It was easy this week to find reasons to support facilitators for online learning. I most certainly think they are beneficial for middle and high school students who are taking online classes. As I defended my reasons for facilitators in my earlier blog posting however, I had to fight a small voice in my head that kept asking where this might lead.
A few years ago many schools, such as my own, had to make personnel changes because of changes in regulations requiring teachers to be "highly qualified" in the subject are in which they taught. For my school, this meant losing our computer (activity) teacher as she only held an associate's degree. In the years since, other schools have tried to find ways around this such as having a less qualified paraprofessional teach this type of class and have the teacher of record be a certified teacher who is giving lessons and overseeing the para, (not sure this is exactly legal, but it isn't my school), thus the school can get by with paying less for a non-certified teacher.
Although I am a big advocate of online learning, I do have those moments when I feel like a conspiracy nutjob. I fear things like (big business) Pearson delivering online content and hiring their own teachers to peddle their curriculum while schools hire facilitator (babysitters) in lieu of certified teachers in order to save money. I will admit I have no basis for this other than the things I have seen some schools do in order to meet the needs of the "rules" and the budget.
So are facilitators needed? Yes, but yes because they help the students. If the goal is the budget is balanced at this expense of on site certified teachers then I may have to rethink.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Facilitators
I remember back to when I first started taking online classes for my master's degree, it felt like I was spending as much time learning how to navigate the learning platform as learning the content of the course. It took time to discover where the announcements were, how to post assignments, what the expectations were. I was an adult, one who teaches other teachers about technology, and I often felt confused. Having had that experience, I feel I can understand how important a facilitator could be to younger students who are taking online courses.
When determining if facilitators are necessary, I think one must first determine what the goal of delivering the content is. In my opinion, a college designs a course with different goals than a middle or high school. A college may be satisfied if the quality of the curriculum is sound, trusting that students should be able to monitor and motivate themselves, and if this doesn't happen, the student still pays for the course. The goal being the reimbursement for the delivery of quality curriculum. The student bears the burden of choosing to take the class as well as choosing how to interact within the class and class content.
For a middle or high school, the goal is much different. It is harder to have the same goal, quality curriculum. This isn't to say that no online program offers student choice or that no non-college student has the capacity to monitor and motivate, but in my experience, when students do not perform well, blaming the student happens only after a discussion of the school, the teacher, the situation, and the curriculum. It often never happens, even though there is ample evidence that it should. So in my opinion, the goal is different. The goal is for as many students as possible to succeed, but also to keep a school out of the proverbial "hot water." After all in a college class, I pay and if I fail, I lose, but in a school setting the taxpayers often pay and if students fail we all lose together. So to get a better return on our investment, facilitators are a necessity.
Facilitators are a necessity not only as perfunctory babysitters, but they are also a necessity because students at this age are more likely to need a "guide by the side." They do not yet have the life experience that a college student has. Many of these students have been unsuccessful in traditional classrooms and are in desperate need of a life change and / or mentor.
Facilitators also serve as a liaison between the school (student) and the online instructor. They are sort of the job foreman overseeing the project and discussing production problems with the main office, such as deadlines that need to be extended. Things the online instructor may not know about the students or sites.
I believe facilitators serve a vital role in online instruction, especially for young students. They help students be successful. They help schools reach diverse learning needs. They bridge the gap between an online instructor and a specific student. They help each side meet goals.
When determining if facilitators are necessary, I think one must first determine what the goal of delivering the content is. In my opinion, a college designs a course with different goals than a middle or high school. A college may be satisfied if the quality of the curriculum is sound, trusting that students should be able to monitor and motivate themselves, and if this doesn't happen, the student still pays for the course. The goal being the reimbursement for the delivery of quality curriculum. The student bears the burden of choosing to take the class as well as choosing how to interact within the class and class content.
For a middle or high school, the goal is much different. It is harder to have the same goal, quality curriculum. This isn't to say that no online program offers student choice or that no non-college student has the capacity to monitor and motivate, but in my experience, when students do not perform well, blaming the student happens only after a discussion of the school, the teacher, the situation, and the curriculum. It often never happens, even though there is ample evidence that it should. So in my opinion, the goal is different. The goal is for as many students as possible to succeed, but also to keep a school out of the proverbial "hot water." After all in a college class, I pay and if I fail, I lose, but in a school setting the taxpayers often pay and if students fail we all lose together. So to get a better return on our investment, facilitators are a necessity.
Facilitators are a necessity not only as perfunctory babysitters, but they are also a necessity because students at this age are more likely to need a "guide by the side." They do not yet have the life experience that a college student has. Many of these students have been unsuccessful in traditional classrooms and are in desperate need of a life change and / or mentor.
Facilitators also serve as a liaison between the school (student) and the online instructor. They are sort of the job foreman overseeing the project and discussing production problems with the main office, such as deadlines that need to be extended. Things the online instructor may not know about the students or sites.
