows that you as their teacher, trust them to make that decision and I think students respond well to this. Now, sometimes students will take what they perceive as the easier approach, but they learn the consequences pretty quick. And this extends not just to those choices relating to academics, but behavior as well. I work with freshmen, who are still trying to figure out what it means to not be an eighth grader anymore, and I have found that  when it comes to discipline, giving them a choice allows them to hold themselves accountable and establishes trust. I have used, "who is going to move to a more productive place in the classroom?" often, and I have not had a situation yet where one of the students didn't make that choice. The system works for toddlers too! (Alissa Hansen)
    • marydermit
      marydermit on 29 Jul 15
       
      Giving students choice builds a trust relationship that is so important.
    • ascallon
      ascallon on 30 Jul 15
       
      One of my favorites is the closer to graduating, usually the closer the student sits to my desk or me.  The 1:1 time helps them get done faster.  
    • ksteffener
      ksteffener on 04 Aug 15
       
      I think getting at risk students to trust me as a teacher is the toughest thing I do. I need them to believe that I will move every obstacle I can.
  • 2. Use the technology you have.
    • jenniferlb
      jenniferlb on 28 Jul 15
       
      I find this "lesson" interesting as I would think that to have a successful PLE 1:1 technology would be necessary. This allows me to think that personalized learning could become a part of traditional classrooms sooner than later!
  • ound of Kahoot
    • alissahansen
      alissahansen on 28 Jul 15
       
      This is my favorite discovery by far and students LOVE IT! It is a great way to review content with a program that has gaming qualities and offers a sense of healthy competition. Students can use phones, desktop computers or laptops to gain access to the interactive program and I will say that once you do it once, students will ask for it daily. You can even quiz students using the program and it will compile the data for you so you can enter in scores if you wanted to. I highly recommend it to all educators. It is a valuable resource, and it is free! (Alissa Hansen).
    • moodyh
      moodyh on 30 Jul 15
       
      I love Kahoot too as a whole class assessment.  Another great (and free) resource is quizizz.  It is similar to Kahoot except that students can go through and take the quiz at their own pace instead of it being a race to see who can answer each question first.  It still compiles the data for you, but gives the students a little more privacy.
  • in a typical story unit, they can choose between just reading, and reading along as they listen to a story. They can also decide whether to annotate online or on a printed copy. They can take notes on paper or record their thoughts verbally as they analyze the story.
    • edamisch
      edamisch on 28 Jul 15
       
      These choices are awesome!  Underlining and writing notes in the margins online is way different than on paper!  
    • katie50009
      katie50009 on 28 Jul 15
       
      I like these ideas as well. So simple and yet it gives choice to students. I like real, specific ideas to begin the implementation of PL--actually, I feel like I was not as far behind on giving PL a try because I am using strategies such as these. Feels like a postiive boost!
  • Choose the best content delivery method.
    • alissahansen
      alissahansen on 28 Jul 15
       
      I love utilizing technology (freetech4teachers.com is a site I visit often), but I sometimes struggle because there is just so much out there. I do a lot of playing around with different programs and resources before introducing them to students, but I do feel overwhelmed by it all at times and I am sure students feel the same way. I think this is a very important statement because with the wealth of information/tools out there, students should have the opportunity and be able to decide what is going to work best for them and teachers need to make decisions about the best tech tools to get them there. This is easier said than done as every summer I have about 100 new tech ideas to incorporate and feel there is no time to do it all...talk about cognitive overload! (Alissa Hansen)
  • skip forward, pause or rewind as needed until they get the lesson.
    • edamisch
      edamisch on 28 Jul 15
       
      Great features 
    • marydermit
      marydermit on 29 Jul 15
       
       I want try short videos with pharmacy tech students as an  choice to reinforce some of the key concepts with math applications.  Those that need to review can and those who have it can move on.
  • Kahoot,
    • edamisch
      edamisch on 28 Jul 15
       
      This is big in my building. (middle school) 
    • marydermit
      marydermit on 29 Jul 15
       
      I used it this past year to review drug classifications with pharmacy tech students. They loved it.  I want to add more units this year.
  • AP students would each have produced their own 10-page research paper.
    • edamisch
      edamisch on 28 Jul 15
       
      Personally, I'm glad I had to write two 10 page papers on the topic of my choice for AP College English my senior year of high school, since papers of that length were the norm as a Spanish/Art/Education major in college.  It was good preparation.  
    • juliefulton
      juliefulton on 29 Jul 15
       
      I agree, we do not want to 'cheat' our students from learning and practicing valuable skills needed for success in college and/or their careers.
    • spfantz
      spfantz on 04 Aug 15
       
      This would be a huge undertaking for some of my students. I wonder what types of supports and assistance is offered to students who need help.
  • use their fantasy football stats during class
    • edamisch
      edamisch on 28 Jul 15
       
      cool idea! 
  • encourage you.
    • edamisch
      edamisch on 28 Jul 15
       
      The above reminds me of the example "Day in the Life" assignment.  The depth of this cross curricular unit is great, but what about breadth?  Would everything be covered?  This is a concern of mine with time consuming projects.  
  • Imagine that you are a student at Tidewater High School, a fictitious comprehensive American high school that is organized into small learning communities.
    • alissahansen
      alissahansen on 28 Jul 15
       
      This a great resource for developing a personal plan and establishes a useful blueprint so one can see what a truly personalized learning environment would look like for: the student, teacher, administrator and even a parent! This is a resource I am going to use for my personalized plan. I especially like the breakdown from the student's experience, the purpose, what the structure of the class content would look like, assessment, and there is a useful checklist that once could use to assess yourself on implementation. (Alissa Hansen)
  • I feel that I am on this blended learning journey with them, and I truly believe it has made us all more engaged in our work and more focused learners.
    • jenniferlb
      jenniferlb on 28 Jul 15
       
      These final sentences really sum up what I would love to be able to say about the work that I someday hope to do!
    • emilyzelenovich
      emilyzelenovich on 29 Jul 15
       
      I agree completely. I want to know that students find value in meaning in the work we do in my class, and I want to know that I have helped prepare them for the world after high school. 
  • Students do not always need to work at their desks. For example, one teacher noticed students were getting restless during independent reading in class. They became more motivated and less fidgety when the teacher allowed them to find a comfortable place to read. Some students chose to remain at their desks, others crawled under the desks, and still others found comfortable places elsewhere. Even simple choices like this can give students a meaningful sense of control.
  • Students
    • jenniferlb
      jenniferlb on 28 Jul 15
       
      Depending on the unit of study, the students in my 9th and 10th grade English classes are given regular reading days to enjoy the novels they are reading.  I love it when they ask to move around the room to get comfortable to read.  When they're given the choice of where to read, I agree that it does give them a "meaningful sense of control."
  • even in small ways, of their own education.
    • katie50009
      katie50009 on 28 Jul 15
       
      The phrase "even in small ways" really caught mu attention. Instead of focusing on what we can't do and can't change, I need to focus on baby steps of implementing change, one step and one student at a time. Over time it will become more natural for the teacher and student to change the traditional roles of schools and really become engaged in learning.
  • t is the purposeful design of instruction to combine face-to-face teaching, technology-assisted instruction and collaboration to leverage each student’s learning style and interests for deeper learning. When done right, it meets several of the ISTE Standards for Students and Teachers while leading to a more rigorous, challenging, engaging and thought-provoking curriculum.
    • katie50009
      katie50009 on 28 Jul 15
       
      I think some of the hesitation for teachers to work more fully in a PL modeled is the issue of rigor. Are students really challenging themselves? Am I giving them enough guidance and feedback to take their learning to the next level? How will I know for sure?
    • spfantz
      spfantz on 04 Aug 15
       
      I agree, it would be difficult to gauge or measure how rigorous, challenging, and engaging each students' personalized path is for them.
  • When asked to explain the “why” behind my choices during professional learning sessions, I realized there was more to creating blended lessons than simply adding technology. Today I carefully construct my units with specific learning goals that drive the method of delivery and learning activities.
    • katie50009
      katie50009 on 28 Jul 15
       
      These statements really help me see how, as a coach, the conversations I have with teachers, and the reflections that follow, will be key to implementing PL successfully.
  • My students’ input and further pedagogical study helped me refine my lesson planning until I got it right.
    • juliefulton
      juliefulton on 29 Jul 15
       
      It is very important that we model for our students taking risks, asking for feedback, refine for improvement, and continually grow as individuals and professionals!
  • Now they have access to the full unit from the beginning, so they can gauge their own pacing and get practice in time management.
    • juliefulton
      juliefulton on 29 Jul 15
       
      Students are learning content and life skills but teacher organization of the course is important to maximize learning. If a student is confused by having access to all the course at once, they may be overwhelmed if the necessary componets are not clearly identified.
  • allowing students to pick one or two friends they would like to work with
  • Certainly, giving choice to students often means that teachers need to allow students to make their own decisions, and it can be difficult to give up this control.
    • juliefulton
      juliefulton on 29 Jul 15
       
      ...and teachers need to be open-minded to answers that are not right/wrong. Perhaps 'what-if' dialogues are right.
  • generally made every mistake you can imagine
  • “We have all these different methods of how kids can present the project,
    • ascallon
      ascallon on 30 Jul 15
       
      My concern is how to get students to do quality projects.  Some of the things I receive are so low quality. What do I do to get the students to do more work?
  • ‘Okay. Here’s a list of choices. Choose one. As long as you follow the steps in my rubric, you’re fine.’”
    • ascallon
      ascallon on 30 Jul 15
       
      This is how I set up projects, but get cut and paste type projects.  I would like ideas to get students to stretch their horizons.
  • technology failures
    • ascallon
      ascallon on 30 Jul 15
       
      Technology failures get me frustrated.  The students help me so much, but I feel like a failure when I can't help them or when the technology doesn't work as planned.
    • ksteffener
      ksteffener on 04 Aug 15
       
      this is the single biggest roadblock I face. As a rural school we are without internet at least once a week
  • access on their own phones
    • ascallon
      ascallon on 30 Jul 15
       
      Students use their own phones for research and project.  I haven't opened up to computers/tables yet.  Hopefully we will have 1:1 computers for the classroom this year.   I'm interested to see how this will change research and projects for students.  Hoping for higher level thinking skills!
  • Giving students a short list of topics with an option to create their own topic, with the teacher’s approval, often works well.
    • ascallon
      ascallon on 30 Jul 15
       
      I do this with World History projects and end up copied text from a website or a PowerPoint with just the facts.  I would love some strategies to get students to think beyond the facts and cut and paste.
  • When activities require students to work in groups
    • ascallon
      ascallon on 30 Jul 15
       
      A student frustration has been when the group members don't show for class.  We've tried to debate speeches and members don't show to prepare or present.  It's frustrating for the students.
    • spfantz
      spfantz on 04 Aug 15
       
      I feel that if student interest drives the group dynamics, students won't feel socially pressured to group with their friends.
    • ksteffener
      ksteffener on 04 Aug 15
       
      This one is tough because we all have to work with different types of people and its a skill that students are lacking. I try and put groups together based on a lot of factors but knowing the students is the key to success
    • spfantz
      spfantz on 04 Aug 15
       
      I have not heard of Photo Story or vodcasts, I'd like to learn more.
  • actionable feedback
    • spfantz
      spfantz on 04 Aug 15
       
      I like these suggestions for quick feedback and redirection for the class.
  • t combats the dea
    • spfantz
      spfantz on 04 Aug 15
       
      I'm not sure I'm following this statement. It seems profound but I'm not sure I understand the rationalization.
  • Okay, you’ve done this project. Show us what you’ve learned,’ and there we offer the kids choices. We might say to them, for instance, if you establish a future city on the moon, how would you prevent all these environmental problems on the moon that we have had on earth?
    • ksteffener
      ksteffener on 04 Aug 15
       
      I have found that sometimes students are overwhelmed by choices so this is where the personalization part comes into play. I want to give them choices based on what is best for them not me as the teacher.
  • he screencasts, which I create with Zaption, Screencast-o-matic and Video Ant, are better than PowerPoints because students can hear my voice instead of clicking through a silent slide deck. A
    • ksteffener
      ksteffener on 04 Aug 15
       
      This would be awesome for students with social anxiety who cannot stand in front of the room and give a presentation
  • “Your class is easy. I don’t mean simple — I mean it is easy for me to learn because I can pick assignments that let me do my best work.”
    • ksteffener
      ksteffener on 04 Aug 15
       
      this is a common misinterpretation. students feel like it is easy because they get it, not easy because its not rigourous
    • ksteffener
      ksteffener on 04 Aug 15
       
      This is the toughest part of working with at risk students. When a student isn't successful it takes a lot to motivate them and even if they are motivated they may not want to look like that to their peers.
    • ksteffener
      ksteffener on 04 Aug 15
       
      this is awesome. I would love to print this and hand it out!
nwhipple

Implementation in an Elementary Classroom (Articles) - 1 views

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

shared by nwhipple on 26 Jul 15 - No Cached
  • Step Three: Develop a Universally-Designed Lesson Referring to the Class Learning Snapshot, you will transform an existing lesson using the Personalized Learning (PL) Lesson template. You will use the model and examples to assist you in establishing a learning goal for this lesson, how to unpack the Common Core State Standards with your learners, design a warm-up activity that will engage specific learners based on the Class Learning Snapshot. You will also universally-design the new vocabulary along with guided and independent activities as the framework of the lesson
    • dwefel
      dwefel on 26 Jul 15
       
      I like how it mentions using an existing lesson. This might make it easier for teachers just to start. Taking something they already know and tweaking it a bit to make is a PL lesson. I also like how it talks about models and examples to assist; when starting something new I ALWAYS need lots of examples and models for understanding.
    • Alison Ruebel
      Alison Ruebel on 27 Jul 15
       
      Yes, I agree! I like how all throughout these 6 steps it talks about models and examples to help us along. I'm one that needs visuals or templates to go off of to help guide me when doing something new too :) Although in the article, I wish it would show us what they mean by the templates and examples so we can get more of an idea of what they mean.  (-Alison Ruebel)
    • kaberding
      kaberding on 28 Jul 15
       
      I agree with you both!  Models are important to students, so why wouldn't they be important for teachers to get the idea!  I'm at ease knowing that we can take the lessons we have and then move them toward personal learning.  Why reinvent the wheel?
    • jroffman
      jroffman on 29 Jul 15
       
      I also like how it talks about one lesson, I personally dive into new ideas head first and then can't figure out why I am drowning! I like the idea of one lesson at a time. 
    • kainley
      kainley on 30 Jul 15
       
      ^^Yes go slow, I like anything that tells me to do that! I also like the idea of having steps to take as a guide and I agree it would be nice to have an actual template to see.
    • nwhipple
      nwhipple on 01 Aug 15
       
      Like you all said, models are important not only to students but teachers as well.  Teachers need to be shown how to do something right the first way before we expect our students to do the same.
  • We review how each generation processes information differently and how digital information has changed teaching and learning. We discuss the how and why people approach life depending on their mindset, the importance of failure to learn, unlearn, and relearn, and the skills needed to be college and career ready.
    • dwefel
      dwefel on 26 Jul 15
       
      This reminds me of a title of a book I read, "If they don't learn the way you teach, then teach the way they learn." So true!
    • jillnovotny
      jillnovotny on 31 Jul 15
       
      Good point! It is interesting to think about how learners have changed from one generation to another. When I was in elementary school, we were just starting to use computers more. Nowadays, almost every classroom has access to computer, iPads, or other types of technology. Digital information has definitely changed teaching and learning over the years, and it is going to continue to change! It is so important for educators to continue to do professional learning to prepare for these changing learners.
  • You will develop a rationale why assessment as learning creates independent, expert and self-regulated learners. Expert learners and assessment as learning is the key for learners taking responsibility for their learning.
    • dwefel
      dwefel on 26 Jul 15
       
      Exactly! Students taking charge of their learning. That is exactly what we need to create. It will be neat to see once this is statewide after 10 years of implementation.
    • jillnovotny
      jillnovotny on 31 Jul 15
       
      Assessment as learning, or assessment for learning, has been a major focus in my school district for the past 5 years or so. Within the structure of personalized learning, it makes complete sense that students would be able to take responsibility for their learning through self and peer assessment. Students are often more aware of their strengths and areas for improvement than we teachers are, because they know which parts of the assignment/project were more difficult for them. 
    • nwhipple
      nwhipple on 01 Aug 15
       
      Assessment for learning drives our curriculum and lessons.  I agree that if we expect our students to guide their own learning, they need to be able to tell us what it is they are learning about through questioning by teachers and peers.
  • ...12 more annotations...
  • Although her natural inclination is “to help my students when they’re stumped or confused, I need constantly to remind myself that when I supply an answer or even suggest a method for finding an answer, I’m not truly helping.” In terms of the tenets of inquiry-based instruction, she explains, when she answers students’ questions straightforwardly instead of asking questions to help the students find the answers themselves, she’s actually interfering with the learning process.
    • Alison Ruebel
      Alison Ruebel on 27 Jul 15
       
      This is interesting. This would be so hard for many teachers to do, because we are just so used to helping our students, it's natural to us. We need to get into a different mindset and let our students figure things out and question. This would be difficult to change, but knowing it's not helping our students to help them out, tell them answers or suggest how to find an answer, that we are just interfering with our student's learning.
    • dwefel
      dwefel on 28 Jul 15
       
      I agree! I think teachers naturally want to nurture students but in the end it is hurting more than helping.
    • jroffman
      jroffman on 29 Jul 15
       
      I also fear that when teachers stand back students may just give up. I also feel that many teachers have so many things to get done in a day they don't have enough time for this type of learning. 
    • jillnovotny
      jillnovotny on 31 Jul 15
       
      Letting students figure things out for themselves (in a supportive classroom environment where there are resources available for them to find the answers to their questions) is crucial for true learning. For this reason, it is so important that teachers are skilled at using guiding and probing questions to move students' thinking forward without giving them the answer or telling them how to find it. 
  • “Many teachers mistakenly assume kids know how to think,” she says. In most cases, though, children — many adults, too — experience thought as Zen masters describe it: a drunken monkey swinging haphazardly in a mind-forest, from thought-branch to thought-branch and idea-tree to idea-tree. Thinking Maps, she explains, help students gain control of the process by offering them eight distinct ways to organize their inquiries — a circle map for defining in context, for example, or a bubble map for describing with adjectives, etc. Thinking Maps, she continues, introduce students to the notion of thinking about thinking —
    • Alison Ruebel
      Alison Ruebel on 27 Jul 15
       
      Yes-we do often just assume kids know how to think. Thinking maps are a great way to help kids record and organize their thoughts! 
    • kainley
      kainley on 30 Jul 15
       
      I love using graphic organizers. You are able to see what they are thinking and they can see what they are thinking drawn or written out on paper.
  • Most teachers know the classroom is the perfect place for children to play, but opportunities to provide those benefits are on the decline. Reduced recess, cuts to physical education courses and limited free time in the classroom coupled with an increasing emphasis on testing are propelling this decline all over the country.
    • Alison Ruebel
      Alison Ruebel on 27 Jul 15
       
      So true :( It's very sad to think all of the time that kids were allowed to "play" is being taken away. I fully agree younger students learn to much through play! I worked at a daycare during my college years, and was able to see how important play was to kids and how much they actually do learn. 
    • kaberding
      kaberding on 28 Jul 15
       
      I agree!  Ironically my 5th grade students did a compare and contrast paper after reading recent articles about the decline of recess and the pros and cons.  I think recess or "free play" allows for character development and social development as well; something many educators struggle to find time to incorporate anymore with the demands of the academics now of days.  
  • We will share examples of teachers using questions, display questions, and how to incorporate inquiry throughout teaching and learning no matter what grade or subject
    • kaberding
      kaberding on 28 Jul 15
       
      To me it seems reasonable to begin the year with the meaning of question and inquiry and it's importance to learning.  I think if students can connect to this (even at a young age), then their learning might make more sense to them.  They already question and are inquisitive by many things that they learn on their own, so connecting that to the learning environment might spark more interest and help them realize this type of learning is really what we do in our daily lives.  For example, I've been curious about raising some cattle, so I have been doing a lot of research about this topic.  Same idea of personal learning.  We just need to share examples of what they may have done at their level already so they don't feel so foreign to this learning style.  
    • jillnovotny
      jillnovotny on 31 Jul 15
       
      Great connection! I agree that questioning is SO important when it comes to personalized learning. There has been a lot of research about higher-level questioning and its positive impact on academics. To me, it makes a lot of sense why traditional classrooms typically use lower-level questions (Who, What, Where) and personalized/project-based/inquiry/etc. classrooms typically use higher-level questions (How, Why).
  • Start with just one lesson, Reed and Blaydes suggest, and modify it to suit your students’ needs.
    • kaberding
      kaberding on 28 Jul 15
       
      I really like how they suggest to start with one lesson.  It seems that the articles all suggest to start slow with what you have.  That makes me think that the author realizes how overwhelmed teachers are in this day.  
  • For example, common sense seems to dictate that a five-pound object dropped from a given height will fall faster than a five-ounce object dropped from the same height. A traditional teacher may tell her class that’s not true and the kids might remember the correct answer if subsequently quizzed, but in their hearts they may not believe it. If employed properly, though, Ms. Moore contends, inquiry-based instruction stands a better chance of demolishing the misconceptions — eliminating them completely — by encouraging and allowing students to discover fundamental principles on their own.
  • Next, Ms. Moore asks the students what they wonder about their specimens. At this juncture, she explains, she knows which aspects of the material the Standard Course of Study requires her to cover and admits to becoming anxious if the students do not focus on them quickly. This is when her trust in the inquiry process is tested, when she must practice patience and restraint.
  • “Everything I do should contribute to students’ success outside of class,” she says, “and it’s never too early for kids to learn how to get along in the world.”
    • jroffman
      jroffman on 29 Jul 15
       
      This is so true, I never thought about how working in groups is preparing students for real live working situations and just life in general. 
  • Marcon tracked children from preschool through the third and fourth grades and found that those with “overly academic” preschool experiences struggled in their later elementary years when they were expected to “think more independently and take on greater responsibility for their own learning process.”
    • jroffman
      jroffman on 29 Jul 15
       
      Wow!!! this makes me sick I feel that we try and play a lot in the preschool classroom but maybe we don't play enough. 
    • kainley
      kainley on 30 Jul 15
       
      This is such interesting research. When I taught preschool we were doing the creative curriculum. I got a chance to have those same students again in third grade and they love turn and talk (getting and giving ideas and answers for comprehension questions) and creating projects together because they know how to communicate with each other and learn from each other. I wish the government and adminstrators would pay attention to this research...it is so vital that children get a chance to be explorers and creators in those early years!
  • They started small, and they've grown and honed their strategies each year.
    • kainley
      kainley on 30 Jul 15
       
      I like how they started small with 5 minutes turning into five years. It showed me a way to do a model like this with fidelity. I was also able to see I am already doing some of the things listed!
  • Look, Ms. Daugherty, these dinosaurs have open mouths, and these dinosaurs have closed mouths. I can sort things!” He’s taken Daugherty’s lessons on sorting by color a step further—and he’s done it while playing.
    • nwhipple
      nwhipple on 01 Aug 15
       
      A-HA.  Play time is HUGE, yet it is being taking away and forced out of the classroom.  This is exactly what I see and hear in my kindergarten classroom during, SHORT, periods of play.  When it is "free choice" children are learning MORE than when I have them in their seats or at the carpet "preaching" and "teaching".  If they can handle the reigns with their personal learning, they feel more in control and will be more comfortable talking to an audience about what it is they want to share.
  • Blaydes recommends activities that link learning and movement. An example activity for teaching punctuation asks students to first come up with motions and sounds for punctuation marks (for instance, jumping into the air and yelling, “Yes!” for exclamation points), then act out those movements at appropriate moments during a text read-aloud. These playful activities are fun—and memorable.
    • nwhipple
      nwhipple on 01 Aug 15
       
      I LOVE this because I have taught end punctuation like this to my large and small groups.  It is funny to see everyone get excited about finding an exclamation point in a text and jumping up and acting excited.  When kids will be reading to themselves, sometimes they will jump up on their own because they have come across an exclamation point in their book.  You know you have reached them when they do it on their own!  :)  
alberhasky

