Reflection: iNACOL Standards for Quality Online Teaching
Standard A: The online teacher knows the primary concepts and structures of effective online instruction and is able to create learning experiences to enable student successHaving now (nearly!) completed this course, I believe that I have a clear understanding and knowledge of online learning; how to deliver, apply and extend student learning in an appropriate, professional manner. Furthermore, I can understand how critical it is not only to adapt the curriculum content to fit the type of course but also have realised that, as the facilitator, I need to stay abreast of new developments and tools in order to fully support and extend the learners. Standard B: The online teacher understands and is able to use a range of technologies, both existing and emerging, that effectively support student learning and engagement in the online environment.Due to my current role, I feel like this is an area of relative strength; I already have a PLN set up where I follow a number of current experts such as Larry Ferlazzo, Richard Byrne and Jeff Utecht. I also have a Delicious Account to store great online resources. I also am part of a Tech Teachers Ning where I actively participate in forums and I also teach (face to face) a number of classes where we explore current tools. This blog also acts as a space for me to reflect on good practice and specific resources on a regular basis... Standard C: The online teacher plans, designs, and incorporates strategies to encourage active learning, application, interaction, participation, and collaboration in the online environment.This brought some relatively fresh learning to me. In class, I differentiate to the needs of my students through individual support and differentiation by outcome. I realise that for an online course - that may be both synchronous and asynchronous - differentiation needs to be built in to the program and that all learning styles, abilities and confidence levels need to be catered for - scaffolded and supported by their fellow learners. By creating a program that encourages comments, advice and suggestions from other members, the learning is always fresh and authentic. Standard D: The online teacher promotes student success through clear expectations, prompt responses, and regular feedback.Providing clear expectations in any course - online, blended or face to face - is necessary for student success. Expectations - or essential agreements - for behaviour, involvement and quality of responses are key and this is supported through regular contact with the students and this is one of the areas that I would need to take extra care with. As a father, husband and full time teacher, I would need to allocate time to provide 'timely, constructive and personalised feedback.' Standard E: The online teacher models, guides, and encourages legal, ethical, and safe behaviour related to technology use.Essential Agreements of an online course would also include expectations relating to Digital Citizenship and acceptable use of online media. As well as modelling appropriate use when creating course content, I would ensure that there would be clear guidelines for using online resources and citing sources. This is something that I already encourage with my students and fellow teachers here. Standard F: The online teacher is cognizant of the diversity of student academic needs and incorporates accommodations into the online environment.I would say that this is just an extension of Standard C. Now I am familiar with the legal mandates and have used tools such as closed captions & transcripts on YouTube, I would be able to cater for most student needs. I realise that it is essential to get a realistic overview of student confidence & ability before the course starts - and I would use a Google Form (or similar) to collate this information. Standards G & H: The online teacher demonstrates competencies in creating and implementing assessments in online learning environments in ways that ensure validity and reliability of the instruments and procedures.There are a number of ways to administer both formative and summative assessments online to provide reliable data. Through a mixture of various online tools - and clear rubrics shared with the students beforehand - I will be able to implement a range of appropriate assessments that monitor student learning and progress in an authentic manner. Standard I: The online teacher demonstrates competency in using data from assessments and other data sources to modify content and to guide student learning.One of the main reasons for assessing student work is to inform future planning. This requires flexibility (the entire course cannot be planned completely ahead of time) as well as, relating to Standard D, constructive feedback which not only provides ways forward for the student but also enables the facilitator (me!) to personalise the learning for the individual students. At the same time, I need to provide time and opportunities for the students to evaluate their own learning, reflect on their progress and create personal goals and ways forward. Standard J: The online teacher interacts in a professional, effective manner with colleagues, parents, and other members of the community to support students’ success.As with face to face learning, good communication is paramount and liaising with students, parents and other relevant parties is a major part of this. I believe that this is something that I currently do well through email, blogging and use of social media. Standard K: The online teacher arranges media and content to help students and teachers transfer knowledge most effectively in the online environment.In an online learning environment, tasks and prompts need to reflect the tools on offer. There would be little point in teaching online but solely requiring written responses as the assignment - using various media and online Web2.0 tools should be expected. This is definitely an area of strength for me as I am comfortable creating content online and utilising media and Web2.0 tools effectively. Creating and administering online and blended courses seems an obvious step for an integration specialist such as myself. Taking part in this course has allowed me to see the advantages of such methods while also encouraged me to question - and find solutions to - the drawbacks and challenges. It has made me appreciate the face to face contact that I currently have in a 'real' classroom environment and has encouraged me to be creative and find online alternatives to ensure that students still have an identity and personalised 'voice' online.
