Quality Online Teaching and Professional DevelopmentBarbara Treacy
VASS ConferenceMarch 2012
Questions What is quality online teaching and why does it matter? How do we ensure and evaluate quality teaching? What preparation and professional development do online teachers need? How do new tools and quality course design support quality online teaching?
“Teacher quality matters. In fact, it is the most important school-related factor influencing student achievement.” -Jennifer King Rice, University of Maryland
“I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework.”- Lilly Tomlin
Good Teaching is Good Teaching: Online or Face-
to-face“If you want to teach well
to very high standards, youhave to know the studentswell, you have to have thatrelationship that allows you
to both challenge them, andadapt what you're doing forthem so that it works.” -Linda Darling-Hammond
All Teachers Need To: establish clear expectations have good curriculum provide regular feedback and assessment listen to and learn from their students address individual learning needs use technology tools/ Web 2.0 effectively
collaborate with and contribute to school and professional communities
What’s Different About Teaching Online? Online curriculum: different structure
Online technology: increasing choice of tools
Social dynamic: different pace and structures Online discussion: new facilitation strategies needed; importance of written communication
Classroom management: different methods to address cohort and individual pacing needs
Assessment: new tools and strategies needed Technical: challenges may occur
“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” -Alvin Toffler (1990)
iNACOL Online Teaching Standards Initial: 2008; Updated: October, 2011
Focus on good teaching practices AND the online context – Connecting them together
Adapted from SREB Standards Address:
Teacher knowledge and understanding Teacher abilities
Set the agenda for quality teaching AND preparation of new online instructors
http://edc.blackboard.com/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2FcourseMain%3Fcourse_id%3D_7584_1
Online Facilitator Training Building a learning community Assessing online learning Meeting individual learning needs Incorporating online resources tools
Maintaining participation Developing a course implementation plan
Delivering a course
http://voicethread.com/#q.b476366.i0.k0
Quality Online Course Design: Important for Quality Teaching iNACOL’s National Standards for Online Courseshttp://www.inacol.org/research/nationalstandards/
ETLO’s Recommended Criteria for Quality Online Courseshttp://edtechleaders.org/documents/OCD/
Course_Dev_Check.htm
Online Course Design Topics Online instructional design and
pedagogy Course goals and session content Online assessment strategies Differentiated instruction Using CMS & Web 2.0 design tools Developing and integrating multimedia
Incorporating a learning community approach
Role of Professional Development Online instructors/designers need initial PD
Online instructors/designers need ongoing PD in: subject matter content and pedagogy online pedagogy and instructional practice new technologies and tools school/district policies
Evaluation must be coupled with a PD plan; targeted to the outcomes of the evaluation
Recognize importance of teacher communities and collaborative opportunities
“If we want our students to succeed in a global environment, then we, as educators, must be engaged in 21st century content, context, tools, thinking skills, and assessment.
Thanks to online learning I am a 21st century
life-long learner!” -JoAnn Nuzum, WV online instructor and developer
The power of connected teaching
Thank you!Barbara [email protected]
Director, EdTech Leaders Onlinehttp://edtechleaders.org
Education Development Centerhttp://edc.org