Presentation Zen: Is it finally time to ditch PowerPoint? - 9 views

www.presentationzen.com/...1

shared by alberhasky on 14 Feb 15 - No Cached
    • sarahjmoore
      sarahjmoore on 14 Feb 15
       
      It is amazing how one simply change in coloring can make an ok slide dynamic!
    • pkmills
      pkmills on 10 Apr 15
       
      Sweller's quote was the perfect way to bring together the use of visual and auditory modality and the danger of the bullet point redundancy actually decreasing understanding. Armed wth this information it is time for me to look at all my presentations and change them into something that works.
    • suzdohrer
      suzdohrer on 13 Apr 15
       
      Sweller's theory on redundancy seems incredible to me, or at least not a key premise of learning. Redundant learning historically is an aid to memorizing and becoming automated.
  • "It is effective to speak to a diagram, because it presents information in a different form. But it is not effective to speak the same words that are written, because it is putting too much load on the mind and decreases your ability to understand what is being presented."                                                        — John Sweller
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • 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
    • mrswalker_
      mrswalker_ on 13 Apr 15
       
      I'm not sure if I agree with this all of the time- sometimes using the presentation with the slideware first is the best way to organize thoughts. This first use could easily be done in a non-distracting way by not using the templates and content wizards.
  • This may seem counterintuitive and it certainly runs counter to many of the ways presentations are made in business or lesson taught in schools.
    • mrswalker_
      mrswalker_ on 13 Apr 15
       
      What about with young elementary students? I use slides daily to give directions- I put the words on the screen, read the words, and then leave them while the students work? Young kids often struggle remembering many steps at once, how else can the teacher get these ideas across? Possibly other visuals.
    • alberhasky
      alberhasky on 14 Sep 15
       
      It's not just young kids who have difficulty remembering instructions. My college students do too! :)
  • chaneline on 10 Apr 15
     
    I wonder if John Sweller's point about redundancy is like a message to the brain that it doesn't need to pay attention. The information is being spoken and written so it can be forgotten for now and attended to later. I know I have been in presentations and started to zone out when the information being spoken and on the screen were the same. Was it overload or lack of stimulation?
  • ...2 more comments...
  • mgoodwin5 on 13 Apr 15
     
    I agree with the article-I do not think when Garr says "Is it finally time to ditch PowerPoint?" that he means to get rid of it completely. I think that it may be overused at times and/or used incorrectly as there are certain criteria that is better to follow on PowerPoint than what some people are doing. Knowing the maximum information to put onto each slide, the correct information and format, and how it is used as a presentation, as well as the visuals, all makes a difference in its used and overuse.
  • mgoodwin5 on 13 Apr 15
     
    When giving a presentation, it is important to get your audiences attention by delivering a strong message, however giving too much information and not allowing your audience to use their own imagination, may be an overload to them and therefore not understand what you are trying to say or not have them same emotions, thoughts, and feelings as you (the presenter) does. Give your audience a strong, clean, precise, and factual presentation, and the rest will do what it needs to do for the audience. I do not feel PowerPoint needs to be ditched, but instead cleaned up drastically and presented in a much more professional and effective manner.
  • chaneline on 13 Apr 15
     
    Have you ever seen TED talks? I noticed the most popular ones very rarely have a powerpoint and when they do, it is just a few with visuals. They are able to get a very clear and emotional message across without the use of a complicated powerpoint..powerful!
  • chaneline on 13 Apr 15
     
    I don't think we want to throw the baby out with the bath water. Powerpoints can be interesting and thought proviking..as I am learning.
emoses

Articles: Preparation - 1 views

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

shared by emoses on 10 Sep 15 - No Cached
  • connect with your audience.
    • scott fillner
      scott fillner on 10 Sep 15
       
      Connection is key when thinking about presentation, but I also believe balance is very important. In terms of content, I agree that there should not be a "data dump" I also believe that if you are planful in your presentation, you have a clear vision for what you want your audience to do with content.
  • simple
    • scott fillner
      scott fillner on 10 Sep 15
       
      When I see simple I think scaffold.  How are you scaffolding your content for your audience?
    • alberhasky
      alberhasky on 19 Sep 15
       
      Yes, scaffolding is such a key concept! What does your audience already know, what do they need to know, and what can you do as a teacher to get them there...to bridge the gap!
  • use a large whiteboard
    • scott fillner
      scott fillner on 10 Sep 15
       
      Another great way to outline your content is through conversation. I have put titles in slides almost like a flowchart just to spur conversation to guage if I have the makings of logical flow.
    • carolborchard
      carolborchard on 18 Sep 15
       
      Our pastor does this for his sermons. He has a huge whiteboard on the main wall of his office. It gets more and more full as the week goes along. Then Monday it's white again!
  • ...29 more annotations...
  • Humans are predisposed to remembering experiences in the narrative form; we learn best with a narrative structure. Humans have been sharing information aurally and visually far longer than we have been getting information by reading lists.
    • scott fillner
      scott fillner on 10 Sep 15
       
      This sure makes sense stepping back and thinking about why it is so hard to transform education.  If we are predisposed to narrative structure, it makes sense why it is so hard to change the way we teach and learn. I am curious with the advancement of technology is there has been a shift in this?
    • alberhasky
      alberhasky on 19 Sep 15
       
      I think teachers have always been telling compelling stories.
  • 10/20/30 Rule
    • scott fillner
      scott fillner on 10 Sep 15
       
      This is an interesting rule to consider.  I like that we are thinking about 10 slides or less.
  • it is useful to think of your entire 30 minute presentation as an opportunity to “tell a story.
    • micintosh
      micintosh on 16 Sep 15
       
      I think this is a great piece of advice.  It allows the speaker to have a more interesting delivery, but at the same time have a clear path to take the audience.
    • emoses
      emoses on 21 Sep 15
       
      I do think this is a good thing to do when you are presenting. It's just sometimes I find it hard to tell one of my stories and connect with the stories and notes I am presenting. But if I can't find a connection with them, my students will never find a connection to their lives. So I think this would be good practice for the future - let the students in to your life story.
  • you want to position the problems in the foreground and then show how you’ve overcome them,
    • micintosh
      micintosh on 16 Sep 15
       
      I find this to be very true as it seems my own children seem to listen better about a lesson I am trying to teach them when I tell them about my own struggles when I was their age instead of just telling them what to or not to do. 
    • carolborchard
      carolborchard on 18 Sep 15
       
      Definitely true! People want to know how to conquer the mountain!
  • Highlighting contrasts is a natural way to bring the audience into your story and make your message more memorable.
    • micintosh
      micintosh on 16 Sep 15
       
      I never put much thought about how each pair in Star Wars were so contrasting to each other until this example. Highlighting contrasts are definitely something I will try to include in my future storytelling.
  • include
  • Even if setup goes perfectly, people will arrive late and have to leave early. In a perfect world, you give your pitch in twenty minutes, and you have forty minutes left for discussion.
    • micintosh
      micintosh on 16 Sep 15
       
      I don't necessarily agree with this statement.  Working in the Tech Dept myself I know you can't expect technology to run perfectly, but to only dedicate 1/3 of your allotted time to your presentation and allowing a majority of your time to discussion seems like it would be a little disappointing to the audience.  
    • carolborchard
      carolborchard on 18 Sep 15
       
      I agree that people would be disappointed if they paid for an expert's presentation and got 1/3 of the time slot. However, I think it's great to allow for questions when I am trying to convince people to invest a lot of money in something!
    • alberhasky
      alberhasky on 19 Sep 15
       
      Yes, that won't work in a lecture hall at a university when technology is fine and students are on time 90% of the time!
  • If it is real, then it is in us.
    • micintosh
      micintosh on 16 Sep 15
       
      I have heard the phrase "fake it until you make it", but if you truly believe in what you are talking about then your audience will have better buy-in to what you are saying.
    • carolborchard
      carolborchard on 18 Sep 15
       
      These are good to remember!
    • alberhasky
      alberhasky on 19 Sep 15
       
      Yes, in the course on business communication I teach at ISU, our first rule is know your audience.
    • emoses
      emoses on 21 Sep 15
       
      Often times, I assume my audience is just going to be interested in what I say, and I don't take time to really put myself in their shoes. It would be nice to see it from their angle and see what it is like (perhaps follow them around for a day). How many boring presentations do they see in any given day? I do think making it more personal to them would help, but again, how do you make important information interactive without having them find the info themselves (and possibly not finding the right info)?
  • remember only three things
  • audience?
  • audience?
  • audience?
  • Visuals should be big, bold, clear, and easy to see.
  • Make your presentation—visuals and narration—participatory.
  • ten slides, last no more than twenty minutes, and contain no font smaller than thirty points.
  • ten slides, last no more than twenty minutes, and contain no font smaller than thirty points.
    • carolborchard
      carolborchard on 18 Sep 15
       
      I wish I could highlight the list or put some symbol by it so I could see it easier later.
  • find out the age of the oldest person in your audience and divide it by two. That’s your optimal font size.
    • francysmaureen
      francysmaureen on 20 Sep 15
       
      Great tip for a font size!
  • with a pen and paper.
  • “so what?”
  • am talking about reality, regardless of the topic.
    • alberhasky
      alberhasky on 19 Sep 15
       
      I would argue (as many have before me) that reality does not present itself as unmediated, but rather that we make sense of the world only once we apply narrative (or other structural) principles. Thus, there is no "story" we pluck from the world, but only the story we create.
  • The key, then, is to aim to unite an idea with an emotion, which is best done through story.
  • Conflict is dramatic
  • The result is that you and the audience are out of synch.
    • francysmaureen
      francysmaureen on 20 Sep 15
       
      It is really important to be in synch with the audience
  • Is it to inspire? Are they looking for concrete practical information? Do they want more concepts and theory rather than advice?
  • A data dump — all too common unfortunately — is when a presenter crams too much information into the talk without making the effort to make the information or data applicable to the members of the audience.
    • emoses
      emoses on 21 Sep 15
       
      I am very guilty of this! I feel like I'm hoarding the information, and the only way they're going to get it is if they listen and pay attention! (insert evil laugh) I've mentioned before that I just give them my beautiful PowerPoints instead of presenting them because I can't find a fun way to do it! I wish I could get the info across and still keep them entertained!
  • We fear what we do not know.
    • emoses
      emoses on 21 Sep 15
       
      I am very guilty of this! This also plays into why my presentations are so boring - I haven't rehearsed them. I assume my rehearsal is the last time I gave the presentation - last year at that time! Of course it's going to be boring and mundane when I don't have anything to spice it up - or don't remember exactly what's on the page! If we teachers are acting, I suppose it helps to rehearse your lines every once in a while.
  • If the task is impossible for you, then you may want to think again and get your message down pat in your mind. This too is certainly something you do before you ever begin to open up PowerPoint (Keynote).
    • emoses
      emoses on 21 Sep 15
       
      The "task" that always sticks out in my mind is that they are being graded on this on an important test, so they have to know this. But why would I focus so much on just the grade of it all? Grades are stressful, and once you remove the numbers from the class, it can be quite enjoyable. My new task should be to teach them something interesting, and let them worry about the grade, not me.
Pam Buysman

Teaching on the Web - Exploring the Meanings of Silence - 1 views

ultibase.rmit.edu.au/...benfield1.htm

shared by Pam Buysman on 06 Jan 11 - Cached
    • ksteingr
      ksteingr on 06 Jan 11
       
      Issues to confront - 1. designing learning that will engage students 2. choosing material that is suitable for the web 3. pedagogy in the online environment
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 06 Jan 11
       
      Teaching an online class for the first time would be much like teaching your first group of students F2F.. In Iowa we provide mentors for new teachers. It only makes sense to provide a mentor or some kind of support system for "newbie" online facilitators as well. At the AEA, we do a support system of sorts in place. We have enough AEA people trained that can offer support to one another.
  • There are numerous major educational issues to confront and resolve when delivering learning material on the Web -- like designing learning tasks that will engage students, and choosing material which is suitable for delivery via the Web. However, these are not the subjects of this brief discussion. I want to deal with a substantive issue that is too easily ignored or trivialised -- pedagogy in the online environment.
  • The need for support of teachers and academics in these early days of online delivery cannot be underestimated. Early adopters of new technologies can easily find themselves isolated, ignored and problem solving in an intellectual vacuum.
  • ...28 more annotations...
  • establish relaxed, free-flowing and open communication within the class.
    • ksteingr
      ksteingr on 06 Jan 11
       
      Use threaded discussion facility - not finding success.
  • There’s just this awful, sort of silence.
    • ksteingr
      ksteingr on 06 Jan 11
       
      Discussion breaking down.
  • One of the hardest things to orient to in online teaching is the radically different tempo of communication.
    • ksteingr
      ksteingr on 06 Jan 11
       
      The change?
  • How long do you wait for a response in an online threaded discussion?
    • ksteingr
      ksteingr on 06 Jan 11
       
      Key question!
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 06 Jan 11
       
      As I'm reading this article, I'm wondering if the facilitaor has established any kind of guidelines like we currently have. The initial post is due by Friday and two reponses are expected by Sunday. I really think a timetable needs to be established, because otherwise I do think you might wait forever for some students to respond. Without the timely response, it really isn't possible to create any conversations. Without the conversations, I think learning will be compromised. Of course if a student doesn't respond, you need to try to contact them. Yet if they don't respond to you, I see no alternate but adhering to the guidelines you've established for your threaded discussions. So, I guess I'm saying, you don't wait. You have expectations and you make allowances if necessary, but at some point in time, you need to look at class expectations.
  • What replaces them?
    • ksteingr
      ksteingr on 06 Jan 11
       
      What does replace the brief encounters?
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 06 Jan 11
       
      You use available technology applications or resources. It is possible to email the student, call, skype, or create a chat room. Any or all of these can be used to create some kind of personal contact with the student. It seems as if we are looking at adult learners. At some point, learners need to take some responsibility for their own learning. Again, without structure there will be no conversation and much learning will be lost.
  • The online teacher can and does know if a particular student has logged on, when they do and which pages in the online subject they visit. But it doesn't feel that way to the student user. It will only become apparent to them later, when or if the teacher e-mails them asking if they are having difficulties.
    • ksteingr
      ksteingr on 06 Jan 11
       
      How do we let students know we are aware of their patterns online?
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 06 Jan 11
       
      We ask questions in the forum. We email students sharing that we have noticed that they have not logged on. We gently remind them about expectations. We can try calling. In short, we use whatever means we have to communicate with them.
  • ‘get to know each other sessions’
  • If you expect students to use CMC, rather than private e-mail, as the primary mode of communication with you, you have to tell them so.
  • If you expect the students to check their bulletin boards regularly, you have to let them know how often. If your expectations are not being fulfilled you have to follow up with e-mails or phone calls. Communication is critical. It is the strength of the online mode, as opposed to broadcast media like print, radio and video. The rule is, actively avoid isolation.
    • ksteingr
      ksteingr on 06 Jan 11
       
      the key!
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 06 Jan 11
       
      I agree. You need to tell your students what you expect!
  • o 'community'.
  • Because the general tempo of interaction is slower online, it may take longer.
  • E started telling her students about relevant upcoming public lectures, TV programs, useful or just plain entertaining Web sites she had come across, and so on.
  • But what sort of ‘character’ do you want to convey online, and how will you convey it with a keyboard?
  • ‘I do think that having a sort of classroom rapport, a very sensitive style, which I think I've got in some ways in the classroom, is very important online. But getting it across is ... well, it’s very hard.’
    • ksteingr
      ksteingr on 06 Jan 11
       
      having a sense of online style is one thing - making that clear is quite another!
  • There isn’t any right way to do it, just as there isn’t any one teacher’s ‘character’. You do have to define your own online persona and then think quite carefully on various occasions about how to convey it.
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 06 Jan 11
       
      I couldn't highlight this because it already was. However, I like this and would have highlighted this text if possible.
  • One of the great advantages of the threaded discussion is the time it allows for reflection, and the possibility for editing/refinement of one’s remarks.
    • ksteingr
      ksteingr on 06 Jan 11
       
      I had not thought about editing, but it is important.
  • This may mean that, for some students anyway, threaded discussions are not conducive to thinking out loud, to tossing out ideas for testing, to speculation.
  • The casual conversation with a student after class, the brief encounter in the corridor, the snippet of social conversation in a workshop or tutorial -- these do not exist in the same way online.
  • What 'right' does EM have to force a timetable on to them?
    • Pam Buysman
      Pam Buysman on 06 Jan 11
       
      The teacher has every right to force a timetable. Learning will not occur without structure.
  • The visual, audio and tactile cues we take for granted in our everyday teaching, and which we rely on as guides to our action, are utterly absent in the online environment.
  • The teacher in this scenario is at the behest of her students' actions (or lack of them). The centre of control has moved markedly away from the teacher, to the students.
  • Yet the establishment of a sense of community is often one of the chief objectives of a teacher with any class. The achievement of it is a milestone in the progress of a given class in the mind of the teacher.
  • It is almost embarrassing to say so, but there are other things to ‘talk’ to students about than the course material.
  • Others may find that the time they get to reflect and compose their comments invests them with a power they don't ordinarily feel in face-to-face communication.
  • Failure to respond promptly to a student request or other communication could be catastrophic. It is disarming, even alarming, to invest the time to post a message and then get no response.
  • strong conscious effort, planning, forethought, time
  • ksteingr on 06 Jan 11
     
    like designing learning tasks that will engage students, and choosing material which is suitable for delivery via the Web.
  • Pam Buysman on 06 Jan 11
     
    like designing learning tasks that will engage students, and choosing material which is suitable for delivery via the Web.
Mary Overholtzer

ollie1: Iowa Online Teaching Standards - 0 views

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

shared by Mary Overholtzer on 17 May 11 - No Cached
    • Monte DeArmoun
      Monte DeArmoun on 17 May 11
       
      This is where online testing will be a benefit. Students could have immediate feedback on their learning process. Teachers will NEED to create a variety of assessments to keep students interested so they are not bored from taking the same type of test.
    • Deon Wingert
      Deon Wingert on 17 May 11
       
      I agree 100% Monte! Students DO want feedback immediately, and I truly believe this would provide for IMMEDIATE feedback, if used effectively.
    • Tim Hadley
      Tim Hadley on 22 May 11
       
      Plus.... no papers to carry home!
  • Has experienced online learning from the perspective of a student
    • Monte DeArmoun
      Monte DeArmoun on 17 May 11
       
      If teachers haven't tried the software how can they instruct the students or answer the students' questions? I am enjoying this class!
    • Bob Pauk
      Bob Pauk on 17 May 11
       
      This is the fourth online class I have taken and have definately experience online learning. Most has been very good and very easy to follow, but some has been very confusing. I do use aspects with my current classes such as blogging.
    • crjessen44
      crjessen44 on 18 May 11
       
      I feel this is critical. As a teacher, I believe all teachers need to live this experience first hand, in the role of a student. Being a student in an on-line evironment will help me to be a better on-line faciliator. I will be more sympathetic to the stuggles of being on-line learner and hopefully I will be more effective, learning from my experience as a student.
    • david moeller
      david moeller on 18 May 11
       
      Yes, going through the process helps us better understand how to use it. And provides us with both resources and examples.
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 19 May 11
       
      I am enjoying this class very much. I also believe that we as educators must experience things ourselves so that we can better help our students and understand the struggles that they might encounter.
    • Deborah Ausborn
      Deborah Ausborn on 19 May 11
       
      I definitely concur. It is vital to know the problems frequently encountered and how to trouble shoot them from experience.
    • Kathy Hageman
      Kathy Hageman on 20 May 11
       
      We gain student trust not only when we can help them solve technological challenges but when we can empathize with them as well.
    • mhauser
      mhauser on 22 May 11
       
      This class is a great experience, but sometimes I've wondered if Evan has purposely built some obstacles into the course so that we could experience the kinds of problems that our kids might experience and have that empathy going in. For example, last Sunday night I tried to finish up the first week's work, but couldn't get in to the program. While I found out later that the server was quirky, I didn't know that at the time. I just knew that my work was going to be late, and the kid in me said, "I'm in trouble!" That was a very good experience.
    • Jessica White
      Jessica White on 23 May 11
       
      Think of all the years that we have spent as students in the "traditional" classroom setting. We have watched teachers and seen so much modeling. Those experiences are still with us as we teach today. Online learning is a new avenue, but we still need to see the modeling from our teachers. It will help us be more successful as teachers.
    • Mary Overholtzer
      Mary Overholtzer on 03 Jun 11
       
      I have been in trouble with lates since day one....This online experience is NOT anything like I have experienced in the past. The tools out there are phenomenal...and overwhelming.
  • 5. Creates and implements a variety of assessments that meet course learning goals and provide data to improve student progress and course instruction (ITS 5)
    • Monte DeArmoun
      Monte DeArmoun on 17 May 11
       
      This is where online testing will be a benefit. Students could have immediate feedback on their learning process. Teachers will NEED to create a variety of assessments to keep students interested so they are not bored from taking the same type of test.
    • Bob Pauk
      Bob Pauk on 17 May 11
       
      I have clickers in my room which does allow for immediate feedback. It can be very useful, but have had pretty significant software problems with the clickers so far.
    • Monte DeArmoun
      Monte DeArmoun on 18 May 11
       
      Is there a particular brand/kind that you use?
    • Tresa Zaragoza
      Tresa Zaragoza on 20 May 11
       
      I have clickers, but I am a little weak on using them.
  • ...50 more annotations...
  • 1. Demonstrates ability to enhance academic performance and support for the agency's student achievement goals (ITS 1)
    • Mary Trent
      Mary Trent on 17 May 11
       
      It is difficult to develop assessment tools that show this kind of learning growth with technology without it being more of a lab setting with a control group. I haven't found anything real practical yet that is reliable.
  • 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)
    • Mary Trent
      Mary Trent on 17 May 11
       
      I think that classroom teachers are still struggling with this. We are improving our teaching styles to meet the needs and different learning styles of students, but we aren't quite there yet. My son, for example, is an auditory learner. I'd like for him to be able to have tests read to him without filling out a 504 or IEP. It should just be something that every classroom is quipped to do and the teacher is willing to do it.
    • Bob Pauk
      Bob Pauk on 17 May 11
       
      This is always a challenge. We have done training on this for years.
    • crjessen44
      crjessen44 on 18 May 11
       
      This one grabbed my attention. I'm currently helping two students with special learning needs take an on-line math class for credit recovery. It has been a very frustrating experience for them in multiple capacities. They not only struggle with content, but with technology issues - the two combined are sometimes more than the students can handle. On a positive note, I've seen some really cool things you can do within an on-line class to tailor the instruction to better meet their needs. I think in some respects you could perhaps more easily tailor on-line learning to meet the needs of a more diverse set of learners?
    • Ashley Weaver
      Ashley Weaver on 18 May 11
       
      I think these online learning tools, if used properly, can help all students, but especially thoses with special needs (including TAG, ELL, etc.). I think the ability to move at their own pace would help some greatly!
    • rcordes1961
      rcordes1961 on 18 May 11
       
      Ashely took my comments! She is dead on though. Online learning tools can be an amazing assest to students with special needs, if used appropriately. In Mary's example, podcasting or some other type of online audio program could be used to assist auditory learners.
    • Cassie Gruman
      Cassie Gruman on 19 May 11
       
      I am a huge fan of Howard Gardner's multiple intelligence model. As I have been searching through the "Cool Tools for School" website, I am constantly thinking of ways I could apply these newly discovered tools to my curriculum to reach all of the eight intelligences to some degree. I really think it will be vital to offer more options in an on-line course, since the face-to-face interaction will be less, perhaps making it more difficult to get to know students and their unique personalities.
    • Bob Pauk
      Bob Pauk on 19 May 11
       
      I think one way to address this is to do a hybrid course with some online aspects and other face to face. I think anytime we can have variety in our assignments, presentations and assessments, we are more likely to reach a greater number of students with at least some part of our class.
    • Shirley Horstman
      Shirley Horstman on 19 May 11
       