Providing different ways to assess student progress but also creating a structure and/or routine is very important and I know that I need to make time for providing constructive and timely feedback to the students - realising that this will be one of my major challenges - will only mean that I make more of an effort to do it. Another focus would be to ensure that all students can access learning, and I now realise that, as the facilitator, I am responsible for this. Catering for all individual needs is essential especially in an online environment. Above all, I have learnt that as well as providing structure and clarity when creating an online/blended course, it is essential to also allow for some flexibility to allow for students to follow their own inquiries and self-reflect. Continuing my professional learning about online and blended methods is definitely a priority. I will be continuing to extend my understanding with my Google Reader feeds (or equivalent since it closes down very soon!) and keeping up to date with new Web2.0 Tool developments... I feel that I am ready to extend my teaching to an online space, at least in an informal way. I am currently attempting to develop an online teaching course - for students and teachers - in order to support the new BYOED (Bring Your Own Educational Device) initiative at GWA; how to use the device effectively, how to personalise, how to access material, how to maximise learning potential etc. Online Course Syllabus
Course Details Details for the course will be posted on the Haiku Learning Management System. This is where the majority of content will be posted and responded to. Students are expected to access this space on a weekly basis to check assignments and expectations. From Haiku, participation and as well frequency and quality of posts will be monitored. Course Requirements Each week you are required to:
Grading You will be graded on all assignments including participation in discussions, reference to readings and quality of activities. All tasks need to be submitted in a timely manner, mindful of deadlines, in order to be included in the grading process. Please inform me if this is not possible. Frequently unsubmitted or late assignments may mean that you do not complete the course. Your grade in the class will be based on the following:
Online Interactions Students are expected to be safe, respectful and responsible online and be accountable for their actions online as much as offline. This includes behaviour, language, interactions, academic honesty (including cheating, plagiarism and copyright - please use these guidelines), and overall appropriate use. All students must have signed and agree to adhere to the GWA Digital Citizenship & Acceptable Use Policy Agreement. ReflectionDesigning a Comprehensive Assessment PlanObjectives
Standards
Activities This unit is intended to work within a blended learning environment where the Grade 5 students would initially meet with the teacher face to face before exploring poetry further.
Formative Assessments
Summative Assessment (Rubric)SampleReflection This has been a very interesting assignment for me especially since I view this area of face to face teaching as one of the areas for self-improvement.
In a face to face environment, I pride myself on knowing the students; knowing their strengths and weaknesses, knowing their abilities, knowing their triggers and knowing how to 'hook' them. In this way, I struggle to document this on paper as I have a very good understanding of next steps for each of my students. I am working on this! The need for effective, clear and concise formative and summative assessments makes much more sense to me in an online environment. In most cases, face to face conferencing is not going to happen in a blended or online course so therefore it is of paramount importance to share feedback, allow time - and a means - for reflection and guidelines for evaluation and assessment. Below I have listed several factors that I believe would need to be considered when implementing formative and summative assessments: Accessibility Language: Instructions can be challenging at the best of times so there's a need to simplify the instructions as much as possible. have to be clear - and accessible - for all learners no matter their language, special need(s) and/or intellectual ability. Using captions and transcripts can help with this. Expectations: In an online and blended environment, different learners from a variety of backgrounds may expect less or more. Setting clear expectations from the outset is extremely important, especially with regard to quality of work produced, due dates and priorities. Tech Ability: there will always be a wide range of abilities so instructions and tasks need to be carefully worded to be just as applicable to the weakest, non-techy individual as well as avoiding being too patronising for the self-confessed geeks. Connectivity: Internet speed and country/state/school restrictions need to be taken into consideration as some districts block certain tools and certain tools require high bandwidth... Flexibility: All Web2.0 tools need to be viewed as temporary - especially the free ones. As creators get bored, add new features and possibilities, move onto other projects or change the conditions and costs, other similar online tools may need to be used instead. The assessments need to be flexible enough to allow for changes and individual student preferences. Timing: Online and blended students require flexibility in when and how assignments can be assessed. The ability to get asynchronous as well as synchronous feedback means that students and teachers can access assignments and communicate across time zones and around other commitments such as family and work. Confidence: Many different learners with varying needs and abilities means that confidence - or lack of -could be a factor. Providing a support network or buddy system is a great way to alleviate these issues. Establishing an Accessible Online Presence
