Making A Change in Delivery

Changing the way we deliver our instruction can make a difference on how successful our students can become. For many, that is not an easy task to tackle. The fear of something foreign and taking a risk puts a barrier between something so familiar and something new. Currently technology is transforming the way we learn, work, and function on a daily basis. For many educators it is evident that they are unfamiliar with much of the new technology that is altering the way we operate. In order to implement these new changes into classrooms we are going to have to cater to the digital immigrants to build their confidence and get them on board. If we want to lure these participants into the technology world we are going to have to make some things more digital immigrant friendly. I believe there are two ways we can accomplish this task. Check out Marc Prensky's video below on why we need to make a few changes to how we deliver our instruction.

The first way I feel the district could help achieve this task is through the hiring of an educational technologist who will work side-by-side with those who struggle to incorporate these new changes into their classroom. This is the person who is a digital native and very familiar with teaching others how to apply today’s technology in a classroom. They can be on hand to assist with implementing a learning management system, creating microlectures, teaching students how to access these types of courses, and ultimately making those people more confident in their capabilities of incorporating technology. We need to understand that technology is here to stay and is going to continue to grow and be more complex, so we must cater to those digital immigrants in order to get them on board.

Secondly, once that next step toward technology implementation has been completed simple modifications within the learning management systems can be made to meet the needs of each classroom based on the students and the teachers. Initially this may seem like a ton of work, but it will pay off in the long run. One of the first things that I would like to see incorporated are microlectures. Once teachers gain an understanding of how to use these in the classroom and feel comfortable using them, lessons would gradually shift from teacher-led to student-led assignments. This is critical because it allows students to tap into their critical thinking skills and allows for them to apply their own thinking to each assignment.

Finally, to create passions and empathy between students and instructors, I think it is important to establish that sympathetic understanding of what the digital immigrants are going through. We are taught every day that we have to be able to work with all kinds of individuals. “Unfortunately, no matter how much the Immigrants may wish it, it is highly unlikely the Digital Natives will go backwards.” I’m not saying that we should take a step backward, instead I’m arguing that I think we can become better students, teachers, etc. if we work together to achieve our goals. Who knows what could be if the two learn to work together. Sometimes a little bit of old and a little bit of new can combine to make something extraordinary. If we want digital immigrants to get on board we have to help them join the push toward being more of a digital native. 

Works Cited:

Prensky, M. (2011). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. Retrieved April 15, 2015, from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky - Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants - Part1.pdf

Establishing A System for Evaluating Online Learning

There are many different things that need to be considered when establishing an online learning course. One of those key concepts is making sure there has been a relationship established amongst the students and instructors. They need to be able to communicate with others to receive feedback and provide important input on assignments. Students and instructors need to feel that there is still a relationship with other individuals while working online. When it comes to evaluating an online learning course there are multiple components that need to be considered in order to make it a highly functioning course.

Here are my top ten components that I would be looking at when considering setting up an online learning course within our district.

Top Ten Elements for Evaluating Online Learning

Content is aligned with the Common Core Standards

Making sure content is aligned with the Common Core Standards is critical to student and teacher success. If the content is aligned to the standards students will be able to learn from meaningful lessons that are created. It is also important to follow the standards because it is something that teachers are evaluated on based on how well they implement them in the classroom.

The instructional material is current

It’s important that what is being taught is current. Technology is always changing and evolving and it is important to keep with what is currently being circulated. The material that is being presented also needs to be kept current primarily because it should be aligned with the Common Core.

The course content encourages students to be actively engaged in their learning

There are many different ways an instructor could make the content engaging and interesting to students. Videos, games, badges, etc. are just a few things that can keep students interested in what they are learning. Students could also create videos themselves that address current concepts and can teach their peers. Instructors can provide the opportunity for students to have live discussions and a community where they can generate feedback with their peers on assignments.

Integration of technology

The integration of technology is important because ultimately that’s what is going to help our students become more successful. The types of technology, programs, and various experiences these students use will help them as they continue their education and prepare for their future. It’s important for these students to gain knowledge of a variety of types of technology because they need to be well rounded when moving into an occupation.

Course introduction

A course introduction is necessary because it provides students with the opportunity to see the outcome of the objectives that have been established. This can come in many forms so students can see what is required of them and what their finished product should look like. It is also necessary to show students how to navigate the course and use the material provided.

The content included are rigorous and contain depth and breadth to address the standards being taught

Content should be aligned with the standards and require students to tap into their critical thinking skills in order to complete the assignment. Students need to think above what is expected for them to be successful. The content should be challenging, but not to the point of severe frustration.

Readability levels, written language requirements and mathematical requirements are appropriate for course content and grade-level expectations

This is extremely important and can vary throughout the district depending on what level it is being incorporated. This can be much more challenging with students of a younger age due to the fact that they don’t have as much of a developed vocabulary yet. Proper word choice and vocabulary selection are going to be key to a student’s success.

Clear and consistent navigation is present throughout the course

This is another important feature and one that can vary throughout the grades depending on the age and level of the students. The younger the student the more easily the navigation should be for them. Through the use of microlecutres and other types of audio or video students have the capability to watch instructions as many times as needed in order to understand how to complete something. The layout should be user friendly and appealing to the eye.