      I like the hybrid concept. Our students are diverse in the way they learn and this allows each student to maximize and individual their learning.
    • Mary Overholtzer
      Mary Overholtzer on 12 Jun 11
       
      Again, moderation in all things is key for learning and building relationships.
  • • Provides and communicates evidence of learning and course data to students and colleagues (SREB J.6, ITS 1.a
    • rcordes1961
      rcordes1961 on 17 May 11
       
      Providing feedback to students in any type of course is extremely important in order for students to continue to progress. When not meeting face to face with the instructor communication and course feedback is imperative.
    • Deon Wingert
      Deon Wingert on 17 May 11
       
      Rob, I think that feedback, when given constructively to students prior to any type of evaluation, can be one of the most effective teaching tools a teacher can use!
    • Ashley Weaver
      Ashley Weaver on 18 May 11
       
      I think the use of technology will enhance feedback opportunities. I also think that the peer feedback opportunities could be a very enriching experience for students, in addition to teach feedback.
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 19 May 11
       
      I struggle with feedback within my language arts classroom when it comes to writing assignments. By the time I get them all graded and handed back, the kids look at their grade and many recycle them on their way out. Did they really benefit from all the time I spent making comments and giving them feedback?
    • Nancy Peterman
      Nancy Peterman on 19 May 11
       
      I think that supplementing our face-to-face classrooms with online environments (ex. Moodle) will enrich the student experience and provide the teacher with a quicker response method.
    • rcordes1961
      rcordes1961 on 19 May 11
       
      Sherri, I wonder if students would take more time reading feedback if the feedback was on some form of online feedback. I agree many times students are just interested only in the grade as oposed to how to improve or what they can learn from the feedback. I said many times, nothing gets in the way of learning more, than the almighty grade!
    • Mary Overholtzer
      Mary Overholtzer on 02 Jun 11
       
      I model feedback after the Boy's town Model. Constructive feedback starts with a powerful statement of praise AND supporting details. We also have a consideration statement...NO buts...for example: I truly appreciate the aesthetic details that your writing creates within my mind due to your word choice and the emotions created. You might consider looking at us more by becomeing more familiar with your writing so that eye contact is given to your audience. I have found that many students appreciate oral feedback and most look forward to it. Naturally, I always end the feedback session after the students go. What's really neat is when students have done such a good job with feedback that it's difficult for me to add more...
    • Mary Overholtzer
      Mary Overholtzer on 12 Jun 11
       
      Once again, it's the relationship piece that is needed within the feedback piece. I believe we need to show students improvement through building the relationship.
  • • Demonstrates growth in technology knowledge and skills in order to stay current with emerging technologies (SREB B.5)
    • Deon Wingert
      Deon Wingert on 17 May 11
       
      I am TRYING to stay current with technologies provided by our staff development, and believe it is critical to stay one step ahead of students.
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 17 May 11
       
      I also am trying to stay current with new forms of technology. My biggest roadblock though is not knowing what is out there. That's why I was so excited to see the Cool Tools for Schools site. It was a valuable resource that I can browse through to find out what is currently being used technology-wise.
    • Amy Burns
      Amy Burns on 17 May 11
       
      I am constantly hunting for new tools to use. I am sometimes frustrated by sites that lure me in and then, just as I am feeling comfortable using their tools, suddenly want to charge me. Back to searching......
    • rcordes1961
      rcordes1961 on 18 May 11
       
      Staying current with new technolgy is vitally important, however, I respectfully disagree with Deon that teaches need to stay ahead of the students, as students can sometimes be the best teachers for adults.
    • mhauser
      mhauser on 22 May 11
       
      I agree with rcordes, sorry Deon! We can't keep ahead we have to guide. I took the human relations course 30 years ago, and remember hearing for the first time that teachers would become 'facilitators'. I thought that was a crazy idea back then, but boy, that has to be who we are. It's great when the kids solve a problem before me, for them and for me.
    • Chip Bishop
      Chip Bishop on 25 May 11
       
      Staying current on technology is an never ending struggle. You can't keep up with all of it, but by focusing on a few things that work for you can make it less stressful.
    • Victoria Guilliatt
      Victoria Guilliatt on 26 May 11
       
      I agree with not knowing what is out there, especially since I am not in the classroom anymore, it is hard to find sites that are easy to navigate.
  • • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face (SREB C.1, Varvel V)
    • Tim Hughes
      Tim Hughes on 17 May 11
       
      This could be difficult for an animated personality, where actions speak as loud as words.
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 17 May 11
       
      I can definitely see the benefits to teaching online, but it would be a sad foreign language class if all of the material was taught this way. There has to be social, face-to-face interactions. That's where fluency can be built.
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 19 May 11
       
      I totally agree. I keep trying to add more technology to my classes all the time, but I really try to caution myself to add it because it is an improvement and not just simply adding technology.
    • Tim Hadley
      Tim Hadley on 22 May 11
       
      This standard seems very vague to me. How do you determine if the instructor knows the difference between face to face and online learning? I guess I am still sorting out and determining that myself what the difference is, so may be why it is difficult for me to discern.
    • Mary Overholtzer
      Mary Overholtzer on 03 Jun 11
       
      It's the relationship variable.....do we care enough to reach out?
  • • Provides and communicates evidence of learning and course data to students and colleagues (SREB J.6, ITS 1.a)
  • 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)
    • Bob Pauk
      Bob Pauk on 17 May 11
       
      I currently use numreous programs: from powerpoint and gradebook to email, smartboard, blogging, etc. In four weeks I will either be much more technologically advanced or I will be ready to give up.
    • Tim Hughes
      Tim Hughes on 17 May 11
       
      I must agree. It is starting to get out of hand
    • Deborah Ausborn
      Deborah Ausborn on 19 May 11
       
      Yes, I know, but I'm willing to give it a good shot. If I fail, I fail, but I think I'll learn something useful. I guess "Nothing ventured, nothing gained" applies here very well.
    • Steven Petersen
      Steven Petersen on 21 May 11
       
      This standard will have to be updated a lot. Technology seems to change very frequently. What is advanced today may very well be obsolete tomorrow. More importantly, the variety of technology out there makes this a nightmare. You might be in one district that utilizes one type of application then go to another district that uses a totally different platform for the same task.
    • Mary Overholtzer
      Mary Overholtzer on 03 Jun 11
       
      I'm with you all on this. It's called information overload. Moderation in all things is GOOD. Too much drink, we know what it does. Too much food, we know what that does. Too much technology, oh nooooo what could that do. Moderation in all things will bring a balance
  • Selects and uses technologies appropriate to the content that enhance learning
    • Ashley Weaver
      Ashley Weaver on 18 May 11
       
      I definitely need to work on this standard. Everything seems so new and unfamiliar. I hope I can learn through this course which tools are appropriate for my students and curriculum.
    • rcordes1961
      rcordes1961 on 18 May 11
       
      Ashley, it is very difficult to determine what strategy or technology is best to use when, especially, when there are so many different options out there for an instructor to use online. I guess we just need to keep an open mind and adjust accordingly because new technology is always being developed.
    • Laura Eklund
      Laura Eklund on 18 May 11
       
      This is also something I need to work on. There are so many online tools that are available to use, but I feel overwhelmed by the number available to us.
    • Joleen Louwsma
      Joleen Louwsma on 19 May 11
       
      I am currently using Moodle for several of my classes. I don't use the "tools" to make my classes more engaging. My goal is to use the Moodle as more than a homework repository. I think we all have good intentions on adding technology , but we get bogged down in the routines. This class is a great way to explore new "tools". :)
    • Jeffrey Haverland
      Jeffrey Haverland on 19 May 11
       
      Technology is such a difficult thing because it is ever changing, and it seems that by the time we get it loaded on our machines, life has moved on without us. The other issue is the amount of tools that are available for use because time to explore is rather limited.
    • David Olson
      David Olson on 19 May 11
       
      I have not yet figured out what technology is fun, and what technology is actually useful in teaching.
    • Melissa Hesner
      Melissa Hesner on 23 May 11
       
      I believe a lot of teachers (myself included) are stuck in using technology as an add-on to learning. For example, my 6th grade students are currently creating Google presentations about extraterrestrial locations. The presentations are very nice and the practice of making and presenting them will help communication skills, but the creation of the presentation itself will not enhance their learning of the science content. I have simply integrated a different media for presentation. We need to use technology in pedagogy not a superficial add-on.
  • Sets and models clear expectations for appropriate behavior and proper interaction
    • Ashley Weaver
      Ashley Weaver on 18 May 11
       
      Critical piece when working with young adults in this media age!
    • Chip Bishop
      Chip Bishop on 25 May 11
       
      I would agree, and add that teachers also, to be reminded of what is appropriate. You see all too often where a teacher is being accused of inappropriate behavior while use social media sites.
  • ensure academic integrity
    • Ashley Weaver
      Ashley Weaver on 18 May 11
       
      It is so important to teach them media literacy. I know this is a fear that my fellow teachers have about moving to online learning, but academic integrity should be part of the curriculum!
    • Shirley Horstman
      Shirley Horstman on 19 May 11
       
      Academic integrity is necessary when learning online! One also needs to teach students how to filter through all the information to find the accurate sources.
    • mhauser
      mhauser on 22 May 11
       
      Academic integrity has been an issue long before the development of the internet. I started out as an English teacher and have several tales of the plagiarized or bogus research paper. I moved to the role of teacher librarian in '95 as the internet surged into our lives. what an interesting dynamic it is, but the issues go back to basic human ideas of right and wrong. I very much appreciate that the teaching standards, the core and the 21st Century Skills all address this fundamental issue of working with people.
  • Demonstrates techniques for dealing with issues arising from inappropriate student technological use
    • david moeller
      david moeller on 18 May 11
       
      this can be difficult. but it seems that there are tools in place in our LMS's to choose to moderate what students are posting, and disallow any inappropriate comments. or at least delete them shortly after their initial posting. email alerts make this easier.
    • Matt Tracy
      Matt Tracy on 18 May 11
       
      Isn't it amazing just how little the students understand about what is appropriate and inappropriate online?
    • April Tidwell
      April Tidwell on 21 May 11
       
      I am constantly amazed at what a student thinks is appropriate as well. Most of our teachers are concerned about going 1:1 becasue of this reason.
  • Demonstrates competence in content knowledge (including technological knowledge) appropriate to the instructional position
  • Assists students with technology used in the course
    • Laura Eklund
      Laura Eklund on 18 May 11
       
      With my experience so far in teaching it seems that the students will be assisting me with the technology. My students seem much more knowledgeable than me.
    • Deborah Ausborn
      Deborah Ausborn on 19 May 11
       
      I think they have more time to just explore than we do. What I dislike most about exploring technology is the amount of time it takes.
    • hollysoby
      hollysoby on 22 May 11
       
      I've noticed how many basic things kids don't know about technology, though. Like the one I notice the most is they do not know how to use Google - if they are looking for answers to questions, they post the full question. While I think there are a lot of things they are better at than we are, we still need to stay on top of the technology that matters most to us so they can learn the best ways to use things.
  • Understands student motivation and uses techniques to engage students (Varvel V.D, ITS 4.d)
    • Julia Schreckengast
      Julia Schreckengast on 18 May 11
       
      Engaging students is a constant struggle for me in my mathematics classes. Any appropriate technology to assist in that would be helpful.
    • Joleen Louwsma
      Joleen Louwsma on 19 May 11
       
      I also struggle with engaging students in the Language Arts classroom. Getting students to try new things isn't always easy, but I think they get bored with some technology. Finding and perfecting different technoloical ideas may help students to stay engaged.
    • Kathryn Christensen
      Kathryn Christensen on 19 May 11
       
      I also think students get bored with technology tools. The key question is...are you use the correct technology tool? Our students (or at least most of the class) will get bored if there is fluke during the lesson and will notice if the tool doesn't fit the lesson well.
    • Jeffrey Haverland
      Jeffrey Haverland on 19 May 11
       
      Student motivation is a concern for me when considering online learning. There is something about a living, breathing, and physically accessible educator that brings me peace of mind.
    • Lynne Devaney
      Lynne Devaney on 19 May 11
       
      My challenge is to translate what some of these tools do in relation to what I traditionally do with a group of students. If I think through the tool plus the strategies I use in class...what new products could be developed? Kind of boggles the mind.
    • Boyd Card
      Boyd Card on 22 May 11
       
      Engaging students is a little work at times. Students have developed so many skills with portable technolgoy they carry with them,the first challenge is to get them present then get them to engage??
  • Demonstrates effective instructional strategies and techniques, appropriate for online education, that align with course objectives and assessment (SREB
    • Julia Schreckengast
      Julia Schreckengast on 18 May 11
       
      Using online instruction for a high school class requires an appropriate balance between the online and the in class instruction.
    • Lynne Devaney
      Lynne Devaney on 19 May 11
       
      Finding that balance may be challenge. I have not thought deeply about some of the strategies we use in the district butI believe online might be interesting to use with AIW...both teachers and as we move to students reflecting on their work.
  • informs student of their rights to privacy and the conditions under which their work may be shared with others
    • Matt Tracy
      Matt Tracy on 18 May 11
       
      I wish the students were aware that privacy was okay and they don't have to share everything. This is a huge issue with the technology now available.
  • Maintains an online social presence that is a
    • Joleen Louwsma
      Joleen Louwsma on 19 May 11
       
      I'm wondering about building the relationship and discussions with online students. I build on student questions and anwers. How does the time delay affect the social aspect? How will I know if the students feel I'm approachable or unapproachable?
    • Kathryn Christensen
      Kathryn Christensen on 19 May 11
       
      I have been wondering the same thing but...our instructor has managed to gain my trust and is approchable. He has done this through timely and honest emails. Thanks Evan!!
    • Cassie Gruman
      Cassie Gruman on 19 May 11
       
      I agree that Evan does seem very approachable and has provided helpful and timely feedback, but I too wonder how this is possible. I guess it still seems a bit overwhelming when I am not overly familiar with Moodle. Perhaps the best thing to do is have an initial activity like we had for this course where students introduce themselves in a creative manner and respond to others' introductions as well; it serves as an icebreaker.
    • Steven Petersen
      Steven Petersen on 21 May 11
       
      Contractually this one bothers me. It would almost appear that teachers will be required to work outside the contract time on a regular basis. This may lead to some legal issues.
  •  Demonstrates effective instructional strategies and techniques, appropriate for online education, that align with course objectives and assessment (SREB C.1, SREB G.6, Varvel V.C, ITS 3.d, ITS 4.b)
  • Communicates with students effectively and consistently
    • Kathryn Christensen
      Kathryn Christensen on 19 May 11
       
      Time consuming???? Any ideas on how to handle this with out being on consant email surveillance?
    • mhauser
      mhauser on 22 May 11
       
      I've used e-mail and a blog to communicate with sophomore world history students for several years. E-mail is actually pretty fast. It's a great way for kids to ask for help. I think it's easier for the student to get my attention that way, because they're not competing for my attention, and they're not embarrassed about the help they're asking for. I respond to their blog posts privately. They receive my comments in both an e-mail and in a reply on the blog. I think your question about constant surveillance is a good one. It's easy to respond quickly to e-mail questions, but I've found that I need to establish a time to respond to their blog entries. Depending on the class, you would have to determine how often and when you'd respond. Otherwise you'd be constantly distracted.
    • Deb Ritchie
      Deb Ritchie on 23 May 11
       
      An organized approach to responding has been an issue for me this year. I'm likeing the model Evan is using in this course with specific days we can expect assignments to be graded and specific times he will be checking e-mail, etc. I think I will borrow from that idea. Of course, the burden is eased when we are also seeing students fact to face and not just online.
  • encourages collaboration
    • Kathryn Christensen
      Kathryn Christensen on 19 May 11
       
      Great to see so many tools for problem solving with a partner (no matter what you teach)!
    • Amy Kemp
      Amy Kemp on 22 May 11
       
      I agree.  I feel it is very important to have that learning community to allow the students to collaborate.  Let's face it, the less we say, the more they learn!
  • including student-teacher, student-student, and student-content
    • Cassie Gruman
      Cassie Gruman on 19 May 11
       
      With teaching middle school social studies, I am constantly changing up the dynamic of my classroom. Students work individually, in pairs, in small groups, as a whole class, individually conference with me, deliver individual and group presentation, etc. I think changing the arrangement helps middle school students to refocus and stay interested in the material. At first I though this would be difficult to accomplish online; however, I am now realizing that there are many different ways to interact through a wide array of tools.
  • including rubrics for student performances and participation
    • Cassie Gruman
      Cassie Gruman on 19 May 11
       
      My students are always wanting to know what they are going to be graded on and how they can earn an A. Originally I thought creating a rubric would be a stressful task, but now I have found that rubrics make grading much easier. Also, the feedback provided on the rubric is more beneficial and detailed for students. I also have found that students are more productive and focused on work days, as they know my expectations ahead of time, and they know exactly what they need to do to earn the grade they desire. Certainly with online learning, a rubric would be a key communication tool in guiding students when the instructor might not be readily available to answer questions.
  • Utilizes a course evaluation and student feedback data to improve the course
    • Cassie Gruman
      Cassie Gruman on 19 May 11
       
      My first year of teaching I had both a self-evaluation for students and a course evaluation to gain an understanding of how students felt the year had gone. I have not done this since, probably because I use several formative assessment strategies throughout each unit to gauge student understanding. I definitely think a course and/or instructor evaluation would be essential in an online learning environment, especially for those of us just starting out, so we can use students' suggestions to better improve our instruction.
    • Nancy Peterman
      Nancy Peterman on 19 May 11
       
      I am in agreement with you about the need for course and instructor evaluations, but I think a lot of times it gets overlooked or dropped.
    • Kathy Hageman
      Kathy Hageman on 20 May 11
       
      The most effective course evaluation is frequent and ongoing. Feedback from students is more specific right after an activity or unit than at the end of the school year. Perhaps a course evaluation could be divided into sections to be completed at appropriate times throughout the year.
    • Boyd Card
      Boyd Card on 20 May 11
       
      Having just finished teaching a college class I am awaiting the the student feedback the college requires the students to fill out under the supervison of another person. It will be informative to read what they belive my teaching had done for them.
    • April Tidwell
      April Tidwell on 21 May 11
       
      I use survey monkey for my evaluations. I do it by quarters. It's great because it is free, and it complies the data for you. I get a lot of good information from these surveys and would definitely continue to do this with an online course.
    • Mary Overholtzer
      Mary Overholtzer on 02 Jun 11
       
      I appreciate data. I appreciate the time needed to look at the data. Until we are able to become more reflective practitioners during the school year, looking at data won't necessarily happen. I know how much time I take to look at data. I am not harried during the summer. When professional development allows for time to be reflective in our teaching, I do think greater results will happen.
    • Mary Overholtzer
      Mary Overholtzer on 03 Jun 11
       
      As much data as we have at our finger tips, I feel the variable that consistently comes through is the relationship piece. Teaching over the ICN is different than teaching in a face to face. As an instructor of a college level class, my evaluations have always suffered when comparing the face to face students with the students who are at another site. They really don't have any idea what I am like during the natural coffee breaks because of that relationship piece that is lacking. Having a face to face relationship is different than having an online relationship, yet I do believe it's easier to build in person. Many contacts via email doesn't necessarily build it, yet quick responses in email can help....but being that 24/7 teacher is really hard as we juggle our own lives.
  • 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)
    • Jeffrey Haverland
      Jeffrey Haverland on 19 May 11
       
      This is really a critical piece because even thought the course is online, it better be high quality educators who are delivering it through the lens of sound educational practices. One of my biggest fears is online learning opening up a venue for for anyone who thinks they would be better at teaching than trained educators.
    • Boyd Card
      Boyd Card on 20 May 11
       
      As a vocational instructor it is imperative to know your content and be prepared to present it in a manor that not only tranfers the knowledge to the student but in a way that it is retained- (safety)
    • Melissa Hesner
      Melissa Hesner on 23 May 11
       
      Well said, Jeffrey! I believe it takes cream of the crop teachers who have deep understanding of teaching and learning to teach online. It is hard for some to make learning activities meaningful and rigorous in a face-to-face setting, and to do so in an online setting would be even harder, especially when considering effective instruction for the content area.
  • • 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)
    • Jeffrey Haverland
      Jeffrey Haverland on 19 May 11
       
      This really goes along with what I wrote above. Not only do online instructors need to understand teaching and learning, they also need to have the background to teach that course. We can all be "experts" at things we know nothing about--Wikipedia is a great example of this, but the ability to "impart" this knowledge on others needs to be controlled.
    • Steven Petersen
      Steven Petersen on 21 May 11
       
      This one has troubled me lately. When I began teaching at the post-secondary level there was a certification required. Now you only have to have enough credits in the topic area to teach it. There is no certification required. This does not insure that the person teaching the course actually knows how to teach.
    • Jessica White
      Jessica White on 23 May 11
       
      I had a professor in college tell me that intelligence is one thing that separates great teachers from good teachers. I have never forgotten this, and I see it over and over. Teachers need to know the content, but also need to know how to teach. You can't have one without the other.
  • Knows and aligns instruction to the achievement goals
    • Shirley Horstman
      Shirley Horstman on 19 May 11
       
      To maximize knowledge the subject area content must be aligned to the goals. Assessment must also be aligned!
  • Understands and uses data from assessments to guide instruction
  • Provides substantive, timely, and constructive feedback to students
    • Deborah Ausborn
      Deborah Ausborn on 19 May 11
       
      I have found that timely feedback is vital for student learning. It avoids future similar mistakes and when not provided, can lead to feelings of failure on the student's part. Timely feedback can nip most problems in the bud.
    • Boyd Card
      Boyd Card on 22 May 11
       
      Timely feed back is very important. It allows students to grow with direction.
  • Creates a safe environment, managing conflict (Varvel VII.D, ITS 6.e)
    • Lynne Devaney
      Lynne Devaney on 19 May 11
       
      While I do not have any experience of any kind in the online teaching world, Evan may know, what does conflict look like between students in the online world?
  • 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
    • Kathy Hageman
      Kathy Hageman on 20 May 11
       
      I have taken "online courses" for graduate credit in which the structure of the course was nothing more than a list of assignments to complete outside the Moodle and snail mail to the instructor. Those poor examples certainly helped me understand the importance of the structure and presentation of online courses!
    • Boyd Card
      Boyd Card on 20 May 11
       
      I would have to say I had the same experience a long time ago with a computer class I took on line. From what I am experiencing so far this will not be that type of course. We will be experiencing may stuyles and types of learning! : )
    • hollysoby
      hollysoby on 22 May 11
       
      I'm really excited about the blended learning idea - I'm already thinking of how I can really change how I teach publications - I have some students who have had a pre-req writing class, some who haven't, some who are brand new, other with experience, and I think I can use online learning to offer more ways to make sure all those groups are learning and being challenged.
  • Promotes learning through online collaboration group work that is goal-oriented and focused
    • Kathy Hageman
      Kathy Hageman on 20 May 11
       
      Well-designed online collaborative learning activities, which provide a greater opportunity for a student to work at his or her own pace, may be less threatening and result in greater participation than in-class group work.
    • Heather Gould
      Heather Gould on 21 May 11
       
      I agree, however, it's an adjustment for students. I do feel the collaborative element is essential regardless of the modality of the learning. I work with middle school students through our AEA 267 National Day on Writing project. It's been interesting to watch some students flourish with collaboration at a distance, while others struggle working with people they can't 'see'.
  • appropriate for online learning
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 20 May 11
       
      What would be examples of 'multiple assessment instruments here? Does this refer to typical rubrics?
    • Deb Ritchie
      Deb Ritchie on 23 May 11
       
      Hmmm. Using moodle there could be an on-line multiple choice test, a blog entry, and insightful forum posts. Would those be multiple assessment instruments?
  • instruments
    • Tresa Zaragoza
      Tresa Zaragoza on 20 May 11
       
      Not everyone learns the same so this is a very important part of any teaching.
  • Aligns assessment with course objectives
  • Continuously uses data to evaluate the accuracy and effectiveness of instructional strategies
    • April Tidwell
      April Tidwell on 21 May 11
       
      This is a BIG push in our district. They have spent a lot of time and money in data collection, and now the push is to get teachers to actually use the data to drive in struction
    • Mary Overholtzer
      Mary Overholtzer on 12 Jun 11
       
