Michigan Online Learning Experience Anne Thorp Ottawa Area ISD ext. 4062

Online Learning "Online learning is a form where students have an opportunity to access their coursework completely online whether that involves the text or videos or novels and then they have the opportunity to interact with their teachers," Liebman says. "It's really a self contained form of learning on the Web." Howard Liebman, who runs the University of Miami Online High School. "Online learning is a form where students have an opportunity to access their coursework completely online whether that involves the text or videos or novels and then they have the opportunity to interact with their teachers," Liebman says. "It's really a self contained form of learning on the Web." Howard Liebman, who runs the University of Miami Online High School. –©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

21 st Century Skills Educators, economists, and forecasters all agree on the growing importance of so-called "21st-century skills" in the workplace. While reading, writing, and arithmetic will always form the foundation of any solid education, digital communication and media literacy are on the verge of being elevated to the same level of importance. In addition to requiring advanced skills in reading and math, the employers of tomorrow are going to require a high degree of digital and multimedia fluency. Educators, economists, and forecasters all agree on the growing importance of so-called "21st-century skills" in the workplace. While reading, writing, and arithmetic will always form the foundation of any solid education, digital communication and media literacy are on the verge of being elevated to the same level of importance. In addition to requiring advanced skills in reading and math, the employers of tomorrow are going to require a high degree of digital and multimedia fluency. – x.cfm x.cfmhttp:// x.cfm

21 st Century Skills To meet the demands of the 21st-century workplace, today's educators need to prepare students for this reality through teaching and organizational philosophy, hands-on application and exercises, and a dedication to implementing the most relevant technology and software in their classrooms. eSchool News Online To meet the demands of the 21st-century workplace, today's educators need to prepare students for this reality through teaching and organizational philosophy, hands-on application and exercises, and a dedication to implementing the most relevant technology and software in their classrooms. eSchool News Online – ts/digitalskills/index.cfm

Definition of Online Learning A structured learning activity that utilizes technology with intranet/internet-based tools and resources as a delivery method for instruction, research, assessment, and communication. A structured learning activity that utilizes technology with intranet/internet-based tools and resources as a delivery method for instruction, research, assessment, and communication. –MDE

Rationale for Online Learning Allow students to Allow students to –Become familiar with a key means of increasing own  Learning skills  Knowledge Prepare them for the demands they will encounter in Prepare them for the demands they will encounter in –Higher education –The workplace –In personal life-long learning An online learning experience will require them to An online learning experience will require them to –Complete assignments –Meet deadlines –Learn appropriate online behavior –Effectively collaborate with others in an instructional setting

Core Principles of Online Learning Be organized in a coherent, sequential manner Be organized in a coherent, sequential manner Have Have –Instructional goals –Objectives –Strategies –Assessments that are aligned with state  Standards  Benchmarks  Expectations

Core Principles of Online Learning Is comparable in rigor, depth, and breadth to traditionally delivered courses Is comparable in rigor, depth, and breadth to traditionally delivered courses Include the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) by providing multiple approaches to meet the needs of diverse learners Include the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) by providing multiple approaches to meet the needs of diverse learners Be relevant and address many learning styles Be relevant and address many learning styles

Core Principles of Online Learning Include synchronous (same time) and/or asynchronous interaction between Include synchronous (same time) and/or asynchronous interaction between –Teacher and student –Student to student Include teachers who are knowledgeable in web-based instruction techniques Include teachers who are knowledgeable in web-based instruction techniques Incorporate resources outside the classroom Incorporate resources outside the classroom Include a monitoring plan Include a monitoring plan

Essential Characteristics of Quality Online Learning Experiences Collaborative experience between students Collaborative experience between students Integrated Integrated Sustainability Sustainability Life-long learning skills Life-long learning skills Teacher involvement Teacher involvement Cyber safety and plagiarism Cyber safety and plagiarism

Collaborative Experience Between Students Discussion boards Discussion boards Blogs Blogs Podcasts Podcasts Peer collaboration online Peer collaboration online

Integrated Aligned to Content Standards Online learning experiences such as: Aligned to Content Standards Online learning experiences such as: –WebQuests –Research project incorporating the use of digital resources

Sustainability Practice of the learned technology skills toward development of a comfort level with tools that students will continue to use for sustained learning; does not have to happen all in one activity at one time Practice of the learned technology skills toward development of a comfort level with tools that students will continue to use for sustained learning; does not have to happen all in one activity at one time

Life-long Learning Skills Learn the processes of Learn the processes of –Critiquing and evaluating online resources –Gain skills to navigate and manage tasks using technology

Teacher Involvement Teacher-guided activities to help students learn appropriate online netiquette for formal online communication. Teacher-guided activities to help students learn appropriate online netiquette for formal online communication. Teacher is involved in designing and mentoring the collaborative experience, and monitoring online experience Teacher is involved in designing and mentoring the collaborative experience, and monitoring online experience

Cyber safety and plagiarism iSafe participation iSafe participation NetSmartz kids program NetSmartz kids program

Timeline Effective with the graduation class of 2011 Effective with the graduation class of 2011 –Next year’s ninth graders Required to have an online experience of 20 hours sometime between th grade Required to have an online experience of 20 hours sometime between th grade

Delivery Methods Teacher-Led Teacher-Led Self-Paced Self-Paced Blended Instruction Blended Instruction Teacher Facilitated Teacher Facilitated

Teacher-Led Mirrors the role of a traditional classroom teacher in a virtual environment – –Usually makes use of a Web-based course management system or application   Blackboard or Moodle to create an online learning environment for students. The online teacher provides the – –Organization – –Direction – –Educational content – –Feedback for the students The teacher makes – –Assignments – –Leads threaded discussions – –Grades student work – –Establishes deadlines and administers quizzes and tests

Teacher-Led The teacher also – –Monitors student progress – –Develops differentiated instructional strategies for students This delivery format is one-hundred percent dependent on the use of technology tools such as – – – –Chat rooms – –Threaded discussions – –Pod casts to communicate and interact with students Given the strong reliance on technology, this format requires both teachers and students to have strong computer and Internet skills.