Course and content is designed to promote student success

This is basically tied into many of the previous elements that I have mentioned above. If the content is aligned with the Common Core, grade level appropriate, implementation of technology and clear navigation will help the student be more successful.

Accessibility

These devices and internet capabilities need to be accessible to kids everyday so they have enough opportunity to develop their skills. Also information needs to be presentable for students to understand. It is easy for them to access without hassle.

Works Cited:

National Standards for Quality Online Courses. (2011, October 1). Retrieved April 9, 2015, from http://www.inacol.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/iNACOL_CourseStandards_2011.pdf

The Power of Empathy and Digital Wisdom

Today, most of our communication involves some form of technology. How we interact with each other through technology needs to remain empathetic and real in order to create a positive community of online learners. Marc Prensky poses some serious questions about technology and what it doesn’t offer. He asks, “What do computers, or any technology, do less well-fundamentally-than people? What things are still best handled by humans, and human minds? What are the capabilities that make human teachers indispensable?” Empathy is probably the most important element that technology lacks as opposed to human contact. The ability to show students how important they are and that their feelings matter becomes much more difficult to accomplish when technology is involved.

So how do we go about plugging in empathy to an online course? The first thing that we need to keep in mind is that we need to find our students interests and passions. When we find their passion it become a lot easier to tap into their thinking and engage them in a lesson. Creating that connection with their interest shows the students that their teacher cares for them and that there is a strong desire for them to succeed. In the video below, Marc Prensky talks a bit about the importance of teaching to students' passions and finding what I call an X-factor to spark their learning.

In the video above Marc also discusses digital wisdom and the role it has within the classroom. When educating our students through the use of technology it is important to remember that we need to strive for helping our students to become wiser when using technology. Currently our students are really lacking the digital wisdom that they need to survive. Our district needs to think about how we can incorporate more online lessons that allow for the students to gain experience with how to properly use technology in a variety of different situations.

More difficult doesn’t necessarily mean that it is not something that can be accomplished. As we push toward a more inclusive online learning environment teachers need to remember there are still ways we can connect with our students. How we establish our courses, learning management systems, assessments, etc. can help us keep a presence within the classroom that will help students make connections with their peers and teachers. Will it ever be as good as a side-by-side interaction? Not quite, but our students are going to have to be able to manage and cope with this type of learning/working environment in order to be able to compete in the real world. 

Works Cited:

Prensky, Marc. "What ISN'T Technology Good At?" Educational Technology (2012). Web. 12 Apr. 2015. <http://marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky-What_Isn%27t_Technology_Good_At-EDTECH-Sept-Oct-1012.pdf>.

Why We Need Distance Learning

I have touched on quite a few elements of distance learning in my previous posts, but why do we need to incorporate these newer forms of learning into our classrooms? Distance learning brings to the table a whole new set of expectations and skills that students are going to need to acquire in order to compete in the real world once they graduate. 

One of the most critical skills that students learn to develop through a distance learning course is self responsibility and time management. These sills are extremely valuable and become more critical as they become older. The set up of a DL course requires students to manage their time and their assignments which makes them more responsible. How the instructor sets up the course and creates due dates for assignments allows students to plan and prepare for those assignments and manage their time to get them done. These courses generate responsibility and require the students to be organized and attentive to each lesson. In an article written by Bobby Hall he found according to a study that, "in a survey of 126 students enrolled in an online distance education course, the most common response when asked about the benefits of distance education was that the students enjoyed the autonomy and freedom in assignment schedules given by the course." The ability to make choices and build upon those choices encourages students to be responsible and take action with their work. By providing a learning environment that fosters and builds upon these types of skills students will become better at managing time, being organized, internally motivated, and responsible.

If our students can develop these skills and become responsible with all aspects of their learning they are going to become top candidates for employment in the future.

Works Cited:
Hall, Bobby. "K-12 Distance Education: The Case of Rural Schools." The Cornell Policy Review (2012). Web. 28 Apr. 2015. <http://blogs.cornell.edu/policyreview/2012/03/16/k-12-distance-education-the-case-of-rural-schools-3/>.

Conclusion

There are many reasons why an online learning course is essential for our future generations. There are also many different ways we can make these courses authentic and genuine without totally losing the social presence of the classroom. As technology continues to grow and change there are going to be even more opportunities for our students to communicate and learn through these types of opportunities. It is our job as educators to take the lead and incorporate technology within the classroom to help our students prepare for their future. 

The role educators play in the classroom is changing. There will always be the need for a classroom educator to guide, promote, encourage, and challenge student learning, but how that is accomplished has changed and will continue to change. Our district needs to take a look at how we approach student learning as well as how we can support our educators and encourage them to take the next step in creating a more tech friendly environment. This can be achieved through the acquisition of an educational technology instructor and full time education teacher. 

Works Cited:

Samuels, Mark. "Creating the Next Generation of Tech Leaders." ZDNet (2015). Web. 2 May 2015. <http://www.zdnet.com/article/creating-the-next-generation-of-tech-leaders/>.