      I find using the data is the hardest component. We have so much data within our district, yet the time variable is needed in order to make change concerning this data.
  • interaction
    • April Tidwell
      April Tidwell on 21 May 11
       
      I'm amazed how kids seems to interact more on line then they will in class. I hosted a chat during a class period and kids that never raise their hand in class were contributing and even leading the discussion. I thing online learning helps this generation connect in a learning community.
  • age and ability level
    • Heather Gould
      Heather Gould on 21 May 11
       
      In the research I've read about age and ability level, I was surprised to learn that an instructor cannot assume that the young are tech savvy and older participants will struggle with technology. There is no research to support this, as sometimes just the opposite is the case.
  • Provides opportunities that enable student self-assessment and pre-assessment within courses
  • Identifies and communicates learning outcomes and expectations through a course overview/orientation
    • hollysoby
      hollysoby on 22 May 11
       
      I'm hoping I can use online learning to make standards and expectations clear to students upfront - currently I give them packets every unit with the plan nad assignments for that unit, and I'm hoping Moodle makes that process easier, more clear and less dead tree intensive.
    • Tim Hadley
      Tim Hadley on 22 May 11
       
      You should have chosen green as your highlighter color. :) Saving trees is great for all. Beyond saving trees, I think having something that students can always access anywhere is great. Whether they are at a friend's house, on the bus or at grandma's in another state, items posted online can be found. I think it elimnates some of the excuse that "I didn't know what was due."
  • multiple assessment
  • Selects and understands how to evaluate learning materials and resources that align with the context and enhance learning (SREB C.15, SREB M.4, Varvel IV.C, ITS 3.e, ITS 4.f)
    • Amy Kemp
      Amy Kemp on 22 May 11
       
      In Math, choosing the appropriate resource is critical as it is in any course.
    • Jason Gomez
      Jason Gomez on 07 Jun 11
       
      This is going to be hard; knowing how to grade it? I hope there is a rubric that is easy to follow.
  • Understands and uses course content that complies with intellectual property rights and fair use, and assists students in complying as well
    • Tim Hadley
      Tim Hadley on 22 May 11
       
      If I struggle with any area, it is probably making sure that what I am using is not a violation of this standard. I suppose I grew up in a family that shared everything, so when it comes to the property rights of others, I share and share alike.
    • Mary Overholtzer
      Mary Overholtzer on 03 Jun 11
       
      I have taught that explaining it at the kindergarten level can enhance a student's ability to work the material in a manner that becomes his/her idea. It's really hard to plagarize when it's written in kindergarten terms.
  • Networks with others involved in online education for the purpose of professional growth (SREB L.1, ITS 7.b)
  • Applies research, knowledge, and skills from professional growth to improve practice
    • Victoria Guilliatt
      Victoria Guilliatt on 26 May 11
       
      I want to be able to use the new information I learn in the this class and apply it to my library classes that I teach in the elementary.
    • Victoria Guilliatt
      Victoria Guilliatt on 26 May 11
       
      I plan to use the knowledge I gain from this class with my students.
  •  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)
  • Demonstrates competence in planning, designing, and incorporating instructional strategies (ITS 3)
    • Jason Gomez
      Jason Gomez on 07 Jun 11
       
      This could take a while for me; I'm still learning how to do this stuff let a lone plan, design, & incorporate. I can already see there will be a lot of trial & error this coming year
  • Iowa Core
    • Mary Overholtzer
      Mary Overholtzer on 12 Jun 11
       
      There is so much to learn about the Iowa Core. I'm so glad there is a great deal of exposure within this class.
  • multiple intelligences
  • constructivism, behaviorism, cognitivism, connectivism, and group theory
    • Mary Overholtzer
      Mary Overholtzer on 12 Jun 11
       
      All these theories will bring a better understanding to educators when it is worked into our vocabulary.
  • community
  • Tim Hadley on 22 May 11
     
    See title
jorge malagon

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

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

education Teacher Google_voice technology

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

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

www.educause.edu/...157435

moodle moodle_iowa web2.0

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

ollie1sweetman: Iowa Online Teaching Standards - 0 views

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

shared by Dean Whaley on 22 Jun 11 - No Cached
  • • Has experienced online learning from the perspective of a student (SREB F.1, Varvel II.E)
    • Deb Henkes
      Deb Henkes on 22 Jun 11
       
      I think it is really important to have a variety of experiences with various online courses as a student before becoming an online teacher. That way you get a chance to see what works and also what doesn't. (I've taken some online courses that I've learned what NOT to do!) That way as online teachers we can really make the course an efficient learning experience for the student.
    • Denise Krefting
      Denise Krefting on 23 Jun 11
       
      In all of the teachers who I have worked with becoming online teachers- this is on that I absolutely require! I still take classes from a variety of teachers to see what works and glean other ideas as Deb mentioned.
    • Kelly Josephson
      Kelly Josephson on 23 Jun 11
       
      Don't you think that gains such experiences will also allow online teachers to offer their students a variety of options and incorporate differentiation?
    • Andrea Accola-Sabin
      Andrea Accola-Sabin on 23 Jun 11
       
      I have learned so much so far in this online class, that I will have a feeling of what my students are going through. With this being my first online class, I can experience the stress that students will experience with more schools going 1:1
    • Joe Doerges
      Joe Doerges on 25 Jun 11
       
      I have made it a requirement that a staff member needs to take a course like this before I will set them up as teacher on our Moodle server. That has not been well received, but I'm sticking to it! BTW, that is why I'm taking this class.
    • Rebecca Clausen
      Rebecca Clausen on 26 Jun 11
       
      This is only my second online class and it is very different from one I just finished. I am just now appreciating all the work and technologies that went into that class. We used the Angel system, Camtasia Studio, tests, reading assignments to download, and a live video meeting each week. However, there were no real community building forums or ways to contact other students. I am really appreciating the help I am getting through the Moodle forums as well has reading about how Moodle technology is already being used in school classrooms.
  • • Communicates with students effectively and consistently
    • Deb Henkes
      Deb Henkes on 22 Jun 11
       
      Communication with the students on a consistent basis is critical in an online course. It allows the class momentum to flow smoothly and often keeps problems or issues to a minimum by addressing them quickly before students become too frustrated.
    • gfrolekclark
      gfrolekclark on 26 Jun 11
       
      Agreed! If students become frustrated or can't have questions answered, you can lose them pretty quickly.
    • Andrea Accola-Sabin
      Andrea Accola-Sabin on 27 Jun 11
       
      With the blended class that I had last year, I learned that most students did not get on to the computer to do homework until 10 pm or later. Being that I have a 45 minute drive in the morning to get to school I wanted to be in bed by 11 pm. Knowing that my students might need my assistance was troublesome to me, since most did not login until midnight. I told my students that I would probably not respond to work that was completed after 10:30 pm until the next day. Once the students knew this, the class ran smooth. We need to let the students know what are times are going to be to respond to questions!
    • Linda Root
      Linda Root on 29 Jun 11
       
      Communication between teacher and student is absolutely necessary for success in any classroom whether it be traditional classroom or an online course. But because feedback is not instantaneous in an online course, communication is even more crucial for longevity and success. The online instructor needs to be very specific about communication times, when they will be dealing with daily student questions, feedback and grading. As a new student to online learning, the one issue I struggle with is my preference to verbal dialogue rather than written communication. I need the immediate feedback that face to face or Skype provides.
  • Understands and uses course content that complies with intellectual property rights and fair use, and assists students in complying as well
    • Denise Krefting
      Denise Krefting on 23 Jun 11
       
      This is something that we do not model enough with our adult learners and students
    • Erin Siefken
      Erin Siefken on 29 Jun 11
       
      This has always been an area of concern for me, it goes back to when I worked in university extension education. I am often concerned about copyrights and how much of someone else's work we can legally use.
  • ...28 more annotations...
  • Understands and uses data from assessments to guide instruction
    • Denise Krefting
      Denise Krefting on 23 Jun 11
       
      It is important that we use data to make decisions, but because of time, I find that we do not do this as much as we should. How can we make this easier?
    • Melinda Connon
      Melinda Connon on 23 Jun 11
       
      This is a very big challenge. Starting with lack of time, but also lack of statistical skills...starting with NCLB and the impossibility that we can have 100% of our students above the 40%-tile rank. There are requirements for using & interpreting statistics, like simple random sampling and comparing similar populations. In a small school, each grade is not the same population -- and I even saw that when I subbed in larger district as a new teacher.
  • • 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)
    • Melinda Connon
      Melinda Connon on 23 Jun 11
       
      I was helping a colleague with an online statistics course this semester. The instructor did not know how to explain or help students other than telling them to reread the text or what she had already written. I did not see if they were using moodle or blackboard,
    • Ginny Kraus
      Ginny Kraus on 24 Jun 11
       
      I agree that both (content and technology) knowledges need to be pretty sharp. Students are at all different parts of the spectrum on their own knowledge of the subject and need to have the resources from the instructor to help them succeed.
    • Jenny Rohrbeck
      Jenny Rohrbeck on 25 Jun 11
       
      I strongly agree that the instructor needs to know the content of the subject and also needs to know how to teach it as well as have adequate resources to do so. I believe the success of the students depends on the confidence and knowledge of the instructor. I took several online courses in college and without the resources from the instructor or without the instructor knowing how to navigate through the course I would have felt lost! I know several other students in the class that struggled but with a knowledgable instructor they were able to get back on track. I think this is something that can be hard even in face-to-face instruction!...I've had several teachers that weren't sure HOW to teach, while I've had others that were creative and found many ways! This is a vital part of the standards!
    • Andrea Accola-Sabin
      Andrea Accola-Sabin on 27 Jun 11
       
      With students in our school going 1:1 next fall will help some of them. They will have more access to resources from the internet and the ability to access those resources. I also feel that the teacher needs to be available for the students to ask questions, when they still do not understand for the internet resources.
    • Aryn Kruse
      Aryn Kruse on 29 Jun 11
       
      I taught a course using ISU's WebCT system and found that I was so busy troubleshooting the program with learners some days that the content was lost---I think this standard re-emphasizes that the point of using technology is to enhance content learning...so it's important to not let the technology usability get in the way of the content....
  • using appropriate visual web design techniques
    • Melinda Connon
      Melinda Connon on 23 Jun 11
       
      I noticed in Moodle yesterday that it does not lock proportions when you insert pictures. Coming from a family printing business and math teaching career, it's something I notice in amateur publications - people get skinnier without dieting or shorter without osteoporosis. It's a 21st century application of proportions -- cross curricular with graphics/math -- I had to apply it with my Earlham cardinal head.
    • Deb Henkes
      Deb Henkes on 23 Jun 11
       
      I hear you Melinda! Just because you can create a publication doesn't mean you 'should' create a publication!
    • Jenny Rohrbeck
      Jenny Rohrbeck on 25 Jun 11
       
      Melinda - I noticed this as well! I was quite surprised that it didn't lock the proportions! I am not great with technology, but this is something that I did notice!
  • Utilizes a course evaluation and student feedback data to improve the course
  • 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
    • Kelly Josephson
      Kelly Josephson on 23 Jun 11
       
      This is a big concern to me. I feel that I am somewhat competent where technology is concerned, but I still have a lot to learn. If an online course flops, will it be because of a lack of technology skill/knowledge? Almost every teacher feels confident in the content they teach face to face, but they don't always have the confidence in the technological aspect. This is what makes them resistant to change. I think we have to be comfortable with the technological features of management software and explore the endless options that technology has to offer. This give new meaning to life-long learning!
    • Andrea Accola-Sabin
      Andrea Accola-Sabin on 23 Jun 11
       
      I hope that this moodle course will help me imporve on this standard and benchmark
    • Deb Henkes
      Deb Henkes on 23 Jun 11
       
      Really good comment Kellie about a course flopping due to tech skills or knowledge. I really like the convience that online courses provide but as an online teacher if a runs into a road block you can see their faces to know that they need problems. Continual communication is the key to overcoming some of the those issues. I think that being an online teacher is more demanding than a face-to-face class!
    • gfrolekclark
      gfrolekclark on 26 Jun 11
       
      I think it is important to learn new tools--but experiencing them as a "student" in a course such as this, adds a different experience that I think is important to teachers. Since I am NOT experienced in many of these areas--I am finding myself not only trying to manage content, but also the technology. For some students that won't be a problem--for others, it could be an issue.
    • Kim Cline
      Kim Cline on 27 Jun 11
       
      I think it is so important that teachers know HOW to use the sites effectively, and which ones are appropriate to use for the correct assignments. Too many times I think online activities are used to simply fill time, and not to get the students thinking critically. Therefore, I completely agree with the statement that says "to improve learning and teaching".
  • Demonstrates effective instructional strategies and techniques, appropriate for online education, that align with course objectives and assessment
    • Kelly Josephson
      Kelly Josephson on 23 Jun 11
       
      To me this means using appropriate technology for the content standards and not just using technology for the sake of using technology in a classroom setting.
    • Ginny Kraus
      Ginny Kraus on 24 Jun 11
       
      That is my delema with being a support teacher without a whole "classroom". While students are using technology for their projects (science or social studies, etc.) I don't use it with my students because my curriculum is direct instruction so I won't use it just to meet a "use of technology standard".
  • 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
    • Andrea Accola-Sabin
      Andrea Accola-Sabin on 23 Jun 11
       
      Moodle should make this easier to use different learning styles
    • Deb Henkes
      Deb Henkes on 23 Jun 11
       
      Absolutely! What are tech strategies to maximize differentation to make learning more engaging for the student?
    • Jenny Rohrbeck
      Jenny Rohrbeck on 25 Jun 11
       
      I think this area could be boosted a bit. From a special education teaching perspective there need to be a few changes before students with special needs are able to navigate the system easier. I have taught students with visual and hearing impairments, therefore, I am thinking of the print needing to be larger, possible sign language interpretation video links, etc. I hope these are things that are being worked on or that are already in the works that I haven't seen.
  • Selects and uses technologies appropriate to the content that enhance learning
    • Joe Doerges
      Joe Doerges on 25 Jun 11
       
      It is important that teachers be exposed to different technologies so they cannot only find ones that will or will not work for them, but also know what is available. The problem is finding time to investigate/explore and then implementing them into the classroom.
    • Rebecca Clausen
      Rebecca Clausen on 26 Jun 11
       
      Before starting this class, I had no idea of the tools that are available. It seems that when I go to investigate one, it leads to looking at another and another. This is a time intensive search process. I would love to see videos of how many of our classmates are already using these technologies.
    • gfrolekclark
      gfrolekclark on 26 Jun 11
       
      Agreed. Finding time to keep up on what is out there is important--that's what I like about communities of learning where people can share what works/doesn't work, etc. It helps when people share what they use/like.
  • Provides substantive, timely, and constructive feedback to students
    • Joe Doerges
      Joe Doerges on 25 Jun 11
       
      This might be something that teachers might find overwhelming. You have 4 section of American History. Each with 30 students and now they are all sending you questions, posting to forums and other activities that you need to check. How much time is this going to take? When will your teaching day end? When you post to a forum, it does not post until after 30 minutes.
  • Maintains an online social presence that is available, approachable, positive, interactive, and sincere (SREB C.3, Varvel VII.A)
    • Jenny Rohrbeck
      Jenny Rohrbeck on 25 Jun 11
       
      This stuck out to me because again it is something that is important in both face-to-face and virutal classrooms! If any of these are missing students will feel disconnected to the course and probably will not do as well. If you are positive, interactive, etc your students will also take action to do these things!
  • Demonstrates growth in technology knowledge and skills in order to stay current with emerging technologies
    • Jenny Rohrbeck
      Jenny Rohrbeck on 25 Jun 11
       
      I would like to see more professional development in these areas. In our school we were offered the chance to take this class by an email being sent out by our superintendent, which was great, but unfortunately not many of our staff members took this opportunity. I believe if there were more of a "push" to take these courses or to enhance our learning in technology there would be more advancement in this. I am not much of a "techy" (if that's the way it's spelled) and I've found myself fretting over how to complete many of the activities or if it's done right. If I were expected to teach a course online my lack of confidence would lead to my students lacking confidence as well.
    • gfrolekclark
      gfrolekclark on 26 Jun 11
       
      You are so right! What do you think would have motivated your colleagues to take an course?
    • Kim Cline
      Kim Cline on 27 Jun 11
       
      This is so important, since we all know how quickly technology changes! Staying current is a must!
  • Assists students with technology used in the course (Varvel III.C)
    • Rebecca Clausen
      Rebecca Clausen on 26 Jun 11
       
      I have really been struggling with the technology of this Moodle class. Our instructor has been very prompt with her helps and that has kept me going. I am concerned that many of our adult learners (teachers) may be intimidated like me by the technology of this type of learning and therefore not use it. It will be very important to have adequate staff development available in order to make all of the wonderful class content that will soon be available accessible to everyone.
  • Establishes standards for student behavior that are designed to ensure academic integrity and appropriate use of the internet and written communication
    • gfrolekclark
      gfrolekclark on 26 Jun 11
       
      Teaching student's about appropriate/acceptable behavior is important. For those of you whose schools are 1:1 schools, how often have you needed to do this? Any problems that came up?
  • Creates a learning community that encourages collaboration and interaction, including student-teacher, student-student, and student-content
    • Karen Thilges
      Karen Thilges on 27 Jun 11
       
      Every class must have collaboration and interaction among all people involved teachers and students. Some students are going have no problems communication via a computer class. Other students not going to be as comfortable communicating via a computer class. Some students will not follow proper etiquette communicating. This concerns me.
    • Kim Cline
      Kim Cline on 27 Jun 11
       
      My students really enjoy learning when they are doing it collaboratively! All students are putting forth effort because they all want to be using the computers to learn. I need to work more on the student-content part of this standard.
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face
    • Karen Thilges
      Karen Thilges on 27 Jun 11
       
      Right now as I am creating my own moodle course I am having a difficult time deciding what materials would be best used online and which would be better used in a face-to-face class. Knowing which materials to use and how to present those materials is very important. On-going professional training in this area would be great. We need to remember that learning online is not going to best for all students.
    • Aryn Kruse
      Aryn Kruse on 29 Jun 11
       
      I wonder how this is operationalized? What do you all think is "evidence" of this standard?
  • • Establishes standards for student behavior that are designed to ensure academic integrity and appropriate use of the internet and written communication
    • Kim Cline
      Kim Cline on 27 Jun 11
       
      Keeping the integrity in the assignment is always important and respectful to the students. Keeping students' integrity and respect intact is also part of the teacher's responsibility.
  • 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)
  • 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)
  • Applies research, knowledge, and skills from professional growth to improve practice
    • Rebecca Clausen
      Rebecca Clausen on 28 Jun 11
       
      I have always been a heavy reader to keep up with research and knowledge in my professional growth but I have just learned through this course of resources like Diigo that will be such a help in connecting with other professionals and what they are also learning.
  • Understands student motivation and uses techniques to engage students (Varvel V.D, ITS 4.d)
    • Rebecca Clausen
      Rebecca Clausen on 28 Jun 11
       
      I think getting to understand individual student motivation through online classes will be difficult unless time is given to getting to know your students. Motivation can be such an individual thing.
  • Identifies and communicates learning outcomes and expectations through a course overview/orientation
    • Linda Root
      Linda Root on 29 Jun 11
       
      This is very important in both a traditional and online class. The instructor needs to be specific on the course outcomes and expectations. Students need to know what the course will cover and how the student will be asked to show learning.
  • • Creates a safe environment, managing conflict
    • Linda Root
      Linda Root on 29 Jun 11
       
      I find this very interesting. I realize not all web based technology provides a safe learning environment for my students buy of all the discussions I have had over the past year about students and technology, not once did I think I might need to deal with any type of behavior problems or managing conflict in my online course.
  • ability level, multiple intelligences
    • Erin Siefken
      Erin Siefken on 07 Jul 11
       
      I think online learning lends itself nicely to differentiation. We cab easily work to the different levels and learning styles without creating much extra work for ourselves.
  • 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)
    • Ann Longfellow
      Ann Longfellow on 03 Jul 11
       
      It's difficult to appropriately use on-line learning since there is such a wide range of learning abilities and levels of computer knowledge in a classroom. For a student who doesn't know English, for example, this can be even more challenging than a "regular" classroom experience.
    • Dean Whaley
      Dean Whaley on 21 Jul 11
       
      The ability of being able to acomplish this is difficult in this area due to the wide-range if the abilities of students just in computer knowledge. In one project I assigned last year that took additional two days because I had to teach the students how to make a power point presentation. Something they should of already known how to do. Those student that still don't have internent at home were at a disadvantage.
  • 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)
    • Ann Longfellow
      Ann Longfellow on 03 Jul 11
       
      I think technology allows students to really effectively interact with each other to create a project. I have my students make and edit videos in iMovie. I have never had such a collaborative and high quality product that we can view and evaluate as a class.
    • Dean Whaley
      Dean Whaley on 21 Jul 11
       
      The ability to create and edit a project on-line gives the students a chance to work togeather without having to be in the same room.
  • Selects and understands how to evaluate learning materials and resources that align with the context and enhance learning
    • Kim Cline
      Kim Cline on 08 Jul 11
       
      Knowing how to evaluate materials and make sure that they are enhancing learning and not just providing "busy work" makes the lesson respectable and meaningful to our students.
  • Communicates assessment criteria and standards to students, including rubrics for student performances and participation (Varvel VI.D, ITS 5.b)
  • gfrolekclark on 26 Jun 11
     
    I think student feedback data is essential to any course. In college, a stat course had been revised due to student feedback (frustration with the complexity of the stat tools). The new tool was much easier to learn and students could learn the material.
julievanmanen

Articles: Preparation - 5 views

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

shared by julievanmanen on 09 Nov 14 - No Cached
  • What is the purpose of the event?
    • tamela hatcher
      tamela hatcher on 09 Nov 14
       
      I think this is great advise.  Every presentation needs to be designed to meet the needs of the audience.
    • kimkaz
      kimkaz on 14 Nov 14
       
      I am a broken record about this at school.  Intention, intention intention!
  • A data dump
    • tamela hatcher
      tamela hatcher on 09 Nov 14
       
      Data dump has been a problem for many presentations that I attend and many presentations that I have facilitated myself.  I am going to be much more aware of this.
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 13 Nov 14
       
      Don't you just love the term "Data Dump"? It's a good mental image to go along with the quality of the product :)
  • If your audience could remember only three things about your presentation,what would you want it to be?
    • tamela hatcher
      tamela hatcher on 09 Nov 14
       
      I love this advise.  I am going to apply this in my next presentation.
    • tamela hatcher
      tamela hatcher on 11 Nov 14
       
      I am going to do this activity and the elevator test in the next presentation I work on.  This is great advice.
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 13 Nov 14
       
      Even more than that, I like leading with it. It is kind of like "objectives", without the stuffy language. Telling your audience "Here is what I'm hoping to do with this presentation" near the beginning (maybe right away or maybe after an intro activity) is a good way for setting the stage and focusing the audience.
  • ...46 more annotations...
  • This exercise forces you to “sell” your message in 30-45 seconds.
    • tamela hatcher
      tamela hatcher on 09 Nov 14
       
      This is very similar to what the book, "Talk like Ted" stated.  This is also something that I need to focus on.
  • often personal ones.
  • Good presentations include stories.
    • tamela hatcher
      tamela hatcher on 09 Nov 14
       
      Some of the best presenter I have heard, have this key concept mastered.  Good presenters and also good story tellers.
    • stephhallberg
      stephhallberg on 11 Nov 14
       
      Yes, they have the ability to tell a story, capture our interest, and make us feel entertained.
  • Organization & Preparation Tips
    • tamela hatcher
      tamela hatcher on 09 Nov 14
       
      I put all 5 of my sticky notes within this article as I could not get them to work in the Planning or other articles.  I am not sure what I was doing wrong but when I would try to add a sticky note, it would kick me out of the article.  Does anyone have suggestions as to why I could not get that to work but COULD get diigo to work within this article?
    • stephhallberg
      stephhallberg on 10 Nov 14
       
