Friday, November 30, 2018

Iowa Story: Urbandale Teacher Blends her 3rd Grade Classroom

Hear from Elizabeth Whitver, 3rd grade teacher at Webster Elementary in  Urbandale, Iowa as she talks about blending and flipping with her 3rd graders.. She will share how she found out about blended/flipped learning, what the benefits for students were, and why she chose this route.


We would LOVE to share your story. If you would like to be interviewed for the Iowa Story of Online, Blended or Flipped Classrooms please contact us- Denise Krefting or Melissa Wicklund.   We have several other teacher video of those who have volunteered to contribute. They can be found on in our Google Community with the filter "Blended Videos from Iowa Teachers.

If you are interested in learning more about professional development for blended learning, here is the information on AEA Online's Blended Learning Cohort (video listings are also here under the tab Iowa Teachers Blending/Flipping)

Monday, November 26, 2018

AEA Online Learning Supports Iowa Digital Learning Plan: Digital Citizenship

As many of you are aware, Iowa’s Digital Learning Plan is the result of a collaborative effort between the Iowa Department of Education (Department), Iowa’s Area Education Agencies (AEAs), Local Education Agencies (LEAs), the American Institute for Research (AIR) and many stakeholders. (See document here).

AEA Learning Online has many opportunities for districts to use in support of this Digital Learning Plan. We will now discuss is how we support Digital Citizenship for teacher and students.

According to the IDLP,  colleges should Rethink Teacher Preparation.  “Education is constantly changing.  Teacher preparation programs are an important part of making sure that our future educators have a solid foundation of not only teaching and learning but also learning about how to use technology.  Technology to help students learn and grow as learners and digital citizens in and out of the classroom.  “ This is also true of those currently in the field.

By Fostering Ongoing Professional Learning districts support the IDLP “Professional learning and development programs should transition to support and develop educators’ identities as fluent users of technology; creative and collaborative problem solvers; and adaptive, socially aware experts throughout their careers.” “Programs also should address challenges when it comes to using technology learning: ongoing professional development should be job embedded and available just in time.”

A National Recommendation adopted by Iowa suggests that districts “Provide pre-service and in-service educators with professional learning experiences powered by technology to increase their digital literacy and enable them to create compelling learning activities that improve learning and teaching, assessment, and instructional practices.” By designing pre- and in-service professional learning opportunities that are aligned specifically with technology expectations outlined within state standards and that are reflective of the increased connectivity of and access to devices in schools.

Districts should also think about “Instructional Practices for Student-Centered, Personalized Learning.”  “The majority of Iowa districts are 1:1 which changes the way teaching and learning happen within classrooms and beyond the classroom walls.  As access to technology increases, so does the importance of guiding students to use technology in a  “meaningful, productive, respectful, and safe” way in and out of the classroom.  A basic understanding for the teacher is a great way to start. “

In support of the IDLP and Iowa Core 21st Century standards, AEA Learning Online offers a Digital Citizenship Course within the Training System (https://training.aealearningonline.org) for one license renewal credit, or individual modules can be taken without credit or cost.  Within the course, teachers will gain a basic understanding of Digital Security, Digital Netiquette, Digital Literacy, and Cyberbullying and Online Safety.  These core topics are essential for teachers to help guide the learning and help students make good choices when navigating our connected world.

Once teachers have a better understanding of digital citizenship topics, districts then could move toward how students navigate the digital world as digital citizens. Providing students opportunities to practice with teachers and other students, learn important topics, use curriculum that best meets the needs of all learners, and facilitate discussions with students in a safe place about their digital footprint.

AEA Learning Online offers Digital Citizenship modules for students to take on our Student Personalized Learning System (https://learning.aeak12online.org).  The SPLS has content for grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12.  The K-8 grade content is based on Common Sense Media’s digital citizenship curriculum and offers students further opportunities to share, watch videos, and discuss as a class. The K-8 content also has an added feature of the modules being read aloud for those students who may need extra support.  The 9-12 content is based on Mike Ribble’s Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship.  It supports safety and appropriate technology use in these areas:
●    Digital Commerce
●    Digital Communication
●    Digital Health and Wellness
●    Digital Law, Rights and Responsibilities
●    Digital Literacy
●    Digital Netiquette
●    Digital Security
Districts and teachers can assign any or all of this content to students as desired.

If you have interest in any of the above learning opportunities for yourself or your staff, contact AEA Learning Online at support@aealearningonline.org  or Denise Krefting (dkrefting@aealearningonline.org) or Melissa Wicklund (mwicklund@aealearningonline.org)

Look for the next post where we will discuss how AEA Learning Online supports Open Educational Resources discussed in the IDLP.

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

AEA Online Learning Supports Iowa Digital Learning Plan: Blended Learning

As many of you are aware, Iowa’s Digital Learning Plan is the result of a collaborative effort between the Iowa Department of Education (Department), Iowa’s Area Education Agencies (AEAs), Local Education Agencies (LEAs), the American Institute for Research (AIR) and many stakeholders. (See document here).

AEA Learning Online has many opportunities for districts to use in support of this Digital Learning Plan. The first we will discuss is how we support Blended and Online Learning.

According to the IDLP,  schools should “Foster Ongoing Professional Learning”.  Professional learning and development programs should transition to support and develop educators’ identities as fluent users of technology; creative and collaborative problem solvers; and adaptive, socially aware experts throughout their careers.