I believe facilitators serve a vital role in online instruction, especially for young students. They help students be successful. They help schools reach diverse learning needs. They bridge the gap between an online instructor and a specific student. They help each side meet goals.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Reflecting upon Resources
This week I looked at several of the resources posted on the MOOC. The resources from Georgia Virtual School and Hope Learning Academy both refer to how data is utilized to guide student instruction. I think this is very important. I feel many of the platforms in which lessons are delivered online make the creation of data easy. However, I wonder how diverse these assessments are. I find myself wondering about how different learning styles are incorporated. I wonder if the majority of tests are multiple choice.
I find myself thinking about time studies that helped pave the way for the industrial revolution. Henry Ford's production line made the creation of cars streamlined. Can online learning make delivering classroom content streamlined? What should be removed? What should be revamped? How much more can a teacher do without having to monitor hallways and bathrooms? How much time could be gained if some of the assessments were graded by a computer instead of a pen? What if a student could rewind and review a lesson over and over until it "stuck," or could choose among resources in order to learn a topic? What if students could learn at their own pace?
Maybe I should have titled this post, "I wonder," because that is what I am doing in reflecting upon the subject this week. I see a lot of potential for online classes. Online classes seem to offer not only a change in the way classes are delivered and assessed, but also a change in the social interactions that are associated with "school."
I find myself thinking about time studies that helped pave the way for the industrial revolution. Henry Ford's production line made the creation of cars streamlined. Can online learning make delivering classroom content streamlined? What should be removed? What should be revamped? How much more can a teacher do without having to monitor hallways and bathrooms? How much time could be gained if some of the assessments were graded by a computer instead of a pen? What if a student could rewind and review a lesson over and over until it "stuck," or could choose among resources in order to learn a topic? What if students could learn at their own pace?
Maybe I should have titled this post, "I wonder," because that is what I am doing in reflecting upon the subject this week. I see a lot of potential for online classes. Online classes seem to offer not only a change in the way classes are delivered and assessed, but also a change in the social interactions that are associated with "school."
Resources
This week's MOOC activity had several resources that I feel would be beneficial to educators. I looked over materials from North Carolina Virtual Public School. I feel the material from this resource would not only be beneficial for those who are trying to become online teachers, but for all educators. The videos and screencasts posted made me wonder how much this field is growing. Many teachers received specific training in "classroom management" prior to getting their teaching certificate. It is interesting that to wonder how different "classroom management" could be in a virtual setting.
I also reviewed material posted by Joe Cozort from Georgia Virtual School. Although I had previously read that on of the benefits of online classes is that teachers as well as students quickly have data that can be used to help plan lessons and target instruction, I was struck by how useful that data could be as I saw the different ways data is being used for Georgia Virtual. There seems to be a good plan in place to both evaluate teachers and to evaluate the material that students are using.
I also reviewed material posted by Joe Cozort from Georgia Virtual School. Although I had previously read that on of the benefits of online classes is that teachers as well as students quickly have data that can be used to help plan lessons and target instruction, I was struck by how useful that data could be as I saw the different ways data is being used for Georgia Virtual. There seems to be a good plan in place to both evaluate teachers and to evaluate the material that students are using.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Education and Google
It was interesting this week to use the rubric created by iNACOL to evaluate an online course. The course I reviewed did not get stellar marks, but it I was really excited to see what was offered. The part I liked the most was the materials were offered free to anyone to use.
Many times I have heard parents ask me for textbooks or other materials to help their child learn more about math at home. Although the course I reviewed was intended for high school students, many of the concepts could be utilized by elementary students. I would not hesitate to share this resource with my peers or with parents. I think it has great value.
I love living in an age in which I can "Google" how to cook a great pot roast, how to program my remote control, how to get from point A to point B, really "how to" do a lot of things. I can quickly learn more right when I have a question, instead of waiting to research. Looking over the materials offered at the Open High School of Utah, I can imagine a world in which people of all ages can learn what they want, when they want, and to the degree they want.
Many times I have heard parents ask me for textbooks or other materials to help their child learn more about math at home. Although the course I reviewed was intended for high school students, many of the concepts could be utilized by elementary students. I would not hesitate to share this resource with my peers or with parents. I think it has great value.
I love living in an age in which I can "Google" how to cook a great pot roast, how to program my remote control, how to get from point A to point B, really "how to" do a lot of things. I can quickly learn more right when I have a question, instead of waiting to research. Looking over the materials offered at the Open High School of Utah, I can imagine a world in which people of all ages can learn what they want, when they want, and to the degree they want.
An Open Course?
In reviewing the course "Mathematics Essentials Q1" from Open High School of Utah using the iNACOL standards I found this particular course to be a good resource for students who need remediation on certain mathematical concepts, however, if this is to be the equivalent to a freshman high school math class, I hope I am missing something.
From what I see, for Section A: Content I find this course has an average rating of "2." Although some objectives are stated and assignments are aligned, this course lacks rigor. Goals seem minimalistic ans shallow. I will admit, that I reviewed this course from a "guest" perspective, so I hope there are additional resources and materials that are not seen from this access.
