Distance Learning Academy Module 1: Understanding State Policy for Distance Education 1 TRAINER NAME Trainer Date TRAIN PD Consortium Texas Center for the Advancement of Literacy & Learning

Pre-Session Questionnaire  Complete only the front, please.  Workshop Title: DL Academy 1  What do you hope to get out of this presentation?  Why did you decide to spend your Friday morning on DL?  What questions do you hope to get answered?

Understanding State Policy for Distance Education 3

At the end of this workshop, you will be able to: DESCRIBE THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF STATE POLICY FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION EXPLAIN THE CRITICAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PROXY HOURS AND DIRECT HOURS UNDERSTAND THE DISTANCE LEARNING MODELS AND THE TWC AEL APPROVED LIST OF DISTANCE CURRICULUM UNDERSTAND HOW DISTANCE LEARNING CLASSES ARE CREATED IN TEAMS 4 Workshop Objectives

At the end of this workshop, you will be able to: RECOGNIZE AVAILABLE DL PROGRAM MODELS AND RESOURCES FROM THE DISTANCE LEARNING TOOLBOX RECOGNIZE THE PERFORMANCE VALUE OF IMPLEMENTING A DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAM UNDERSTAND THE ONLINE COURSE PLATFORM D-LEARNING IN TEXAS. 5 Workshop Objectives

Agenda  WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS  MY EXPERIENCE WITH DISTANCE LEARNING EXERCISE  STATE POLICY DOCUMENT FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION  CREATING DL CLASSES IN TEAMS  DISTANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM RESULTS  DISTANCE EDUCATION TOOL BOX: WHAT IS INSIDE?  INTRODUCING D-LEARNING IN TEXAS ONLINE  RESOURCES AND WRAP-UP 6

Introductions 7

Experience with Distance Learning 8 Social Media Informal Learning Online Course Experience

The Distance Learning Academy 9 Module 1(Required) F2F (6 hours) Understanding the State Policy for Distance Education “Nuts and Bolts” Module 1(Required) F2F (6 hours) Understanding the State Policy for Distance Education “Nuts and Bolts” Module 3 (Required) Online (10 hours) D-Learning in Texas: Writing Your Distance Education Program Plan Module 3 (Required) Online (10 hours) D-Learning in Texas: Writing Your Distance Education Program Plan Module 2 (Optional) F2F (3 hours) Exploring Texas Distance Learning Curricula Module 2 (Optional) F2F (3 hours) Exploring Texas Distance Learning Curricula

10 Defining Distance Learning

Definition of Distance Education A FORMAL LEARNING ACTIVITY WHERE STUDENTS AND INSTRUCTORS ARE SEPARATED BY GEOGRAPHY, TIME, OR BOTH FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL PERIOD. (STATE POLICY DOCUMENT FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION) 11

12 The State Plan for Distance Education Distance Education Policy and Procedures

Types of contact hours: DIRECT CONTACT HOURS 13 PROXY CONTACT HOURS

Direct Contact Hours 14 1.Face-to-face instruction 2.New student orientation and goal setting sessions 3.Web-based, online meeting 4.Video-conferencing 5.Telephone conference 6.Live-online discussions via instant messenger 7.Pre/post assessment testing 8.Administering GED official practice tests Interaction between student(s) and teacher is happening in “real-time.” The identity of the learner can be identified.

What do the previous examples share in common? 15

NRS Guidelines for Distance Education 16 Students in distance education must have at least 12 hours of direct contact hours before they are counted for federal reporting purposes. Monitor students’ hours in TEAMS

State Policy Guidelines for Assessment POST-TESTS ADMINISTERED PER STATE ASSESSMENT POLICY AND DEPENDING ON WHICH TEST IS USED. BOTH DIRECT HOURS AND PROXY HOURS ARE COUNTED TO CALCULATE TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL TIME. 17 Monitor students’ hours in TEAMS

