Oct 28, 2013
#iNacol13 Monday: Creating Your District's Virtual or Blended Learning Program
Please note: These are rough notes. Editing may be needed and clarification may be needed upon further review. I apologize for any typos and/or incomplete/inaccurate information. Information entered in this blog is replicated out to various online outlets automatically.
Why I chose this:
I thought a panel presentation about the good, bad, and ugly in starting a virtual/blended program would help me as I help the Distance Learning Coordinator work with our area schools. Some of our schools may wish to develop their own content, and we have to be ready with answers to the questions they will most likely generate.
What I learned/Am learning:
Panelists serve a variety of students, including autistic, downs, expelled students not allowed to set foot on campus, and others. Is a mix of public and private, fulltime and supplemental, large populations and smaller ones. A varied panel.
In order to adjust to the new methods of education, all personnel must be retrained and adjust their duties.
How to select a platform. What are some thoughts, ideas, questions? No perfect way to do this. Personalizing the process is vital and different for each district, each rollout. Hire consultants for specific needs, not a bee-all-end-all. Bring in and send out as you need, when you need.
Sometimes, it is simply trial and error. That is the wrong approach, but sometimes that's what happens. It is not like textbooks: you dont get to see everything. You see the best. YOu must ask for access. Get your hands on it. You will learn what you need and what you don't. Look past the presentation, access the full package - not even a demo login. Have a team of people look, play, hunt and peck. Don't be afraid to have THE conversation. "Here is what I need." You must be willing to have those conversations. It's okay to step out of the box, do things differently. Allow the teachers navigate the courses and use students - have them look it over. Is it easy to navigate? Does it look interesting? Would you want to use this every class? "There is no Consumer Reports Guide for choosing." As administrators, you have to lead the teachers down the road. How much money do you have? Some are very expensive yet don't offer what you need to fit your school, your budget, your students, and your teachers. Families are an integral part of the transition. Be willing to call your provider and let them know what isn't working. Must be able to differentiate and individualize the instruction. Needs to be customizable - give ownership to the teaching staff. You don't want teaching to stop! Allow teachers to add their own touch. Bang for the buck. What are you getting for the money? What about user-friendliness - for teachers, for students. What about ongoing training for the teachers? Is creating your own coursework important? Make sure your chosen system has that, if you need it. One person cannot be the decision maker - admin, teachers, students...
How do you screen, recruit, hire, train, etc personnel? There is a method to hire based on student-centeredness. Do they care about the individual student? "I can teach skill. I cannot teach heart." Passion and compassion is number one. Teachers tend to form support groups and tell other teachers about opportunities. Have a great support system. Recruit on social media - facebook, twitter, etc. Took away the teacher's safety nets (handouts, etc). Some teachers came along willingly. Other teachers left the program. It is important to know that eventually all k-12 education will be faced with blended learning environments. Training and retraining is key. Keep a very open mind - the ones you think will lead the charge are the ones who jump ship. Some sites hire teachers that are already teaching - adjunct teachers who do blended learning after their regular hours. There is a mandatory training - if they don't come, they don't teach online. In several cases, the teachers need to be problem-solvers and not problem-dwellers/creators.
Maintaining the program: Many times, it takes multiple vendors and implementations in order to reach goals. Need lots of training and education on the front end. Some sites have a student reorientation process - laws may have changed, etc. Teachers go through training. Twice a month there is a face-to-face for training. Students can come in face-to-face with the teachers to cover issues. Meet with teachers/students about what is working or not, then meet with the vendor(s) to address those issues. This is a hand-holding process from the vendors. If vendors will not be there, not provide the customer service, then that lack of support will result in schools dumping those vendors.
Program leaders must build a network of support. Let everyone know that you are there. Be open to the good, bad and ugly. Students groups, parent groups, facilitator groups, teacher groups. Each group needs a support mechanism outside of direct contact with the director/program leaders. By the same token, program leaders essentially adopt a 24/7/365 access.
Facilitate ongoing data points, reporting, etc. Look for built-in data collection and tracking. Still have regular staff meetings. Pull info about how long students were logged in, teachers logged in. Can see what is happening. Helps with parent communication. Teachers communicate with students, with parents, etc. Track communication within the various programs implemented.
