Important Changes for Administrators Coming to the Training System

We have many changes coming to our training system on July 1; we will be highlighting those changes over the next few weeks, including a tour of the new site just before it goes live.  Today, we are focusing on several important new features for a local administrator to personalize the system for their own district.

1. "Favoriting"

We have several districts that heavily utilize the "district module" area, including uploading and creating their own trainings.  Now, you will be able to add statewide trainings to that area as well, so you have one area for teachers to look at all the trainings.  When logged in as and admin and looking at the trainings, you will see a "favorite" button.

Clicking on that will then add the module in the district list.  As an admin, you can easily "unfavorite" it if you would like.



Note, the system also will be updating its browsing features, making it easier to find trainings (now that our total is well over 100)!

 

 

 2. District-specific Training Information

Ever want to add district-specific information to a training, such as who the local contact person is for MSDS sheets in the Right to Know training?  Or where particular policies are posted locally?  Now you can.  Within trainings, districts can modify the district-specific pages to add their own information.  Unmodified pages will simply refer participants to check with their local school officials about those policies.

3. Customized Theming

This one is very exciting.  Each district can customize the look and feel of the system.  Here is a look at the interface:

By entering in the "hex codes" for colors (see your school's web designer or art teachers if you have not heard the term "hex code" before) as well as uploading your logo, you can transform the system into this:

And, there's much more, including the ability for districts to create their own self-pace courses, assign modules to groups of employees (e.g. custodians, first-grade teachers, custodians that are also first grade teachers), and send out notifications.  Be sure to check the blog to see more updates this month!

Update for Leaders: Personalized vs. Facilitated Learning

One distinction we have been pushing at AEA PD Online is between "personalized" and "facilitated" learning.  These two terms fit into the broader spectrum of what we do, and act as good descriptors to distinguish between the two types of learning.

Let's start with facilitated learning.  This is often synonymous with "traditional" learning, although there can be a subtle difference.  We tend to think of traditional learning as very lecture-based (whether face-to-face or online) as opposed to more project-based or inquiry-based learning.  However, this is less about the pedagogy being used with the classroom and more about the structure for classes in general.  In both the inquiry-based classroom and the lecture-based one, there is still a teacher acting as an active facilitator.

It is important to note that there is nothing wrong with facilitated learning.  In fact, it is both a model of efficacy and efficiency, as structuring a school into classes of 20-25 students with a teacher has had a long tradition.  In a large portion of what we do in schools, facilitated learning is still the most important, and this is true for an online program such as AEA PD Online.

The thing is, it doesn't meet all student needs.  There are times where students need a more flexible learning option.

It is a bit like being at the beach and trying to fill up a jar.  Grabbing a handful of stones is a quick way of filling the jar, but they don't fill all the gaps.  While trying to ladle out water with your hands is a bit more time consuming, the fluidity of the water fills all those gaps.

That is what personalized learning is like.  Ideally, personalized learning opportunities are like water, being fluid, ubiquitous, and ever present.  You want those opportunities to be always available, whether you have a new student coming in, a student who needs acceleration or remediation, a student who needs credit recovery, or a student that needs learning around a personal interest area.

Here's a quick distinction between those two terms:

Facilitated	Personalized
"Class" centered Instructor presence Structured, set timeframe and pacing Collaboration with students Set curriculum = driver Teacher-driven assessment Transactional Learning Holistic (Set Outcomes)	“Individual” centered, choice/autonomy Often not an instructor presence (serves more as mentor/advisor) Independent pacing Authentic performances & portfolio Data & Student Choices = curriculum driver Student driven assessment Application/Creation Learning  Modular

Having an understanding of this difference helps you couch terms like "Standards-based grading", "credit-recovery", "competency-based learning", and "career pathways" into the learning type, which helps you structure that learning.

If you are interested in knowing more about how to implement personalized learning within your school contact us.

Update for Leaders - Don't Get Stuck with the Wrong Learning Management System

One area where many school leaders have invested time and money recently is looking at a schoolwide learning management system (LMS).  The LMS is very beneficial for putting all of your learning together into one spot for each class, and can typically be used for a variety of different uses among teachers (whether they are incorporating some online learning components or not).

LMSs can be expensive however, with some charging up to $10 per student for the hosting and support that goes along with the system.  In addition, many teachers get frustrated if a system isn't supported locally by people they know, regardless of how slick it works.  AEA PD Online provides free LMS access for all Iowa schools in Moodle, and it is a scaleable option (one teacher can use it or your entire district).

While we provide the hosting, support and maintenance on the site, however, some districts are looking for very specific features, including integration with their Student Information System.  We can help advise you on the right product for you, even if it isn't our Moodle system.  Consult with us to find the right solution.

Below is a quick spreadsheet comparing the basic LMS tools, including Moodle, Canvas, Google Classroom, Schoology, and Edmodo.  In addition, check out our online lessons on An Overview of LMS Tools, as well as Why We Support Moodle, and How You Can Use Moodle in Your Classroom.

Update for Leaders - Self Paced Courses

We have a new monthly feature on our blog.  Every first Monday of the month, we will feature an update for school leaders with an idea you can use with your school.

This month's update comes just in time for Fall BEDS.  Have teachers that haven't renewed their courses and are in need of license renewal credits?  We have the perfect solution.

Our Self-Paced Courses are an inexpensive, flexible solution for educators that feature some of the most pressing professional development needs.  They can be started at any time and completed at any pace.  There are no deadlines, waiting for the next cohort to start, or waiting for the class to finish to receive your transcript.  All for $60 for 1 license renewal credit.

We have four Self-Paced Courses on our system currently, and will be adding two more this fall.

• Google Apps 101
• Digital Citizenship
• Exceptional Learner
• Using Iowa AEA Online's Resources

Contact us for more information about the courses, or click on our link on the right side.