In hindsight (and next time!), I will do the tutorial and THEN write the transcription. In this way, the video will be more natural and - I believe - easier to follow. The problem with this is that I am a S-L-O-O-O-O-W typer... :( I tried Dragon Dictation/Siri to help with the transcription but this did not work as well as I had hoped... Any suggestions? Accessibility & Online Learning Discussion Here is my embedded video below. I have SERIOUSLY avoided doing this for the longest time. I have (with copious counselling!) NEARLY got used to hearing the sound of my own voice but the sight of an uncomfortable, self-conscious me on video is another thing entirely. I'm fine talking crap "live" but this is another thing entirely.... Strange! My first ever 'front of cam' experience. Ever. Seriously...: Designing an Online DiscussionDuring the PYPX, you have used a number of Web 2.0 Tools to support your work. List at least 2 different Web Tools you have used and explain for each case the ways it helped you and your group, as well as the problems you faced. What Web Tools would you recommend and what advice would you give the Grade 5's next year and why? Please make the initial post in your groups by Tuesday 28th May and respond to at least two other posts before Thursday 30th May. As always, follow the ICT Essential Agreements: Be Safe, Be Respectful and Be Responsible. Please use the rubric below to guide you: Example: We used Instagrok and Spiderscribe. Instagrok was really useful to search for information and it meant that we could view our research from home and school and it helped us cite our sources. The problem was that it kept freezing and was a little unreliable. Spiderscribe was really successful. We added our mentor to the discussion and were able to track our progress over the whole 6 weeks. We wish we had all made comments every week so that the Spiderscribe was bigger and more detailed. Next year, I suggest that the Grade 5's find a cool way to present your information like Prezi and be organised! You need to keep copies of everything you do so make sure you cite your sources and take lots of photos! ReflectionWow! This really made me think. My life has changed in the past 10 years. Ever since Facebook arrived on the scene in 2004, there have been a bunch of Social Networking sites that I have experimented with and discarded and yet there are some which have survived the test of time. Personally, having Skype and Facebook to maintain friendships and family connections - especially over long distances - has been invaluable. The birth of both our kids (and the immediate birth of their digital footprint!) was shared with our friends across the globe. The alternative of a letter or a phone call would have been lacking! My parents and extended family and friends have a real feel of belonging, as do our children who see their extended family on Skype, Facebook and email. Professionally, my online life started small, but as my interest with all things tech grew, so did my Google Reader (soon to be replaced with Feeddler) and with that my PLN grew to follow many like minded professionals. Through my Google Reader subscriptions to sites byRichard Byrne, Larry Ferlazzo, Jeffrey Thomas, Jacqui Murray, Maggie Hos McGrane (none of whom, by the way, have I met in person!) as well as sites like the Commited Sardine Blog and the Elementary Tech Teachers Ning the world of Web2.0 Tools and technology in education has opened up massive possibilities - and even led me on the path from a regular classroom teacher to being the Director of Digital Learning... I can honestly say that - except for a few distracting games (Dots being my current addiction and Words With Friends being my long standing relationship!) AND the fact that one can get lost in the pure volume, the internet has only been positive both personally and professionally. The answer would differ slightly for students. We have experienced 'LBI' (Life Before Internet) while the younger generations have never known anything different. We can appreciate the ease of research from the comfort of our own couch and remember, with fondness - and disbelief! - the days before mobile technology took over the world. Students know no different. Yes, students need to taught how to manage the balance between online and real life but at the end of the day, to them, this is all real. The question - and answer - is balance. Balance is a key skill we need to be teaching students. In this constantly connected world, learning to disconnect is extremely difficult and even I, with the distant memory of 'LBI', struggle to put my device down. We need to encourage students to value and participate in the real world while at the same