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Steve Van Gundy

Wolfram Alpha: Computational Knowledge Engine - 2 views

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    Try this when Google and Wikipedia aren't getting you what you need.
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    Steve - This is one of my favorite sites!! The more I explore it I realize it is not just for math junkies but has benefits for all teachers. They have some great videos of elementary teachers using it.
Drinda Williams

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

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

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

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

Online Education: Is It Right For You? [Infographic] - Edudemic - 5 views

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    Very interesting!!
Annalisa Miner

Resources for ELLs by Denise Krefting, Heartland AEA - 5 views

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    resources for English language learners
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    Actually, I said ELL, but the sites she has on here can be used by ALL! She has compiled a great list of resources with descriptions and examples, as well. Anyone using technology in their classrooms would find something useful here. :)
Julie Townsend

Social Studies Class: Integrating the Web & Technology - 4 views

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    This is an amazing presentation on the merging of education and technology.
Amy Burns

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

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    Great chart showing various tools for synchronous and asynchronous communication.
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    Would moodle enter into both of these?
SLP John

Google For Educators - 4 views

  • The sharing features of Google Docs enable you and your students to decide exactly who can access and edit documents.
    • SLP John
       
      Here I can see how students in the class can interact together-either on a group project and/or see and comment on each other's work.
Carissa Otto

When To Use a Wiki? | Online Community Report - 4 views

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    Report on when to use a Wiki with links to other resources.
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    I like this information, thanks for sharing. I created a wiki as part of the class and really discovered moodle and wiki's do about the same things.
Cory Johnson

Jing Blog: Wicked Cool Uses Archives - 4 views

    • Cory Johnson
       
      Here are some cool ideas about how to use Jing in your teaching.
Ami Leath

TechSmith | Jing, instant screenshots and screencasts, home - 4 views

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    Create images and videos of what you see on your computer screen and share with others quickly.
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    I've used Jing before for multiple projects and find it very user friendly. The only drawback is the length of time you have for a screencast. Five minutes goes pretty quickly!
Gayle Olson

Teacher Development: Starter Kit for Teaching Online | Edutopia - 4 views

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    This is an article with lots of additional resources and examples with many good points on how to begin to develop skills for teaching online. Some great points!
Brooke Maine

ollie1christensen: Iowa Online Teaching Standards - 6 views

  • 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)
    • Peggy Steinbronn
       
      The structure of the course is very important to whether or not a student succeeds in an online course environment. If the course structure is very "scattered or disorganized" students have a harder time understanding what is expected and may drop out.
    • Lorilee Hamel
       
      The same as a classroom situation. The key is having clear learning targets, structured purposeful instruction, and the strategies/tools that most effectively engage the learning/learner.
  • Understands student motivation and uses techniques to engage students (Varvel V.D, ITS 4.d)
    • Peggy Steinbronn
       
      Engaging students in the online environment is very challenging, but also a challenge that I see as an important one to meet--engaged students will learn more and have a better online experience.
    • Peggy Christensen
       
      I agree with you, Peggy. If students (even adult students) aren't engage there is very little learning going on.
    • Erik Columbus
       
      I think this one is very essential - with all the new online tools at teachers' disposal, hopefully some are not using technology just to "say" they are using technology/ online learning - motivation is key in any type of instruction.
    • William Bird
       
      In a f2f classroom or an online classroom it still comes down to building relationships with students who are not engaged in the learning process.
  • Has experienced online learning from the perspective of a student (SREB F.1, Varvel II.E)
    • anonymous
       
      I'm starting to understand why it's so important to understand this component. It's very frustrating at time when something isn't clicking right away and there isn't anyone to run to and ask a question.
    • Erik Columbus
       
      Couldn't agree with you more Bethany - to be in the "shoes" of an online student learner is very educational. I share your frustration as well......although I'm 100% certain my students are way more web/tech savvy then myself :-/
  • ...20 more annotations...
  • Maintains an online social presence that is available, approachable, positive, interactive, and sincere
    • Erin Payne-Christiansen
       
