eCurriculum Content Iowa Teacher shares what he built

Did you know that AEA PD Online K-12 System has online content created by teachers that can be used in your classes (downloaded and added to your Moodle, Canvas or Schoology course).  Here is a list of new content that was just added from an Iowa teacher.  To see this click on eCurriculum Catalog icon under Teacher Resources. REMEMBER- these are meant to be teacher facilitated courses.

Here are some shared by Craig Mohr from SouthEast Polk Schools currently available for use in the classroom. Check back for more as this will be expanded upon over the summer.  Thanks Craig!

• General Chemistry
• Earth and Space Science
• AP Physics  

(You too can share what you have built. Contact any AEA PDOnline Team member)

October is Connected Educator Month

Connected Educator Month: Those who do, teach. Own it, year-round. October 2015.

A celebration of community, with educators at all levels, from all disciplines, moving towards a fully connected and collaborative profession. Convened by the connected education community, with the full support of the U.S. Department of Education, building on the success of previous years with hundreds of new events and activities from dozens of organizations and communities. We’ll be working together, in October and beyond, with all stakeholders, leaving no device unturned, no country or learning environment unexplored. Get involved at connectededucators.org.

Over the past three years, millions of educators and others around the world have participated in hundreds of professional development and other educational opportunities, offering highly distributed, diverse, and engaging activities to all stakeholders at all levels.

There is a wide variety of activities to participate in.  From blogs, interactive wikis, tweets, webinars, MOOCs, resource sharing, and podcasts.  For the complete calendar of events, click this link. http://connectededucators.org/calendar/.  You can also follow the events on twitter at #CE15.

With so many different ways to participate, what's some of the professional development opportunities that appeal to you? 

Online Instructors Wanted

Interested in teaching for AEA PD Online? Check out these 8 steps to becoming an instructor. For more information check out the Instructor Toolbox located here.

Fast Facts about Online Learning

Interested in learning about the research, trends, and statistics related to k-12 online learning. Check out iNACOL's Fast Facts brief. Click here.

10 Smart Tips for Effective Learning

If you are new to online teaching, chances are you are constantly on the lookout for tips and tricks that will help you improve your practice.  Because of this drive for continuous improvement, it is sometimes easy to forget that for many learners online learning is new to them. 

Set your online students up for success by taking some time to review and share the infographic, "10 Smart Tips for Effective Learning" with them. 

Find more education infographics on e-Learning Infographics

Exploring Iowa’s Natural Resources course meets STEM Endorsement

A new online course added to AEA PD Online course listings. This Exploring Iowa’s Natural Resources  course also also qualifies for credit for the STEM endorsement through Drake and Grandview.

Activity Title:Exploring Iowa's Natural Resources (Online) 3 credits
Online

Class Dates (Online):  October 3, 2015 - January 31, 2016

To find our more or to sign up for the class go to https://prodev.aeapdonline.org/4DCGI/YYYYYYYYYYYYYYSWCH  with the Activity #: 22007499991601

Upcoming Online Courses: October 1-November 15, 2015

See below for a list of upcoming online professional learning opportunities. To register, click on the activity number listed with each course. To conduct your own search for professional development classes, download the AEA PD Online app at myapp.is/aeapdonline or click here to go to the AEA PD Online catalog.

Advancing Minds: Helping Our Students with Behavioral Challenges
Register at 22029799991601
Dates: Oct. 1-Dec. 10, 2015 Credit(s): 3

Creatively Thinking with MinecraftEdu
Register at 22026399991602
Dates: Oct. 1-Dec. 4, 2015 Credit(s): 2

Exploring Iowa's Natural Resources (Online)
Register at 22007499991601
Dates: Oct. 3, 2015-Jan. 31, 2016
Credit(s): 3

Professional Learning Communities/Data Teams' Role in Assessment/MtSS/RtI II

Register at 22026099991601
Dates: Oct. 3-Nov. 10, 2015
Credit(s): 1 (renewal only)

Google sites for the Classroom
Register at 22025199991602
Dates: Oct. 5-Oct. 28, 2015
Credit(s): 1

iEvaluate 1.2
Register at 22017299991604
Dates: Oct. 5-Nov. 27, 2015
Credit(s): 2 (renewal only)

Introduction to Google Apps
Register at 22007899991604
Dates: Oct. 5-Nov. 8, 2015
Credit(s): 2

Reading in the Content Areas
Register at 22022499991602
Dates: Oct. 5-Nov. 6, 2015
Credit(s): 2

Total Participation Techniques
Register at 22020199991602
Dates: Oct. 5-Nov. 6, 2015
Credit(s): 2

Building ELA Foundation Skills-The Voweletics Method
Register at 22016699991602
Dates: Oct. 12-Dec. 13, 2015
Credit(s): 2

Using the iPad in the Language Arts Classroom
Register at 22014799991601
Dates: Oct. 12-Nov. 16, 2015
Credit(s): 2

Spanish for Educators Online
Register at 22000799991602
Dates: Oct. 13-Nov. 24, 2015
Credit(s): 3 (renewal only)