 Districts should also “Develop a teaching force skilled in online and blended instruction”. Our education system continues to see a marked increase in online learning opportunities and blended learning models in traditional schools. To meet the demand, institutions of higher education, school districts, classroom educators, and researchers need to come together to ensure practitioners have access to current information regarding research-supported practices and an understanding of the best use of emerging online technologies to support learning in online and blended spaces.  Including:

Technology can enable personalized learning or experiences that are more engaging and relevant. Mindful of the learning objectives, educators might design learning experiences that allow 40 students in a class to choose from a menu of learning experiences—writing essays, producing media, building websites, collaborating with experts across the globe in data collection—assessed via a common rubric to demonstrate their learning. Such technology-enabled learning experiences can be more engaging and relevant to learners.

Personalized Student Learning

Technology enables personalized pathways for student learning through active and collaborative learning activities. Clearly defined sets of learning outcomes guide instruction. The outcomes, and the aligned curriculum, instruction, and assessment, reflect the multidisciplinary nature of knowledge; prepare students for our participatory culture through attention to digital literacy and citizenship; and attend to general skills and dispositions, such as reflection, critical thinking, persistence, and perseverance.
Administration and school board provide leadership ensuring that policies and resources equip teachers with the right tools and ongoing support to personalize learning in their classrooms.

AEA Learning Online offers a Blended Learning Cohort as professional development in support of the pedagogical changes teacher must go through to be effective and successful online educators. These cohorts consist of 4 courses that teachers and administrators can take through out a 1 1/2 year period (time period can change depending on need).   Credit (no-credit option as well) is available at a significantly reduced rate.
  
●    The first course, "Blending/ Flipping Your Classroom 1: Introduction" is a three day face-to-face training on "Blending/Flipping your classroom 1" for one license renewal credit.  This introductory course will build pedagogical awareness using Bloom's Taxonomy and Depth of Knowledge for learning about blended learning models, flipped classrooms, the modern learner, essential questions, and summarize and formative assessments in an online environment. Participants will experience a blended learning opportunity each day.  (There is an Elementary version and a Secondary Version)
  
●    The second course is a fully online course "Blending/Flipping 2- Blended Instruction" for all grade level teachers as well as an elementary option for two credits (license renewal and graduate) which is available to those who have completed the first course.  This course digs deeper into what a blended classroom looks like expanding from course 1.  Participants will create a blended unit that can be used in their classroom using best practices of design, content, assessments and collaboration. (There is an Elementary version and a Secondary Version)
  
●    The third in the series is "Blending/Flipping Your Classroom 3: Designing Online Lessons" which will take place as a blended model with two days face-to-face and the rest online for those who have completed the first two courses. This course is also two credits (license renewal and graduate).   This course is divided into two parts: Spoken Lesson best practices and design and Text Based Lesson best practices and design. Participants will create a video  and a text based lesson created in Softchalk that can be added to their flipped or blended unit.
  
●     Finally the fourth in this series is "Blending/Flipping 4: Activities and Assessment "which will take place as a blended model with two days face-to-face and the rest online and is also 2 credits (license renewal and graduate) for those who have taken the three other courses.  This final cohort course is divided into two parts: creating rigorous and relevant activities and developing appropriate assessments for these activities. These activities and assessments can be added to their flipped or blended unit.
  
These courses are also meant to support those teachers who wish to move their classes to totally online but scaffolding their knowledge from face to face, to blended to eventual online creation.  This can be done in combination with the OLLIE coursework offered by AEA Learning Online and Drake University. The last three courses in the series (six credits) can also be applied to the Drake Online Teacher certification for those that are interested.   Learn More Here

Offered in conjunction with the Blended Learning Cohort are the OLLIE (Online Learning for Iowa Educators) online courses. These courses take teachers to the next level with facilitation, assessment and feedback intended to help teacher complete the Drake Online Teaching Certificate and support facilitated online instruction.

AEA Learning Online also offers self paced content on Blended Learning and Personalized Learning found in the Teacher Training System.  These courses can be taken for learning and/or credit  any time from anywhere in a self paced environment.
If you have interest in any of the above learning opportunities for yourself or your staff, contact AEA Learning Online at support@aealearningonline.org  or Denise Krefting (dkrefting@aealearningonline.org) or Melissa Wicklund (mwicklund@aealearningonline.org)

Look for our next post where we will discuss how AEA Learning Online supports Digital Citizenship discussed in the IDPL.

Thursday, November 8, 2018

Teachers at Indianola Complete Blending Flipping Cohort

Congratulations to these teachers from Indianola Schools who have completed the 4 courses in the Blending Flipping in your Classroom Cohort.

Front to Back: Alison Sauter (Indianola Technology Integration Coach), Shaen
Polasky, Jill Oliver, Samantha Jensen, Mindy Percy, Lisa Stone, Ronda Priebe, Denise Krefting (AEA Learning Online K-12 Instructional Designer,Karen Sorensen, Mitch Curtis, Linda Warner, Wendy Arch and Richard Kazmerzak.


These classes which are offered at several AEAs and even as PD for school districts (such as Indianola CSD) are : Blending/ Flipping Your Classroom 1: Introduction (Elementary and a Secondary version), Blending/Flipping 2- Blended Instruction (Elementary and a Secondary version), Blending/Flipping Your Classroom 3: Designing Online Lessons and Blending/Flipping 4: Activities and Assessment.  They are offered for license renewal credit, graduate credit or no credit depending on what credit type the participant is interested in.  6 of these credits also qualify for the Drake Online Teaching Certificate. Learn more about the cohort here.

If you are interested in learning more about the Blending Flipping in your Classroom Cohort you can check out this site or contact Denise Krefting or Melissa Wicklund at AEA Learning Online.