time embracing the new era, where knowledge is no longer power but knowing what to do with it is key... Having said that, I believe we take it for granted that our students - digital natives - also have the skills to excel in a digital world. Just because they can connect using Social Network sites, does not mean that they know how to use them outside of socialising. We need to ensure that these students can apply these skills to the classroom and to their learning rather than just assuming that because they do, they can. Collaborative Presentation of Web2.0 Tools Check out our presentation :) For their Explorers and Inventors Unit of Inquiry, students from Grade 5 created Tagxedo Word Clouds using the text from their own biographies that they wrote. We then uploaded a selection of the best Word Clouds and got other Grade 5 students to guess who it was and how they knew - what clues did they see within the text that gave it away. Voicethread is right at the top of the Bloom's Digital Taxonomy Pyramid in the 'creating' section and could be useful when analysing and/or synthesising information especially in the way that I have used it below... Voicethread provides a perfect way to collate student comments - with the added advantage that the students could add their comment as video, audio, written and could also annotate. It is especially useful in a mixed ability classroom and with shy students who are less willing to share their thoughts in a large group. Voicethread is very successful use of a GREAT Web2.0 Tool to create & present, showcase students work, and gather feedback to assess students knowledge & skills...! Love it :) Reflection Learning Objective: Students will demonstrate their knowledge of a variety of significant explorers
Activity: Students have already worked individually on biographies of their own choice of explorer and displayed this information as a Tagxedo wordcloud. Students will now use Voicethread as a tool to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of other explorers using visual & written cues to generate information about explorers and build on and question the thinking of the rest of the class. Possible Challenges: Teachers and students should initially be discussing essential agreement about how to be respectful, responsible and safe when responding. Teachers may feel that they need to moderate the comments of certain students especially since the presentation is accessible online. Reflection: Getting student to reflect on a summative assessment task using Voicethread allows all students to have a voice. It allows them to select their medium of response, whether it be video, oral or written. It also allows them to respond to others and add to others thinking. As soon as students realize that they have an audience – a real one, not just a teacher sitting at home grading a pile of responses – personal pride kicks in and they work harder at the accuracy of their posts. They take time – for once – to read through previous posts because they don’t want repeat but add to the conversation. Copying becomes a thing of the past since everyone can see the comments before. Instead, students question and build upon previous posts and take the learning further. I came into the role of ICT teacher after 13 years in the classroom, so my passion is using technology as a tool to support student learning. I am particular partial to tools that are intuitive and motivating, that enhance the learning possibilities, and that take learning to the next level. We tend to forget that students of today have grown up with this kind of technology – cell phone use, instant access to information, online gaming, to name but a few examples. This may be innovation for us but for our students, this is normal – at least outside of the classroom. Using Web2.0 tools in a classroom environment instantly makes the content more accessible for the student. As many of the common core standards state, the student should have the opportunity to integrate and evaluate content before applying their understanding and presenting their findings. Referring to Blooms Digital Taxonomy, being able to use tools to analyse, evaluate and create – both online and offline – that promote higher order thinking skills. Web2.0 tools encourage real time collaboration with whomever you want, wherever you want. Students are able to be connected at home, school and even on the move. They can collect and process information from almost any device and the possibilities are endless. We no longer have to provide scenarios or simulations; we can provide them with an authentic learning experience by getting them to help provide solutions for the real life issues and problems of today. Students that get to bring their knowledge and experience of any of these types of tools is instantly more motivated. Yes, using technology is not as innovative for them as it is for us but it does speak their language and make them feel more at home. I do believe schools in general are doing students a disservice by making them leave the tools that they are accustomed to – that they have grown up with – at the door. Students should not have to rewind twenty years just to make teachers feel more comfortable. For their Explorers and Inventors Unit of Inquiry, students from Grade 5 created Tagxedo Word Clouds using the text from their own biographies