Sue MaidaDr. John Hansen

ETD515 Technology Leadership and Management12 August 2008

What is a virtual academy? high-quality, tuition-free public education individualized for each child 94% of 4 year public schools & ½ of four-

year private schools offer online education 25 percent of K-12 public schools e-

learning for students and teachers market for curriculum materials should

grow 10% this year

(azva, 2008) (Botelho, 2004)

Top 10 Reasons for Taking an Online Course#10 Alternative format#9 AP courses & electives available

(low enrollments, schedule conflicts)#8 Threaded discussions =

interaction with peers#7 Frequent student/teacher contact

(support efforts, monitor progress)#6 High level of accountability

(Appleton , 2008)

Top 10 Reasons for Taking an Online Course (continued) #5 Rigorous, high quality,

standards-driven curriculum #4 Accelerated, traditional or

extended pace#3 Enrollments are continuous#2 Available 24 /7#1 Greater ownership of learning

(Appleton , 2008)

The most important factor affecting student learning is the teacher. Teacher knows subject, understands

how to teach, adjusts teaching to student needs

Teacher expectations affect how much/well students learn

Every student has access to a quality teacher

Improved student academic performance and increased course completion rates

(sreb, 2006)

A good online teacher:Meets standards & has academic

credentials Has technology skills to teach onlineUses strategies : active learning,

interaction, participation, & collaboration Gives regular feedback, prompt response,

& clear expectationsModels, guides, and encourages legal &

ethical technology useHas been an online student

(sreb, 2006)

A good online teacher also:Understands, and is responsive to,

special needsCreates assessments t0 assure validity

& reliability Develops standards-based assignments Uses data to modify instructional

methodsUses strategies for self- and pre-

assessments.

The standards for courses state that the course:Has engaging learning experiences for mastery of

content, aligned with state content standards Has multiple learning paths based on student

needsReflects multicultural educationHas student-student /student-instructor

interactionAssesses student readiness & progress , provides

feedback on progressUses multiple technology tools (friendly interface,

accessible for special needs)Evaluates effectiveness, kept updated

(sreb, 2006)

Learning Management Systems Calendar Deliver e-learning effectively Supervise learners, course content,

instructorsPerformance records Communication Generate transcripts, reports,

scores, grading (Eric, 2001)

Criteria for Evaluating Course Management Software Packages Cost (ownership, site licensing, maintenance)Ease of administrative management (stability,

reliability, performance)Ease of use (faculty and students)Level of vendor supportSoftware platforms supported (Windows,

UNIX, Macintosh)Standards-basedTraining opportunities

(Picciano, 2006)

Criteria for Evaluating Course Management Software Packages Chat, email, discussion groupsConversion tools (i.e., from word processing files)Desktop videoconferencing, multimedia supportTest generator, grading, student progress reportingIndexing material by instructor, major, fieldIndividualized student assignments Related resources, sharing materials across coursesStandard design, flexible customization, templates

(Picciano, 2006)

My Experience with Learning Management SystemsPBS class VSpace at SVSU MoodleBlackboardTeacherWeb. PbwikiQuia

QuiaGames: matching, concentration,

wordsearch, flashcards, battleship, hangman, rags-to-riches, challenge boards

Quizzes: multiple choice, true/false, pop-up, multiple correct, fill-in, initial answer, short answer, essay, matching, ordering

SurveysCopying games and quizzes from “shared

activities”Student/class report cards

PBwikiInteractive collaboration Multiple pages with foldersMultiple user settings for securityPhotos, videos, chatDownloads, linksHistory of changes, visitorsCalendarsSpreadsheets

Why a wiki?Tired of waiting for Brad in IT to help set you

up Increase student engagement Tired of complicated solutions No-hassle way to showcase students' work

online Eliminate excuses of lost homework Central place to collaborate One place for files you can access anywhere Partners to share best practices

(PBwiki, 2008)

Final thoughts….Why wikis and online classes?Wikis offer online classes a method for

consistent presentations. Online classes offer wikis one more

significant application. Together they offer teachers and learners an

endless combination of possibilities.

ReferencesAppleton . (2008). Top 10 Reasons For Taking An Online

Course. Retrieved 2008, from Appleton eSchool: http://www.aasd.k12.wi.us/Eschool/Top10.htm

Atols, D. S. (n.d.). Distance Learning Program. Retrieved August 2008, from Chicago Public Schools: http://clear.cps.k12.il.us/ohsp/distance_learning.html

azva. (2008). Our School at a Glance. Retrieved August 2008, from Arizona Virtual Academy: http://www.k12.com/azva/who_we_are/

Botelho, G. (2004, August 13). Online schools clicking with students. Retrieved August 2008, from CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2004/EDUCATION/08/13/b2s.elearning/

Ed.gov. (2008, July). Evaluating Online Learning: Challenges and Strategies for Success. Retrieved August 6, 2008, from U.S. Department of Education: http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/academic/evalonline/report.html

References continued Eric. (2001). Learning Management System. Retrieved August 2008,

from Search Eric: http://searcheric.org/edu/learning-management-system.html

PBS. (2008). PBS. Retrieved 2008, from PBS Teacher Line: http://www.pbs.org/teacherline/

PBwiki. (2008). PBwiki home page. Retrieved August 2008, from PBwiki: http://pbwiki.com/education.wiki

Picciano, A. G. (2006). Educational Leadership and Planning for Technology - 4th ed. (4th ed., Vol. ). (D. A. Stollenwerk, Ed.) Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, USA: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.

sreb. (2006, November). Standards for Quality Online Courses. Retrieved August 7, 2008, from Southern Regional Education Board: http://www.sreb.org/programs/edtech/pubs/2006Pubs/06T05_Standards_quality_online_courses.pdf

sreb. (2006, August). Standards for Quality Online Teaching. Retrieved August 7, 2008, from Southern Regional Education Board : http://www.sreb.org/programs/EdTech/pubs/PDF/06T02_Standards_Online_Teaching.pdf