Blended Instruction Blended online learning is a balanced mix of traditional face-to-face instructional activities with appropriately designed online experiences. Teachers that engage in blended online learning often utilize a course management system as an extension of the physical classroom. – –This format leverages the communication benefits of a traditional classroom environment and links it to the power of Internet-based learning tools and resources. – –Educators utilize this format to expand and reinforce classroom-based instructional activities and to extend learning beyond the classroom walls and the normal school day, including evenings, weekends and scheduled breaks. This format can provide opportunities for students to work outside the classroom in virtual teams with students from other schools to learn writing, research, teamwork and technology skills.

Teacher-Facilitated Teacher-facilitated online learning enables an educator to work with one or more students to provide coach-like assistance with their online course or learning activities. Teachers can facilitate student learning through a combination of face-to-face interactions and exchanges using communication tools commonly found in most Internet-based course management systems. This form of delivery places an expectation on students to take significant responsibility for their own learning.

Teacher-Facilitated A key role of the teacher facilitator is to ensure that students are engaged and making progress in their online course or activity. Teachers providing the facilitation usually know the subject matter well and can provide content- related instructional assistance to students. This delivery mode can be compared to some independent study activities used in high schools.

Self-paced A growing number of online educational products and services can be used by students with no teacher involvement. These products are often referred to as “self-paced” online learning experiences and they usually work best for highly independent learners who regularly demonstrate self-initiative and require little guidance, motivation and direction. Self-paced online courses and activities are often shorter in duration than semester-length courses and tend to focus on concentrated topics such as learning a specific software tool or program. – –Other examples include online test preparation tools and online remedial courseware.

Self-paced Two common shortfalls of self-paced online learning include: – –Inability of students to   Seek support   Feedback and direction from an educator online   Be part of a learning community   Benefit from interactions with other learners for support and assistance on collaborative projects

Methods Credit may be earned in an Credit may be earned in an –Online course –Online learning experience –Online learning incorporated into each of the required credits Teacher led is the preferred method of delivery Teacher led is the preferred method of delivery

Online Courses Students can take an online course to meet the graduation requirement Students can take an online course to meet the graduation requirement –Courses are available through  Michigan Virtual High School –  REMC GenNet Online Learning –  Career Forward (currently in Pilot stage) –In process through MDE –Will be released in January or so

Online Learning Experience Using and incorporating the (Michigan Educational Technology Standards) METS into each of the student’s required credits will ensure that this requirement is met. Using and incorporating the (Michigan Educational Technology Standards) METS into each of the student’s required credits will ensure that this requirement is met. Mets Mets – (about halfway down the page)

Online Learning Incorporated Into Each Of The Required Credits Most commonly achieved through a Learning Management System such as Most commonly achieved through a Learning Management System such as –Moodle  – Instructional Information  – Technical Information –Blackboard 

Tracking It is up to each district to track the 20 hours of experience It is up to each district to track the 20 hours of experience –Suggestion  Use same manner of tracking as for student’s community service hours –Learning Management Systems have report/log tracking for determining time spent in the course

Podcasting A podcast is essentially an audio file A podcast is essentially an audio file Podcasting and Podcatching for the Absolute Beginner Podcasting and Podcatching for the Absolute Beginner – 006/07/ php 006/07/ phphttp:// 006/07/ php

Blogging Blogging: Reinventing Teaching and Learning in the Information Age Blogging: Reinventing Teaching and Learning in the Information Age – 006/07/ php 006/07/ phphttp:// 006/07/ php WordPress WordPress – EduBlogs EduBlogs 

Online Learning Document /Online10.06_final_175750_7.pdf /Online10.06_final_175750_7.pdf /Online10.06_final_175750_7.pdf /Online10.06_final_175750_7.pdf

Created with Input From the ISD MI O.L.E. Team Ricki Chowning Ricki Chowning Jim Cowden Jim Cowden Carolyn McCarthy Carolyn McCarthy Mike Oswalt Mike Oswalt Sue Porter Sue Porter Anne Thorp Anne Thorp Melissa White Melissa White

This Document Can Be Located At 467/blank/browse.asp?a=383&BMDRN=2 000&BCOB=0&c=54249& Nav=|557|&NodeID= /blank/browse.asp?a=383&BMDRN=2 000&BCOB=0&c=54249& Nav=|557|&NodeID= /blank/browse.asp?a=383&BMDRN=2 000&BCOB=0&c=54249& Nav=|557|&NodeID= /blank/browse.asp?a=383&BMDRN=2 000&BCOB=0&c=54249& Nav=|557|&NodeID=700 Please contact Anne Thorp with any questions/comments Please contact Anne Thorp with any questions/comments – ext. 4062