The Instructional Design, Section B, fares a little better. I feel the activities are engaging to students and the organization in the lessons is very clear. For the "Communication and Interaction" piece of this section, I there is not sufficient material to evaluate this correctly.
Student Assessment, Section C, has an average rating of "3." Assessments are dispersed into each lesson along with activities. There are also self assessments imbedded into a number of these activities. Unit tests follow the individual lessons
Technology, Section D, rates a "3," at least for the "User Interface," as the course is easy to navigate. There are interesting media elements, such as videos, games, and online tests included in the course lessons. The "Course Architecture" is difficult to critique from the guest access, so I cannot rate this area. This is also true with Section E, "Course Evaluation and Support."
Although this seems to be a poor review, I am excited about what his course has to offer. Most of what I saw is Open Source materials used under a Creative Commons license. I feel this course is a good resource for students to master certain mathematical concepts. I do not see it as an alternative to a freshman high school math course, but I do think it has merit in helping students catch up or possibly, for younger students, advance.
From what I see, for Section A: Content I find this course has an average rating of "2." Although some objectives are stated and assignments are aligned, this course lacks rigor. Goals seem minimalistic ans shallow. I will admit, that I reviewed this course from a "guest" perspective, so I hope there are additional resources and materials that are not seen from this access.
The Instructional Design, Section B, fares a little better. I feel the activities are engaging to students and the organization in the lessons is very clear. For the "Communication and Interaction" piece of this section, I there is not sufficient material to evaluate this correctly.
Student Assessment, Section C, has an average rating of "3." Assessments are dispersed into each lesson along with activities. There are also self assessments imbedded into a number of these activities. Unit tests follow the individual lessons
Technology, Section D, rates a "3," at least for the "User Interface," as the course is easy to navigate. There are interesting media elements, such as videos, games, and online tests included in the course lessons. The "Course Architecture" is difficult to critique from the guest access, so I cannot rate this area. This is also true with Section E, "Course Evaluation and Support."
Although this seems to be a poor review, I am excited about what his course has to offer. Most of what I saw is Open Source materials used under a Creative Commons license. I feel this course is a good resource for students to master certain mathematical concepts. I do not see it as an alternative to a freshman high school math course, but I do think it has merit in helping students catch up or possibly, for younger students, advance.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Playing Hookey
I guilty admit I once had a penchant for playing hookey. In my high school one could miss five days of each six week period without having these absences questioned. (Sounds absurd these days, but believe me it was true at the time.) Needless to say, I missed my five each semester. I did not waste a one. My grades were good, I graduated on time, with extra credits, which now makes me wonder what I could have done if I had actually been there all those missed days. However, at the time, going to school each day was equivalent to having a daily root canal. Necessary but painful.
Richard Ferdig's article in this week's MOOC not only gave me insight into the research, or lack of research, behind online learning, but the readings suggested made me appreciate how online learning may reform hookey players such as myself. In many schools online learning is most often seen as a means of credit recovery or as an alternative to traditional schooling. A way to prevent students from "dropping out." I feel a burning question on the minds of many educators is, "Does online learning work?" Ferdig discusses the problem of this question. In fact, he reframes the question to better describe the conditions necessary for online learning to "work." Ferdig also discusses the problems of obtaining data sufficient enough to determine "best practices" associated with online learning. Data that is difficult to obtain as the field currently vast and diverse.
The readings associated with this article further illustrate why research is needed. Online learning has the potential to offer students more choice in both what they are learning and the conditions in which the learning may take place. Research that is necessary in order for the field to advance and grow. I cannot help but yearn for this growth to take place. I know what it feels like to want to learn, to desire knowledge, but to feel restricted to undesirable means of obtaining those goals.
Barbour, M, (2012). "Research into the design of K-12 online learning." Virtual School MOOC. Retrieved from http://virtualschoolmooc.wikispaces.com/design. 21 September 2012
Richard Ferdig's article in this week's MOOC not only gave me insight into the research, or lack of research, behind online learning, but the readings suggested made me appreciate how online learning may reform hookey players such as myself. In many schools online learning is most often seen as a means of credit recovery or as an alternative to traditional schooling. A way to prevent students from "dropping out." I feel a burning question on the minds of many educators is, "Does online learning work?" Ferdig discusses the problem of this question. In fact, he reframes the question to better describe the conditions necessary for online learning to "work." Ferdig also discusses the problems of obtaining data sufficient enough to determine "best practices" associated with online learning. Data that is difficult to obtain as the field currently vast and diverse.
The readings associated with this article further illustrate why research is needed. Online learning has the potential to offer students more choice in both what they are learning and the conditions in which the learning may take place. Research that is necessary in order for the field to advance and grow. I cannot help but yearn for this growth to take place. I know what it feels like to want to learn, to desire knowledge, but to feel restricted to undesirable means of obtaining those goals.
Barbour, M, (2012). "Research into the design of K-12 online learning." Virtual School MOOC. Retrieved from http://virtualschoolmooc.wikispaces.com/design. 21 September 2012
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