How to Build a WCATY Online CourseA 12 Step Process

STEP ONE: FINDING THE RIGHT IDEABecause our courses replace English classes and offer a myriad of themes from risk management to Shakespeare, weencourage you to develop a unit focused on your passions while listening to the voices of our students presented in the “Course Ideas” attachment . We have surveyed our students to spur your thoughts. If you have a course idea that is not on the list, send it to WCATY to be discussed. Once an idea is selected, then break it down into three sections that build toward an overall theme.

STEP TWO: INTERACTIVITY AND THE END GOALNow that you have designed the backbone of your course, it is important to think about your end goal/product. This allows you to design curriculum aimed at a destination. For example, once goals are defined, it becomes easier to envision a project that builds as themes are building. A project also allows you to easily add in activities that ask students to apply the targeted theories and skills (see Step Six). The benefits of application don’t stop there. Once you have imagined a structure where the students become the characters, enact the goals, and solve the problems, your face-to-face meetings become exciting and participatory events.

STEP THREE: USING WCATY’S THEMATIC COLLEGES TO FOCUS CURRICULUMWhat is a Cluster?

In the Village (our MOODLE platform) we group course into Colleges. Each College has a Teachers Lounge where you can ask your Mentor questions, a forum where students and teachers share ideas about over-arching themes, and a Showcase where student-work can be displayed. The Colleges are more than a way to group classes. They are perspectives through which students study the world.

1. As an isolated element (Systems: To Map and Measure)2. As an element that relates with humans and is set in a time and place (Human Experience: To Interpret and Relate)3. As an element that is chosen from many similar options yet is distinct (Investigation: To Deduce and Diagnosis)4. As an element to which an inspiration is added, creating something entirely new (Invention: To Create and Envision)5. As an element that is slightly different to you than to other people (Identity: to Relate and Empathize).

Why do We Use Colleges?Through the Colleges, we hope to pool resources, to help instructors focus their curriculum, and to measure thought processes instead of only measuring skill development and the quantity of work done. In a traditional school setting, the focus is content. The Colleges focus on the thinking tools used to explore those content areas (see “WCATY Educational Philosophy”).

Selecting Your BenchmarksWe have used the Wisconsin State Standards to define benchmarks for each College (see “Complete List of Questions” and “Benchmark Selection Form”). Once you have a firm grasp of your topic, the next step is to look through these attachments and select 7 benchmarks. Those geared toward conceptual thought are categorized by College. General, skill-based benchmarks are place at the end of the Benchmark Selection Form. Selecting goals before designing your course causes the activities to naturally build toward those outcomes.

Some Tips When Choosing Benchmarks1. Make sure you choose benchmarks that cover both skill and conceptual goals.2. Make sure that you choose benchmarks that have clearly different goals. 3. In order to focus your evaluation on Quality not Quantity, select a benchmark aimed at the amount of work turned in, timeliness,

and/or responsibility. This allows you to note missing work without basing all of your assessments on the quantity seen.

For example in the course “Are You The One?” there are three key sections:Weeks 1-3 Defining LeadershipWeeks 4-6 The Ethics of LeadershipWeeks 7-9 Leadership in Practice

The “Are You the One” course asks students to apply themes by designing and enacting a service project as their culminating product.In other WCATY courses, student apply their learning:

By creating comic zines;By defending Frankenstein in a simulated court of law;By uniting Africa in an African congress that uses parliamentary procedure to pass laws;By creating a nature journal;By creating a 4th Dimensional magazine;By showcasing poetry and writing in a coffee shop at the end of the semester;And by enacting business problem-solving strategies for a fictional business they have developed.Use television shows and games for inspiration. How could the following shows help you format and interactive classroom?

Code Breakers Mystery Detectives Where in the World is....Myth Busters The Power of 10 Apples to Apples

Benchmarks for “Are You the One?” –The Identity Cluster31: This student was able to define habits of successful people.37: This student defined and persuasively articulated his/her own perspective, which led to a more personalized writing voice. 38: The student demonstrated leadership skills in meetings and group work settings.42: By verifying the accuracy and completeness of researched information, this student devised logical answers to problems presented.52: This student expounded on historical evidence to theorize about philosophic ideas like freedom, liberty, and law.74: Students' responses and activities followed directions and met set deadlines. (Figured using overall grade.)76: Student carefully analyzed stories read in class and/ or information collected from the Internet and drew appropriate/inventive

STEP FOUR: SELECTING THE READINGThe meat and potatoes—your reading selections—can be found once you have identified your themes. Remember to choose materials that develop your chosen skills/themes and also give students a variety.

