Dr. Kerry RiceAssociate ChairDepartment of Educational TechnologyBoise State University

K-12 ONLINE: MOVING FORWARD IN BEST PRACTICE

Trends

Image created using wordle: http://www.wordle.net/

The “TEACHER” in Online Teaching

It IS…• Learning that takes

place partially or entirely over the Internet

• Inquiry-based• Interactive • Collaborative

It is NOT…• Print-based correspondence• Broadcast TV and radio• Satellite Videoconferencing

(“yoked” or “hub & spoke”)• Videocassettes• Stand-alone computer

software

What is Online Learning?

What is Online Learning?

National Trends

North American Council for Online LearningAnthony G. Picciano and Jeff Seaman, Sloan Consortium Report 2009

2000

2008

2016

2019

National Trends

Online Learning will disrupt traditional educational systems by the year 2019

(Keeping Pace with K-12 Online Learning, 2009)

Idaho Virtual Charter Schools2009-2010

EnrollmentsChange from 2008-2009

Idaho Virtual Academy, K-12 Inc. (2002) 2817 16%

Richard McKenna Charter High (2002) 330 9%Idaho Distance Education Academy (2004) 900 4%

Inspire Connections Academy (2005) 568 16%

iSucceed, Insight School(2008) 748 115%

Kaplan Academy of Idaho (2009) 102Kootenai Bridge Academy (2009) 144

Total 5609 27%

Virtually every Idaho district has a student in an IDLA course (about 14,000 students)

Why do students enroll in online courses?

Scheduling conflicts Credit recovery Course not offered Early graduation, self-paced Home school Medically home-bound Pregnant teens Pre-expulsion Bullied Incarcerated youth Athletic conflicts Traveling/overseas students

Idaho: Cutting Edge?

• Idaho Recognized as a leader in providing transformative educational opportunities for all students. Ranked 3rd in the country for online learning policy and practice (Center for Digital Education, 2008).

• K-12 Online Teaching Standards• BSU EDTECH leader in K-12 online teacher training.• Supportive legislation and funding policies. • iOPD (http://idahoednet.org)• IEN (http://ien.idaho.gov/)

Yes!

State and National Standards for Quality Online Teaching

• International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) – National Standards for Quality Online Teaching

• National Education Association (NEA) – Guide to Teaching Online Courses

• Southern Regional Education Board (SREB)– Standards for Quality Online Teaching

• International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)– Educational Technology Standards (NETS)

Synthesized National Standards

• Online Teacher Qualifications– Skill Set– Academic Preparation and Credentials– Online Experience– Continuing Professional Development

• Teacher Practice– Instructional Strategies– Leadership– Learning Community– Legal, Ethical and Safe Environments

• Evaluation– Student Assessment

• Special Needs/Diverse Learners– Instructional Modifications– 508 specific

1. Knowledge of Online Education2. Knowledge of Human Development and Learning3. Modifying Instruction for Individual Needs4. Multiple Instructional Strategies5. Classroom Motivation and Management Skills6. Communication Skills, Networking and Community Building7. Instructional Planning Skills8. Assessment of Student Learning9. Professional Commitment and Responsibility10. Partnerships

Idaho K-12 Online Teaching Standards

In a review of empirical studies, the U.S. Department of Education concluded, “...on average, students in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face classes.” (Evaluation of Evidence-based Practices in Online Learning, May 2009)

Key Findings

The effectiveness of online learning is tied to learning time, curriculum, pedagogy, and opportunities for collaboration.

Online learning can be enhanced by giving learners control of their interactions with media

Online learning can be enhanced by prompting learner reflection.

What doesn’t impact learning?

• Incorporating online quizzes• Media combinations don’t necessarily matter, but

control over them does• Scripts to support interaction can influence HOW

learners interact, but don’t improve learning

“No Significant Difference”

• “Florida Connections Academy 2009 State Test Scores Exceed Overall State Results” (Connections Academy)

• “Newly released state data reveal that e-schools perform better academically than Big 8 districts at lower cost “ (Ohio Alliance for Public Charter School)

The future is NOW

Dual degrees and success measured by completion (not seat time)

4 day school week http://www.sde.idaho.gov/site/ruraleducation/

Online teaching experience = professional development

Going Virtual! Research Series

Going Virtual! Research Series

Going Virtual! Research Series

Phase I: Summary of Findings

• PD is …– Dependent on the organization– Driven by context– Online– Ongoing– Focused on skills

Phase II Key Findings

• Experienced Workforce– 99% - credentialed teachers

– 27% - new to online teaching – 2% - new to the teaching profession

– 55% - between 6 and 15 years of total teaching experience

– 18% - more than 16 years total teaching experience

– 55% - master’s degree or better

PD Hours and Opportunities

72% - participated in ongoing training in online teaching

536 open-ended comments generated 18 themes

1. Time management (71)2. Student responsibility (61)3. Technology Skills (54)4. Communication (54)5. Parental Support (53)6. Isolation (46)7. Workload (42)8. Teacher/student ratio (34)9. Special needs (23)

10. PD issues (22) 11. Administrative support (14) 12. Curriculum issues (12)13. Best practice (12)14. Compensation (11) 15. Accurate assessment (8)16. Credibility (7)17. Copyright/plagiarism (7)18. Organizational skills (5)

What are your unique needs and challenges as a K-12 online teacher?

In their own words...

Self - Reported Needs (sorted by Online Teaching Experience)

Leveraging Data Systems: INSPIRE Connections Academy – STS Evaluation

Leveraging Data Systems: Program Evaluation

Data mining

Self report

Self report

Observation

Pass Rate Predictive Model

• Decision Tree Analysis– Improved grades (from 88% to 92%) when participants’

logged into LMS more than 10 times over six weeks. The average is further improved to 98% when frequency of logins increased to 17 times.