      This sentence reminds me of "The Elevator Test."  What is the central point?  Could you explain it in the time is takes for an elevator ride versus a 50 minute presentation?  That's the core idea the audience needs to take away.
  • Do not fall into the trap of thinking that in order for your audience to understand anything, you must tell them everything.
    • stephhallberg
      stephhallberg on 10 Nov 14
       
      I can see how a presenter might unintentionally do this.  The desire is for the audience to have a full understanding, but data overload might be the unintended outcome.
    • kimkaz
      kimkaz on 13 Nov 14
       
      too much telling means too much tedium.  It's important that the audience have  the opportunity to reflect and apply what they are learning.
  • 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.
    • stephhallberg
      stephhallberg on 10 Nov 14
       
      I like the brainstorming idea using post it notes.  I read where writing down lots of ideas, even the crazy ones, may lead to one great idea.
  • True, you may never have to, but practicing what you might do in such a case forces you to get your message down and make your overall content tighter and clearer.
    • stephhallberg
      stephhallberg on 11 Nov 14
       
      This is the essence of the presentation.  Great practice to be able to say what it boils down to in just a few minutes.
    • debraschindler
      debraschindler on 17 Nov 14
       
      I struggle with this a little bit. Once I've boiled it down then I just want to present the boiled down version as time is such a precious resource.
  • If you want your audience to remember your content, then find a way to make it more relevant and memorable by strengthening your core message with good, short, stories or examples.
    • sraymond21
      sraymond21 on 12 Nov 14
       
      I'm curious to see if this helps with retention of info. in my classroom.
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 13 Nov 14
       
      If I might get on a soapbox here, I would suggest a strong YES. The power of analogies and personal anecdotes is mighty. It helps with sermons, sales pitches, online lessons, and in-the-classroom lessons.
    • stephhallberg
      stephhallberg on 11 Nov 14
       
      I think people do remember the message if it is tied to a story they found interesting or entertaining.
  • The key, then, is to aim to unite an idea with an emotion, which is best done through story. “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.
    • stephhallberg
      stephhallberg on 11 Nov 14
       
      So connect the idea to an emotion to gain the attention of the viewer.
  • In 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.
    • debraschindler
      debraschindler on 17 Nov 14
       
      This may be an easy way for me to look for a 'hook' into bettering my presentations. Analyze what my major points need to be and then look for a contrast to present around.
    • stephhallberg
      stephhallberg on 11 Nov 14
       
      I like this idea.  The article talks about the human brain being hardwired to notice differences. Appeals visually and intellectually to the viewer.
  • The 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.
  • If you do not believe it, do not know it to be true, how can you connect and convince others with your words in story form? Your words will be hollow.
    • stephhallberg
      stephhallberg on 11 Nov 14
       
      Your presentation's story needs to be real - not forced or memorized - to be convincing.
  • These pitches are so lousy that I’m losing my hearing, there’s a constant ringing in my ear, and every once in while the world starts spinning.
    • stephhallberg
      stephhallberg on 11 Nov 14
       
      Nothing profound in my comment - I just like Kawasaki's sense of humor!  :)  
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 13 Nov 14
       
      "Profound" is overrated... I enjoy comments like this as well as his humor as well :)
  • Find out everything you can about the location and logistics of the venue.
    • tamela hatcher
      tamela hatcher on 11 Nov 14
       
      This is really important. I presented recently at an international conference.  I arrived to find that the meeting room did not have sound and there was not an air mouse/laser available. Language was also a barrier.  I decided that morning to use power point of pictures scrolling as a background and ditch the presentation I had worked so hard on.  The pictures told the story and people tweeted their questions and someone translated for me and I answered.  It was not best practice and yet it worked.  I really had to water down the content to the very basics which did challenge me and energize me.
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 13 Nov 14
       
      Eh... best practice, best schmatice. What is truly "best practice" anyways? This is a great example where different strategies work in different situations. Your flexibility to do this on the fly, is really amazing. It's extremely tough to scrap something you have prepared when that moment arises.
  • presenter crams too much information into the talk
  • A data dump
    • tamela hatcher
      tamela hatcher on 11 Nov 14
       
      I have been guilty of this for so many years!  This is what I want to work on...simple, simple, simple. I also want to consider the document concept vs the power point usage.
  • Could you sell your idea in the elevator ride
    • tamela hatcher
      tamela hatcher on 11 Nov 14
       
      This is similar to what I read in "Ted Talk". It really makes sense.
    • kimkaz
      kimkaz on 14 Nov 14
       
      I use this a lot when we need staff to present our mission, new initiative or accomplishment at Wilson.
  • sharing a story
    • tamela hatcher
      tamela hatcher on 11 Nov 14
       
      This is why I believe Ted Talks work so effectively.  They are short and power point is not the focus but a tool to deliver the message.
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 13 Nov 14
       
      And... that really should be the purpose of all Power Points. It seems TED Talks could be better described as Power Points done well.
    • kimkaz
      kimkaz on 14 Nov 14
       
      Ted Talks are great.  I could watch them over and over!
  • nervous
    • tamela hatcher
      tamela hatcher on 11 Nov 14
       
      Sometimes nerves can add to the energy level of the presenter.  I can see a passion and excitement and know if the person speaks from the heart, I will get the message.  A little nervousness is a good thing in my mind.  It is a big responsibility to be given a large number of people and 30 to 90 minutes of their time.
  • sit down and really think about the day of your presentation. What is the real purpose of your talk? Why is it that you were asked to speak? What does the audience expect?
    • sraymond21
      sraymond21 on 12 Nov 14
       
      I need to start asking myself this question more often...sometimes I get caught up in the overload of info. that I feel like I need to share that I never even ask this important question!
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 13 Nov 14
       
      This is true for all educational situations, not just presentations. This is also easier said than done. It seems like every Curriculum guru chimes in with this item, and yet has somewhat lousy presentations. One of the hardest parts for me is that I truly don't know what the audience expects. Or, what the audience needs. And often it is different than why I was asked to speak.
  • I usually use a legal pad and pen (or a whiteboard if there is enough space) to create a rough kind of storyboard.
  • f you want your audience to remember your content, then find a way to make it more relevant and memorable by strengthening your core message with good, short, stories or examples.
  • Story is an important way to engage the audience and appeal to people’s need for logic and structure in addition to emotion.
  • Identify the problem. (This could be a problem, for example, that your product solves.) Identify causes of the problem. (Give actual examples of the conflict surrounding the problem.) Show how and why you solved the problem. (This is where you provide resolution to the conflict.)
    • sraymond21
      sraymond21 on 12 Nov 14
       
      This sounds a lot like PBL for students.
    • kimkaz
      kimkaz on 14 Nov 14
       
      Love the math connection!  It's great when we can find relevance in various material!
    • kimkaz
      kimkaz on 13 Nov 14
       
      This reminds me of the saying they don't care what you know until they know that you care.  Caring for me in this context means knowing the audience and respecting their needs.  The Iowa teaching standards would also reflect here.  Great teaching (standard 4) must be backed up with knowledge (standard 2)
  • We are wired to forget what our brains perceive as unimportant to our survival.
    • kimkaz
      kimkaz on 14 Nov 14
       
      I love brain research!!!  It makes the instructional rationale so practical!!!!!
    • kimkaz
      kimkaz on 14 Nov 14
       
      I love brain research!!!  It makes the instructional rationale so practical!!!!!
  • To do that she must engage their emotions,” McKee says, “and the key to their hearts is story.”
    • kimkaz
      kimkaz on 14 Nov 14
       
      Stories provide a scaffold for the brain to file and retrieve informaiton.
  • The biggest element a story has, then, is conflict. Conflict is dramatic.
    • kimkaz
      kimkaz on 14 Nov 14
       
      Man vs Man Man vs Self Man vs Society Man vs Nature Conflict is what makes the world go round and learning occur.  Cause and Effect!!!!
  • ten slides, last no more than twenty minutes, and contain no font smaller than thirty points.
    • kimkaz
      kimkaz on 14 Nov 14
       
      Clarity in planning with this graphic organizer will provide clarity for the audience.  It drives me crazy when a slide has a ton of text!
    • debraschindler
      debraschindler on 17 Nov 14
       
      This is a great rule of thumb
    • julievanmanen
      julievanmanen on 17 Nov 14
       
      This also supports the philosophy of keeping it simple!
  • participatory storytelling that combines the use of hand-drawn visuals with the engaging narration of a live presenter.
    • kimkaz
      kimkaz on 14 Nov 14
       
      COOL RSA animate concepts have been around  for a very long time!!!
  • crystallize the essence
    • kimkaz
      kimkaz on 14 Nov 14
       
      This is a great phrase!  I love the visual it give me when thinking about acquisition of learning.
  • whiteboard
    • debraschindler
      debraschindler on 17 Nov 14
       
      I like the whiteboard but I prefer paper. Whiteboard is too easy to erase and sometimes what I thought was a bad idea later on turns into a great one. If its on paper then it's easier to see what I dismissed earlier.
  • Dakara nani? (so what?)
    • debraschindler
      debraschindler on 17 Nov 14
       
      I like this because it also prepares you for the disgruntled or negative nancy audience member that is trying to pick holes in your presentation.
  • Humans are predisposed to remembering experiences in the narrative form; we learn best with a narrative structure.
  • What makes life interesting is “the dark side” and the struggle to overcome the negatives—struggling against negative powers is what forces us to live more deeply,
    • debraschindler
      debraschindler on 17 Nov 14
       
      Is this why America is obsessed with reality tv? There's always conflict & a dark side filled with emotion.
  • normal human being cannot comprehend more than ten concepts in a meeting
  • And, if you have then actually rehearsed with an actual computer and projector (assuming you are using slideware) several times, your nervousness will all but melt away. We fear what we do not know
    • julievanmanen
      julievanmanen on 17 Nov 14
       
      "Practice makes perfect."
  • 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.
    • julievanmanen
      julievanmanen on 17 Nov 14
       
      Many times I try to share too much information. It does take planning and take some thought which also takes time to keep it simple.
  • The best presenters illustrate their points with the use of stories
    • julievanmanen
      julievanmanen on 17 Nov 14
       
      Stories catch the audience's attention. Many times people can place themselves in the stories or can relate to a similar story.
  • A good storyteller describes what it’s like to deal with these opposing forces such as the difficulty of working with scarce resources, making difficult decisions,
    • julievanmanen
      julievanmanen on 17 Nov 14
       
      I think it is important to share challenges and how you deal with them.
  • (1) He knew his material inside and out, and he knew what he wanted to say. (2) He stood front and center and spoke in a real, down-to-earth language that was conversational yet passionate. (3) He did not let technical glitches get in his way. When they occurred, he moved forward without missing a beat, never losing his engagement with the audience. (4) He used real, sometimes humorous, anecdotes to illustrate his points, and all his stories were supremely poignant and relevant, supporting his core message.
    • julievanmanen
      julievanmanen on 17 Nov 14
       
      I think this sums up an effective presentation. Know the material, use eye contact, keep going, and use stories to illustrate points and engage the audience.
Joanne Cram

ollie1-cohort7: Iowa Online Teaching Standards - 0 views

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

shared by Joanne Cram on 22 Jan 14 - No Cached
  • • Maintains an online social presence that is available, approachable, positive, interactive, and sincere (
    • kellie kendrick
      kellie kendrick on 22 Jan 14
       
      From both taking and teaching online classes, I know that this is extremely important. Students want to feel like someone is watching them and cares about what they are doing and contributing to class. If a teacher 'shows up' to class more often and updates class, then students will want to log on to class more often too.
    • Katy Lee
      Katy Lee on 04 Feb 14
       
      Yes, Kellie, I agree. Relationship building is so important. Students are much more likely to take creative risks and accept/give feedback when they feel a connection with the instructor and other students.
  • • Promotes learning through online collaboration group work that is goal-oriented and focused
    • kellie kendrick
      kellie kendrick on 22 Jan 14
       
      This for me is a big challange when I teach online classes. I want my students to collaborate, but I hate the uncertainty of wondering when my students will log on and complete work. I hate the thought of one student working really hard on group work and then another student coming in at the end and not having an opportunity to complete anything, because the project is already done.
    • Kathleen Goslinga
      Kathleen Goslinga on 26 Jan 14
       
      Something to consider might be building in a number of different timeframes thorughout the unit or class where students need to respond or work collaboratively within their group. This could result in all students working together as opposed to a few. Setting a number of target dates with certain assignments to be complete could reduce the number of students who see an end date posted and wait until the last minute to complete their work.
    • Julie King
      Julie King on 27 Jan 14
       
      However, one thing I have found with my one attempt at providing a course for graduate students at the University is that they are very opposed to such timelines, indicating the reason they signed up for the class is so they can complete things in their own time.
    • Gina Rogers
      Gina Rogers on 05 Feb 14
       
      Personally, I like having some mini due dates built into the course (as I complete my assignments for one of those mini due dates at the eleventh hour). I helps me stay forcused and priortize what needs to be finished by what point.
  • iNACOL
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 22 Jan 14
       
      iNACOL = International Association for K-12 Online Learning.  Are these standards "universal", or do you think a different set would apply to teaching adults?
    • Katy Lee
      Katy Lee on 23 Jan 14
       
      As I read through these standards I thought they would apply universally. I searched for standards related to online learning for adults. I found one resource that has teaching standards for k-12 as well as postsecondary. http://publications.sreb.org/2006/06T02_Standards_Online_Teaching.pdf
    • Katy Lee
      Katy Lee on 23 Jan 14
       
      I found the above resource to be aligned with the standards described here.
  • ...26 more annotations...
  • • Identifies and communicates learning outcomes and expectations through a course overview/orientation (Varvel IV.A, ITS 3.b)
    • Travis Wilkins
      Travis Wilkins on 22 Jan 14
       
      I think it is essential that the learning outcomes, targets, and expectations are clearly explained, stated, and communicated to the online participants.  This not only sets the stage for learning, but also provides a roadmap for the work that is to be completed.  The online learning environment can feel isolated at times.  Knowing the outcomes and expectations can help to put new and experienced students at ease.
    • Deb Vail
      Deb Vail on 24 Jan 14
       
      You've made a good point here, Travis. I can feel like you are isolated at times. The roadmap is critcal - especially the big picture, not just the details of the assignments.
    • Kathleen Goslinga
      Kathleen Goslinga on 26 Jan 14
       
      Travis and Deb, Both of you make some good points on providing participant with a roadmap. Knowing what is needed up front along with estimated timeframes can provide participants with a suggested plan on what can be accomplished today, tomorrow, and next week.
  • Creates a learning community that encourages collaboration and interaction, including student-teacher, student-student, and student-content (SREB D.2, Varvel VII.B, ITS 6.a
    • Travis Wilkins
      Travis Wilkins on 22 Jan 14
       
      I think that this will be one of the most important yet challenging parts about facilitating an online course.  Insuring that the course is designed to encourage collaboration and interaction in all three of theses areas without making the course cumbersome and overly time consuming could be a challenge.  The use of forums and wikis would seem like to two tools that could easily aid in making this possible.  However, at times I feel that forums turn into posts that are done due to obligation and become a contrived conversation and interaction.
    • Steven Hopper
      Steven Hopper on 25 Jan 14
       
      I agree completely, Travis.  One of the things I loved about my masters program is that it was based primarily in face-to-face classes with some work online.  Since we were in the same place at the same time, the learning community really seemed to develop naturally.  In an asynchronous course, these opportunities have to be far more explicit (without feeling completely contrived.)
  • Tailors instruction to meet the different needs of students, including different learning styles, different interests and backgrounds, and students with special needs or whom are language learners (SREB C.7, Varvel V.H, ITS 4.c)
    • Katy Lee
      Katy Lee on 23 Jan 14
       
      Evan has done this with our course by allowing those of us who are not familiar with or have much experience with online teaching with the option of using the template site (BB101). This has allowed me to focus on the process and use of tools rather than worrying about the content of my "course".
    • Deb Vail
      Deb Vail on 24 Jan 14
       
      I don't like the "language learners" term. Aren't we all language learners? I assume they mean non-native language.
    • Kathleen Goslinga
      Kathleen Goslinga on 26 Jan 14
       
      Recognizing that our students may have a variety of differnt learning styles should result with instructrion being customized. Evan has tailored our course to provide us with the opportunity to focus on the areas needed (whether it be the course tools for set up and design or the content).
  • Networks with others involved in online education for the purpose of professional growth (SREB L.1, ITS 7.b)
    • Katy Lee
      Katy Lee on 23 Jan 14
       
      I am curious how models such as Collaborate Learning Teams/Professional Learning Communities have been incorporated into the work of those providing online education. What examples do others have of what this might look like?
  • Incorporates social aspects into the teaching and learning process, creating a community of learners
    • Deb Vail
      Deb Vail on 24 Jan 14
       
      This seems so critical in an online course. Travis made a great point above about how online learning can feel a little isolated at times. Quick frustrations or questions take more energy to resolve. You don't have quite as easy or immediate access to answers in an asynchronous environment.
  • Understands and uses course content that complies with intellectual property rights and fair use, and assists students in complying as well (SREB E.5, Varvel I.B)
    • Deb Vail
      Deb Vail on 24 Jan 14
       
      This is something I did not take as seriously as I should have in the past. I am trying to get up to speed with copyright, fair use, COPPA, etc. There is a lot to wrap your head around and it seems like there's a lot of gray area.
    • Steven Hopper
      Steven Hopper on 25 Jan 14
       
      Unfortunately, I think you'll find that the gray area is only going to get even murkier in the years ahead.  Just look at the variety of creative commons licenses available now.
    • Julie King
      Julie King on 27 Jan 14
       
      I agree, there have been videos from youtube that I have embedded into instructional videos that later I was contacted by someone saying it was copywrited materials. Who knew? I feel like the more I get into this, the more I realize I don't know.
  • technologies appropriate to the content that enhance learning
    • Steven Hopper
      Steven Hopper on 25 Jan 14
       
      There are literally hundreds of technologies available to online educators.  However, the most effective teachers know that you should only rely on "cool tools" when you have a clear instructional objective in mind.
    • Gina Rogers
      Gina Rogers on 05 Feb 14
       
      Yes, Steven, I ageree with your assessment here. It seems like you first have to think to yourself what is that learning target and then match instructional technology to the learning target that helps facilitate the learning.
  • Demonstrates techniques for dealing with issues arising from inappropriate student technological use (SREB E.7)
    • Steven Hopper
      Steven Hopper on 25 Jan 14
       
      Administrators need to understand that taking away a student's device or trying to "lock down" a network are NOT the most effective way to deal with inappropriate technology use.  Not only does it take away a valuable learning device, especially in 1:1 schools, but it can also create additional hurdles for the students who are using the technologies appropriately.
    • Julie King
      Julie King on 27 Jan 14
       
      This is an interesting point Steven, as an individual who works with students with behavior problems, I can see how there would be a knee-jerk response to just take away the device (I am not currently in any 1:1 schools, so have not see it happen yet). What might be some other alternatives?
  • Utilizes a course evaluation and student feedback data to improve the course
    • Kathleen Goslinga
      Kathleen Goslinga on 26 Jan 14
       
      Evaluations and feedback are essential for effective design and delivery of a course. Upon completion of every course I teach a survey is made available for participants to complete (the return is around 80%). Questions presented to the participants are related to the course content, materials, connections to the curriculum and state standards as well as instructors knowledge, organization, support and availability. The information received from the survey will often times result in making some modifications within different unit/modules along with changes in the amount of time spent on a specific topic area. A pre-assessment (survey) is also sent to participants ahead of class to gather information on internet access, technology skills, knowledge of content, grade level and curriculum area. There survey includes an open ended question for other concerns. This has been helpful in gauging the amount of time needed for instruction along with customization towards curricular areas.
  • Knows the content of the subject to be taught and understands how to teach the content to students
    • Kathleen Goslinga
      Kathleen Goslinga on 26 Jan 14
       
      Knowledge of the content for instruction is significant. Participants for a course rely upon each of us as experts and look for us to provide the highest level of training possible. The worst impression one can present is the inabilitiy to respond accurately to a question or fumble through the content being delivered. We need to be continuously on alert and checking for changes or updates. I will often spend the night or morning before a class checking websites and links to make sure something hasn't been changed or removed.
  • Assists students with technology used in the course
    • Kathleen Goslinga
      Kathleen Goslinga on 26 Jan 14
       
      Technology can be overwhelming to our students and if we are asking them to utilize specific tools we need to be available to provide support as needed. There are a number of databases that are utilized in my courses and teachers sometimes find it difficult to set up teacher accounts, create folders and save content to specific folders. I have already seen the value of creating a short video to walk-through the steps, instead of a phone call or face-to-face meeting. The short video used to demonstrate highlighting and annotations has spark the idea of creating video to set up teacher accounts among other items for certain databases used in my course.
    • Lynn Helmke
      Lynn Helmke on 01 Feb 14
       
      Kathleen, I agree with you that technology can be overwhelming to students…adult or school age….maybe more for adults.  Right now I am teaching the Para Certification class to 42 adults, and I am amazed that some people do not know how to do the basic functions on the computer. But, I am determined that everyone will be successful.  Being new to online learning, I can identify, though, with the feelings of inadequacy or panic that my adult students have felt. When taking Ollie: Introduction, I was so appreciative of Mary's patience and help with technology.  Now Evan is assisting.  The video clips are very helpful.  A participant can see, hear, and then do which is multisensory.
    • Katy Lee
      Katy Lee on 04 Feb 14
       
      I agree that video clips can be very helpful. My experience in trying to talk my mother through navigating her new iPad over the telephone reminds me of how futile and frustrating for all this can be. Providing a video and screenshots can be extremely helpful in helping to guide people in using technology that is new to them.
  • Understands and uses data from assessments to guide instruction
    • Julie King
      Julie King on 27 Jan 14
       
      This statement reminds us that "creating" an online should not mean there is a finished product that does not change with the needs of the students. I know the next time I provide an online class, I hope to utilize more formative assessment measures that better differentiate the instruction based on student need.
    • Michelle Jacobsen
      Michelle Jacobsen on 30 Jan 14
       
      Having taught several online courses as an adjunct instructor for a local university, I found it very difficult to use data from assessments to guide instruction. It was difficult because the courses were all designed (not by me) prior to the start of the course, and students were given access to all discussion topics and assignments when the course began so they could proceed through the requirements at their own pace. Therefore, there was no opportunity for me to let the assessments guide the instruction. This was very difficult for me having come from an elementary classroom where formative assessments guided my instruction on a daily basis! Do you have any thoughts as to how you might utilize more formative assessment measures the next time you teach an online class? I would love to hear your ideas!
  • Is knowledgeable and has the ability to use computer programs required in online education to improve learning and teaching, including course management software (CMS) and synchronous/asynchronous communication tools (chat, email, web 2.0, videoconferencing, webinar, whiteboard, etc.)
    • Julie King
      Julie King on 27 Jan 14
       
      This is a statement that will need to be supported by teh institutions doing teh pruchasing of the CMS programs. It seems taht many times an institution with change their software and/or hire new faculty with little to no orientation as to how best to use the program
    • Gina Rogers
      Gina Rogers on 05 Feb 14
       
      I agree with your statements here Julie. The purchasing of a CMS program is a huge investment for an instution. It seems that is order to get the best return on investment instutions should provide ongoing PL opportunities for faculty who are using the CMS. All programs - although somewhat similar - have very nuanced differences. For example, I have worked with both Moodle a little and ANGEL a little more and although they have many of the same features they do have enough differences that it is not always an easy transition.
  • Communicates assessment criteria and standards to students, including rubrics for student performances and participation
    • Christina Glaub
      Christina Glaub on 29 Jan 14
       
      It is helpful for students to have an idea of the expectations and how they align with the standards. I have used rubrics several times in my teaching and students, and teachers, appreciate knowing what is expected of them.
    • Deanna Weber
      Deanna Weber on 31 Jan 14
       
      When students can see expectations and where they are in line with the standards, they are more prepared to learn.
  • Provides opportunities that enable student self-assessment and pre-assessment within courses
    • Christina Glaub
      Christina Glaub on 29 Jan 14
       