Length: Students should read at least 500 pages (three or more books).Extension: Creating a “Suggested Reading” list is another way to differentiate for your voracious readers.Variety: Use case studies, fiction, and non-fiction materials to develop each section’s goals.Resources: WCATY, Badger Link, CCBC and are great places to consult if you need help finding appropriate literature.Reading Levels: Check with Amazon.com to see what reading level your selections are. You may have at age-level reads, but you do need to include something that is more difficult—even if this is an essay or short story.

STEP FIVE: CATCHING THEIR ATTENTION The next step is to write a paragraph summarizing the themes, goals, and books that will be used. This is your course description and both students and coordinators will use it to choose your course. Keeping it concise and yet targeted at your junior high audience is essential.

STEP SIX: WEEKLY THEMES OR GUIDING QUESTIONSUsing the three core sections (see Step 1), continue to break down the concepts into weekly themes or questions. We call these questions the Guiding Question. Each question should be broad enough that all of the activities in the week can approach different underlining aspects innate in the question. If you are familiar with the process of Socratic Questioning, then you know that one question (if formed correctly) can lead to many others. These Guiding Questions become the title for your week in MOODLE, they are the beginning of your Guiding Question Forum activities, and if done well, they should help the students build toward the end goal (your project).

STEP SEVEN: DESIGNING ACTIVITIESWhen determining which other activities should augment your reading selection, there is not a “set in stone” format. Yet, we do have some strong suggestions. We strongly suggest that you consider having an activity that represents these three categories each week.

Guiding Question (A Branching Forum Question)How: This is where you ask the Guiding Question for the week using the forum tool. We highly encourage you to consider adding in “branches” or extension activities in your forum. We also promote using the thematic Colleges to differentiate the higher thinking strategies your activities approach. Simply creating the “branching” activities, copying its link, and then using the MOODLE toolbar to create a link in your forum allows you to build in exploratory activities (see “How to Create A Branching Assignment” and the online examples). The idea is that students will first complete one or more of the extension/branching activities, discovering information through unique paths, and then will display/digest their findings in the community area created by the Guiding Question. It is also our suggestion that all “branching” activities for a guiding question focus on the same benchmark, allowing you to easily group them in your grade book. Why: By offering choices activities can offer individualized ways of developing the same skill sets. This not only gives learners a choice and allows them to think about large questions through different thinking strategies, but it also helps them to develop meta-cognitive skills. Though all of your students are talented, you will still be serving a range of abilities (see “WCATY Educational Philosophy”).

Example Literature(Multi-cultural/Easy reading level) The Road to Paris - Nikki Grimes (Traditional/High reading level) The Lord of the Flies -- William Golding

Students Choose One of the Following:(Age appropriate topic/Medium reading level) The Floating World - Cynthia Kadohata (Multi-cultural/ Easy reading level) Burning Up - Caroline B. Cooney (Traditional/Medium reading level) Animal Farm- George Orwell(Traditional/Medium reading level) Night -Ellie Wiesel(Traditional/High reading level) Dune- Frank Herbert(Age appropriate topic/Medium reading level) Watership Down –Richard Adams

Example Course DescriptionWhat would you do if you were - The One? When everyone is focused on you, how do you keep yourself focused? What should you do if you are the one and things aren’t working out for the group? What kind of leaders have been The One and survived to tell the tale? Through group work, philosophical questions, great novels, and thinking through difficult problems, this class will explore moral issues such as fairness, loyalty, and trust all while focusing on the theme of leadership.

Read our Book Selection Policy before Choosing

your Books!

Reading Activities: Use your Guiding Questions to distribute your reading material between your themes, remembering to make sure the reading and the themes have a strong correlation. You typically want to start with reading that grabs your students’ attention and can be moved through quickly. Then add in harder selections, ending with shorter selections that demand less time. This allows students to focus on their final project. We also suggest that you choose one format through which the students analyze their readings. Some use reading charts, which ask students to find quotes that show certain themes or literature techniques. Some ask student to journal about their reading using a list of journal prompts. Others ask students to participate in forums where they discuss the novel and use quotes as support for their reasoning. If you decide on a format, you will spend less time answering private messenger questions.

Show What You Know Activities: The keyword here is APPLY! How can students apply what you have taught them? There are numerous ways that you can achieve this: use a project, a media clip, a video game, a group activity, or an a activities that asks them to classify/evaluate/create based on the themes addressed in the Guiding Question and reading activities.