Engagement

• Clustering– More time spent online = more time spent offline.– Previous online teaching experience = more hours spent

both online and offline.

WHY NOW?

Improvements in Technology

Looming Crises http://www.all4ed.org/files/OnlineLearning.pdf • the funding cliff; • a looming teacher shortage; and • global skill demands vs. educational attainment.

Change in thinking about teaching and learning?

What does education look like in a connected world?

Technology

Learning Portals

Communication Tools

Writing and Reflection Tools

Collaboration Tools

Web-Based Multimedia Tools

Networking Tools

Web-Based Instructional Teaching Aids

Tool-Centered vs. Learner-Centered

Best Practice

21st Century Skills

Learner Autonomy

Active Participation

Collaboration and

Community Building

Authentic Assessment

21st Century Skills

Supported through:• scaffolding and careful guidance • instructional learning aids • modeling and prompting• coaching strategies• reflective thinking and problem

solving

The ability and motivation to take responsibility for one's own learning.

Learner Autonomy

Learner AutonomyLearner

Autonomy John Travoltage web-based simulation at Phet (interactive

simulations)

Learner AutonomyLearner

Autonomy

Multimedia

Learner AutonomyLearner

Autonomy

Negotiated inputs and outcomes

Supported through:• authentic projects and assessments• role assignments• teamwork• peer review• strategies to structure activities

(consensus building, Tuning Protocol, Fishbowl Method)

Strong feelings of community have been shown to promote a greater sense of well-

being among learners as well as increases in engagement, cooperation, commitment to

group goals, information flow, and satisfaction in group interactions.

Collaboration and

Community Building

Collaboration and

Community Building

Collaborative Resources

Collaboration and

Community Building

Collaborative Spaces

Learner Autonomy

Glogster Poetry Project

Collaboration and

Community Building

Collaboration and

Community Building

Online Instructional Spaces

• Role Play• Think-Pair-Share by assigning email pals or

“web-buddies”• Modify fishbowl by dividing the class into 2

groups, allowing group 1 to contribute the first half of the week and group 2 to contribute the second half.

• Writing Roulette – each learner adds to expanding class story

• Class voting and polling• Debate• Consensus building• Student generated discussion questions• Peer review

Collaboration and

Community Building

Online Social Spaces

• Virtual Icebreakers• Share favorite Websites• “Student lounge”, “Recess”• Question Cafe • PLC’s

http://teacherstream.org

Global Spaces

Supported through:• Authentic, collaborative, inquiry-

based projects• negotiated learning outcomes • active research in the field• partnerships with the outside

community

Interactions within the learning community as well as engagement

with the content being studied.

Active Participation

Active Participation

• Discussion leader• Resource provider• Tech support• Class Twitter contribution

Active Participation

Active Participation

Real-time communication

• Live presentations and lectures

• Guest speakers• One-on-one tutorials and

mentoring• Group discussions and

activities• Informal chat sessions• Question and answer sessions

Supported through:• Timely and consistent

instructor and peer feedback• reflection• dissemination to “real-world”

audiences

Instructional environments that promote a process rather than an end product necessitate the

development of assessments that are progressive rather than summative.

Authentic Assessment

Authentic Assessment

• Written assignments • Participation in online discussions• Publication of student work /presentations• Online quizzes and questions• Experiential activities, such as role-play• Collaborative assignment work • Debates• Portfolios• Reviews• Online Exams (open-book; structured; timed• Journals and reflection• Complete a simulation or win a game

Authentic Assessment

Authentic Assessment

“I started making this website because I had the Idea of instead of just doing a project paper for my class I could spread my information around the continents...”

“Our Environment” Wiki

A major challenge facing educators in the 21st century "is how to design our educational system... in order to produce

graduates who are better prepared to take up jobs in a knowledge-based environment characterized by a pervasive

use of information communications technology" (Bodomo 2006, ¶1)

21st Century Skills

• Global awareness• Digital, information, media

and social literacy• Financial, business and

economical literacy• Creativity• Critical thinking and

problem solving

• Communication and collaboration

• Flexibility and adaptability

• Initiative and self-direction

• Leadership and responsibility

• Productivity and accountability

Elearning: Transforming the way we

teach AND learn

Kerry RiceDepartment of Educational Technology

Boise State Universitykrice@boisestate.edu

Resources• Boise State University, Department of Educational Technology:

http://edtech.boisestate.edu • K-12 Online Teaching Strategies resource site:

https://sites.google.com/site/onlineteachingstrategies/ • A Summary of Research on the Effectiveness of K-12 Online Learning, iNACOL

(September 2009)• Getting Students More Learning Time Online: Distance Education in Support of Expand

ed Learning Time in K-12 Schools, by the Center for American Progress (May 2009) -

• Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies, U.S. Department of Education (June 26, 2009)

• The Online Learning Imperative: A Solution to Three Looming Crises in Education, Alliance for Excellent Education Issues Brief (February 2010)

• K-12 Online Learning: A 2008 Follow-up of the Survey of US School District Administrators, Sloan Consortium (2009)

• Research Committee Issues Brief: Examining Communication and Interaction in Online Teaching, iNACOL (September 2009)

• Blended Learning: The Convergence of Online and Face-To-Face Education• Project Based Learning: http://pbl-online.org • Partnership for 21st Century Skills. 2004. Framework for 21st century learning.

http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=254&Itemid=120