Research and building process - dual enrollment, career and tech, industry certifications. How do you go about building process for building those kind of relationships.
How do you market and sell your own program? You must do this or else you won't survive - not enough bodies, no expansion. Get what you can for free. Social media. Local news articles. Teacher, parent, student referrals - offer incentives for giving referrals. Connect with your community and know your community. Find students to be your advocate. Find someone else to tell your story for you. "This saved my child." "This transformed my child."
Teacher evaluation: attendance, communication. Local district eval modified with approval. Virtual walkthrough - can you see the student work? can you see syllabus, gradebook, what about 'word walls' as resources, etc. Virtual portfolio for evaluation. Must be able to capture data digitally in order to share it out.
Why I chose this:
I thought a panel presentation about the good, bad, and ugly in starting a virtual/blended program would help me as I help the Distance Learning Coordinator work with our area schools. Some of our schools may wish to develop their own content, and we have to be ready with answers to the questions they will most likely generate.
What I learned/Am learning:
Panelists serve a variety of students, including autistic, downs, expelled students not allowed to set foot on campus, and others. Is a mix of public and private, fulltime and supplemental, large populations and smaller ones. A varied panel.
In order to adjust to the new methods of education, all personnel must be retrained and adjust their duties.
How to select a platform. What are some thoughts, ideas, questions? No perfect way to do this. Personalizing the process is vital and different for each district, each rollout. Hire consultants for specific needs, not a bee-all-end-all. Bring in and send out as you need, when you need.
Sometimes, it is simply trial and error. That is the wrong approach, but sometimes that's what happens. It is not like textbooks: you dont get to see everything. You see the best. YOu must ask for access. Get your hands on it. You will learn what you need and what you don't. Look past the presentation, access the full package - not even a demo login. Have a team of people look, play, hunt and peck. Don't be afraid to have THE conversation. "Here is what I need." You must be willing to have those conversations. It's okay to step out of the box, do things differently. Allow the teachers navigate the courses and use students - have them look it over. Is it easy to navigate? Does it look interesting? Would you want to use this every class? "There is no Consumer Reports Guide for choosing." As administrators, you have to lead the teachers down the road. How much money do you have? Some are very expensive yet don't offer what you need to fit your school, your budget, your students, and your teachers. Families are an integral part of the transition. Be willing to call your provider and let them know what isn't working. Must be able to differentiate and individualize the instruction. Needs to be customizable - give ownership to the teaching staff. You don't want teaching to stop! Allow teachers to add their own touch. Bang for the buck. What are you getting for the money? What about user-friendliness - for teachers, for students. What about ongoing training for the teachers? Is creating your own coursework important? Make sure your chosen system has that, if you need it. One person cannot be the decision maker - admin, teachers, students...
How do you screen, recruit, hire, train, etc personnel? There is a method to hire based on student-centeredness. Do they care about the individual student? "I can teach skill. I cannot teach heart." Passion and compassion is number one. Teachers tend to form support groups and tell other teachers about opportunities. Have a great support system. Recruit on social media - facebook, twitter, etc. Took away the teacher's safety nets (handouts, etc). Some teachers came along willingly. Other teachers left the program. It is important to know that eventually all k-12 education will be faced with blended learning environments. Training and retraining is key. Keep a very open mind - the ones you think will lead the charge are the ones who jump ship. Some sites hire teachers that are already teaching - adjunct teachers who do blended learning after their regular hours. There is a mandatory training - if they don't come, they don't teach online. In several cases, the teachers need to be problem-solvers and not problem-dwellers/creators.
Maintaining the program: Many times, it takes multiple vendors and implementations in order to reach goals. Need lots of training and education on the front end. Some sites have a student reorientation process - laws may have changed, etc. Teachers go through training. Twice a month there is a face-to-face for training. Students can come in face-to-face with the teachers to cover issues. Meet with teachers/students about what is working or not, then meet with the vendor(s) to address those issues. This is a hand-holding process from the vendors. If vendors will not be there, not provide the customer service, then that lack of support will result in schools dumping those vendors.