Tips to ConsiderPacing Rule of Thumb: Youshould have at least three and nomore than five required activities. Remember, listen to your students.If no one is ever struggling, you don’t have enough work. If everyone is always struggling, you need to lighten the load. If everyone begins to feel frustrated, this attitude is hard to change. So, stay on top of your assessments, as data is the easiest way to see how students are coping with the workload.Consistency: Create systems that only have to explain once. You want students to think deep, different thoughts. Make sure the “answer” for activities CANNOT be simply copied from the Internet. Writing Templates: Have a systematic way to look at writing. Though it sounds redundant, continuously refer back to your expectations for a good paragraph. Skill is developed through repetition.Scheduling: Have a due date system. (Ex. Everything is posted on Sunday and due the following Monday.)Summary Post: Create a post each week with all the assignments listed. This is not only useful for the students, it also allows you to make changes to what is mentioned in the syllabus, and allows GT Coordinators to quickly see weekly expectations.The Question Place: Create a “Questions” or “How To” post, which students may use as a way to communicate general questions.Celebrate the Positive: Positive reinforcement is a great way to get students thinking, sharing and maybe even using a little friendly competition. Use the Showcase available in each College to display excellent student work.Give Examples: Our target audience understands order quickly. Examples help them to understand the format. This requires open-ended questions.Naming Activities: Placing words like “choice,” “forum,” “Show What You Know” or the Benchmark number, will help you remember how to classify the activities in the grade book. Student Questions: You need to remind student to ask questions, as you will not know that they need help unless they tell you. Reach Out: Use your private messenger to talk to students, particularly if you are correcting them.Using the Right Tool: This is where form and function blend—once you know the goal of an

Example of Assignments for “Are You the One?”Notes: 1. Numbers correlate with benchmarks.

2. See full syllabus for more examples.WEEK ONE: What do you mean by “THE ONE?”Guiding Question (37): Think of the best leader you have known, it may be a movie star or your football coach. After you articulate who in your life has truly exhibited the traits of a leader, please explain why. Then support your answer by detailing at least 2 personal or historical experiences that align with your philosophy about great leadership. Finally add a few lines about who you are. You might include, your school, grade, favorite hobby, favorite book, etc. Students are also to choose at least one of the following to be complete before posting to the Guiding Question:

Investigation (31): Using the websites provided online, choose 6 great leaders. Read the description on the site and possibly search for more websites about the 6 leaders you have chosen. Finally, choose 4 attributes (adjectives) that seem to be continuously mentioned about this person. Organize these in a chart like the one below (example provided online), by copying and pasting a quote that describes the repeated attribute. Then write a summary paragraph, explaining whether or not you think the traits listed really define leadership.

Human Experience (31): Use this website and any others to read about the author of The Road to Paris, Nikki Grimes. Then answer these questions: Was she a leader? What leadership traits did she exhibit? What leadership traits weren't her strongest points? Find real examples from her life to support your answers. Finally, focus your second paragraph on one of the following questions to complete your answer (provided online).

Identity (31): Take at least 3 of the quizzes offered under the provided links. For each quiz write one paragraph that gives the score that you received and explains whether you agreed with the score or not (three paragraphs in total).

Systems (31): Use the rubric below to measure 2 great leaders. You may choose any leaders that you want to. After filling out the rubric for the two leaders, compare their final scores by adding up all of the columns and dividing by 12. In a short paragraph, explain whether or not you think the final score truly shows the leadership abilities of the chosen leader. Explain why you think the system you used to evaluate the leaders (or the rubric) worked or did not work.

Invention (31): There most likely has been a time in your life where you wished that you could be like someone else. Here is your chance to take all of the best traits in humanity (or at least 5 of them) and create a Super Leader!!! First find a picture of your super leader. Next, thinking of leadership traits like super powers, write a paragraph that describes why your leader is super. In this paragraph highlight 5 key leadership traits that are this leader's super powers. Once you are done, your paragraph and picture should be uploaded here. Next click on this link and add your paragraph to the Pro Leadership Ring (a forum) where you and other students will debate about whose super leader is the strongest.

Reading (76): Read through chapter15 in The Road to Paris. Though the reading level of this book is not difficult, it does help us to begin to define what the role of a leader is really like. Use the reading chart that is given to analyze the reading.