Proxy Contact Hours “PROXY HOURS DIFFER FROM DIRECT HOURS IN THAT THE IDENTITY OF THE LEARNER AND/OR THE EXACT TIME SPENT ON THE LEARNING ACTIVITY CANNOT ALWAYS BE VERIFIED DIRECTLY.” NOTE: A PROXY HOUR DOES NOT REQUIRE SYNCHRONOUS INTERACTION BETWEEN STUDENT(S) AND INSTRUCTOR. 18

Examples: INTERACTIVE, MULTI-MEDIA WEBSITES MULTI-MEDIA SOFTWARE PROGRAMS MOBILE APPLICATIONS DVD / VHS VIDEO PLUS WORKBOOK 19

20 What have you learned so far?

Distance Education State Policy IN ORDER TO DETERMINE PROXY HOURS, PROGRAMS MUST USE AN APPROVED CURRICULUM. THE APPROVED CURRICULA MUST FOLLOW ONE OF THE FEDERALLY-DEFINED MODELS FOR COUNTING PROXY HOURS. 21

The Approved List of Distance Curriculum 22

Distance Education Models CLOCK TIME MODEL: ASSIGNS HOURS BASED ON THE TIME A LEARNER IS ENGAGED IN A SOFTWARE PROGRAM THAT RECORDS TIME. TEACHER CERTIFICATION MODEL: ASSIGNS A FIXED NUMBER OF HOURS FOR EACH LESSON/UNIT A STUDENT HAS COMPLETED BASED ON AN INSTRUCTOR’S EVALUATION. LEARNER MASTERY MODEL: ASSIGNS A FIXED NUMBER OF HOURS BASED ON THE STUDENT PASSING A LESSON OR UNIT TEST. 23

Small Group Exercise #1 PROXY HOURS VERSUS DIRECT CONTACT HOURS 24

Answers to Exercise 1 25

26 Application for Approval of a New Curriculum

Oral Quiz: Distance Education Models 27

I am now able to explain…….  THE MAJOR POINTS OF DISTANCE EDUCATION STATE POLICY;  THE THREE CURRICULUM MODELS;  THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DIRECT HOURS AND PROXY HOURS;  DOUBLE DIPPING;  WHAT THE APPROVED LIST OF DISTANCE CURRICULUM IS. 28 D-Learning Toolkit

Segment 2: For TEAMS Sake 29 Distance Learning Classes in TEAMS

You will be able to:  EXPLAIN ONE BEST PRACTICE RECOMMENDATION FOR ROUNDING DIRECT HOURS AND PROXY HOURS;  CREATE A DISTANCE LEARNING CLASS IN TEAMS BASED ON THE DISTANCE EDUCATION MODEL AND CURRICULUM CHOSEN;  RECOGNIZE THE PERFORMANCE VALUE OF IMPLEMENTING A DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAM 30

Rounding Direct DL Hours 31 O to 15 min. (.25) (7.5 min. or more round up to 15 min.)- (less than 7.5 round down to 0 min.) 15 to 30 min. (.50) (22.5 min. or more round up to 30 min.)- (less than 22.5 min. round down to 15 min.) 30 to 45 min. (.75) (37.5 min. or more round up to 45 min.)- (less than 37.5 min. round down to 30 min.) 45 to 60 min. (1.0) (52.5 min. or more round up to 60min.) - (less than 52.5 min. round down to 45 min.) Rounding Rules

ROUNDING HOURS FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION STUDENTS: PARTNER EXERCISE #2 32

ROUNDING HOURS FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION STUDENTS: ANSWERS TO EXERCISE #2 33

For TEAMS Sake: Distance Learning classes are different than Regular Classes 1. In TEAMS, each DL curriculum needs to have its own DL class. 2. If a student is using more than one DL Curriculum, he or she will be co-enrolled in more than one DL class in TEAMS. 3. When a DL class is created in TEAMS, both direct and proxy hours can be entered for students. BUT, direct hours earned in a traditional class are recorded in the traditional class in TEAMS. 34

TEAMS: Creating Distance Classes STEP 1: SELECT A DISTANCE EDUCATION MODEL AND THE CORRESPONDING CURRICULUM 35

TEAMS: Entering Direct and Proxy Hours STEP 2: ENTER THE DIRECT AND PROXY HOURS FOR EACH STUDENT. 36

Entering Direct and Proxy Hours 37 Step 3: Hours can be entered across several days for the month, but can’t exceed 24 hours per day. Step 4: It is a good idea to enter hours into TEAMS on a weekly basis. Step 5: Back-up documentation for hours entered into TEAMS needs to be available for a Monitoring Visit from TWC.

