Challenges in Online Instructional Methodologies

One of the things that has attracted me to online and blended learning is that it has the potential to support the instructional methodologies which I have valued in the traditional classroom. I've always made an effort to individualize instruction as much as I was able to by using techniques such as writing workshop and giving choices for students to show what they know in other subject areas. One of the changes that an online or blended environment offers is a chance to use these techniques even more easily. Our textbook for the Leading Edge Certifications suggests that there will be even more emphasis on higher order thinking skills (page 4 of Module 2), although in the report we read a large number of the schools seemed to be using online learning for basic skills development. I think one of the challenges teachers may face is to not fall into a pattern of using online teaching only for rote learning. Finally, I'm wondering how online learning will change my own habits of developing my own curricular materials. I've always joked that I'm allergic to boxed curriculum. I'm always tweaking, enhancing, or rearranging what is in the textbook. How flexible will online teaching assignments be? Will I have the same kind of flexibility?

Ther are a number of skills I will need to improve or expand upon to support student learning in an online environment. For instance, I believe I'm fairly good at communicating through writing but it takes me time to write something well. I will need to improve my speed in composing my thoughts to be effective in online communication. I'm an advocate for using theories of learning styles to inform and individualize instruction but I think it will be much more difficult to identify learning styles in a distance learning environment. And although I'm familiar with techniques for guiding individualized learning in an face-to-face environment, I need to learn more about how to do that in an online environment.

In general, I feel that becoming certified to teach online will be an extension of many of the teaching skills and methodologies that I already use in the regular classroom.

 

Instructional Media Study Group Returns

About two years ago, I started a study group with a few other interested educators about instructional media. We read a number of great books, explored creating interactive PowerPoints, film, audio, and online classes, and had some really wonderful discussions. We took a break but we are back to meeting for the summer.

Last night we had our first meeting based on these readings:

How do you think technology should be used in school? This article describes three possibilities:
http://radar.oreilly.com/2012/05/schoolers-edupunks-makers-learning.html

These articles suggests students are changing. Do you agree?
http://radar.oreilly.com/2011/11/world-of-warcraft-minecraft-education.html
http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/erm0553.pdf 

These two blog posts are lists of things "every teacher should know" about technology. One is very combative, the other more supportive:
http://whatedsaid.wordpress.com/2010/08/01/10-ways-to-grow-as-an-educator/
http://holtthink.tumblr.com/post/21103709185

Here are some summertime challenges. Which do you want to try?
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2012/05/10-things-to-make-yourself-ed-tech-star.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+freetech4teachers%2FcGEY+%28Free+Technology+for+Teachers%29

We had a great time discussing these articles and envisioning what a great classroom integrated with technology would look like. We also each set goals on what our personal summertime challenges would be. We'll meet again to discuss a new set of articles and share what we've been doing in regards to our personal challenges.

Personal Learning Goals

This week I began taking the Leading Edge Online and Blended Teacher Certification Course through the Alameda County Office of Education. I earned my Masters degree through Walden University, so online learning is familiar to me. Not surprisingly, when I took the online student readiness quiz linked to the Leading Edge curriculum, I scored as being prepared for online coursework. I really enjoy learning from text where I can take my time reading and sometimes rereading. When I listen to a lecture, I don't have time to pause and think or imagine how the topic relates to my experiences. I also feel that online coursework is often richer because everyone in class is contributing and sharing their experiences.

I decided to jump in and take this course for a number of reasons. First, I think that online and blended learning are educational trends that are going to continue to grow and I'd like to be prepared to make that leap in the way I teach. The alternative K-8 school that I worked for part time this year is trying to develop some blended courses, and I hope that the Leading Edge training will allow me to help our staff make that transition. Also, I work part time as a curriculum consultant for Curriculum Leadership Institute and that organization is also interested in the possibility of training teachers and administrators in our model through online classes. Finally, I'm the mother of three children between the ages of six and eleven and I feel that having the skills to teach online might open up job opportunities that would make me available to be with my children more.

In looking at the objectives for Leading Edge Certification, I see a lot of concepts that are familiar to me. For instance, I use Bloom's Taxonomy frequently during my consultant work and I've become familiar with a number of Web 2.0 tools through my PLN. I think I will be learning the most in the module about building a community online. That, in addition to better understanding the pedagogy particular to online learning, are priority learning goals for me in this course. I'm really looking forward to spending the summer learning new things and connecting with a community of other educators with the same interests.

 

Introduction

When I was a kid, my parents were early adopters of technology, though they always seemed to get it wrong.  (anyone remember the Betamax VCR, the Commodore 64, and the Timex Sinclair?)  I grew up to be an early adopter, too, and was the first person in my school to have an internet connection in class in 1995.  We used it for access to AOL through which we connected to some other classrooms and teachers for collaborative projects and participated in the GLOBE project. Since then I've been working in education as a teacher, a curriculum consultant, a director of a resource lending library, a tutor, a classroom volunteer, a parent, and a homeschool teacher.  My Masters degree is in Educational Change and Innovation and I continue to be curious about new trends in education and new ways to construct learning. This blog is a collection of thoughts about those subjects.