Program leaders must build a network of support. Let everyone know that you are there. Be open to the good, bad and ugly. Students groups, parent groups, facilitator groups, teacher groups. Each group needs a support mechanism outside of direct contact with the director/program leaders. By the same token, program leaders essentially adopt a 24/7/365 access.
Facilitate ongoing data points, reporting, etc. Look for built-in data collection and tracking. Still have regular staff meetings. Pull info about how long students were logged in, teachers logged in. Can see what is happening. Helps with parent communication. Teachers communicate with students, with parents, etc. Track communication within the various programs implemented.
Research and building process - dual enrollment, career and tech, industry certifications. How do you go about building process for building those kind of relationships.
How do you market and sell your own program? You must do this or else you won't survive - not enough bodies, no expansion. Get what you can for free. Social media. Local news articles. Teacher, parent, student referrals - offer incentives for giving referrals. Connect with your community and know your community. Find students to be your advocate. Find someone else to tell your story for you. "This saved my child." "This transformed my child."
Teacher evaluation: attendance, communication. Local district eval modified with approval. Virtual walkthrough - can you see the student work? can you see syllabus, gradebook, what about 'word walls' as resources, etc. Virtual portfolio for evaluation. Must be able to capture data digitally in order to share it out.
#iNacol13 - Monday 11:15 - Augmented Reality
Please note: These are rough notes. Editing may be needed and clarification may be needed upon further review. I apologize for any typos and/or incomplete/inaccurate information. Information entered in this blog is replicated out to various online outlets automatically.
Why I chose this:
Frankly, the title intrigued me. I am interested in learning what programs, sites, apps, etc are being used for augmented reality in online courses.
What I learned/Am learning:
Program started with a demo of Sphero! Very cool!! A little remote-controlled ball that is transformed into a virtual character on a mobile device. More info: http://www.gosphero.com/
http://linkyy.com/HallDavidsonHandouts
http://linkyy.com/MDLA
http://linkyy.com/TCSSAtrial2 - Social Studies cloud-based textbook
Presenter is wearing Google Glass
MIT Media Lab - cardboard radio, then augment that and control the radio! Very cool! Connect cardboard radio to cardboard speakers.
Augmented door entry: without the app, you have no access. Same with lighting, etc.
QR - Quick Response
AR - Augmented Reality
VR - Virtual Reality
Aurasma - Augmented reality app. Students can make objects to be viewed globally. Load the app and point it to the back of a 20 dollar bill. Superintendent 1 min video welcoming to school when pointed to school mission posted on wall.
QR Codes - put in the library books. Maybe leads to book trailers, book talks, hang from trees, attach to buildings, etc. Make at qrstuff.com, etc. Put on your resume that leads to video, blog, wiki, etc
Delivr.com - change destination of the same qrcode - dynamic qrcodes
Divide the qr code in pieces, and have students build the qrcode from the puzzle pieces.
Set up your Youtube with an address where students could upload videos to your account without your account info.
TourWrist - Clearing house for virtual reality tours. You can turn 360 degrees and view the location. Not a walking tour.
360Pano - Create a 360-degree image.
WordLens - Change text to other language on the fly - street signs, programs, etc
"Flying Books" - Imag.n.tron Morris Lessmore - augments the children's book. Reader transported "into" the book!
Heartcam
Students can make their own pop-up books, coloring books, etc
Zooburst
Colorapp
QRVoice.net
Why I chose this:
Frankly, the title intrigued me. I am interested in learning what programs, sites, apps, etc are being used for augmented reality in online courses.
What I learned/Am learning:
Program started with a demo of Sphero! Very cool!! A little remote-controlled ball that is transformed into a virtual character on a mobile device. More info: http://www.gosphero.com/
http://linkyy.com/HallDavidsonHandouts
http://linkyy.com/MDLA
http://linkyy.com/TCSSAtrial2 - Social Studies cloud-based textbook
Presenter is wearing Google Glass
MIT Media Lab - cardboard radio, then augment that and control the radio! Very cool! Connect cardboard radio to cardboard speakers.