Show What You Know (38): Meet your team in the group forum. Together answer these questions: What makes a team successful? What does each team member need to do in order for his or her team to “win?” After coming up with an answer that everyone can agree on, your team needs to: select a leader for the next 2 weeks; come up with a name for the team; choose a mascot or icon for your team; decide who will bring the following items to the next f2f meeting--3 jokes about being on a team; a souvenir from a student’s hometown area; and three sayings that involve

STEP NINE: DESIGNING YOUR COURSE IN MOODLEAfter writing your syllabus, this process is not that difficult. If you run across issues while following the attached MOODLE directions, both the WCATY staff and your Mentor will be available to answer questions once your course as begun. You can leave messages for your Mentor through the forum in the Teachers’ Lounge or by Private Messaging him/her. Though you will be given a one-on-one MOODLE training before working with your class, if you would like a refresher please see the “How To Get Started” attachment.

Outside Emails: Avoid using outside emails to communicate with the students.Backing Up Work: Copy your work into Word and save it on your hard drive. Visuals: Remember to add pictures and links to movies, which relate to the themes you are developing each week. The more images, the more enticing your course will be to your students.Directions: In the first week, make sure that everyone understands how to reply to activities, and send/check private messages.Dates: MOODLE automatically adds the posted activities to the calendar, so make sure the dates you put are correct. It is easy to change them, but incorrect dates are very confusing for students.Pacing: Introduce tools slowly. Remember that each tool has its own learning curve, though for most it is relatively small. Starting out with two or three core tools gives students reasons to explore but is not overwhelming for them.

Tips to Helping Students Produce Great Posts

Require Support: Remind them to support themselves with research and/or other opinions from the class when making a point of drawing a conclusion.

Teaching Students How to Critique: Working with junior high students requires instructors to teach proper methods of disagreement. Remind students to first start with a positive comment, then to use quotes from the post they are replying to in order to show where the growth is needed.

Set Ground Rules: At your face-to-face or online, create rules or give examples of what good and bad “behavior” reads like.

Set Boundaries: Communicate time boundaries with your students. Let them know when you are most likely to be online.

STEP EIGHT: MAKING SURE YOU ARE ON TARGETOnce you have designed your syllabus and all of the activities, it is time to reconsider the benchmarks that you have chosen. WCATY asks you to do this by assigning each activity to a benchmark. It is understood that activities most likely target several benchmarks if designed well. Yet, for the purposes of the grade book and making sure that you are addressing the learning goals that you have selected, it is important to assign each activity a benchmark. Once you are sure that your benchmarks are solid, send a list of the benchmark numbers to WCATY.Key Concepts:Looking for Growth: In order to see growth in a student’s thinking abilities, you will need to give them an opportunity in the first three weeks of your class to attempt each benchmark. You will also need to give them a second opportunity after progress reports are sent. This will give you the data needed to focus on each student’s growth in the targeted thinking strategy represented by a benchmark instead of each student’s ability to turn in work, or each student’s standing inside of the class as a whole. In order to easily compare your assessments before and after midterms, WCATY suggests that you categorize all activities by benchmark and by the report that they will support. For example, if you had seven benchmarks, the grade book would have fourteen categories—each benchmark having both a midterm and final category.

Branching Activities: Again, we are expecting that the activities you create in your Guiding Question forum will address several benchmark (hopefully some outside of your chosen College). Still, it is our suggestion that all of the Branching Activities under a Guiding Question target one benchmark.

Timeline for Assessments: To communicate student progress in a clear-cut manner, follow the feedback timeline below:

2nd Week: Instructors will send a simple “pass/fail” notice to all of the Building Contacts (Are they responding?).Mid-term: Instructors will use Bernie, our database, to upload 1-4 ratings for each benchmark for each student. There will be room for comments as well. WCATY will make the link into Bernie available at the start of the course (see “Midterm Report”).Final Evaluation: Instructors upload final comments/assessments into Bernie, again. The final report that WCATY will send to Building Contacts will include the student’s self-assessment of the benchmarks completed at the beginning of the class and at the end of the class compiled through the course surveys they complete, as well as both midterm and final assessments from the instructor (see “Final Report”).

STEP TEN: EVALUATION-FOCUSED ON STUDENT GROWTHFeedback to Activities: Feedback, not just assigning a number grade, is ESSENTIAL. Giving

guidance and ways to grow is one of the primary reasons teachers are needed in an online course. It is our belief that students work best and stretch the most when learning through consistent dialogue with the instructor. Therefore, the feedback, questions, and responses given to each activity are where the true evaluation and revision process can be seen.

Using the Pre and Post Benchmark Model: Remember to categorize your activities in your grade book, as it will help you develop quantitative data to support your feelings about student growth. Approach each benchmark before midterms and after and create pre and post categories for each benchmark in your grade book.

