EDLD+5368


 * Week 5 Reflections for Salvador Huerta III**
 * What benefits do you see in educators knowing how to design and implement online learning? ** The benefits for educators using online learning are very apparent. One of the benefits with online learning would remove some of the social problems that exist in classrooms today. Students would be more apt to open up and communicate ensuring engagement in learning. Instruction is available anytime and anywhere there is an Internet connection. The instructors would be available through their virtual classroom hours could possibly be 7 days a week, allowing for further collaboration with students. In this environment, the teachers are more accessible, allowing for collaboration through chats, discussions, and e-mails. The students will further enhance their technology and research skills when utilizing the Internet for research and classroom collaboration. Like the Lamar University online classroom, the students will have access to a broad spectrum of resources like eBooks, articles, and videos. The online classroom could help the student keep on task by utilizing attention notes, calendars, and easy to use navigation in the course to reach the required information. Technology is changing the way we live and work and this includes education, which is making it easier to address the needs of many in a global environment.


 * How will you professionally use your course that you designed? **The Cambridge Strategic Planning Committee has several priorities, which include Technology and staff development. I will utilize the online course in both face-to-face and online scenarios to provide transfer of knowledge to the staff and teaches in my district. During the year, a survey is taken to determine the staff development needs of the district. Some of the training that is done through our Curriculum department, technology department, and health services department can be incorporated into online learning. I can utilize the course that I have designed to incorporate training on technology use and technology integration to ensure that the teachers have the skills required by the State Board for Educator Certifications (SBEC) standards, but this is only the beginning. We can utilize this online learning to include training new teachers in utilizing many of the applications and services that they need to know. The online learning course is another powerful tool that can help deliver training on evaluating TAKS information, training on health services information, and providing Acceptable Use Training (AUP) for local and state compliance.

I will definitely integrate online learning at our district when training staff. With the concept of anytime and anywhere access this makes sense to incorporate. I have noticed how difficult and costly it can be to gather a group of people for training. There is lost instruction for the students, not to mention the cost involved in getting a substitute for the class. Online education will be bringing a new set of opportunities for staff development, which makes available training here and now. I remember schedules of some classes that the staff wanted to take and it was offered at certain of the year and at a remote location. I can now collect some of the information that I have and convert to digital format and have it stored in the course for training purposes. For the staff that will be taking the online learning I will be only an e-mail away to interact and clarify any issues they may have. I feel very positive after developing several courses that I get a good understanding about online learning and the needs of the staff.
 * Will you integrate online learning in your role as a teacher/staff developer? **


 * What questions do you still have about online learning? **There are many questions that I need answered about online learning like what kind of delivery method should be used? Two of the methods stated by Stevens (2010, April/May) on the article “Online Alternative” were synchronous and asynchronous. While asynchronous is similar to the online course at Lamar University, the synchronous will require additional equipment and personnel. The questions I would like answered, would be on the logistics on the successful delivery of the course. How will ensure that the students stay on track with the course? Will it require that a parent be involved to ensure that it is successful? Several of the teachers in my district are ready for online learning and I will provide some of the training in utilizing it. As I mentioned on logistics, when the teachers try to utilize this method how do we adjust for the funding or lack of it when not all students have access to computers and/or the Internet? I know we will start using in the classroom and look at how to fund certain aspects in the future.

 References: Stevens, L. (2010, April/May). Online Alternative. EdtechMag 8(1) Coleman, S. (n.d.). “Why do Students like Online Learning?” WorldWideLearn. Retrieved on 5/13/2010 from http://www.worldwidelearn.com/elearning-essentials/elearning-benefits.htm
 * What will you do with this new learning? ** Online learning has around for many years especially in college level and for technical training. It is evident that online learning has reached the K12 area. Consider the virtual schools in Florida and Texas and the impact in online learning for this sector. The backward design has provided me with a wealth of information that I will retain and continue to utilize when creating online courses. I will continue to use an online system in the future whether it is Schoology or another system that provides similar capabilities. This will provide many opportunities for many of the home bound and at-risk students. The focus from our School Board is to ensure that we reach each child and open doors to assure that receive a diploma. Some of the at-risk students have social problems and others have a need to work since they have children themselves. This new learning has opened doors to overcoming obstacles in learning for diverse learners and for staff development opportunities.