      I think an instructor of a course that was completely online could find him/herself overwhelmed with the amount of communication taking place. It takes time to navigate around, read everyone's posts on each topic, and comment, all while working to be both professional and approachable. In a face-to-face class, you can visually monitor how long it's going to take the instructor to respond to you. (How many other hands are in the air? How many people are lined up?) The instructor can also view facial expressions and body language to determine if his/her students are "getting it" and buying in. It seems like this element, in an online course, would have to be done entirely by computer interactions. I'd be completely overwhelmed if I had to teach a course completely online!
    • Peggy Christensen
       
      It is challenging at times. I've had a few of you call me, if you have a Moodle problem. I also agree that you need to be very clear when you communicate online because you don't see those facial expressions and body language. You also have to be careful about joking with people online, because again you don't see facial expressions, body language and hear tone of voice.
  • Tailors instruction to meet the different needs of students, i
    • Janet Wills
       
      This is where I think online learning can really be utilized to the benefit of every student. Online learning can be personalized for each student's need.
  • Provides substantive, timely, and constructive feedback to students
    • Janet Wills
       
      I think that Moodle is great for providing that immediate feedback. It lets students know if they are on the right track!
  • Creates a learning community that encourages collaboration and interaction, including student-teacher, student-student, and student-content
    • Kristin Meyer
       
      I think collaboration and group work is great for students in preparing them for life after high school if done correctly. Too often I see groupwork done where one or two students do the majority of the work while other students do little or nothing. Online classes can can either help or hurt group projects depending on how they are set up and the work required by each individual student.
  • 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
    • Kristin Meyer
       
      I think more teachers would add an online component to their classes if they felt more comfortable. I was hoping my school district would choose one online platform (Moodle for example) and then train all of our staff to create pages. Some teachers have created their own websites but it would be much easier for the students if all teachers had the same online set up for their classes.
    • Brooke Maine
       
      I completely agree with having all teachers use the same website. It seems easiest, most cost-efficient, and just smart, best practice for a district to do that. Good call!
    • Lorilee Hamel
       
      I too agree--and my district is trying to move forward on the decision making path. BUT deciding which of the CMS to go with is challenging/daunting.
  • different learning styles
    • anonymous
       
      I believe this is an important element of online learning. There are so many tools that can be used to get the same point across, and if it engages the students they will be more likely to want to learn it.
  • Demonstrates techniques for dealing with issues arising from inappropriate student technological use
    • anonymous
       
      Brings up a good point. Most districts have the right to keep students off the internet if they have abused it in the past. What happens when it is required for a class?
    • Brooke Maine
       
      That is a good question Bethany! What does happen??
    • Peggy Christensen
       
      I think policies need to be developed by schools and school districts to address such issues.
  • Understands the differences between teaching online and teaching face-to-face
    • Robert Hanson
       
      This statement is interesting. I understand we would need to know the difference in delivery but at the same time we are teaching students, just like in the classroom.
    • William Bird
       
      Somethings are easier in face2face like being able to see the confussion on a students face and ask follow up questions for understanding. In the same way in the onlne classroom in discussion groups all students get the amount of "wait time" that they might need. This will give some rich responses from students who may not even talk in a f2f classroom.
  • Selects and uses technologies appropriate to the content that enhance learning
    • Jodi Leimkuehler
       
      I think this is important even in a face-to-face classroom. We need to make sure that the technology we are choosing to use enhances the learning; and we are not just using it to be using it.
    • Peggy Christensen
       
      Jodi, too often I think teachers find a "cool" tech tool and then try to figure out how to use it in their classroom. I know I used to be guilty of that.
  • online collaboration group work that is goal-oriented
    • Jodi Leimkuehler
       
      How much more real world can one get?! Talk about preparing students for the 21st Century. I think if an online environment is used correctly, students have an awesome opportunity to collaborate and learn to work together to achieve a common goal.
    • Kristin Meyer
       