Complete Activity Report: The students’ online portfolio of work (found online under the Activity Reports, in particular in the Complete Report Log) will also be accessible by all team members as additional support to the instructor’s evaluation. When using the benchmarks to assess students at the midterm/final marking, many instructors have commented that they use the Complete Activity Report to help give clear and supported feedback.

Using the Rubrics: We have several rubrics available online (see rubric links on the next page). If you would like us to upload a rubric you have made into your course, please send us an electronic copy. As you will be asked to use a 1-4 scale on your midterm and final evaluations, it is our suggestion that you also use a 1-4 scale for your activities: 4= Superior (A+), 3= Advanced (A), 2= Proficient (B), 1= Basic (C).

Be Flexible: The goal is to help each student do his/her best work. If a student needs more time, be clear with your expectations; yet understand that you may not be seeing all of the factors. If a student is consistently asking for extensions, email the Building Contact.

Useful Documents“Are You the One?” SyllabusOverview of WCATY Online CooperativesWCATY’s Educational PhilosophyWorking With Gifted StudentsFace-to-face IdeasWhat Do Students Think of Our CoursesFlow Charting Worksheet

HOW TO ASSESS WORK IN MOODLEStep1: When creating your assignment or forum, select a grading option. This is found in the set-up screen for each activity. Though this is slightly different depending on the type of activity, typically the grading option is directly under the textbox where you can articulate your assignment. Our suggestion is that you use a 1-4 scale for each assignment (therefore selecting 4 as your grading choice).

Step 2 (for assignments): Look at the assignment once it is created. In the upper right hand corner there is a blue link that states: “View (Number here) Submitted Assignments.” Click on this link when you are ready to assess the work. This will show you a window that will allow you to view the assignment, give a numerical grade, and post comments. If you do not see the grade and comment column, go to the bottom left hand corner and click on the Allow Quick Grading option, finally hitting the save preferences button. After adding evaluations, do not forget to hit save all feedback before leaving the page.

Step 2 (for a forum): Once you have chosen a grading option, when you click on the discussion you are interested in assessing, in the bottom right hand corner there will be a drop down box that allows you to grade each post. Remember to hit the “Send in My Latest Rating” gray button at the bottom of the page or else your assessments will not be saved. This includes leaving the screen to replying to a student.

Step Three: Using the Advanced Format in the Grade BookSince you will need to assess students on benchmarks, it will save you time if you take a moment to set up your grade book properly. Students and Building Contacts only see the Activity Reports (students only see their own while Building Contacts have assess to all students). So, though they will see your comments and assessments, they do not have access to your grade book. This allows you some wiggle room in how you set it up. Since no one will be see the current % visible on the grade book page, students will not have as much anxiety about their final percent which they tend to translate into a “grade.” It is our suggestion that you use the advanced features to categorize your activities by the benchmarks they target.

Using the Advanced Grading Function Allows You To:Categorizing your activities

1. Click on your Set Categories tab.2. Scroll to the bottom of the page and type in the category name, hitting Add

Category to save it.3. Use the drop down box to assign an activity to a category.4. Click on the Save Changes at the bottom of the page.

Make Some Activities Extra Credit -Done on the Category pageDrop a Number of Activities from A Category or Weight Your Categories

1. Click on the Set Weights Tab.2. Assign Weights to Categories, so that they total %100.3. Type in # of Dropped Activities and save. (Use to disregard Branching Activities

students chose not to complete.)Excuse a Student From an Assignment

1. Click on Grade Exceptions tab.2. Choose assignment and student and hit Exclude from Grading.

See Percentages for each Category1. Click on Set Preferences 2. Select the “For Teachers Only” option next to the Percentage Prompt

Evaluation Guidelines

How Much Should I Post? You do not have to respond to every post in a forum, but you do need to add evaluative comments to individual assignments. A good rule of thumb when determining if you have responded enough in a forum is if you are thoroughly visible throughout the discussion.Come on Strong: If you spend a lot of time posting in the first few weeks, students will understand what you are looking for. Later this will allow you to spend more time focusing on giving feedback on other activities.Clear Expectations for Assignments: The key is to clearly communicate before, during, and after the assignment what is expected and what the growth and success areas are. Though we are using the outcome-based evaluation questions as skill trackers for the midterm and final evaluations, you may still want to use rubrics as a guideline for your feedback to individual assignments. WCATY does have a set of rubrics that you are

HOW TO ASSESS WORK IN MOODLE (See attachment “How to Use a Grade Book” for screen shots)Step1: When creating your assignment or forum, select a grading option. This is found in the set-up screen for each activity. Though this is slightly different depending on the type of activity, typically the grading option is directly under the textbox where you can articulate your activities. Our suggestion is that you use a 1-4 scale for each activities (therefore selecting 4 as your grading choice).