References Bersin & Associates (2010, April 6), New Learning Culture Research Launched at IMPACT 2010. Retrieved on May 5, 2010 from __ [] __ Texas Education Agency (2009), About Project Share, Retrieved on May 4, 2010 from __ [] __ Wortmann, K. & Cavanaugh, C & Kennedy, K. & Beldarrain, Y., Letourneau, T. & Zygoruis-Coe, V. (2008), Online Teacher Support Programs: Mentoring and Coaching Models, North American Council for Online Learning, Retrieved May 5, 2010 from __ [] __
 * Week 4**
 * In 2007, the Sloan Consortium issued a report on the extent and nature of online learning in K-12 schools. The overall number of K-12 students engaged in online courses in 2007-2008 was estimated at 1,030,000. Sloan-C also reported that more than 4.6 million students were taking at least one online college course during the fall 2008 term, a 17 percent increase over the number reported the previous year.**
 * How do you see online education being used in your classroom, campus and district?** I have been pushing the use of Moodle at the secondary level for the past two years. One teacher at the high school level is currently using it and several other teachers are using online for college dual-enrollment classes. The possibilities are many for the use of online education. Consider the following scenarios for staff development, children that are homebound because of illness, at-risk kids that have behavioral problems, dual-enrollment for college credit accrual, and for the needs of gifted students. In a similar note, I was at the technology advisory committee meeting at our Regional Service Center and they mentioned the partnership of the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and Epsilen. This will allow for collaboration and online learning for teachers. It is repository of the creation of classes the teacher can build and an LMS for student instruction. The system would be able to host all the students’ work, thus creating an e-portfolio.
 * What type of staff development do you think K-12 teachers need in order to begin to develop and implement online learning?** In reading the article //Online Teacher Support Programs: Mentoring and Coaching Models// by Wortmann, K. & Cavanaugh, C & Kennedy, K. & Beldarrain, Y., Letourneau, T. & Zygoruis-Coe, V. (2008) it states “At that meeting, the support centers talk about the mentors’ roles and responsibilities as peer leaders, reviewing policies, discussing proper means of communication, grading, progress reporting, attendance policies, student enrollment and withdrawal, actions to be taken when a student is failing, teacher pay and expectations, technical equipment and resources, issues related to the learning management system, communication skills, dealing with plagiarism and cheating, designing and facilitating discussions, managing group work at a distance, and more.” This is not a one day mentoring or training process. This would probably take several sessions. It would require that the teachers collaborate with mentors and peers to be proficient at addressing any current and future issues they may have with online learning. The teachers will need to be confident in using Web 2.0 tools since many of the online learning systems incorporate e-mail, blogs, wikis, and discussions. This will allow for greater collaboration between student and teacher for greater student achievement.
 * What impact will this type of teaching and learning have on the business world?** Bersin & Associates (2010, April 6) states, “Research shows that while many organizations have productive employees, 96% of organizations with strong learning cultures have highly productive workforces. And organizations with a strong learning culture are 61% more successful at adding skills fast enough to meet tomorrow’s needs.” This type of teaching and learning will have a big impact on the business world since it can prepare students for the global workforce. Specialized training would be available through teachers and experts from anywhere in the world to their computer. This is good for the business world since some of the restrictions of time and location can be considered as beneficial.

I do not teach at the district, but I have seen how the teachers prepare their lessons. I have been a part of their support infrastructure and managed the systems that they used. CSCOPE was adopted by the district as its curriculum management system (CMS). CSCOPE has vertical alignment documents that are clear and aligned to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) statements and student expectations. The CSCOPE website states “Fenwick English (2006) points out that the only way to ensure educational equity among students is for there to be a tight alignment between the taught and the tested curriculum.” It ensured that the students are on grade level standards. CSCOPE has Instructional Focus Documents (IFD) that is used to group the standards from the vertical alignment documents. The IFD uses the same three-step process described by Wiggins and McTighe (2005) in Understanding by Design. The IFD has as its first two steps in identifying results and evidence of student understanding and learning. The third includes planning learning experiences and instruction. References: A guaranteed and Viable Curriculum: Taking a Closer Look (2008). Retrieved on April 27, 2010 from CSCOPE website __ [] __ Mctighe, J., & Wiggins, G. (2005). Backward design. //Understanding by Design (2nd Edition) (ASCD)// (2 ed., ch. 1). Alexandria, VA: Prentice Hall.
 * Week 3**
 * In this week’s discussion board, share with your colleagues what steps you would normally use in designing instruction.**
 * Also, discuss your overall impression of the “backward design” process.** The backward design process allows us to create a roadmap. Like a trip that one needs to make, one needs to identify where they will go first, otherwise they may aimlessly drive around to get to their destination. The backward design allows us to think with clear goals in mind about student performance and the desired results and performances. It allows for the creation of curriculum that is calculated and with clarity.
 * What are the pros and cons of designing instruction in this manner?** The pros are that we can design instruction with the end in mind. This helps to identify the desired results and determine acceptable evidence of understanding. The downside for backward design is the time required to create the curriculum. This is a challenge just considering the load that most teachers in course of assuring that daily instruction is done.