that they wrote. We then uploaded a selection of the best Word Clouds and got other Grade 5 students to guess who it was and how they knew - what clues did they see within the text that gave it away. Blooms Digital Taxonomy Voicethread is right at the top of the Bloom's Digital Taxonomy Pyramid in the 'creating' section and could be useful when analysing and/or synthesising information especially in the way that I have used it below... Voicethread provides a perfect way to collate student comments - with the added advantage that the students could add their comment as video, audio, written and could also annotate. It is especially useful in a mixed ability classroom and with shy students who are less willing to share their thoughts in a large group. Voicethread is very successful use of a GREAT Web2.0 Tool to create & present, showcase students work, and gather feedback to assess students knowledge & skills...! Love it :) Online vs Face-to-Face Venn Diagram Below I have created a Venn Diagram discussing the different features of both face to face and online teaching methods. Students need to select a learning model that suits them; that allows them to become the person they want to be and the delivery of a course can be a major factor in how effectively the content is received. Learners of all ages now have a real choice in how they would best learn; in a way that takes into consideration time, money, flexibility, learning style, ability and this creates amazing opportunities. If done well, any method of delivery can work. At the same time, a poor course can be just as painful to sit through offline as online! I would probably favour a blended approach as I believe that the teacher - in whatever capacity (mentor, coach, facilitator, lecturer) - can have a huge influence on students and much more of an influence as a real life, face to face human being. Reflection After initially being extremely excited about the potential of online programs, I am realising that I have some concerns. Personally I think I would prefer to learn in a 100% online class as opposed to a brick and mortar classroom; I like the personalisation, the flexibility and the technology of such a course. I like the control it gives me as a student.
However - and I wasn't expecting this - I am wary about losing sight of what I see as being my main strength as a teacher - my presence in the classroom! I am realising (and will regret this brutal honesty!) that I enjoy the respect/attention/power I have over the students in my class in a face to face environment. I enjoy the interactions I have as a teacher; I enjoy seeing the reactions on their faces and playing on it; I like how, at the end of a school year, that a friendship has blossomed and will continue - I am still in contact with students I taught back in 1999. And above all all else, I love how rewarding it is seeing how I am changing lives a little at a time - in my small, insignificant way. These are the reasons I became a teacher... Anyway, back on track! As a face to face teacher, I feel that I use a variety of ways to explore learning with my students but due to the nature of my subject and schedule limitations, I usually fall back on the demonstration method; I demonstrate how to complete the activity or skill and the students then put it into practice. This way of teaching would lend itself well to online learning and this has already started happening by creating Jing screencasts for when I am unavailable to teach. Students watch the video and then complete the task at hand. As a specialist teacher where it is necessary for me to collaborate fully with the homeroom teacher so as to integrate technology across from the 'stand-alone' ICT session and into the classroom, my role is often to facilitate further learning back in the classroom; to be a facilitator as well as a delegator. Once again, these are two instructional methodologies that would transfer themselves into the online world. Part of my current role - and the part I really enjoy - is keeping abreast of new developments and new web tools to support learning and I think being able to pick out the best and most applicable tools for the job would be a huge part of developing an online program. Flexibility is also essential since even though free tools are always available, they change constantly and this requires adaptability and patience. So in conclusion, it seems that my fears in the second paragraph are unfounded, the way I currently teach in a face to face classroom, and the skills & strategies that I currently use, could easily be mirrored in an online or blended environment. I still need to figure out how to ensure that connections are made between myself and the online students as I strongly believe that human interaction is key. |
Contents1. Resume/Bio
2. Online vs. face to face Venn Diagram 3. Collaborative Presentation of Web2.0 Tools 4. Designing an online discussion 5. Establishing an Accessible Social Presence 6. Designing a comprehensive Assessment Plan 7. Online Course Syllabus 8. Reflection: iNACOL Standards for Quality Online Teaching About MeHello, I am Tony Potts, the Director of Digital Learning, PK-12 ICT Coordinator, ICT teacher and technology integration specialist at GEMS World Academy, Dubai. Please feel free to ask me ANY questions...
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