Step 2 (for assignments): Look at the assignment once it is created. In the upper right hand corner there is a blue link that states: “View (number here) Submitted Assignments.” Click on this link when you are ready to assess the work. This will show you a window that will allow you to view the assignment, give a numerical grade, and post comments. If you do not see the grade and comment column, go to the bottom left hand corner and click on the Allow Quick Grading option, finally hitting the save preferences button. After adding evaluations, do not forget to hit Save all Feedback before leaving the page.

Step 2 (for a forum): Once you have chosen a grading option, when you click on the discussion you are interested in assessing, in the bottom right hand corner there will be a drop down box that allows you to grade each post. Remember to hit the Send in My Latest Rating gray button at the bottom of the page or else your assessments will not be saved. This includes leaving the screen to replying to a student.

Step Three: Using the Advanced Format in the Grade BookSince you will need to assess students on benchmarks, it will save you time if you take a moment to set up your grade book properly. Students and Building Contacts only see the Activity Reports (students only see their own while Building Contacts have assess to all students). So, though they will see your comments and assessments, they do not have access to your grade book. This allows you some wiggle room in how you set it up. Since no one will see the current overall % visible on the grade book page, students will not have as much anxiety about their final percent that they tend to translate into a “grade.” It is our suggestion that you use the Advanced Features to categorize your activities by the benchmarks they target.

Using the Advanced Grading Function Allows You To:Categorizing your activities

1. Click on your Set Categories tab.2. Scroll to the bottom of the page and type in the category name, hitting Add

Category to save it.3. Use the drop down box to assign an activity to a category.4. Click on the Save Changes at the bottom of the page.

Make Some Activities Extra Credit -Done on the Category pageDrop a Number of Activities from A Category or Weight Your Categories

1. Click on the Set Weights Tab.2. Assign Weights to categories, so that they total %100.3. Type in # of dropped activities and save. (Use to disregard Branching Activities

students chose not to complete.)Excuse a Student From an Assignment

1. Click on Grade Exceptions tab.2. Choose assignment and student and hit Exclude from Grading.

See Percentages for each Category1. Click on Set Preferences 2. Select the For Teachers Only option next to the Percentage Prompt

WCATY RubricsSkill-Based RubricsCreative WritingEssay WritingResearch PaperCreative ProjectsForum ResponsesResearch ReadingOral PresentationsGroup WorkHigher Level Thinking RubricsInvestigationIdentityInventionHuman ExperienceSystems

STEP ELEVEN: PLANNING THE FACE TO FACESeeing each other face-to-face is a powerful tool that takes a lot of planning from all parties involved. If you come off as strong, creative, and fun at your first face-to-face, you will notice that the Building Contactsand your students will be active, interested partners in the learning team. Know that you may have several adultswho sit in on your lesson.

Time SaversUse the Mass Private Messaging Function: This will allow you to cut off issues as they first come up, send out overall class progress reports,

relay general comments on forums, and will allow you to communicate what you are up to.Create a Cheat Sheet of Comments: This will allow you to give solid feedback without re-creating the wheel each time. It is a good idea to

keep your own record of common responses, as you may be able to use them again the next time you teach the course.Use Quotes from Student Work: This allows you to quickly show strengthens and weaknesses.Isolate One Week When Building: If you click on the square in the top right hand corner of the week, MOODLE will only show you that

week. This stops you from scrolling as much.Copy and Paste from Your Syllabus: For your weekly summary entries and your activities, copy and paste your ideas from your syllabus into

the course (CRTL c (copy) and CRTL v (paste)).Help Forum: Set up a Help Forum where students answers and post questions (typically kept in the message board at the top of the course).Guide on the Side: Remember to create situations and activities that require the students to do the work not you.Fake Students: WCATY has created two students, Gloria Steinem and Pablo Picasso. If you would like to see what a student would see when

in your course, log-in as one of them: Gloria's username: ms password: bigboy/ Picasso's username: picasso password: bigboy.