Building Social Studies Literacy
Register at 22017199991601
Dates: Oct. 14-Nov. 18, 2015
Credit(s): 2 (renewal only)

OLLIE: Online Learning Instructional Design
Register at 22002799991602
Dates: Oct. 14-Nov. 17, 2015
Credit(s): 2

Understanding and Developing Mulit-tiered System of Supports (MtSS/RtI) I
Register at 22024599991602
Dates: Oct. 14-Nov. 4, 2015 
Credit(s): 1 (renewal only)

Using Formative Assessments to Drive Instruction and Design Interventions
Register at 22025499991602
Dates: Oct. 16-Nov.12, 2015
Credit(s): 1 (renewal only)

iEvaluate 1.2
Register at 22017299991605
Dates: Oct. 19-Dec. 11, 2015
Credit(s): 2 (renewal only)

Examining Dyslexia: Remediation that Works!
Register at 22022899991602
Dates: Oct. 21-Dec. 30, 2015
Credit(s): 3

Examining Engaging Troubling Students: A Constructivist Approach
Register at 22003299991602
Dates: Oct. 21-Dec. 30, 2015
Credit(s): 3

Examining: How the Brain Influences Behavior
Register at 22017499991602
Dates: Oct. 21-Dec. 30, 2015
Credit(s): 3

Examining: Teaching Math to 21st Century Students
Register at 22024999991602
Dates: Oct. 21-Dec. 30, 2015
Credit(s): 3

Examining: The Gifted Brain: Science, Secrets, and Synapses
Register at 22022199991601
Dates: Oct. 21-Nov. 24, 2015
Credit(s): 3

MOLLIE: Designing Online Lessons, Including SoftChalk
Register at 22017999991602
Dates: Oct. 21-Nov. 24, 2015
Credit(s): 2

OLLIE: Introduction to the Online Learner
Register at 22001399991604
Dates: Oct. 21-Nov. 10, 2015
Credit(s): 1

Personalized Learning: Helping Your Students Take Charge of Their Learning
Register at 22027099991602
Dates: Oct. 21-Nov. 17, 2015
Credit(s): 2

Pinterest: Using Pins, Boards, and More in Your Classroom
Register at 22022299991607
Dates: Oct. 21-Nov. 21, 2015
Credit(s): 2

iEvaluate 1.2
Register at 22017299991606
Dates: Oct. 26-Dec. 18, 2015

Credit(s): 2(renewal only)

Pinterest in the Classroom

Register at 22019999991606
Dates: Oct. 26-Nov. 22, 2015
Credit(s): 2

Supporting Technology Literacy in Elementary Classrooms with Scratch Programming
Register at 22024299991602
Dates: Oct. 26-Dec. 7, 2015
Credit(s): 2

Presentation Zen: Improving Your Approach to Presentations
Register at 22012399991603
Dates: Oct. 28-Nov. 17, 2015

Credit(s): 1

iPods and iPads for the Classroom
Register at 22004199991603
Dates: Nov. 2-Nov. 29, 2015
Credit(s): 2

What Great Teachers Do Differently
Register at 22020399991603
Dates: Nov. 2-Dec. 11, 2015
Credit(s): 3

How Do You Teach Reading-Speaking the Language of the Book Whisperer
Register at 22019399991602
Dates: Nov. 9-Dec. 4, 2015

Credit(s): 1

Using the iPad in the Social Studies Classroom
Register at 22014899991601
Dates: Nov. 9-Dec. 14, 2015
Credit(s): 2

Increasing Cognitive Complexity to Enhance Student Learning
Register at 22025699991602
Dates: Nov. 14-Dec. 20, 2015
Credit(s): 1 (renewal only)

Minecraft Course

A new online course added to AEA PD Online course listings. This Minecraft course also also qualifies for credit for the STEM endorsement through Drake and Grandview.

Activity Title: Creatively Thinking with MinecraftEdu  2 credits
Online

Class Dates: October 1-December 4, 2015

To find our more or to sign up for the class go to https://prodev.aeapdonline.org/4DCGI/YYYYYYYYYYYYYYSWCH  with the Activity #: 22026399991602

Why do you need to know about social media and digital citizenship for your students? Read the PEW report  http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/08/06/teens-technology-and-friendships/ to see how students use social media to find new friends.

We can help. Take the Social Media self paced course or the Digital Citizenship self paced course to learn more at  http://training.aeapdonline.org/ .  Here you can take the courses for license renewal credit or take the individual learning opportunities for no credit.  The course for credit:

• Digital Citizenship- Course for LR Credit
• Social Media- Course for LR Credit

 Individual Non-credit learning opportunities:

• Social Media: Twitter
• Social Media: Facebook
• Social Media: Google Plus
• Social Media: Instagram
• Social Media: Pinterest
• Digital Citizenship: Digital Literacy
• Digital Citizenship: Digital Netiquette
• Digital Citizenship: Cyberbullying and Online Safety
• Digital Citizenship: Digital Security
• Copyright and Fair Use

True Facts about Teens and Media

Being a teenager in 2015 is very different than it was in 1995. The teens of 1995 were on the forefront of learning to use the internet as part of their everyday lives, today's teens don't know how to live without it. They're focused on finding the latest-and-greatest app that will help them communicate better with their peers.