      I think it is important for both the student and teacher to be aware of their understandings or misunderstandings. This should help guide instruction.
  • Has knowledge of and informs student of their rights to privacy and the conditions under which their work may be shared with others
    • Deanna Weber
      Deanna Weber on 31 Jan 14
       
      I work with this all of the time. It doesn't just involve students. Fair use is for all. Fair use involves how information is used and how we give credit for the resources we use.
  • Provides substantive, timely, and constructive feedback to students
    • Joanne Cram
      Joanne Cram on 14 Mar 14
       
      I appreciate the flexibility of the feedback and timely grading- when the assignment is done. This has been very helpful in trying to balance a career, household, and extracurricular schedules.
    • Lynn Helmke
      Lynn Helmke on 01 Feb 14
       
      Timely and constructive feedback to enhance learning has been well documented in educational research for face-to-face instruction. I am finding as a student taking part in online learning, it is critical for me to have feedback to enhance my learning.  It is not about the grade.  I want to learn.   I want to know that I am understanding what is being taught and I can apply that learning. 
  • Designs the structure of the course and the presentation of the content to best enhance student learning, including using unit/lesson overviews and reviews, using patterns in lesson sequencing, and using appropriate visual web design techniques (SREB C.14, Varvel V.F)
  • Designs the structure of the course and the presentation of the content to best enhance student learning, including using unit/lesson overviews and reviews, using patterns in lesson sequencing, and using appropriate visual web design techniques (SREB C.14, Varvel V.F)
    • Gina Rogers
      Gina Rogers on 05 Feb 14
       
      I think this is really interesting becuase I never really thought about how necessary it is to have a basic understanding of web design when one is an online instuctor. I guess it makes sense becuase you have to figure out ways to visually represent content to your audience. It seems as though the best online instuctors wouldn't necessarily be those with the best understanding of threir content, but rather the best understanding of how to communicate that content in an effective, visual manner.
  • Has experienced online learning from the perspective of a student
    • Gina Rogers
      Gina Rogers on 05 Feb 14
       
      I think this is a really important expereince for an online teacher to have, and maybe one that is taken for granted. Online teacher need to have the experence of what it is like to be an online learner to understand what works in online instruction and what doesn't.
  • Knows and aligns instruction to the achievement goals of the local agency and the state, such as with the Iowa Core
    • Michelle Jacobsen
      Michelle Jacobsen on 05 Feb 14
       
      I find this to be one of my biggest challenges this year when working with teachers in mathematics. Several districts still use a curriculum that is not aligned to the Core, and some teachers are torn between aligning their instruction to the Core and teaching each lesson from their curriculum as they have for the past several years.
  • Demonstrates effective instructional strategies and techniques, appropriate for online education, that align with course objectives and assessment
    • Michelle Jacobsen
      Michelle Jacobsen on 05 Feb 14
       
      We have had many discussions as AEA consultants about what our Professional Development offerings will look like in the future. Knowing that online course offerings are more than likely coming down the pike for us in the future, being able to demonstrate effective instructional strategies and techniques appropriate for online education will be something that requires a lot of thoughtful planning.
  • (SREB J.6, ITS 1.a)
    • Gina Rogers
      Gina Rogers on 14 Feb 14
       
      Test post
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face
    • Joanne Cram
      Joanne Cram on 14 Mar 14
       
      At this point in my online learning, as a student going through this class it is very apparent what the differences are between online teaching and face to face. I think that each instructor should be required to take an online class such as this to help guide them in how to be a more effective and helpful instructor.
KIM BYRD

Articles: Presentation "Awakening" - 0 views

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

shared by KIM BYRD on 09 Feb 15 - No Cached
  • in the aggregate (e.g., your “PowerPoint deck”) can be perfectly and completely understood without your narration, then it begs the question: why are you there?
    • stac34
      stac34 on 09 Feb 15
       
      I love this, I wish that all presenters were given this statement to check their presentations before going public with them. I think it is a good reflection piece to see if you have developed a quality presentation. I am going to make this part of my proofreading process when preparing presentations from here on out!
  • You can wreck a communication process with lousy logic or unsupported facts, but you can’t complete it without emotion. Logic is not enough.
  • You can wreck a communication process with lousy logic or unsupported facts, but you can’t complete it without emotio
    • stac34
      stac34 on 09 Feb 15
       
      I really haven't ever thought of the emotional side of the presentation, but it makes sense that if someone can connect with the presenter they might be more engaged. Appealing to the audience emotional side can help them become invested in the topic and information.
  • ...40 more annotations...
  • There is something very natural, compelling, and memorable about both telling and listening to stories.
    • stac34
      stac34 on 09 Feb 15
       
      I think this is important, I have recently tried incorporating storytelling into my presentations, letting the audience know how I got to where I am in my journey with the topic and why it is something I am passionate about. This ties in with the idea of striking the emotional side of the audience mentioned in the other article.
    • brendahack
      brendahack on 16 Feb 15
       
      I feel like this was one of my biggest ah ha's. I love stories and hearing the presenters story is always engaging. When I have shared a story in class, it has students attention, they interact, ask questions, volunteer information. When we are working through slides, I feel llike I need to sing and dance to hold their attentions. Stories are powerful! I have just not ever considered it as a presentaion method.
  • PowerPoint is a medium that can be used effectively — that is, with effective design methods — or ineffectively, that is with ineffective design methods. We would not necessarily say that books are rarely a good method, because books can be designed using effective or ineffective methods."
  • PowerPoint is a medium that can be used effectively — that is, with effective design methods — or ineffectively, that is with ineffective design methods. We would not necessarily say that books are rarely a good method, because books can be designed using effective or ineffective methods."
  • . Power
    • stac34
      stac34 on 10 Feb 15
       
      I think it is important to note that PowerPoint is a tool that can be used effectively, but just simply having a PowerPoint doesn't make it purposeful just through using it. The design of a presentation includes multiple facets, the visual presentation is just one of them.
    • aneppl
      aneppl on 15 Feb 15
       
      The key lies in what is the purpose of the presentation and how does the tool(powerpoint) aid in the purpose.
  • Point is
  • a medium that can be used effectively — that is, with effective design methods — or
  • ineffectively, that is with ineffective design methods. We would not necessarily say that
  • books are rarely a good method, because books can be designed using effective or
  • ineffective methods."
  • ineffective methods.
  • “sticky” ideas have six key principles in common: simplicity, unexpectedness, concreteness, credibility, emotions, and stories. And yes, these six compress nicely into the acronym SUCCESs.
    • stac34
      stac34 on 10 Feb 15
       
      I am a fan of acryonyms when they are easy to recall, I like that all of these are described below in more detail, but the "memory" word describes it well enough to trigger what you should remember when designing presentations.
  • Words should be presented as speech
    • sarahjmoore
      sarahjmoore on 14 Feb 15
       
      I think this becomes difficult in many settings educationally because the focus has always been on a away to help visual learners gather information. They are often used to be a note guide or a resource to refer back to. I wonder if the shift to being able to screencast would help this. I also wonder about how it leaves out the visual, non-auditory learners. I also think that as a resource, it is less effective if there is an audio track because then the viewer has more to sift through. But it is perhaps more effective as a teaching tool because they can use it to re-teach. Perhaps it is more about purpose matching the delivery. 
  • esented as speech (i.e., narration) rather than text (i.e., on-screen text) or as speech and text.”
    • sarahjmoore
      sarahjmoore on 14 Feb 15
       
      Somewhere along the presentation education line, these things get mixed up. When giving a presentation, there should only be key words to cue the speaker or drive a point home. I think that the concept of "cue the speaker" has lead to all of the text. We feel unprepared and this becomes a crutch. I think this is what most of my student struggle with. Although, this course is mostly focused on the teacher, as a high school English teacher, I think these concepts should be taught to our students as well.
    • jsoland
      jsoland on 15 Feb 15
       
      I completely agree. I think it has been drilled into people to use the text as cues on what to talk about, but I think this has become misleading and has led to text on the slides that detracts from the presentation rather than add to it.
  • Third, create a written document. A leave-behind. Put in as many footnotes or details as you like. Then, when you start your presentation, tell the audience that you’re going to give them all the details of your presentation after it’s over, and they don’t have to write down everything you say
    • sarahjmoore
      sarahjmoore on 14 Feb 15
       
      I love this idea! This would keep your audience engaged in the presentation and allow them to not worry about if they have all of the bullet points written down word for word for the text. This would allow the information to flow faster because you don't have to provide wait time.  
  • But everyone else is busy defending the status quo (which is easy) and you’re busy championing brave new innovations, which is difficult.
    • sarahjmoore
      sarahjmoore on 14 Feb 15
       
      This makes it a lot more work too, but it is worth it if the information stays with them. They will remember the power of your presentation. They also will feel that they have missed something if they weren't present. 
    • jsoland
      jsoland on 15 Feb 15
       
      It also saves you from having to present or follow-up later to go over the same information!
  • Unexpectedness.
    • sarahjmoore
      sarahjmoore on 14 Feb 15
       
      I think that sometimes this could be negative part of a presentation. The key here is to create something unexpected that directly connects to what you are talking about and proves your message. Often, I see people pulling something out just to break up the presentation and to give them a mind break. It is important to wrap those things together (mind break and message) to really get this aspect accomplished. 
  • Great ideas and presentations have an element of story to them.
    • sarahjmoore
      sarahjmoore on 14 Feb 15
       
      I think the key here is the word "element." I have been part of presentations where you are there to hear about and idea, and they end up telling you story after story. They are loosely connected, but I find myself disengaged with the content and the focus because I am wondering "how many of the "rabbit trails" we are going to go on?" I think you should use stories to help with concepts and examples, keeping them short and to the point.  
    • aneppl
      aneppl on 15 Feb 15
       
      I think it's particularly hard in education, as we don't often have the "whole story" about a students success as they leave us and transition to another stage in their life. Teacher or student success stories are powerful and touch our hearts. For implementing new practices/techniques, or strategies, a true life story from a teacher is always more powerful.
  • The redundancy effect says that if one form of instruction (such as the spoken word) is intelligible and adequate then providing the same material in another form (such as lines of text on a screen that mimic the words being spoken) are redundant and can actually hurt understanding.
    • jsoland
      jsoland on 15 Feb 15
       
      I found this so interesting and it can be counterintuitive, but the more I thought about it the more I reflected on how often I completely tune out as a result of seeing and hearing the same content (ie someone reading their powerpoint slide)
    • brendahack
      brendahack on 16 Feb 15
       
      This was a stand out to me as weel. The more I thought about it the more I agreed with it. When I have bene presented to, it is extreamly distracting to try to read a slide while someone else is reading it out loud.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Fourth, create a feedback cycle. If your presentation is for a project approval, hand people a project approval form and get them to approve it, so there’s no ambiguity at all about what you’ve all agreed to.
  • Fourth, create a feedback cycle. If your presentation is for a project approval, hand people a project approval form and get them to approve it, so there’s no ambiguity at all about what you’ve all agreed to.
    • aneppl
      aneppl on 15 Feb 15
       
      In education, it's often about what is the implementation piece associated with the presentation/learning/ etc. How do we hold ourselves accountable for the information presented
  • The Curse of Knowledge is essentially the condition whereby the deliverer of the message cannot imagine what it’s like not to possess his level of background knowledge on the topic.
    • jsoland
      jsoland on 15 Feb 15
       
      I really struggle with this. I'm never sure how technical to get with my language as I want the audience to feel comfortable with the content, but not feel like I am "talking down to them"
  • Concreteness. Use natural speech and give real examples with real things, not abstractions.
    • jsoland
      jsoland on 15 Feb 15
       
      I really need to work on this one and spend some time coming up with better examples, stories, and analogies in my presentations to make things more concrete.
  • Often, people come to a conclusion about your presentation by the time you’re on the second slide. After that, it’s often too late for your bullet points to do you much good
    • aneppl
      aneppl on 15 Feb 15
       
      This is so true. I think it's critical on how you set up the audience for what the purpose is, how this will help/impact them, and what they will/should walk away with.
    • brendahack
      brendahack on 16 Feb 15
       
      Kind of shocking actually. The second slide??? All the more reason to ne mindful of what you are sharing.
  • Curse of Knowledge
    • aneppl
      aneppl on 15 Feb 15
       
      I too am guilty of this. I sometimes feel that what I have to say on a topic is so important that it can't wait or that I have to include it. As a principal, I've had to learn to be disciplined to sometimes save my thoughts when others are presenting and not interrupt their presentations for my own sake of speaking!
  • Emotions. People are emotional beings
    • aneppl
      aneppl on 15 Feb 15
       
      I do feel that I try to connect with teachers emotionally. I am very vulnerable in my communication with teachers. I don't want to be known as the expert and thus I engage a lot of teachers to be with me in presenting, sharing, modeling, etc. Acknowledge how busy we know they all are, but surround it with how important our new learning is for the benefit of students.
  • It is effective to speak to a diagram, because it presents information in a different form. But it is not effective to speak the same words that are written, because it is putting too much load on the mind and decreases your ability to understand what is being presented
    • brendahack
      brendahack on 16 Feb 15
       
      Speaking to the diagram allows one to have their own thoughts, and consider the presenters ideas I beleive without the overload suggested by reaing the slide to them. I like the idea of an image that gets to the emotion or the concept that you are trying to get across.
  • 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.
    • brendahack
      brendahack on 16 Feb 15
       
      I love this! Of course anything done in the sand this time of the year in Iowa seems like a GREAT idea. I know I am guilty of starting with the slide and not the overall concept. It is so easy to rearrange slides in power point that is it ewasy to get caught up in headfirst jumping.
  • 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.
    • brendahack
      brendahack on 16 Feb 15
       
      Yep! save it until the end. How many conferences have you been to that people stick their head in the door, grab a copy of your slides, handout, whatever, and turn around and head out. If they could sit and listen knowing they will get materials at the end, I believe they will have a better learning experience.
  • Simplicity. If everything is important, then nothing is important. If everything is a priority, then nothing is a priority. You must be ruthless in your efforts to simplify
    • brendahack
      brendahack on 16 Feb 15
       
      Easier said than done, but how very important! I know this is one that I will be giving lots of thought to.
  • "The use of the PowerPoint presentation has been a disaster. It should be ditched.
    • KIM BYRD
      KIM BYRD on 23 Feb 15
       
      I am not so sure it is a disaster. Perhaps we all need more training.
  • Powerpoint was developed by engineers as a tool to help them communicate with the marketing department—and vice versa.
    • KIM BYRD
      KIM BYRD on 23 Feb 15
       
      Now look how often PowerPoint is used. It has branched out beyond the marketing department.
  • Communication is the transfer of emotion.
    • KIM BYRD
      KIM BYRD on 23 Feb 15
       
      They talk a lot in these articles about how the audience needs to have emotion brought to them by presentation.
  • No more than six words on a slide. EVER.
    • KIM BYRD
      KIM BYRD on 23 Feb 15
       
      I never heard of this rule until I took this class. I have seen and made more than six slides for as long as PowerPoint has been around.
  • For your presentation, what’s the key point? What’s the core? Why does (or should) it matter?
    • KIM BYRD
      KIM BYRD on 23 Feb 15
       
      I feel like my end presentation is using simplicity too much. Perhaps I am just used to slides with WAY too much information on them.
juliefulton

"Personalized" vs. "Personal" Learning - 36 views

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

shared by juliefulton on 11 Jul 15 - No Cached
  • Tocqueville’s observations
  • A suffix can change everything
    • lisalillian311
      lisalillian311 on 14 Jul 15
       
      Harsh adverb.  Not all students analyze "ideas from the inside out".  I think that is something that personalized learning can teach them.
  • ‘We often say we want creativity and innovation – personalization – but every mechanism we use to measure it is through control and compliance.’
    • principalchris
      principalchris on 12 Jul 15
       
      This is a topic that has been discussed for years - But how do I grade the project??  I am glad I do not receive a grade for being the principal!
  • ...75 more annotations...
  • If we can’t engage our kids in ideas and explorations that require no technology, then we have surely lost our way.
  • One final caveat: in the best student-centered, project-based education, kids spend much of their time learning with and from one another. Thus, while making sense of ideas is surely personal, it is not exclusively individual because it involves collaboration and takes place in a community. Even proponents of personal learning may sometimes forget that fact, but it’s a fact that was never learned by supporters of personalized learning.
    • principalchris
      principalchris on 12 Jul 15
       
      I like the fact that Alfie Kohn makes the reader think.  He is a word smith and must love kids!
  • 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.
    • madonna63
      madonna63 on 12 Jul 15
       
      Educational Admin. needs to work with schools to come up with other forms of assessment that meet up with individualized forms of learning. 
    • marydermit
      marydermit on 12 Jul 15
       
      Yes, new forms of assessment will be needed with PL.  I think this maybe a challenge because standardized tests are tied to funding.  I am afraid standardized tests are here to stay until funding changes are made at the state /federal level.
    • ahawthorne
      ahawthorne on 13 Jul 15
       
      This is always an issue. Making sure everyone is on the same page.
    • lisalillian311
      lisalillian311 on 14 Jul 15
       
      I think my original comment about change being difficult for veteran teachers was deleted (accidentally by me).  Part of my statement mentioned the need for PD on PL.
    • nwhipple
      nwhipple on 15 Jul 15
       
      I agree that everyone needs to be on the same page.  Too many times we get bombarded in PD sessions and walk away with mixed emotions and different understandings about what we learned about.  PL needs to be a clear, cut definition amongst everyone in the building.  It wouldn't be a bad idea to have PD on PL.  Veteran teachers absolutely need to be up to date on reaching all learners and stepping themselves out of their comfort zones to help reach every student's needs individually, not in a whole group setting.  
    • dwefel
      dwefel on 15 Jul 15
       
      This will be a big challenge getting everyone on board.
    • kainley
      kainley on 16 Jul 15
       
      I agree that it would be a challenge to get everyone on the same page. I like the idea of PD, but how do we get our administrators to "buy in"? Then after that, how do you get people who are set in their way, especially if it is improving test scores, to change their thinking so we are focused on the whole child?
    • kburrington
      kburrington on 16 Jul 15
       
      I guess I would like to go back a step and look at how college educational departments are teaching Personal Learning. I would say most teachers are teaching the way they were taught. Maybe the change needs to start there also.
    • katie50009
      katie50009 on 16 Jul 15
       
      As a district we tried to define creativity during PD incorporating the 4C's. It was no easy task. It is even more difficult to measure!
    • juliefulton
      juliefulton on 22 Jul 15
       
      It seems as though we need a multi-phase approach at infusing PL in our educational systems. I agree with needing PD for our current teachers and that colleges need to be modeling PL for our new teachers. We also need to inspire our students to be individual thinkers rather than the 'check mark the box' learners that our system currently promotes.
  • best thing we can do for kids is empower them
  • he demands of the system — and education leaders’ desire to excel within it — lend themselves well to the computerized, modular and often very standardized system of “personalization” many ed-tech companies are offering.
    • marydermit
      marydermit on 12 Jul 15
       
      This sounds like more of the same unless PL stakeholders and teachers are involved in the R&D.
    • katie50009
      katie50009 on 16 Jul 15
       
      When thinking about the constraints of our current system--Common Core, standards assessments, pacing guides, etc.--I wonder if PL will become anything more than a dream or a small scale implementation.
  • Personalized learning entails adjusting the difficulty level of prefabricated
  • Big questions, passion, personal interest are what should drive our use of technology, not the other way around.
  • “Personalized” learning is something that we do to kids; “personal” learning is something they do for themselves. 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.
    • madonna63
      madonna63 on 12 Jul 15
       
      Educators will need to be informed on what it will look like for students to take these opportunities which won't be directed by us or possibly by curriculum. They will need to learn how to help students on this path and not hinder them.
    • marydermit
      marydermit on 12 Jul 15
       
      PD is vital for teachers.  If left out it will not be good for anyone most of all the students.  
    • spfantz
      spfantz on 13 Jul 15
       
      This definition is vague, I too would like to look at specific curriculum pathways and opportunities. Seeing personalized learning in action, and the role of the teacher would be interesting.
    • Alison Ruebel
      Alison Ruebel on 13 Jul 15
       
      I now understand more the difference between "personalized" and "personal" learning, but I do agree that staff and administrators need to be more informed and given specific examples or experiences to help us learn more about implementing it and what our role is as a teacher. It would be nice to be given examples of this in action. It seems so confusing once you think about how teachers do this in the classroom, but I think it can make a big difference in schools and student learning in the future. 
    • Jessica Athen
      Jessica Athen on 13 Jul 15
       
      This quote really helped me to understand more of what we are learning about. 
    • alissahansen
      alissahansen on 15 Jul 15
       
      Agreed, this is a very helpful statement, but I think I would also agree that I would like to see what PL looks like. (Alissa Hansen)
    • bakersusan
      bakersusan on 15 Jul 15
       
      This is a very helpful statement, PD with time to implement is important for success. In addition to teachers being educated about PL, parents will also need to be educated. In my district as we have tried to incorporate more technology, unless the parents are in agreement, the changes have not been successful.
    • kaberding
      kaberding on 16 Jul 15
       
      I have a better understanding of personalized learning vs. personal learning.  I like how the author states the difference; it makes it very easy to differentiate between the two terms.  In regards to the rest of the statement, I think that professional development is a vital key in getting teachers "on board" with this concept.  I have cotaught with many general education teachers, and it is difficult for some to see how this will work and what this can look like.  A bank of teachers "in action" would be great for all teachers to access to get ideas!  
    • kburrington
      kburrington on 16 Jul 15
       
      I totally agree that there are a lot of people who would have to get on board. I now realize that I'm just providing personalized learning with my Odysseyware, not personal learning by any means.
  • moving ownership of learning away from the teacher and more toward the student.
    • madonna63
      madonna63 on 12 Jul 15
       
      Our current way of teaching is somewhat like a 'helicopter mother'. We aren't letting students try and fail on their own, without us being there to catch them. We need to be more of a teacher/resource person to instruct and /or guide when needed. Also, like a grandmother-giving positive feedback.
    • marydermit
      marydermit on 12 Jul 15
       
      We do not teach students that failure is part of learning or the importance of what we can learn from a failed attempt. Sticky notes are a perfect example.
    • spfantz
      spfantz on 13 Jul 15
       
      Some of the online programs such as Khan Academy and E2020 are the epitomy of nonpersonalized learning, yet we are enrolling more and more students each year.
    • Kristina Dvorak
      Kristina Dvorak on 13 Jul 15
       
      This is where students could/should be encouraged to seek out resources that fit their individual interests.  It is a step in the right direction, but needs to be applied in a way that will help students become stronger learners. 
    • ahawthorne
      ahawthorne on 13 Jul 15
       
      I agree the online programs are just classroom lectures put on the computer and are more of the same. 
    • jroffman
      jroffman on 15 Jul 15
       
      I think it is a great idea to have students be responsible or the "owner" of their own learning, we need to get parents and administration on board with this, I feel that way too often it is the teachers fault or the schools fault when kids are not learning. 
    • dwefel
      dwefel on 15 Jul 15
       
      I have to admit, I am that 'helicopter mother' teacher sometimes. I agree, teachers need to find individual interests in students and figure out how they want to learn and step away and allow students to figure out how they learn best, even if they do fail at first.
  • It requires the presence of a caring teacher who knows each child well.
    • madonna63
      madonna63 on 12 Jul 15
       
      The idea of each student having a teacher(s) know her/him well is vital. We don't want students just being set free and only "check in" as they go along. They will feel very disconnected and alone. They need to be known, cared for. Teachers might have times during the year when she gets her students together to do activities to get to know each other, celebrate holidays, etc.
    • marydermit
      marydermit on 12 Jul 15
       
      I like your idea of getting students together for a celebration It could be a celebration of learning to highlight student work / projects.  This fits into the PL model of "learn to learn, learn to do, learn to be." 
    • lisalillian311
      lisalillian311 on 14 Jul 15
       
      I wonder in an ideal PL environment what the student/teacher ratio should be?  Large classes are tough to get to know students in the way that PL suggests
    • nwhipple
      nwhipple on 15 Jul 15
       
