While this weeks post may be optional, thanks to my exposure to the TEGIVS material, as a teacher I will not be without options for introducing interactive technology in my lesson or course materials. I would certainly feel comfortable operating in the virtual learning environment now that I have been exposed to the pedagogy side. In fact, so much so I will be coauthoring a new Wiki that is designed and developed to train Naval Intelligence Officer Trainees for the Naval Reserve of Canada. Together with the help of a subject matter expert and graduate of it's professional school, I will assist with the content, course management, technical aspects and development of small remote groups of trainees in the virtual environment. And I owe all of my thanks for being confident and competent in this approach, to Dr. Barbour (sorry for the formality Michael) . Honestly, this course is everything I hoped TED 6020 would be when I had taken that. Sadly, it was not and I didn't have a choice to opt out, since it was a part of the College of Education's required core courses for certification. So for me, the knowledge skills and abilities learned in this course will benefit two careers, but I only had to pay one tuition fee!
Upon further reflection, I have discovered many ways to approach virtual learning methods from a variety of perspectives, through those of the student (my role in this class), as an instructor with the assigned projects for this course, and as a reviewer of materials like the TEGIVS. So, to answer the prompt for this week, I would say I can definitely move forward with any virtual learning initiative that my school may be planning in this regard. While I am able to navigate the web and technology applications with minimal difficulty, I was missing many of the key ingredients to successful virtual learning. That said, I believe I have made great strides in understanding the power and limitations to virtual learning, such as overcoming isolation, course management preparation, communication skills, cheating, collaboration, as well as many others. Consequently, I now believe that this option (VL) opens doors to learning that single working parent families, academically, economically, or socially disadvantaged students, chronically ill, or other exceptionalities, that traditional education may have bypassed.
Oddly enough, it also carries the same problems traditional schooling has faced--lack of funding and political will on the part of some districts and states. The word is options, not obsolete, as in the need for teachers in the virtual learning K-12 environment. We are needed now more than ever, and this stuff is just another tool for our toolbox.
Brad.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Blended Learning is the elixir for resource strapped districts.
Scenario 3: Using the knowledge garnered from the Teacher Education Goes Into Virtual Schooling (TEGVIS) case study materials, I have prepared the following ficticious scenario to make the case for Virtual Schooling.
Max is a Junior who goes to school in a small district outside of Gaylord, Michigan. This area is reknowned for its summer golf and related travel industries. Max has learned that due to the lack of Guest Worker permits issued by the Federal Government, many area resorts will be in need of seasonal workers beginning next Spring. Max is a very motivated student who has enjoyed the Business classes he has taken with Mr. C, but would like an opportunity for a more hands-on learning approach so he asked him if he would look into this.
Mr. C had some experience working in a Career and Technical Center in Detroit and still maintained his credentials for CTE endorsement. After a few phone calls, he found another school that was willing to provide online instruction in their Food Service Management program, as well as a local chef, who was willing to teach the "hands-on" skills through an apprenticeship program in a nearby golf resort. In addition, Mr. C contacted the MDE and learned that Max could qualify for nine dual enrollment (articulation) credits in Culinary Arts Management through different State community college programs. Mr. C agreed to be Max's coach in conjuntion with the curriculum requirements of the CTE Center in Detroit. After a meeting with Max's guidance counsellor, parents, and the school administration, all were in agreement that Max's request could be possible.
The technology selected for this program is a two-way interactive video, chosen for it's superior ability to provide demonstration and labratory skill across the curriculum (see http://projects.educ.iastate.edu/~vhs/bettendorf.htm ). Second, course management and student interaction could be easily tracked and facillitated using WebCT courseware management tools including online discussion, text interaction, and quizzes. Mr. C agreed to be Max's CTE coach using a formal agreement that the school counselor used for other virtual school students in the school. Finally, Max was to report to the Golf resort twice a week in the afternoons for formal on-the-job practicum for skills assessment, which was also formallized with the district and the school counselor. This holistic approach to limited in-school opportunities are exactly the kind of advantage online learning can offer students like Max.
In Mrs. Wortmann's scenario involving online curriculum issues of isolation, cheating, and general communication problems, I have attempted to address many of these with practical technology applications, and best practises for this emerging field from Iowa's Learning Online (see http://projects.educ.iastate.edu/~vhs/index.htm ) . The topic of online learning is especially relevant for CTE teachers, and I found the TEGVIS materials quite useful for analysis and integration for my scenario.
Max is a Junior who goes to school in a small district outside of Gaylord, Michigan. This area is reknowned for its summer golf and related travel industries. Max has learned that due to the lack of Guest Worker permits issued by the Federal Government, many area resorts will be in need of seasonal workers beginning next Spring. Max is a very motivated student who has enjoyed the Business classes he has taken with Mr. C, but would like an opportunity for a more hands-on learning approach so he asked him if he would look into this.
Mr. C had some experience working in a Career and Technical Center in Detroit and still maintained his credentials for CTE endorsement. After a few phone calls, he found another school that was willing to provide online instruction in their Food Service Management program, as well as a local chef, who was willing to teach the "hands-on" skills through an apprenticeship program in a nearby golf resort. In addition, Mr. C contacted the MDE and learned that Max could qualify for nine dual enrollment (articulation) credits in Culinary Arts Management through different State community college programs. Mr. C agreed to be Max's coach in conjuntion with the curriculum requirements of the CTE Center in Detroit. After a meeting with Max's guidance counsellor, parents, and the school administration, all were in agreement that Max's request could be possible.
The technology selected for this program is a two-way interactive video, chosen for it's superior ability to provide demonstration and labratory skill across the curriculum (see http://projects.educ.iastate.edu/~vhs/bettendorf.htm ). Second, course management and student interaction could be easily tracked and facillitated using WebCT courseware management tools including online discussion, text interaction, and quizzes. Mr. C agreed to be Max's CTE coach using a formal agreement that the school counselor used for other virtual school students in the school. Finally, Max was to report to the Golf resort twice a week in the afternoons for formal on-the-job practicum for skills assessment, which was also formallized with the district and the school counselor. This holistic approach to limited in-school opportunities are exactly the kind of advantage online learning can offer students like Max.
In Mrs. Wortmann's scenario involving online curriculum issues of isolation, cheating, and general communication problems, I have attempted to address many of these with practical technology applications, and best practises for this emerging field from Iowa's Learning Online (see http://projects.educ.iastate.edu/~vhs/index.htm ) . The topic of online learning is especially relevant for CTE teachers, and I found the TEGVIS materials quite useful for analysis and integration for my scenario.
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