Check out this info graphic below that highlights how far teens and media have come-and imagine where they will go next.

Find more education infographics on e-Learning Infographics

Time to Update

The new school year is here! And, as I have said previously, the summer has literally flown by. You may already have students in your classroom, may be getting ready for students to start soon, or may be in PD sessions in your district. In any case, there is a flurry of activity to get ready for a new school year. And, although you may have been there before, it is still an exciting time for you and your students. It is no different for online teachers either. Getting a course up and ready for a new group of students is always exciting—the anticipation builds as the online instructor prepares and makes sure everything is ready to go for that first opening day of the online course.

What do online teachers need to do to prepare a course? There are many steps—more if it is a brand new course that has not been taught before. But even if it is a course that has been taught over and over by the same online instructor, there are still things to do before the class actually begins.

Here is my TOP 10 checklist:

1. Backup the course.
   It is always a good idea to back up the course before you do anything else. This will provide a way for the LMS administrator to restore the course if needed.
   
2. Download the grade book.
   Once a course has ended, it is highly recommended that you download a copy of the grade book and store somewhere on your own computer or backup drive. Then, if a student questions the final grade you gave them, you can go back and look at their grade history. You will be able to view the grades without needing to ask the LMS administrator to restored your course.
   
3. Reset the course.
   Resetting the course removes previous students, discussion posts, assignment attempts, and grades. It allows me to reuse the content without having to start completely over.
   
4. Check website links.
   This is so important as web links change so quickly. This will ensure that everything that is linked to a website outside of the LMS is up-to-date.
   
5. Check readings, like article links.
   Using articles that are out-of-date (older than 5 years) gives your students the impression that you are not up-to-date on your content knowledge. Some older articles may be seminal and thus appropriate.
   
6. Check for content.
   Is there any content that needs to be added or replaced? Sometimes I find newer content that is more relevant to use either because of my own searching or because students in the previous section have found, and shared incredible resources.
   
7.  Assignments.
   Are the assignments still appropriate? If an assignment didn’t work in the previous section of the course, now is the time to change it. But remember, anything you change must also be reflected in the course syllabus. So if you add or change an assignment in the course, it must be added or changed in the syllabus. Also check for due dates. Students in online courses get very frustrated when they see a reminder that says they have an assignment due and the date is already past.
   
8. Grading criteria.
   Are the grading criteria, rubric, checklist (whatever form of assessment you use) still appropriate? Again, if you change the way something is graded, it must be reflected in the syllabus and/or the rubric.
   
9.  Navigation and Visual Appeal.
   Do you like the way the course is laid out? Is it visually appealing? Can students navigate through the course without needing a lot of “handholding” from the instructor? Check the evaluations or emails you received from previous students. If you received a lot of questions about what to do, how to get to things in the course, etc., you will probably want to see if there is an easier way to organize the content. Adding a pacing chart for each section may be helpful. Providing a weekly announcement about where they should be in the course can also be helpful for students. Make the expectations clear at the beginning of the course. Can students jump ahead or do you want them to do things in a more linear fashion? Tell them what you want them to do. If you want them to make 3 forum posts per week, then you need to say that up front.
   
10. Welcome email.
    Check the email you send out prior to the start date of the course.  Is the start and end dates of the course correct? Are there other updates that need to be made to that initial email? Do students know how they can contact you and when you are available? Make sure to give them the correct information about how to access your course—how to log in, where to find the course, the correct (possibly updated) enrollment code, etc. Remember, this is your first contact with the online students and you want to make a good impression.

I have never been a teacher, in the classroom or in the online classroom, who can walk in on the first day of class and teach the same things in the same way. How boring that would be for me. The students are not the same, so the teaching techniques I use have to be adjusted to meet their needs. It is the same in the online classroom. Online content can get stale, dated, or just plain dull.

This article, 9 Ideas to Keep Your Course Interesting, presents some great ideas for keeping your online course fresh and updated. Well worth the read (and it isn't very long).

Have a great new school year!

Peggy Steinbronn, Ed.D.

New adds to the Student Personalized Learning System .  In this system are Family and Consumer Science modules that can be assigned to 6-12 grade level students. The content in these FCS modules are part of Culinary Arts curriculum   Here is the current listing with much more to be added:

Kitchen Management: Food Safety & Sanitation
Kitchen Management: Recipe Reading & Measuring
Kitchen Management: Safety
Family and Consumer Science: Cookies
Soon to be added:
     Family and Consumer Science: Quick Breads
     Family and Consumer Science: Dairy
     Family and Consumer Science: Eggs
     Family and Consumer Science: Fruits & Vegetables
and more
Thanks to the curriculum support of Waukee Schools FCS teacher Joanne McConeghy.  You too can help build content. Contact our AEA PD Online team to provide content and help expand our listing for students and teachers