tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765610083433779465.post8173769866594928484..comments2019-09-10T18:48:35.305-07:00Comments on Random Mapowell Musings: Online Learning: Which Way to Go?Marcia Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14575128372819970736noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765610083433779465.post-24146086486542687702012-01-27T17:29:57.256-08:002012-01-27T17:29:57.256-08:00I'm in full concurrence here. I just think we ...I'm in full concurrence here. I just think we have to hold our F2F teaching up to the same high standards as you wish to hold online. And I think many F2F classes fall short...Scott McLeodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08368435018346090846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765610083433779465.post-43092575335420062952012-01-25T07:35:57.506-08:002012-01-25T07:35:57.506-08:00Scott, the point of Blueprint 2.0 is to transform ...Scott, the point of Blueprint 2.0 is to transform education, not to continue the status quo. Shouldn't we ask about the quality of the teaching when we are starting something new? I would be very interested in seeing the prep program for FLVS teaching, as I find very vague assurances of 'multi-day training' from http://jobsflvs.recruiting.com/benefits <br /><br />I do appreciate that FLVS prefers Florida instructors, so I think Iowa should follow suit and create it's own. FLVS will sell its curriculum and we can build our own; in fact, that was the starting point for #iacopi, even though it was radically restructured. I do think that online content is the future. I am just trying to make certain that these programs benefit Iowa and Iowa students in the long-run. It seems that local options build all Iowa schools and encourage relationships among students and their teachers. <br /><br />And perhaps its the spirit of synergy I saw unfolding at #iacopi when 140 teachers across the state came and worked to build their own. What's stopping us? Perhaps its the traditional nature of the blueprint itself, or perhaps it is a belief in the private sector. It's a tough choice, but what we decide will have long-term repercussions.Marcia Powellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14575128372819970736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765610083433779465.post-3456156512941991682012-01-24T11:49:32.735-08:002012-01-24T11:49:32.735-08:00This is a great conversation!
As to your first po...This is a great conversation!<br /><br />As to your first point, of course some institutions do a better job than others of preparing online teachers for their courses. Florida Virtual School, for example, does a great job, as do the places you mention here. For others, it's hard to tell. Maybe a bigger question is how would an administrator who approves/disapproves a course be able to tell since it will vary by course and instructor? Even blanket training assurances/experiences may not be enough...<br /><br /> As to your second point, above some very bare minimum, we've never vetted pedagogical quality for either online or F2F or homeschooling. Not sure the policymakers want to take that on, even if it's a good idea educationally.Scott McLeodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08368435018346090846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765610083433779465.post-55052965465300267452012-01-24T11:31:44.409-08:002012-01-24T11:31:44.409-08:00Scott, I agree that teacher-student interaction an...Scott, I agree that teacher-student interaction and teacher-teacher collaboration can occur online. But I think for that to happen you need training in facilitation and you of course need tech skills. How much training do these institutions provide? I think that should be a question that is looked at carefully by school boards. In short, it's my thought that my journey to becoming an online teacher took years. We need teachers with good pedagogy, the ability to activate prior knowledge, the ability to ask probing questions that uncover misconceptions. And we need to make certain the opportunities for showing understanding use more than rote memorization. These are some of the skills focused upon in the OLLIE program at Keystone AEA, or the e-educator program at UWStout in Wisconsin or Drake's certificate for online pedagogy or even the training offered by #iacopi. Can these online institutes share their teacher preparation?<br /><br /><br />As to your other question, I have no doubt that some families want more of a self-paced, individual learning experience. The home-school movement has popularized some of these, and places like Kirkwood have had high school credit options for more than 15 years in various forms. These opportunities currently run about $500/course. Some of them are good, some of them are bad, and some of them are scary to me, because they are couched in religious overtones. I believe that our society has always let the parent be the primary educator. That said, I don't want substandard offerings being presented to Iowa kids. We're talking about a vetting of the curriculum (does it meet Iowa Core standards) as a reason to get the BOEE involved. Are we also looking at a vetting of the pedagogy involved; if not, shouldn't we be?Marcia Powellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14575128372819970736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765610083433779465.post-47504636604887704162012-01-24T09:24:17.243-08:002012-01-24T09:24:17.243-08:00You and I are agreement re: the value-added of tea...You and I are agreement re: the value-added of teachers. BUT we may be in disagreement that what you describe - teacher-student interaction, teacher-teacher collaboration, etc. - can't also occur online?<br /><br />Also, some students/families want more of a self-paced, individual learning experience. Should we tell them no? (maybe we should, I don't know)Scott McLeodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08368435018346090846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765610083433779465.post-14628879321755831022012-01-24T09:20:19.875-08:002012-01-24T09:20:19.875-08:00Scott, I absolutely agree with you. However, I wou...Scott, I absolutely agree with you. However, I would posit that if we just want kids to learn on their own, we can hand them a book, a computer, and a CD or flash drive w/ mp3 and be just as successful as some of these online courses will be at developing relationships.<br /><br />Teachers in the 21st century need to realize that they are a value-added component precisely because of their insight and their ability to present in different ways, not because of their content knowledge. The online programs, as we see here, can present the content as well as Khan Academy or other options. What they cannot due without a professional that is well-versed in pedagogy is adapt to the needs of the students. <br /><br />The gift of programs that are local (#iacopi etal) is that they involve collaboration among students, but just as importantly, among teachers. Best practices have a place in this type of learning. The needs of all students have a place in this type of learning, whether it is mostly face-to-face or mostly online. I just don't see that care and concern in the corporate world.Marcia Powellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14575128372819970736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765610083433779465.post-58889667105651241162012-01-24T07:46:03.211-08:002012-01-24T07:46:03.211-08:00I'm an advocate of online learning, but I agre...I'm an advocate of online learning, but I agree that we will have to work hard to ensure high-quality, responsive learning environments for students. I'll also note that the same skepticism we're applying to online learning spaces should be applied to face-to-face learning spaces. F2F is not inherently better and often is just as bad or worse...Scott McLeodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08368435018346090846noreply@blogger.com