      Great point! This does replicate tasks done in the "real" working world!
  • Sets and models clear expectations for appropriate behavior and proper interaction
    • Brooke Maine
       
      I think this standard is a very important one for online learning. Teachers model and monitor appropriate behavior naturally in a face-to-face class but it is a whole other world to try and teach it in an online class. The students that I have seen many times do not understand what is or is not appropriate for online classes or behavior. It needs to be explicitly taught and modeled and teachers can't just assume that students know what is or is not ok for online behaviors and interactions.
  • Demonstrates effective instructional strategies and techniques, appropriate for online education, that align with course objectives and assessment
    • Brooke Maine
       
      This immediately made me think of last week when we looked at the various tools and discussed how important it is to select the correct tool for a purpose in the online class, and not using tools just to use them or use them in the wrong manner.
    • Kristin Meyer
       
      I agree! Some tools look "fun" to use so we try to find a place in our classrooms to use them instead of finding a tool that will best enhance the learning goals and objectives.
  • Demonstrates growth in technology knowledge and skills in order to stay current with emerging technologies
    • Erin Payne-Christiansen
       
      This seems to be a particularly relevant standard for this field in particular, perhaps more so than in any other area. Not only do "new" technologies enter the educational setting, but familiar ones are updated/upgraded. There is also such a broad range of technology available, as well as slightly different "products" to do similar tasks.
    • William Bird
       
      I agree Erin this is so important and so challenging as an educator to stay on top of the new learning that is needed to teach native tech students in todays world.
  • Identifies and communicates learning outcomes and expectations through a course overview/orientation
    • William Bird
       
      It is so important for students to know what the target (Learning outcome) is if we want them to feel successful. Teachers who are students always want a clear picture of the expectation. We tend to be high level target shooters.
  • Demonstrates ethical conduct as defined by state law and local policies or procedures
    • William Bird
       
      While this would seem common sense, it many times is missed by staff. Our district just added a lot of addtional guidelines for staff as they have opened new portals (facebook etc) to us on district servers. Even administrators miss on this one.
  • didactic conversation
    • Robert Hanson
       
      I had to look up what this meant, still a little confused.
  • didactic conversation
  • Continuously uses data to evaluate the accuracy and effectiveness of instructional strategies (SREB J.7, ITS 1.c)
    • Lorilee Hamel
       
      As with any teaching....data is vital in both the formative and summative forms for determining the efficacy of your instruction and the learning of the student.
  • communicates evidence of learning
  • Aligns assessment with course objectives
    • Lorilee Hamel
       
      The first most important step to successful instruction--know where you want the students to go!!
  •  
    The vast majority of my teaching experience (22 years) has been with adults in the college environment at three different colleges and in a training environment at the state police academy. The earlier comment about adult engagement is right on. Either the person themselves or their employer is paying out money for my classes and they want bang for their buck. Adults do not want to waste their time in non productive endeavors because they usually have less time available.
Tina Wahlert

Back to School: Watch your way into Moodle with over 600 videos | Moodle News - 4 views

  •  
    "Back to School: Watch your way into Moodle with over 600 videos"
amsmith0209

Free Technology for Teachers - 3 views

  • Free Resources and Lesson Plans for Teaching with Technology
    • denise carlson
       
      I get so many readily useful and great leads from this blog.
    • Valerie Jergens
       
      If you are a first time reader of this site, go back through the archives and see what is useful for you. There have especially been a lot of science specific sites-for example, virtual labs for anatomy and physiology, star/constellation simulations, ...
    • Pam Buysman
       
      This is one of my favorite blogs as well. Great information!
  •  
    This is a great site that introduces new tools for teachers.
  •  
    My wife introduced me to is blog. It has lots of free technology ideas for teachers. Just looking around I can see many online resources that I could use if I start teaching again. And someone else is keeping it up-to-date for me. That is even better!
  •  
    blog that focuses on free resources for teachers
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