      "Ah Ha".. every teacher who is there for their students should know their students well.  Not only how they learn, but about their family life and themselves personally.  Building a relationship with each child is huge.  I couldn't imagine walking into my room every morning and not wanting to connect with each student, individually and personally, daily.  If teachers aren't going to be caring and willing to get to know each of their students, then they shouldn't be allowed to have their minds to mold.  
    • jroffman
      jroffman on 15 Jul 15
       
      Part of the requirement of the Voluntary 4 year old preschool program is that I go to each home before school starts and do a home visit. I love it, I think it is the best idea ever and I really think all elementary teachers should do it. I really think that I make a strong connection with all of my students by having them meet me in their home where they are in the most control. Even though I know each child very well I just feel like there is not enough of me to go around, there are always those one or two students that require more time and energy while the rest are kind of on their own.
    • alissahansen
      alissahansen on 15 Jul 15
       
      I think home visits are wonderful, although I am not sure my high school students would want Mrs. Hansen coming to their house! ha ha. I do make it a priority to keep the lines of communication open with families, in fact, I send out emails weekly (personal), make calls (5 a day, positive and negative), and even send out personal welcome letters at the start of the year. It makes quite the difference in how my students work for me! (Alissa Hansen)
  • echnology was strikingly absent from these conversations. Instead, the common view of personalization focused on giving agency for learning to the student and valuing each individual in a classroom.
    • spfantz
      spfantz on 13 Jul 15
       
      The definitions we have read about personalized learning incorporate technology as an important piece of the personalized learning experience, so this surprises me.
    • Alison Ruebel
      Alison Ruebel on 13 Jul 15
       
      Yes this surprised me too! A lot of my kids learn best through using technology since they are surrounded by it today within this generation, and engages them more so to me it makes sense to have technology be a big part of personalized learning. 
    • Lisa Hackman
      Lisa Hackman on 13 Jul 15
       
      I agree! How can technology not be part of the personal learning environment? There are so many opportunities for students to use technology to reach out to others all over the world for collaboration. Technology doesn't have to be relegated only to ed-tech programs.
    • alissahansen
      alissahansen on 15 Jul 15
       
      I guess the idea behind the technology is to use it so students have the freedom to gather authentic and meaningful information to help them towards mastery, instead of using technology just for technology sake. A lot of us do, but I have definitely encountered classrooms that like the idea of having technology in the classroom, but it does nothing to further learning in students. (Alissa Hansen)
    • bakersusan
      bakersusan on 15 Jul 15
       
      I think with this statement, the author is trying to remind us that personalized learning is more than technology. You don't have to use technology to truly personalize learning for students but that it can be one of the "tools" in the teacher's toolbox to help students learn.
    • lisa noe
      lisa noe on 16 Jul 15
       
      I think that the author is implying that technology itself shouldn't be the teacher but more like a partner in learning. I personally think that too many times technology impedes learning.  Students don't have to think or try to figure something out, they can just Google the answer.  If all the answers in the universe can be found in Google what is the point of learning?  We need students to think of things that aren't out there yet.  To discover the unknown.  
  • specific curriculum that will be evaluated on standardized tests, while at the same time telling teachers to be innovative and creative within their classrooms
    • spfantz
      spfantz on 13 Jul 15
       
      This sentence does appear to be a contradiction. Requiring teachers to teach a specific curriculum while infusing innovation and creativity is a challenge.
    • nwhipple
      nwhipple on 15 Jul 15
       
      I absolutely agree with you!  It is VERY hard to teach the specific standards for the test while wanting to be creative.  More projects take time and time is inevitable.  We need more time to make learning "fun" and "meet all the standards".  I find kindergarten to be a challenge to balance the standards and crafts/fun.  I know I tried hard this year to let the kids "play" at their tables during math and reading with manipulative instead of constantly doing pages from our math/reading books.  
    • emilyzelenovich
      emilyzelenovich on 13 Jul 15
       
      Curiosity is something I really see lacking in some students today (at least high school students).  Many have a really hard time thinking of things they want to know or learn about or believe they can just get the answer to a question by looking online.  I have many students, who when given the chance to research a topic of their choice, believe they aren't interested in anything. This would be a challenge with peronalized learning. 
    • lisalillian311
      lisalillian311 on 14 Jul 15
       
      I agree: curiosity has to have motivation.  I allow students to choose their research topic, and once they delve into it, they start asking me questions, which, in turn, I help them find internet info that might send them in the right direction.  Then, they fly!
    • alissahansen
      alissahansen on 14 Jul 15
       
      Sadly, I too have seen more and more lack of innovation and creativity with students and the issue is on the rise it seems. I know with my own experiences as a high school English teacher that students really struggle coming up with their own original ideas, and even with lots of guidance and modeling beforehand. It's as if they do not trust themselves to make a good decision and this is so sad! I try to be very eclectic with how I teach the curriculum and my students will tell you that they do have a lot of choice and voice in my class, but they still need to meet standards and achieve mastery at some levels. I just don't know what it is that seems to be holding students back anymore. I do think PL can help this issue, but I do think that students will have difficulty (as with any chance) getting into such a different system if they already struggle being authentic, generating original ideas, and being creative. (Alissa Hansen)
    • Alison Ruebel
      Alison Ruebel on 13 Jul 15
       
      This is very true in many schools. I can relate to this, since our school has been focused on following our new school's reading curriculum this year and focusing on test scores each week. It isn't allowing us to be creative in our classrooms. How do we change the views of administrators to help them allow us to have more personalized learning in our classrooms?
    • kainley
      kainley on 13 Jul 15
       
      I worry about adding personalized learning to our environment too. We have seen 20% growth in reading scores on Iowa Assessments as we switched our Tier One instruction to a new curriculum. I think our curriculum and the way that teachers are constantly looking at data and working together to create better ways to meet student needs (small group instruction, mixing up classes, intensive guided groups, etc.) has been successful. I wonder how personalized learning lends it self to standardized tests...although the voice of reason in the back of my mind keeps reminding me that one test on one day is no way to measure what a student knows...or for that matter who they are!
    • alissahansen
      alissahansen on 14 Jul 15
       
      We have seen a lot of growth with Iowa Assessments too, and it is a result of the amazing teachers in our building and the data teams. I do wonder what assessments look like in a PL environment. There has been a sharp focus on reading and math scores, and scores equate to funding, so I have a feeling that this would be a hard sell...sadly. How can the bureaucracy of the educational world come to terms with what learners truly need/want? I guess this is always up for debate, and once you add in the giving "students the freedom to follow a meaningful line of inquiry, while building the skills to connect, synthesize and analyze information into original productions," it tends to scare people.
    • alissahansen
      alissahansen on 15 Jul 15
       
      (last comment was from Alissa Hansen)
    • jenniferlb
      jenniferlb on 15 Jul 15
       
      This is a true concern, as we have pre and post assessments for each unit to gauge their mastery of the standards.  While I find that information valuable, it is a struggle (and great concern) for many of my colleagues regarding the "freedom" to be creative in how they approach the standards.  I hope to better understand how the idea of innovation and creativity can coexist with necessary curriculum through PL.  Sharing that with concerned colleagues will be a great boost to morale, for sure!
  • The larger point is this: This moment of huge disruption requires us to think deeply about our goals and practices as educators, and it requires us to think deeply about the language we use. Words matter. More importantly, our thinking about what we want our kids to learn and our changed roles in that process matters. I’m suggesting that right now, because of the Web and the plethora of new technologies, 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.
    • Jessica Athen
      Jessica Athen on 13 Jul 15
       
      I had the pleasure of listening to Will Richardson speak at our school two years ago. I learned so much from his presentation and I was so excited about all of the ideas he provided for our district. I was saddened by how many teachers in our district were really turned off by Will, and felt that the presentation was a waste of their time. Unfortunately, because of this pervasive attitude, we never really proceeded with his ideas for our district.
    • Kristina Dvorak
      Kristina Dvorak on 13 Jul 15
       
      These ideas require teachers to thinking beyond the traditional model, which is difficult for most to do or think about.  His example about flipping is a good example, it could be used to really create students who know how to learn, but most don't use it in a way that encourages personal learning. 
    • dwefel
      dwefel on 15 Jul 15
       
      I love this section. It really talks about students taking charge of their learning. I think it is so important for kids to make goals and to really understand where they are and where they need to be. It is neat when students can see where they started and where they end and realize that working towards goals really pays off. (Dana Wefel)
    • alissahansen
      alissahansen on 15 Jul 15
       
      Yes, students will only learn that metacognition and how it works by making their own goals and plans of action. I try to have my freshmen do this at the start of each school year and we revisit the list through the year. It is hard for them to create goals, even with modeling, however, so this is something that needs a lot of work (both the teaching of the concept and creating the goals). 14 and 15 year olds have a hard time seeing past the right now, and most struggle even more with articulating what they struggle with and what they are good at. I want to really help my students with this aspect as that will really help us get close to a PL environment. (Alissa Hansen)
  • That was flipping the curriculum, but it still wasn’t flipping the control of the learning.
    • Jessica Athen
      Jessica Athen on 13 Jul 15
       
      I have never really understood how flipping a classroom is supposed to be the future of education like so many educators are saying it is. 
    • bakersusan
      bakersusan on 15 Jul 15
       
      I totally agree. If I use the definition of flipping explain by this article, I've been flipping my classroom for most of my career.
  • Dozens of teachers agreed that a truly personalized learning experience requires student choice, is individualized, meaningful and resource rich. This kind of learning allows students to work at their own pace and level, meets the individual needs of students, and perhaps most importantly, is not a one-size fits all model. T
    • Jessica Athen
      Jessica Athen on 13 Jul 15
       
      This statement does a great job of summarizing the goals of personalized learning, but I find myself wondering how we can move in this direction? There are so many changes that need to be made at every level of education and government that it seems almost impossible that we will actually ever be able to provide this type of environment to our students.
    • Kristina Dvorak
      Kristina Dvorak on 13 Jul 15
       
      Doesn't it also mean a lower student-to-teacher ratio? I also think it seems nearly impossible to implement on a wide scale basis. 
    • ahawthorne
      ahawthorne on 13 Jul 15
       
      I agree the system needs to change from top to bottom. If we aren't able to see change in the levels of education we will continue to struggle to see significant change.
    • Lisa Hackman
      Lisa Hackman on 13 Jul 15
       
      I agree whole-heartedly Jessica! Transitioning from a more traditional model to a personal learning model would be a HUGE undertaking. We aren't just talking about PreK-12 education, but post-secondary as well. Teacher preparation programs would need to be overhauled as well. How does everyone get on the same page in terms of what Personal Learning means and what it involves? There is much work to be done at all levels of the educational system as well as the government that funds the public educational system. I can't really wrap my head around this monumental task.
    • ascallon
      ascallon on 14 Jul 15
       
      I agree students need to make their own choices.  How does the teacher motivate the student to choose more than the basics to get by.  Many students I see want to do the bare minimum and nothing more.
    • alissahansen
      alissahansen on 14 Jul 15
       
      I agree that change is going to be difficult and that the entire educational system would need to be revamped, and that would also mean students would need to be trained for this type of learning environment because they have been born into this "one size fits all" system. I am curious what that training would look like. I am also thinking that communities that are homes to these schools would also need to be educated on personalized learning, or I fear major problems. (Alissa Hansen)
    • nwhipple
      nwhipple on 15 Jul 15
       
      I changed up my teaching this year and did less large group time and more centers and small group instruction time.  I found that my time with a small group worked really well because it was individualized by what their needs were.  However, I am still tweaking my centers and how the kids motivate themselves.  I have things for them to do, but to get them to do "more" is the hard part, unless you are scaffolding it, constantly.  (Natalie Whipple)
    • moodyh
      moodyh on 15 Jul 15
       
      In my traditional high school classes, I am trying to work towards a more personalized classroom experience, (although I realize in taking this class that it's actually more of a differentiation approach.) I think someone has to initiate the change and make it successful and more people will try it.  
    • alissahansen
      alissahansen on 15 Jul 15
       
      I am curious what you are doing to make your high school classroom more personalized. I am trying to do the same thing, but is very tough as I have classes of over 25 and see over 100 students everyday. I want this as my goal, but it seems like quite the mountain to climb. I like doing small groups, but my biggest issue is that I only see students for 45 minutes. I am not sure that is enough time to create a truly "meaningful line of inquiry, while building the skills to connect, synthesize, and analyze information into original products." (Alissa Hansen)
    • edamisch
      edamisch on 15 Jul 15
       
      What if a student's pace is excruciatingly slow?  How will a teacher ever get through everything? 
  • Certain forms of technology can be used to support progressive education, but meaningful (and truly personal) learning never requires technology.
    • ahawthorne
      ahawthorne on 13 Jul 15
       
      Some of my students are so sick of technology - and good for them. We need to remember it doesn't solve everything. 
    • lisa noe
      lisa noe on 15 Jul 15
       
      I agree with this statement.  Learning is a process of discovery, the acquisition or knowledge and sklls, and although you can learn many things by googling information, true learning goes beyond that.  You must know how and when to use this information.
    • bakersusan
      bakersusan on 15 Jul 15
       
      I too agree with this statement. Technology is a tool and shouldn't be expected to solve "problems" within education. I work in a 1:1 school, and as staff have come to a better understanding of technology and what it can and can't do, I see more true learning taking place. Once still has to remember that the most important component of learning are the people, not computers, iPads, etc...
    • alissahansen
      alissahansen on 15 Jul 15
       
       Agreed! I have students who cannot even tell time on a clock that is not digital or read a map...this is where things are going if we use technology for technology sake. (Alissa Hansen)
  • However, in order to navigate the system of accountability in the U.S. educational system, 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. When that happens, the structures around the classroom leave little room for the kind of authentic, whole-child personalization many teachers dream of offering. The demands of the system — and education leaders’ desire to excel within it — lend themselves well to the computerized, modular and often very standardized system of “personalization” many ed-tech companies are offering.
    • Jessica Athen
      Jessica Athen on 13 Jul 15
       
      This statement really resonated with me. I feel like as a teacher, we are supposed to "do it all." We are supposed to meet the individual needs of each student while also providing a mandated one size fits all curriculum with the goal of better test scores, and if we can't do all of this, then we are told that we have failed as teachers.
    • Lisa Hackman
      Lisa Hackman on 13 Jul 15
       
      Standardized testing is not consistent with personal learning. So how would schools be evaluated for progress? I don't see standardized testing going away anytime soon, but then again, it will take a long time to implement personal learning in a school, let alone the entire state and country.
    • Alison Ruebel
      Alison Ruebel on 13 Jul 15
       
      Interesting and good point! I think this is important for all educators to realize and know that personal learning should never require technology. We need to use it to support our student's on going learning.
  • ‘We often say we want creativity and innovation – personalization – but every mechanism we use to measure it is through control and compliance.’
    • Kristina Dvorak
      Kristina Dvorak on 13 Jul 15
       
      Maybe the idea of grading needs to be evaluated.  Even standards based grading does the same thing.  
    • ahawthorne
      ahawthorne on 13 Jul 15
       
      This is always a difficult. How do we address this?
    • lisalillian311
      lisalillian311 on 14 Jul 15
       
      We use common rubrics that we design as a staff and use CCS as our guide.  It is difficult to set up at first, but it becomes second nature after a while.  On standardized writing, we set a baseline on three different student submissions so we are all on the same page while grading with the rubric, and we all understand what "proficient" and "approaching" clearly mean.  I have done this in two different districts--perhaps it is the same all over?
    • kainley
      kainley on 15 Jul 15
       
      We also use common rubrics that we designed. We are constantly changing them as we learn more about the standards. I love your idea of bringing submissions to a PLC and discussing what is truly proficient. I do wonder, how did you get your team to be brave enough to share?
  • not about giving students what they want, it’s about a
    • ahawthorne
      ahawthorne on 13 Jul 15
       
      This is always a fear of mine. So difficult to not do for them what we really need them to do!
  • recommended learning path just for them.
  • Personalization is often used in the ed-tech community to describe a student moving through a prescribed set of activities at his own pace.
    • Lisa Hackman
      Lisa Hackman on 13 Jul 15
       
      As a user of a couple ed-tech products, they are really no different than what happens in the traditional classroom. Students are receiving the same content but in a different way. This is still not a personal learning opportunity but an individualized learning opportunity. All of the students are still meeting the same objectives and completing the same work. There is really nothing personal about it. In a weak defense of these products, I have had students do quite well using ed-tech programs. They were at least showing up to school on a more consistent basis and completing work. That doesn't necessarily mean that it was the best way for them to learn but it was a slight improvement over their previuos experience in the traditional high school setting.
    • ascallon
      ascallon on 14 Jul 15
       
      I don't think using a program like Edgenuity is personalizing for students.  All students use the same program.  I think it's more differentiation and individualization.
    • bleza66
      bleza66 on 16 Jul 15
       
      I agree with you that programs like Edgenuity are more about differentiation or individualization and not personalization but I think we can get there with programs like this if we can get the publishers to adapt them for more personalized choices. It can be built into the programming and if there is enough market f  or it they will create it. Education is a  slow moving train but with time and a push from educators this can and I believe will happen in the future.
  • because of the larger preoccupation with data data data data data.
    • ascallon
      ascallon on 14 Jul 15
       
      A comment from a recent high school grad--standardized tests don't show individuality yet schools are funded by test scores. 
  • Tracking kids’ “progress” with digital profiles
    • ascallon
      ascallon on 14 Jul 15
       
      I don't think it's fair that one test has so much value for a student.  Iowa Assessment scores are used for PSEO criteria, class placement.  If the student tests poorly due to illness, classroom environment, or just a bad day--it can have quite an effect on his/her future classes.
  • their choices are limited to when — or maybe, if they’re lucky, how – they’ll master a set of skills mandated by people who have never met them.
    • lisalillian311
      lisalillian311 on 14 Jul 15
       
      I worry about students who have gotten all the way to high school with a lack of intrinsic motivation.  So many are off track to graduate, so I guess I wonder how PL will help these kids if they already lack motivation.  Often, their goals are to be in a trade, which is fine, but they may see their parent making this work look easy.  For PL, I feel cautious around motivating the hard-to-motivate.
    • emilyzelenovich
      emilyzelenovich on 18 Jul 15
       
      This is one of my greatest concerns as well. I have so many students who struggle to find anything to write about, read about, talk about that matters or is thought provoking to them. How would they handle the flexibility and independence that comes with PL? 
  • If we can’t engage our kids in ideas and explorations that require no technology, then we have surely lost our way.
    • lisalillian311
      lisalillian311 on 14 Jul 15
       
      Not every subject lends itself to technology, such as science, which requires hands-on lab work.
    • moodyh
      moodyh on 15 Jul 15
       
      Another image comes to mind. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/1d/eb/5c/1deb5c1cf49a5dbb7689131f3cc8b9a9.jpg I am all for technology as an OPTION, not as a requirement.
    • jenniferlb
      jenniferlb on 15 Jul 15
       
      I totally agree! It is a seemingly impossible task to get students to put aside their technology for the sake of real world interaction.  I use technology, and invite them to use technology when appropriate and, ahem, innovative ;) but to get them interested in a novel is becoming increasingly difficult.  I feel that I share my passion for what we're learning, but it is a constant struggle to keep them interested without a screen.
    • kburrington
      kburrington on 16 Jul 15
       
      I think of my favorite teachers and the classes I felt I learn the most in and I never remember there being a computer there. Technology is a tool not a substitute for teaching. KB
  • artificially personalized
  • 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.”
    • sheilig
      sheilig on 15 Jul 15
       
      Is this where Skoolbo, Moby Max, Scootpad, and other sites like these fit? 
  • Simpler strategies, such as having kids choose, read, and discuss real books from the library may be more effective
    • sheilig
      sheilig on 15 Jul 15
       
      YES! I don't see kids free reading enough. It's an inexpensive, easy, and effective strategy. It can be done when the internet is down, too! (I'm saying this because there have been times when we have lost power or internet and kids feel we should cancel school!)
    • alissahansen
      alissahansen on 15 Jul 15
       
      hahaha. I have heard that from so many of our students, and believe me, a little too often than not because our school is moving closer to 1-to-1 and it has done a number to the stability of the Internet, so of course as the district was increasing our bandwidth, there were a number of hours we lost power. But of course, I have students read independent reading novels each semester and create a project/presentation over what they choose, this gave them time to read in class! Most students really enjoyed reading a book, but I did have students look at me like I was crazy, "What, a book that is 100 pages or more?!"  (Alissa Hansen)
  • 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.
    • sheilig
      sheilig on 15 Jul 15
       
      There is so much information out there that talks about "personalized learning." So, yes, I agree that everyone in the district needs to be on the same page about the definition and ways to implement it.
  • We often say we want creativity and innovation – personalization – but every mechanism we use to measure it is through control and compliance
    • kainley
      kainley on 15 Jul 15
       
      This is exactly why I think that PL will be a hard sell to my district. We ARE seeing growth on the test...does that mean that we are taking into account the whole child...no. However, this is how we measure growth and I'd like to know how we can even change that?
  • ‘We often say we wan
  • don’t lear
  • it is clear that all children don’t learn the same way and personalization seems to honor those differences.
    • nwhipple
      nwhipple on 15 Jul 15
       
      I agree that not all students learn the same way, especially at age 5.  I honor their learning differences daily but I am often challenged by grouping them based on their ability  and fitting in time to have them reach the standard for the day on their own.  The common core wants all kids proficient by the end of their school year in all their standards.  It gets tricky to personalize every child's learning and have them do it at their own pace when some may take 4-5 weeks to accomplish 1 standard.  This is where I worry about not having enough hours in the day and days in the school year.  
    • jroffman
      jroffman on 15 Jul 15
       
      I agree too! Not all students learn the same way I also think that is why now in the preschool classroom I am having to teach students how to play. I think that even at a very young age kids are taught to wait and be told what to do. I always think back to my youngest brother who struggled in school, and how he was told he would never make it. He went into farming and now at the age of 26 bought his first farm and milks over 100 cows, I would say he is successful even though he didn't make all of the common core goals. 
    • jenniferlb
      jenniferlb on 15 Jul 15
       
      When I think of the work I do with high school students, this is clearly something we deal with every day.  I present information in a variety of ways to attempt to meet the needs of different learning styles and I really try to "keep it moving" to avoid losing the attention of very "short-attention-spanned" kids! I think we can all relate to this, and I certainly agree that personalization will help adjust traditional learning to meet the needs of all students a little better. (Jennifer Betz)
  • 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.
    • kainley
      kainley on 15 Jul 15
       
      I love that students get choice. I love that they are connecting, synthesizing and analyzing. I love that they are creating something original. I guess I am wonder what a personalized environment would be for PL. In my class we follow the Daily 5 and with that, we have a comfortable reading space, cushions that can be brought to anywhere in the room, soft lamp light, tables for 4-6 students to work together, buddy areas.."home-looking." I mean is that what this is, or am I way off base?
    • jroffman
      jroffman on 15 Jul 15
       
      I struggle with creating a personalized classroom because of space, when students start projects one day they have to be put away at the end of play time otherwise we won't have space for large group or table activities. I also struggle with enough adults in the classroom, students are not comfortable with that much freedom and want a teacher next to them for guidance, but one teacher to 18 kids just doesn't work most of the time. My other issue is a personal issue I am an all or nothing type of person and I get frustrated when it doesn't look like I think it should. In reality I am probally doing an okay job with personalized learning, but I have LOTS of improvements to make. 
  • the industrialized form of education that pumps out cookie-cutter students with the same knowledge and skills.
    • lisa noe
      lisa noe on 15 Jul 15
       
      I agree that many students have difficultly thinking outside of the box.  I believe that is because we have quashed individuality.  We ask everyone to conform to our standards.  Our society has a habit of criticizing those that go against the norm.  We expect all students to follow the same path and to want the same things.  Students don't want to be embarrassed for thinking or looking differently.  I see this happen frequently during group work.  There always seems to be a strong-minded individual who takes charge.  Many times other members' voices are never heard even though they may have equally as good of ideas, if not better.  Many students have zero confidence in themselves so they never stand up and let their voice be heard.  Hence, cookie cutters. 
    • alissahansen
      alissahansen on 15 Jul 15
       