Augmented door entry: without the app, you have no access. Same with lighting, etc.
QR - Quick Response
AR - Augmented Reality
VR - Virtual Reality
Aurasma - Augmented reality app. Students can make objects to be viewed globally. Load the app and point it to the back of a 20 dollar bill. Superintendent 1 min video welcoming to school when pointed to school mission posted on wall.
QR Codes - put in the library books. Maybe leads to book trailers, book talks, hang from trees, attach to buildings, etc. Make at qrstuff.com, etc. Put on your resume that leads to video, blog, wiki, etc
Delivr.com - change destination of the same qrcode - dynamic qrcodes
Divide the qr code in pieces, and have students build the qrcode from the puzzle pieces.
Set up your Youtube with an address where students could upload videos to your account without your account info.
TourWrist - Clearing house for virtual reality tours. You can turn 360 degrees and view the location. Not a walking tour.
360Pano - Create a 360-degree image.
WordLens - Change text to other language on the fly - street signs, programs, etc
"Flying Books" - Imag.n.tron Morris Lessmore - augments the children's book. Reader transported "into" the book!
Heartcam
Students can make their own pop-up books, coloring books, etc
Zooburst
Colorapp
QRVoice.net
#iNacol13 Monday 10a Session: Personalized Blended Learning; Going Statewide in Michigan
It has been a while since I tried blogging during a conference session, so we'll see how this goes. Please note: These are rough notes. Editing may be needed and clarification may be needed upon further review. I apologize for any typos and/or incomplete/inaccurate information.
Why I chose this session:
Arkansas has had a distance learning program for many years now, but Act 1280 of 2013 completely changed what distance learning means for the state. The act, dubbed "The Digital Learning Act," shifts the focus from interactive video to online delivery. Since Arkansas is just now getting into this, I wanted to hear how other states managed a statewide rollout.
What I learned/am learning:
Last year, legislature asked future of education and what is role of technology?
Recommendations:
Why I chose this session:
Arkansas has had a distance learning program for many years now, but Act 1280 of 2013 completely changed what distance learning means for the state. The act, dubbed "The Digital Learning Act," shifts the focus from interactive video to online delivery. Since Arkansas is just now getting into this, I wanted to hear how other states managed a statewide rollout.
What I learned/am learning:
Last year, legislature asked future of education and what is role of technology?
Recommendations:
- Student - Customized for each student, learns at own pace
- Teachers - Create a statewide system for support, personalized, high-quality teachers, lots of professional development will be needed
- Schools - must create spaces that support personalized learning.
- Technology - at the forefront of learning, info, accountability
- Data - create and support a data infrastructure that can be used to create/inform individualized instruction.
- Quality and Accountability - appoint an independent authority to evaluate the quality of content providers. Means vendors and every school district (each is technically now a provider).
Their program begins in January. Schools have to honor student requests starting in January. How do we open up choice for students with creating a "wild, wild west" mentality? How and When should online learning be implemented.
Every pupil grades 5-12 can enroll in 2 online courses in any given semester. Legislation may be adjusted to increase the limit of courses.
Districts can decide if a course is offered locally. Could convert it online and make it available to only their students. Likewise, they could put that course in a statewide catalog. The catalog simply loads a syllabus with descriptions. The courses are delivered through various vendors/mechanisms. Catalog builds awareness of the courses. Does not include enrollment services yet, but hope to add that in the future (next year). Every district required to link to catalog.
Districts or Michigan Virtual must approve all courses (locally developed) before they will appear in catalog, regardless of provider. The educator is required to be Michigan-Certified. District only obligated to use Michigan-teacher led courses. Those teachers may be certified in other states, but they hold Michigan certs or the Michigan teacher is the teacher of record for the content provided by a vendor. Districts can deny a course not taught by a Michigan certified instructor. Pupils can choose. Districts cannot restrict student access to certain courses or catalogs. (Note: that last bit may need follow up for clarification).
Course cost limits: 1/12th of the foundational allowance for a semester-length course (district would pay no more than this in fees). 1/18th for longer courses.