// **According to Wiggins and McTighe (2000), some teachers believe their students should “really understand,” others want their students to “internalize knowledge” and yet others want their students to “grasp the core or essence.”** //
 * Week 2**

When students “really understand”, “internalize knowledge”, and “grasp the core or essence” might be considered the same thing. It is important to consider the assessment used as stated by Wiggins (2005) “Getting evidence of understanding means crafting assessments to evoke transferability: finding out if students can take learning and use it wisely, flexibility, creatively.” It seems that it is a matter of semantics when distinguishing between the three. If there were a difference, it would be levels of understanding. If a distinction existed it would be that “really understand” would encompass knowledge, comprehension, and application. In considering “internalize knowledge” would be that of transferring. This is consistent with teaching in that items from your short-term memory are transferred into your long-term memory. When one can “grasp the core or essence” would be that of a deeper understanding. **When a student really understands, what will he do that he will not do when he does not understand?** Consider the scenario of a student, who is proficient at mathematics, they can apply this knowledge in varying environments. If we put this student in a physics class and he cannot apply the skills he learned in mathematics, the student will be at a loss.
 * Do these mean the same thing?**
 * What is your definition of understanding and how do you assess understanding?** Understanding is well stated by Wiggins (2005) “As Bloom (1956) put it, understanding is the ability to marshal skills and facts wisely and appropriately, through effective application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.” As stated above assessing can be that of clear evidence of transferability and application of knowledge and understanding.
 * References:**

Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2000). //Understanding by Design.// Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.


 * Week 1

What did you learn about your learning theory beliefs from this activity?** I recently attended several workshops from the Center for Learning and Student Success (CLASS). The workshops focused on finding the style of learner we gravitated towards and using them as strengths for the team that attended from the district. The workshop has four different types of learners Activist, Reflectionist, Theorist, and Pragmatist. In taking several of the inventories, I found that I had strong tendencies to being a Pragmatist.
 * What did you learn about yourself and your students based on the learning inventories? **

In taking, the pre-inventory there was no clear indication on which category the responses guided me even though I leaned towards the Cognitive and Humanistic part. After going through all the readings, I retook the post-inventory and found that I was clearly in the Cognitive and Humanistic category. I do not teach, so this inventory was foreign to me. In my experiences with teachers and the previous classes I have taken at Lamar I strongly believe that students are ultimately responsible for their success. I agreed with Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning by Mayer that students are able process more through the auditory and visual channels than a single channel. Multimedia presentations are becoming commonplace in the classroom with digital projectors, document cameras, and whiteboards. Constructivism plays a big part in scaffolding instruction. The student builds on prior knowledge to get to that next level. The second inventory with Teaching Goals Matrix and Teaching Methods Matrix reaffirmed some of my beliefs. In the Teaching Goals Matrix, I was in Quadrant B, which aligns with practical learning and the Pragmatist inventory I had taken at the workshop. In the Teaching Methods Matrix I was in Quadrant B as well. I believe that student centered groups create good opportunities for collaboration and critical thinking skills.

Since I do not teach it was a difficult task for me, but one of the teachers allowed to do a Learning Style Inventory with their students and the following were the results 36 percent visual, 32 percent auditory, and 32 percent for tactile. I noticed that the teacher has well prepared presentations for the students and they are very receptive to her presentations. It ties back Mayers Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning. The students are able to learn and are more accommodating to her presentations.

References:

Dabbagh. N. (2006). The instructional design knowledge base. Retrieved on April 12, 2010, from http://classweb.gmu.edu/ndabbagh/Resources/IDKB/models_theories.htm Learning Theories Knowledge Base (2010, March), at Learning-Theories.com. Retrieved on April 12, 2010 from http://www.learning-theories.com Bransford, J.,Brown, A., & Cocking, R. (Ed.). (2000). How people learn. pp. 129-154 (Chapter 6). Washington DC: National Academy Press. Retrieved on March 18, 2010, at http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=9853&page=131#p2000495f9970131001