Face-to-Face LogisticsThe face-to-face courses typically run from 9-1, though there are a few exceptions. The WCATY office works with the host school and the instructor to set up the dates. Clear and quick responses to our emails and the willingness to be flexible are appreciated. Spacing of Meetings: Typically the first face-to-face is within the first or second week, the second meeting is around week four or five and the last meeting is in week nine—though schedules occasionally dictate a different format. Payment for Mileage: Though WCATY typically does not reimburse for mileage, if you are traveling over 100 miles one-way, there is one $50 stipend for the course given with the payment for the class. Timeline for the Session: WCATY will send out reminders before each face-to-face meeting. Sickness or Cancellation of the Face-to-Face: Review the “What to do if You are Sick” form.Supplies: Let the contact at the location know about your technical needs well in advance.

Keys to keep in mind when designing your face-to-face day:Have fun! Get them out of their seats and working with their hands. Try to stay away from anything that you can do online.Be the guide on the side, not the sage on the stage. Talking at students doesn’t work well. Get their hands dirty. Get them participating and sorting out the themes your course is investigating.Communicate: WCATY will send out an email a few days before your face-to-face reminding the Building Contacts about the time, place, and the items that students should bring (like lunches). You should post F2F information in your classroom with an agenda.Group Building: Allow for group building time.Lunch Time Procedure: If you are planning to eat lunch outside of the classroom, please make sure that you have communicated with the Building Contacts, so that it is clear who is responsible for the students.Breaks: Plan to have a short break and a lunch (20-30 minutes) as four hours is a long time.Resources: Use community resources like speakers to add another perspective into to the face-to-face.Variety: Have a variety of activities. DO NOT have students sitting in their seats for longer than an hour at a time.Curriculum Ideas: See Great Face-to-Face Ideas attachment.Verbal Learners: Occasionally you will find that a student who is struggling in the online environment shines in the classroom setting. Be sure to make note of that as it will help you better assess the student (see “Working With Gifted Learners”).Writing Sample: You may want them to complete a writing sample so that you can document the growth.Movies: Though movie clips are often a great way to keep learning going during lunch, in NO case should a whole movie been shown at the face-to-face meeting.Behavior: Though we are working with gifted students, occasionally some students have extra energy. Great curriculum, planning more than time will allow, constantly reminding students of time boundaries for activities, and standing next to more vocal students are great ways to refocus the group. If disruptions continue, mention the situation to the Building Contact and to WCATY.Particularly at your first face-to-face, make sure that you:Evaluations: Give kids time to work together evaluating outside work, so that they become comfortable in the online setting critiquing each other’s work. This will also give you a reason to go over the rubrics and/or evaluation methods you will be using.Technical Issues: Go over the online platform to make sure

MOODLE “How To” DocumentsHow to Get Started on Your CourseHow to Read Activity ReportsHow to Grade in MOODLEHow to Create a Branching ForumHow to Clean Your Internet CacheHow to Enter Midterm and Final GradesHow to Use MOODLE ToolsStudent MOODLE DirectionsBuilding Contact MOODLE Directions

Understanding the CollegesComplete Set of BenchmarksBenchmark ChecklistCollege DiagramCollege Verbs DiagramMidterm Report & Final ReportThe Colleges- a PowerPoint

STEP TWELVE: WORKING WITH THE EDUCATIONAL TEAMTeaching for WCATY can be very rewarding. You are teaching with a team of other talented instructors. This can be a wonderful experience, if approached as a collaborative effort. GT Coordinators and building contacts want to know that you are truly creating a challenging, yet nurturing environment for their students. Like you, they want this to be an incredible experience for their students. If you work to build the relationship with your GT Coordinator and Building Contacts, they will become your representatives on the ground.Tips to building the relationship:

Welcome Them: Send them a welcome email before the class starts. Let them know that you see them as part of the team.Lighten Their Load: Make sure to ask their students to refer questions back to you. This is a big hurdle for online learning, as middle school students often want immediate feedback. Learning online requires them to be patient and to work on other assignments while they are waiting on your response.Communicate: Stay in touch with your Building Contact. Educating is a team effort. Let them know what you’re up to and how they can help. Communication is particularly important if a student is falling behind or not working well in their group.In Case of Conflict: If an issue arises, feel free to copy the WCATY office in on the discussion. Remember that you also have your Mentor as a resource.