Six reason district could deny:
- Pupil already earned credits for course
- Course does not generate credit
- Inconsistent with remaining graduation requirements
- Pupil does not possess prerequisite skills/knowledge
- Pupil has previously failed online course in same subject
- Online course not of sufficient quality or rigor
There is an appeal process. Courses are reviewed for quality and rigor against the iNACOL standards. Michigan is training about 100 educators on what to look for etc. Building capacity to review. Reviews would cost money. If a course does not meet rigor, district has obligation to find alternative. Appeals would be made to intermediary agency (like a Co-op) for an independent review.
A year from now, results from courses will be included in the catalog (# enrolled, #passing, Completion rates)
Courses have enrollment periods. Enrollment in courses done by random-draw if enrollment requests exceed seats available. It is NOT first-come/first-served in those scenarios.
The student's home district is "on the hook" for failure of student - NOT the provider, even if that provider is another district. There is work to modify that.
Schools are required to provide students in online courses the same technology as the same students in the local home-student's district.
MyBlend - supporting blended learning in local districts
- Consulting - Help facilitate blended learning at district and school level. How do we do this? How do we take the ACSIP and ask the right questions in terms of "Why do blended learning?" Tie the pieces together to benefit students
- Professional Development - Model what schools should be doing. Personalized PD. Use a blended approach.
- Online Content - Library of resources (learning objects) and full courses
- Teacher-developed Content - Teacher's Workbench. Learning objects (videos, gizmos, etc) and other content can be incorporated. This is at the lesson level, not the course level. Michigan Virtual takes the skeleton/outline and then develops a course/courses around the teacher-created content.
A set of standards is used to approve courses being offered. There is a rubric tool and outside evaluators as well as subject-matter experts when creating courses. Curriculum maps used as well. Courses are reviewed on a regular basis over time. Data from college board for AP courses compare online delivery with traditional delivery. Make sure that teachers interact with students. This does not apply to vendor-based courses. Michigan Dept of Ed holds the job of course approval overall.
Train teachers as to what to look for in online courses, online teachers, etc.
Blended Learning, Student-Centered, etc #inacol13
Susan Patrick:Blended learning is the modality, the delivery mechanism, that serves to bridge educational shift from traditional classroom models to fully student-centered education. Blended learning means that the students meet in a facilitator-led program, away from home. Blended learning is not simply dropping a bunch of tablets in place with the same, traditional lessons, testing, progress.
Student-centered learning means the students move ahead based on what they are learning, when they are ready. It is highly personalized.
Redesigned Classroom Instructional Model - fundamental change of the instructional model. We're talking about adaptive content, adaptive assessment. Teacher roles change: Facilitator, monitor, graduation coaches. Coaches each student to maximize their interests and abilities.
Demonstrate Competency to advance. Demonstrate knowledge. Innovative educator roles. Technology-enhanced learning.
Competency Education
- This is not "personalized education," though similar and ties to it.
- Students advance upon demonstrated mastery
- Explicit, measurable, transferable
- Assessment is meaningful and a positive learning experience
- Students receive timely, differentiated support base on their individual learning needs.
- Learning outcomes emphasize competencies that include application and creation of knowledge along with development of important skills. Problem-solving, etc.
- Students must keep working on areas until they get it. "A or B in the class, or try again."
New policies are absolutely necessary - must move away from "seat time" to competency-based learning environments. "We must have flexible pathways for learning." - Chris Sturgis
iNACOL has released New Learning Models Vision - Need to increase Opportunities, Access and equity for all students. Next Generation Learning Challenges - grant opportunities for breakthrough school models. Dec 2, Jan 13 grant deadlines. Info: http://www.nextgenlearning.org/
She says we must move away from awarding simple seat-time policies.
David's (my own) thoughts: I believe we need to do the same thing with professional development. We should be modeling the new classroom environment in the way we teach and train our teachers. "Butt-in-Chair Time" is not an effective manner in which to train our teachers any longer (not that it has ever really been, but we had no real way around it before). With the plethora of delivery mechanism available, why do we not approach teacher PD in the same manner? If an educator can demonstrate competency in required training, then why not let that teacher move on, move ahead, in their own professional growth!?
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