      I am nodding my head in agreement to your every statement here Lisa. With all of the assessments and data driven curriculum we have not given students any room or confidence to be creative or innovative. And when we do ask for it, students are so reluctant out of fear and that fear is paralytic. PL has so many benefits. Don't we want our future citizens to be innovators and critical thinkers? I think we do and our current educational system seems to imprison any originality. (Alissa Hansen.
    • bleza66
      bleza66 on 16 Jul 15
       
      I agree with both of you (Lisa and Alisson) students today are afraid of being different or standing out because they are afraid of not being accepted. I also agree that society has taught us this lesson all too well. However, if we begin to initiate higher order, more individualized thinking and expression of ideas at an early age then our societal norms will eventually begin to change and persoanalized individual learning will become the expectation and eventually the new norm. We can only hope and dream for that day to come. 
  • Three words seem to be dancing around in my head of late when it comes to current thinking about education: “personalization,” “engagement” and “flip.” All three were on display on the vendor floor and in session rooms at last week’s International Society for Technology in Education conference in San Diego, one of the largest ed tech conferences in the world attended by upward of 18,000 people.
  • It meets the needs of an individual in a very standardized way, but it doesn’t take into account who that kid is.
    • moodyh
      moodyh on 15 Jul 15
       
      This is what happened in my last school district.  The administration thought that a computer program could solve all the issues, but very few students learned well from a computer program.
    • kburrington
      kburrington on 16 Jul 15
       
      We have been finding that technology works good for some students but not for all. Sounds familiar kind of just like direct instruction.
    • jillnovotny
      jillnovotny on 19 Jul 15
       
      I think the issue is differences in the meaning of personalized learning. As we discussed in class previously, personalized learning is not the same thing as differentiation, which is supposed to meet students' needs. Personalized learning is truly about putting students in control of their learning and supporting them in developing that learning!
    • juliefulton
      juliefulton on 22 Jul 15
       
      When a student is unsuccessful in the traditional classroom we look to computer classes to fulfill the credit requirement. The focus is on successfully fulfilling the requirement rather than on learning. If schools were to turn to component recovery with a unit that allows personalized learning, the student could do both - learn and fulfill the graduation requirement.
  • 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. It’s a dramatic shift that requires new literacies to navigate all that access and, importantly, new dispositions to take advantage of it for learning.
    • moodyh
      moodyh on 15 Jul 15
       
      This line makes me think of this image. https://marinarn.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/pic1.jpg I think there will have to be some re"training" for teachers and students to be able to deal with the vast sums of knowledge available to everyone.
    • alissahansen
      alissahansen on 15 Jul 15
       
      Agreed! In my own English classroom, and I know I am not alone, students have access to millions of reviews and analyses of the literature we read in our own classroom so my goal is always to have them either create a product based on their own understanding of a concept, character, plot point, etc. or I do my best to give them choices for them to navigate their own understanding. A lot of "required" literature is all found online and there is so much out there on most aspects of each piece. Technology can make this aspect very difficult as students have all of this at their fingertips, and our goal as educators is for students to gain their own sense of meaning from what they have seen, read, heard, while also building skills that lead towards mastery along the way. (Alissa Hansen)
  • 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.
    • dwefel
      dwefel on 15 Jul 15
       
      This is a great piece in the article. It really got me thinking of how boring school is for kids. As an educator I 100% want my students to be engaged and having fun learning. It would be so great to hear old kids tell their younger siblings how much fun school is!
  • Technology and the Web has radically changed that concept.
    • alissahansen
      alissahansen on 15 Jul 15
       
      Technology has changed the way EVERYTHING is done in the classroom as students have access to EVERYTHING now. So, what can we do as educators to make sure they are having meaningful and authentic experiences in our classrooms? How do some of you deal with this issue? I know I put a lot of work into the in-class and out of class work that I have students do because many questions/answers can be found so quickly by students and this occurs anytime and anywhere. (Alissa Hansen)
  • “free to expand as a standardized individual.”[1]
    • alissahansen
      alissahansen on 15 Jul 15
       
      I think this is a great quote that truly shows just how contradictory our world is! And especially with education. (Alissa Hansen)
    • principalchris
      principalchris on 16 Jul 15
       
      Alissa, I like this quote as well.  We are free to educate as long as everyone gets 100% on the standardized test.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • can explore almost every interest or passion in depth on our own or with others, it’s crucially more important to have the dispositions a
  • personalization only comes when students have authentic choice over how to tackle a problem
    • jenniferlb
      jenniferlb on 15 Jul 15
       
      I like how this is stated..."authentic choice." We all want to be given choice in what we do each day...personally or professionally.  I think it is imperative to give students choice, when possible, in their learning.  But, the term "authentic" is what strikes me, because when I think of the choice I'm able to give students, I question whether or not it is authentic. When I offer students their choice of six different novels to read for a unit of study, is that truly authentic?  I'm doubting so.  It is a struggle, for sure.
    • katie50009
      katie50009 on 16 Jul 15
       
      I was also struggling with the word "authentic" here. Or even "how to tackle a problem." What problem? Why is this an important problem to tackle? Why? Would the student agree that it is worth tackling much less how to tackle it?
    • juliefulton
      juliefulton on 22 Jul 15
       
      I like the use of "authentic" however I am equally curious how a teacher manages a situation when the student does not believe it is worth tackling the question, as the previous reader noted. This is a great example of a need for PD - help teachers with strategies to inspire their students to want to take chances and risks to learn.
  • personalization only comes when students have authentic choice over how to tackle a problem
  • personalization only comes when students have authentic choice over how to tackle a problem
  • the prevailing narrative seems to be that we can’t engage kids without technology, without a smartphone, tablet computer or some other multimedia device or tool.
    • edamisch
      edamisch on 15 Jul 15
       
      Technology is great and all, but it does have it's drawbacks.   A family friend was all excited that her baby could do XYZ on an iPad at a young age to find out later that her pediatrician thought that very thing might be why her speech was so delayed.  
  • better test scores
    • edamisch
      edamisch on 15 Jul 15
       
      I've been interviewing and the question every district seems to ask it about data, data, data.  Two and four years ago, this was not the case.  I believe this is because of the high stakes testing trend in recent years.  
  • individualism yet experience a “relentless pressure to conform.”
    • edamisch
      edamisch on 15 Jul 15
       
      This reminds me of the "hipster" trend - "let's all be different in the same way." 
  • “It’s so much cheaper to buy a new computer than to pay a teacher’s salary year after year.”[11]
    • edamisch
      edamisch on 15 Jul 15
       
      There are districts using Rosetta Stone as opposed to foreign language teachers out there! 
  • One final caveat: in the best student-centered, project-based education, kids spend much of their time learning with and from one another.
    • edamisch
      edamisch on 15 Jul 15
       
      I'll admit, there is one tiny, tiny part of me that thinks, "My parents' generation turned out alright without flipped/project-based/differentiated/insert every other educational buzzword here." Honestly sometimes I do wonder if all these best practice trends aren't leading to an egocentric, narcissistic  generation.  Selfies for example.  But then there's a larger part of me that knows the factory model doesn't work in education either.  
    • lisa noe
      lisa noe on 16 Jul 15
       
      I agree!  I think of all the amazing things that have been invented in history and wonder, how in the world did they do it without technology?!  I know that our world is changing, and that to continue to grow we must change, but sometimes things are better left as is. As I type that, I realize our educational system needs to be overhauled.  It's just that every time I turn around someone is trying to "sell" us something else they claim will work, and before we even have a chance to get it up and running something new comes along. :)
  • From what I’ve seen, flipping doesn’t do much for helping kids become better learners in the sense of being able to drive their own education
    • jenniferlb
      jenniferlb on 15 Jul 15
       
      I have to agree with this statement.  With high school students who are over-involved (or resistant to be involved in anything at all) homework is rarely a priority.  Perhaps for a math class or a world language class where they have actual "work" to hand in, but when it comes to students finding reading time outside of class and putting as much effort into English is a challenge, for sure.
    • emilyzelenovich
      emilyzelenovich on 18 Jul 15
       
      This is a common discussion in the English department at my school. We struggle to figure out how to make any kind of outside reading or homework a priority. We have tried providing more time in class, but then we often run out of time or students grow tired of doing one thing for too long. Trying to help them see value and meaning in the work we assign is tricky.
  • ‘We often say we want creativity and innovation – personalization – but every mechanism we use to measure it is through control and compliance.’
  • The Web has changed or is changing just about everything when it comes to how we think about the ways in which we communicate, collaborate and create.
  • It’s as if engaging them in learning without technology has become this impossible task.
    • kaberding
      kaberding on 16 Jul 15
       
      It is hard to compete with technology.  When I think of technology, I think of even simple things like a cd player, video (the old VHS), radio station (for current news), etc.  As educators, we have been using technology to teach since we could get our hands on it. How about a simple cassette player with the ABC song on it?  I'm sure every educator has put their hands on any technology device that can help their students gain a better understanding of what is being taught. So I tend to disagree with idea that we shouldn't have to engage students without technology.  We should have to engage them with whatever is out there; doesn't that contradict the whole idea of listening to lecture is not an effective teaching strategy?  Basically, when I think of the term technology, I think of any form of it; not just the Web.  
  • Personalization promises better student achievement and, I believe, a more effective delivery method than any one teacher with 25 or 30 students in a classroom can compete with.
    • kaberding
      kaberding on 16 Jul 15
       
      Personalization scares me to the extent that we are not only talking about teaching the content, but being an expert in whatever they choose as personal learning.  Or at least knowing how or where they can access all the information for their personal learning.  With class sizes only growing, I am nervous to see how planning, tracking, and assessing the learning will go.  
    • jillnovotny
      jillnovotny on 19 Jul 15
       
      I will admit, this is the component of personalized learning I have not yet been able to wrap my head around. In thinking about how to manage the learning of all students in the classroom when the content may be different is kind of intimidating. Teachers who have experience with personalized learning like project-based learning have shared that it is not as difficult as it might seem and that the students work harder than they do. I think it is important that people don't get the idea that it is a hands-off approach from the teacher; it is simply putting the learning in their control and supporting them with developing their learning!
  • personalization,” “engagement” and “flip
  • personalization,” “engagement” and “flip.”
  • personalization,” “engagement” and “flip.
  • personalization,” “engagement” and “flip
  • “personalization,” “engagement” and “flip
  • personalization,” “engagement” and “flip.
  • “personalization,” “engagement” and “flip.”
  • engagement
    • kaberding
      kaberding on 16 Jul 15
       
      When I think of these terms, I think of differentiation.  To me that is what personalizing, engaging, and flipping learning can be.  Only until you add the term personal does that change and move away from differentiation.  
  • system of accountability in the U.S. educational system,
    • katie50009
      katie50009 on 16 Jul 15
       
      I struggle with the systemic changes that will need to be made to have complete personalized learning for all students while still have some accountability for what goes on in the classrooms of America. I don't want to appear negative, and I am certainly for personalized learning, but I am conflicted on how this can happen and still have accountability
    • jillnovotny
      jillnovotny on 19 Jul 15
       
      I completely agree with you that there are a number of systematic changes that will need to occur before personalized learning really takes hold in the US. In my opinion, there are still many ways to keep teachers and students accountable through personalized learning (i.e. still meeting the standards but through a project-based way). It is going to take some time for policy makers and other stakeholders in education to realize the possibilities personalized learning has to offer. I think it starts with having success with it in our own classrooms and success only comes through a number of attempts! I like to think of it as "If not us, who? If not now, when?"
  • We often say we want creativity and innovation
  • whole-child personalization many teachers dream of offering.
  • Personal learning entails working with each child to create projects of intellectual discovery that reflect his or her unique needs and interests
    • jillnovotny
      jillnovotny on 19 Jul 15
       
      Whether you call it personal or personalized learning, this is what it is all about! To nurture students' natural curiosity, we want students learning about things they are passionate about. By supporting students in creating projects that reflect their unique needs and interests, we are truly teaching to the child. Again, this doesn't mean teaching one student about addition using basketballs and another ballet shoes, but about getting students actively involved in their learning and putting more of the control in their hands. 
  • the industrialized form of education that pumps out cookie-cutter students with the same knowledge and skills.
    • juliefulton
      juliefulton on 22 Jul 15
       
      I wholeheartedly agree with all of the comments and agree that we need to place emphasis on the young learners to change societal norms which are incredibly strong in the high school culture.
anonymous

Adaptive Learning System Articles - 0 views

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

shared by anonymous on 12 Feb 16 - No Cached
  • Adaptive learning products track how each student is doing and provide teachers with class reports. Teachers won’t have to work individually with students for hours to assess which skills each student needs help with, because they’ll have on-demand data aggregating that information.
    • lkmace
      lkmace on 12 Feb 16
       
      Being split between two buildings can limit the collaboration time with staff, as well as time spent with students served. The "on-demand data" plays a key role in giving teachers quicker feedback, having information to drive the instruction that is readily available, and assists students to self reflect on their own personal learning.
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 15 Feb 16
       
      I like the idea of instant feedback as to the progress of each student. I wonder how this would change if the community, not just the individual teacher and student pair, but the parents, and co teachers, could access the same information. I feel like the adaptive technology lends itself to collaboration cross curricular and beyond the classroom to the home. Would this technology help that communication, or would it overwhelm the student?
  • Students trying to balance college with other big life responsibilities are going to have a hard time keeping up with the work. If they fall behind or especially struggle to get past a particular hurdle, they’re more likely to give
    • lkmace
      lkmace on 12 Feb 16
       
      Working with gifted students, a common concern can be lack of motivation, or students doing bare minimum to get by. They may have evolved from having learning experiences that didn't present challenges which builds a relaxed attitude due to everything coming so easy with academics. Adaptive learning could significantly move towards elimination of this concern. This could be a great tool to show and design learning that will reach those one year growth levels that can be difficult for those students already above grade level to achieve/show.
  • That umbrella term covers a range of approaches and models, Newman said, including competency-based learning, differentiated instruction and tutorial models, as well as adaptive learning.
    • lkmace
      lkmace on 12 Feb 16
       
      This brings clarification to what I was trying to decipher between meanings of personalized learning and adaptive learning. I like the idea that the umbrella offers a variety of models to provide a variety of learning to fit the needs of students best.
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • An adaptive learning system can be "facilitator-driven," which means it provides instructors with actionable student and cohort profiles, typically via a dashboard; or it can be "assessment-driven," which means it provides close-to-real-time ("dynamic") adjustments of the instructional content that lay out a student's learning path. Facilitator-driven systems provide information instructors can (and
    • lkmace
      lkmace on 12 Feb 16
       
      Just like the service design my position is responsible for, using adaptive learning systems successfully can and does include a variety of tools. This resembles the variety of data analyzed to design extensions using variety of formats. Analyzing the need for services also utilize a variety of data, Though technology tends to be a students choice to drive much of their learning, it still requires strong communication skills.
  • "One of the benefits of adaptive learning is that it frees up faculty members to spend more time with students, to work with them in small groups and individually, essentially flipping the classroom,"
    • lkmace
      lkmace on 12 Feb 16
       
      Can I just say, "This sounds like a perfect scenario!"
  • A Diverse Marketplace
    • lkmace
      lkmace on 12 Feb 16
       
      How do we get schools to buy into these platforms. As I read through the following examples, I wonder what the cost involved is? What data is available to support changing your instruction style that a school board would accept the proposal? Are there grants available for start up? These are just a few of the questions that I have as I begin processing how this might work in my classes.
  • Adaptive learning technologies are potentially transformative in that they may be able to change the economics of tutoring. Imagine if every student in your class could have a private tutor
    • lkmace
      lkmace on 12 Feb 16
       
      How often have we engaged in conversations with colleagues regarding not having enough time to reach every student in a timely manner? How often do I hear from students that they get to read or work on free choice why they wait for other students to catch up to where they are? I'm not feeling that adaptive learning "tutors" can replace the caring and experienced classroom teacher, but it could give assistance and direction to the student until teachers have the time to hold those valuable conversations/teaching moments.
  • understand in what ways the software adapts to the students.
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 15 Feb 16
       
      I think many times districts buy and expect the usage of softwares without taking into account how that software adapts to the needs of the individuals using it. The question I have is: especially in the beginning of the year, I try to create a routine for the kids to follow. How does one establish the appropriate adaptive technology if we do not fully understand the needs of our students at the beginning of the year?
  • Many students in the United States fail to complete school. 7% of high school students drop out before graduation and nearly half of the students who start college don’t finish within six years
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 15 Feb 16
       
      While this is a fun statistic, I would like more information as to why the drop out rate occurs. Is this lack of understanding, e.g. the work is too hard, family problems, socio-economic status? I think they are right that adaptive technology will decrease the drop out rate, but I wonder how much of that had to do with falling behind vs other factors.
  • . Furthermore, the study also found that the OLI students took 50% less time to learn all of the content and perform the same or better relative to the traditional students.
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 15 Feb 16
       
      This seems like a very shocking statistic. I think with a statistic like this it would be used more widely. How much do the students retain the information for use later?
anonymous

Implementation in a Secondary Classroom (Articles) - 0 views

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

shared by anonymous on 24 Feb 16 - No Cached
  • “We have all these different methods of how kids can present the project, for example, through Photo Story, xtra normal (an animation site where kids create their own animations), PowerPoints, vodcasts, podcasts.
    • kelsi-johnson
      kelsi-johnson on 24 Feb 16
       
      My biggest struggle with this is the lack of technology knowledge that my students possess. This type of learning would definitely have to begin and be supported at lower levels of education in order to find success at the secondary level. My students know how to use technology for social means but have very little experience with academic applications and websites. We struggle with giving them individual learning opportunities because of the excessive amount of time we have to spend explaining how to use these resources rather than actually applying/demonstrating their learning.
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 27 Feb 16
       
      I agree with your comment completely. I would love to give individuals the opportunity to create their final project in multiple formats. Unfortunately, it requires both them and me to be well versed on each of the options. The individuals I teach are so afraid to hit the wrong button, time constraints and lack of experience play a huge role as to what I can offer for options within the classroom.
  • For example, when a teacher assigns a research project, some students will prefer to have a broad range of topics, others will prefer a small list of options, and yet others will prefer to be told what to do. Giving students a short list of topics with an option to create their own topic, with the teacher’s approval, often works well.
    • kelsi-johnson
      kelsi-johnson on 24 Feb 16
       
      I definitely find this to be true in my own classroom. I have some students who can come up with great, original applications and products to demonstrate their learning. However, I have others who would simply choose to do nothing or throw a project together last minute if it is not clearly laid out for them. I want to strive to be better about fostering a sense of independence in my students' learning and not simply spoon-feed them all of the information that they need. Ultimately, this is going to allow them to be the most successful after leaving school. Now, I just need to figure out the best way to do that!
  • Some students chose to remain at their desks, others crawled under the desks, and still others found comfortable places elsewhere.
    • kelsi-johnson
      kelsi-johnson on 24 Feb 16
       
      I give my students this choice at all times; I have tables, chairs, bean bags, a couch, and two cushioned chairs in my classroom. I don't care if students sit at these locations or even on the floor (though under a desk may not be the best choice!) as long as they are working productively. Most classes want to continue to have this privilege, so they are typically very respectful of our classroom-established norms for behavior.
  • ...12 more annotations...
  • Once teachers have planned their methods and strategies, they can fit their work into a timeline. Because the design is flexible and students are responsible for taking charge of their own learning, coverage of the content is ensured and depth of understanding is achieved
    • kelsi-johnson
      kelsi-johnson on 24 Feb 16
       
      I would like to see an example of such a timeline for a secondary English classroom. I understand the concept but would love to see it in full application to gauge how I can make this work in my own classroom. It seems like a good idea to also have students keep some sort of reflective journal tracking their progress as well. This can be beneficial for the student and the teacher in guiding/creating future tasks.
  • The screencasts, which I create with Zaption, Screencast-o-matic and Video Ant,
    • kelsi-johnson
      kelsi-johnson on 24 Feb 16
       
      It seems like this type of learning would require a lot of technology support for both teachers and students; technology courses and/or training would be really helpful for all involved in the personalized learning process.
  • “One of the things I had to learn recently was to let go and allow the kids to experience the consequences of their choices. And maybe there’s a failure.
    • Megan Schulte
      Megan Schulte on 25 Feb 16
       
      This is something I'm struggling with, particularly with my group of middle schoolers.  They're really good at "looking busy" but then I discover they really aren't.  I think this is something that easier to fix at the beginning of the year when they don't know any different than it would be at this point in the school year.  Will this ever be fixed 100%?  I would say frequent checkins or ways for them to demonstrate their progress/learning.  Just something I keep thinking about...
  • They’ll have to post a couple of responses—and post a couple of responses to responses— as part of the class. That’s going to get them trading ideas about the literature we read in class.”
    • Megan Schulte
      Megan Schulte on 25 Feb 16
       
      ELA info!!!  Yeah!  I was wondering if this would be an appropriate activity to use for the speaking and listening standards or do those have to be assessed in an actual vocal conversation?  They'd be responding and building upon others' ideas?  But I wasn't sure if this would be one way to do that?
  • But I was simply using technology in place of my normal face-to-face teaching. When asked to explain the “why” behind my choices during professional learning sessions, I realized there was more to creating blended lessons than simply adding technology.
    • Megan Schulte
      Megan Schulte on 25 Feb 16
       
      This is where I'm at with implementing PL (or more specifically, blended learning).  While this may help students learn at their own pace, it doesn't really help differentiate much else.  We have to start somewhere.
  • 5. Assess as you go.
    • Megan Schulte
      Megan Schulte on 25 Feb 16
       
      This is a huge part of our professional development this year, but the ELA teachers are having a hard time managing the formative assessments because it's not easy to assess ELA in multiple choice questions.  We're finding a few resources that help with question stems for DOK levels and Bloom's but it's not as easy for us as it may be for science or math.  We're getting there though...there's a light at the end of the tunnel at least.
  • Low motivation does not need to be a recurring problem in the classroom.
    • Megan Schulte
      Megan Schulte on 25 Feb 16
       
      I'm nervous about this aspect, but I feel the more blended or PL that they've experienced the better it will be.  Think back to when we first started using Google Docs and all the explicit instruction we had to do to create and share a simple document, and now the kids know more than I do.  I feel this is where PL will go.  The more this type of learning is the norm, the less they'll question or resist it.
  • Teachers must identify the big ideas in their content area, establish essential questions to guide the students toward these ideas, determine what students will need to know and be able to do to thoroughly understand the ideas, then create appropriate tools to assess whether the students are learning what they need to know. Classroom assessments for personalized teaching are always varied, ongoing, and carefully designed to give the teacher useful information from multiple perspectives. Collectively, the measures provide feedback on where students still have misconceptions, where they are learning and applying skills, and where they are recalling and using information effectively.
    • Megan Schulte
      Megan Schulte on 25 Feb 16
       
      This is right where we are as a department, so I feel it's natural to implement some PL (blended).  Start small where it makes sense and build as you can; that's the only way to do this successfully.
  • Units of study in each learning community are planned around the “big ideas” in each subject area and often have interdisciplinary ramifications.
  • Once they feel ready, they can submit their analysis by writing a traditional essay, creating a website, or writing a script for a video that they then record.
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 27 Feb 16
       
      I like what this says about how writing does not always need to be in essay form. I also like how the writer points out that there are several ways students can express what they have learned. My main question is: when do students "feel they are ready?" Eventually, grades are due, how does one motivate those who are not just paced slowly.
  • The more meaningful an activity is to the person engaging in it, the more likely he or she will be motivated to continue doing it. A sense of purposefulness or meaningfulness is also heightened if the activity strengthens relationships with others.
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 27 Feb 16
       
      I have always encouraged the kids to ask why they are to do some task. They now are sure to ask how their [writing] task will apply to them later. I tell them the practical application of analysis or persuasion. Sometimes it is just an extension to high school or college, other times it is a real life application. Either way, I think making the project relevant and purposeful gives them more of a buy in.
  • Almost all teachers find it emotionally fulfilling and personally energizing when students begin to succeed, especially where they have previously failed.
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 27 Feb 16
       
      Personalized learning also helps the student take control of their learning. I think they also feel pride when they succeed in areas they have previously failed. 
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