WORKING WITH THE EDUCATIONAL TEAM

WCATY Responsibilities: To serve the needs of students WCATY agrees to do the following:Provide an opportunity for interested districts to communicate course ideasProvide training in online interfaces and tools to students, districts, and instructorsLocate qualified instructors and collaborate on course contentWork with districts to establish face-to-face meeting dates and facilitiesEstablish clear evaluation proceduresMaintain the MOODLE platformProvide online Mentors for the InstructorsProvide online documentation about the courseEvaluate strengths and weakness of our programsMaintain e-mail communication with one appointed school contact, the course instructor and tech supportUpon receipt of all student registration forms WCATY will forward user names and passwords to all participants along with any additional training materialsContinue to provide assistance to schools and instructors as needed throughout the length of the course

Instructor Responsibilities: To serve the needs of students, instructors agree to do the following:Develop a course designed to provide high level, accelerated learning remaining mindful of district needs and state standards. Submit a course syllabusTeach and facilitate learning. Respond to students on-line and conduct three face-to-face meetingsProvide feedback to students throughout the course in regards to both required assignments and on-line postingsComplete assessments at the end of the course and give written commentsUpon completion of the course provide feedback to WCATY for future course modifications

District Responsibilities: To have students participate in the courses, the school district must agree to do the following:Develop a screening process to identify students who demonstrate high ability and deep passion in the relevant subjectProvide Internet access at school to every student participantAllow release time for student participants to attend workshops and complete on-line assignmentsAllow student to substitute the WCATY course for a unit, a quarter or a semester in the relevant subject areasArrange transportation for students to participate in face-to-face meetings with the instructor and other studentsProvide an adult contact for each course (the 5/6 and 7/8) to review student work prior to submission, to join them at face-to-face meetings and to act as a resource as they work on-line.Provide a list of student participants to WCATY no less than two weeks prior to the start of each courseProvide student participants with the necessary books or supplies for the program

Student Responsibilities: To participate in the course and receive credit, the student must agree to do the following:

COMMON QUESTIONS

How do I know who has enrolled? When a student’s name is on the class list that you have received that means that those students have been signed-up and that they have been given passwords and directions. You will know that they have entered your course when they appear on the Participants List. They will be given the location of the Village next to their names, unlike Building Contacts who are labeled as GT Coordinators or Parents.

Do we have to "grade" every assignment/ forum response? The answer is no. But in an online format, the feedback and assessment piece is how you teach. Therefore, to give no feedback on activities not only discourages students from doing the work, it also means that your role as an educator is missing. Really without your feedback, once the course is created, we could just send kids to the course and have a help desk that answers their questions. Sounds scary to those who love the art of teaching, but it is happening--not here at WCATY.

Do we have to send out the assessments? Only your 2nd week assessments (pass/fail), the rest you will fill into our database and we will generate the reports and send them out.

What Kinds of Unique Issues Might Come Up When Working With Gifted Students? See attachment “Working with Gifted Students.”

What educational theories does WCATY’s format embody? See attachment “WCATY’s Educational Philosophy.”

Where can I find a handbook for MOODLE? You can buy the newest copy or download the free versions here http://docs.moodle.org/en/Moodle_manuals .

training? Where should I go? See the “ How to Get Started” attachment.

LEVELS OF THE WCATY COMMUNITY

Level ThreeThe Classroom

(Example below from the course “Are You he One?”)

ResourcesLiterature LinksHistory LinksScience LinksGifted Resources Characteristics of Gifted LearnersGifted HandbookIce BreakersExample of Typical WCATY Introduction PostReading Chart

Theory Made UnderstandableKnowing What Students KnowVideo Games in EducationA Journey Into ConstructivismThe Importance of Educational Research in the History of Teaching

Level OneThe WCATY Village

The Library: A Universal filing cabinet for instructor material.

Learning Tools: Quizzes, SCROMs, and other learning media that help to address common skills and content courses are developing.

Training and Marketing Material: Example courses and MOODLE resources aimed at educating both instructors and clients on the WCATY difference.

The Glossary: A universal WIKI of sorts aimed at delivering helpful content into classrooms.

Level TwoThe College

(Example below of the Systems College Student Forum Called the Machine) The Teacher’s Lounge:

A place for instructors and Mentor Teachers to meet and discuss educational topics and classroom issues.

The College Forum: Led by the Mentor teacher, this is a place for students in a College to meet other students coming from different areas of Wisconsin and to discuss overarching themes innate in the thought process of the College. The Student Library: A

place for students to find information on how to research, work with MOODLE, and other learning strategies.

The Showcase: A place for student work to be displayed in order to model excellence.

The Learning Place: This is wherethe instruction and groupcollaboration begins.

The Learning Team: All members of are welcomed into the classroom. Instructors also are able to investigate the best practices of others as we have an open door policy with all courses.