38 Are Distance Learning Classes Making A Difference?

39 (baseline plus 12 + hours, all funding sources) Number of Participants Completing Level by DL Status Number of Participants Completing Level by DL Status Texas Statewide Data Texas Statewide Data 2009 to 2012

Distance Education Results: Student Performance (baseline plus 12 + hours, all funding sources) NO PROXY HRS Less than 50% PROXY HRS (Some Proxy ) More than 50% PROXY HRS (Mostly Proxy) Number enrolled % completing level Number enrolled % completing level Number enrolled % completing level ABE 30,616 56%4,13267%46261% ESL 45,48362%3,25280%22574% ASE 3,07459%27665%4672% ALL 79,17360%7,66073%73366% AVE HRS PER STUDENT

Student Enrollment: Texas Statewide Data Student Enrollment: Texas Statewide Data

Individual Application Exercise 42

Answer Key 43

I am now able to……. 1. RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF DOCUMENTING HOW I AM ROUNDING DIRECT DISTANCE LEARNING HOURS. 2. IDENTIFY DISTANCE LEARNING CLASSES IN TEAMS AND ENTER HOURS AS EITHER PROXY OR DIRECT. 3. HAVE AN EVEN BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHICH DL ACTIVITIES CAN COUNT AS PROXY OR DIRECT CONTACT HOURS. 44

Segment 3: Your Distance Education Tool Box 45 D-Learning Toolkit

You will be able to: You will be able to:  FIND THE DISTANCE LEARNING CURRICULUM ADDENDUM AND TELL WHY YOU NEED IT.  IDENTIFY IMPORTANT DISTANCE LEARNING TOOLS USED BY OTHER PROGRAMS.  DESCRIBE THE DL PLANNING GUIDE FOR ADMINISTRATORS  LIST COMMON OBSTACLES TO IMPLEMENTING A DL PROGRAM AND THE PRACTICAL TOOLS/STRATEGIES TO OVERCOME THE OBSTACLES.  REGISTER FOR D-LEARNING IN TEXAS ONLINE.  46

Program Resources for Your Distance Learning Tool Box 47 D-Learning Toolkit

Distance Education Curriculum Addendum 48

DL Planning Guide for Administrators 49

Program Examples 50 D-Learning Toolkit

Examples from other programs 51

Examples from other programs 52

Examples from other programs 53

Examples from other programs 54

Common Obstacles 55

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D-Learning in Texas D-Learning in Texas 57

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Review and Conclusion  STATE POLICY DOCUMENT FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION. REFER TO IT OFTEN, PLEASE !  THE IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PROXY HOURS AND DIRECT CONTACT HOURS  THE TWC AEL APPROVED LIST OF DISTANCE CURRICULUM AND THE DISTANCE EDUCATION MODELS  ENTERING HOURS INTO TEAMS 60 D-Learning Toolkit

Review and Conclusion  SEVERAL KEY RESOURCES AND BEST PRACTICE  RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A DL PROGRAM;  UNDERSTANDING THE PURPOSE OF THE D-LEARNING IN TEXAS SITE. 61 D-Learning Toolkit

Questions? Please complete the back of the session questionnaire and leave that for us today. Texas Research-Based Adult Instruction Network Professional Development Consortium (TRAIN PD) Texas Center for the Advancement of Literacy and Learning (TCALL) at Texas A&M University Telephone: Fax: TRAIN PD Consortium