Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Self-Reflection on Teaching Abilities Quest - (Evaluate 3.1.2)


In many ways, this is one of the most difficult quests for me to complete.  Like most teachers I know, we tend to be our own worst critics.  I am no exception!  Having said that, there is no question in my mind that I was supposed to be a teacher.  This occupation allows me to touch the next generation each and every time I touch a life as I teach.  

Teaching in a non-traditional Charter School environment, I have little to no written evaluations available.  However, I did achieve a 97 percent EOCT pass rate in my 9th grade literature classes.  I have also been recommended and am currently pursuing my gifted certification, which will further assist me in becoming an even more successful educator.  I do not currently have any online teaching experience; however, I have been an online students numerous times and know what it takes to produce a quality and innovative online class experience.  I also currently facilitate my daughter's GA Virtual School course load and have learned a great deal about the GA Virtual School's method and website.  

I have included, below, an essay I wrote entitled, "Why I Choose to Teach".  I feel it captures the essence of who I am and what I love to do the most!

Why I Choose to Teach
by Lisa Jensen Jones
Ever since I can remember, teaching has been a part of my life.  I have taught others in one way or another beginning in high school.  At that time, I assisted other students who needed extra help in their courses as well as tutored students who struggled with their reading and writing skills.  In spite of taking a different educational path initially, I still “taught” students throughout my business career, both in the workplace and in various community service activities.  Throughout these experiences, I quickly learned that successful teaching is a true blending of learner and teacher as each entity taps into the strengths of the other.  In order for genuine learning to take place, the teacher must communicate to the student in a way that makes sense to the student and then becomes personally relevant.  This kind of success in teaching can take many forms and will likely differ depending upon the dynamics of each group of students.     
I believe that a relevant and stimulating educational curriculum is the key to success for all students.  Differentiated instruction plays an important part in my teaching philosophy.  Many students do not learn effectively in a “one size fits all” kind of curriculum.  Whenever possible, I strive to give my students the opportunity to participate in project based learning.   Project based learning allows students a choice in demonstrating their learning progress, compared to what is typically demonstrated by a traditional paper and pencil examination.  As a teacher, I strive to motivate my students to discover their talents, strengths, and abilities as they learn and grow in my classroom.  My goal is to provide a stimulating learning environment that encourages all students to build confidence, responsibility, and to realize their fullest potential.
Classroom environment is important to classroom success.  Students should feel comfortable expressing themselves and feel safe in my classroom.  They should also feel the essential need to treat everyone in the classroom, including myself and their fellow students, with respect and regard.  Rules and responsibilities should be taken seriously and honored in the choices students make in the classroom.  Students know that they play an integral role in classroom success.  There will be more opportunities for differentiated instruction and “out of the box” learning if basic rules are consistently followed and respected.  I make it a priority to convey to my students that I genuinely care about each one of them.  I also want them to realize that my primary goal is to teach them in ways that make the information relevant to their lives outside the classroom.  Another way I tap into a positive classroom environment is through the use of technology.  I often utilize music and current television and movie plots to help “hook” them into what we are learning about.  Often they will discuss topics much more enthusiastically and effectively through role playing and small group activities.

Obtaining a good education is vital in the preparation of our next generation of leaders. Our students are our future!  I hope I instill a love of learning and responsibility in each student whose life I am honored to be a part of.  I genuinely love what I do and will do everything I can to be a positive influence in the lives of my students.


Rubrics and Competencies Quest - (Evaluate 2.1.2)


I chose to utilize one of the Georgia Standards for the Nutrition through the Lifespan course to design this competency structure.  I utilized methods that would both present appropriate content but also create student artifacts that could be created within an online educational environment.  

Included in these activities are also choices that would allow students, in most cases, to complete assignments using more traditional methods.  For example, if a student was not comfortable (perhaps a student who was new to online learning) with using an online tool to create a presentation, they would be able to make a traditional poster with markers and hand drawn artwork.  They would just need to take clear photos of the project and attach them to an email or submit them through the dropbox.  


Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Differentiation Quest - (Evaluate 3.1.1)

While I have not, as yet, taught an online course, I feel I have learned a great deal about differentiation in the traditional classroom environment.  LMS can certainly allow educators to group students based upon skill level as well as pairing up high achieving students with those who need a little extra scaffolding and modeling to become more successful.  Using a data sample I found online, seen below, I would use this information in the following ways:

1. The percentage of failing grades is way too high!  Differentiation needs to take place here, and the sooner the better!  

2.  Student K needs some differentiation because either the student isn't signing in regularly or there is some other reason assignments are not being completed.  

3.  I would differentiate the high achieving students in one of the following ways: allow them to used more advanced online tools to complete projects and assignments or pair them up with some of the lower achieving students in order to attempt scaffolding differentiation.

4.  An exhaustive review session looks to be in order, based upon the overall scores for this group of students.  It would be important to offer differentiated instruction to match the optimal learning styles of the students.  




Data Driven Instruction, Analytics, Reporting Tools Quest - (Evaluate 2.1.1)

In today's educational climate, data is paramount.  Of course, all the data in the world is useless if you do not know how to properly utilize it!  Online learning, especially when using a quality LMS, gives the educator and administrative team many different elements in which to track, process, and utilize.  The following categories of data are important areas you can utilize during current enrollment as well as planning future curriculum.  




Enrollment/ Attendance Info:  Student count per class, contact information, and special needs information is readily available here.  This allows the educator to get a snapshot of the overall class and how that might affect what curriculum requirements will be needed.
Course Progress:  Educators can readily track student progress through various online tools.  Log-in times and number of times the site is visited is tracked and should be monitored to make sure students are signing in appropriately and getting their assignments completed.  In this example, student activity definitely correlates with student performance.  These stats give educators the opportunity to communicate early on in the course if log-ins are seemingly inadequate in comparison to the work that is being completed.  Of course, it's always a good idea to communicate effectively, and often, with all students--even the students who are performing well.  The communication logs are also a helpful tool, both to log communication activity throughout the course, but to also allow a quick look to make sure you have contacted all your students at regular intervals.
Student Self-Monitoring:  In these examples, students have the opportunity to view their grades and also see comments that have been given by their teacher.  Provided students utilize this information, it is an important way educators may provide helpful feedback that can be used to hopefully assist them in future assignments.  

Data harvested from current courses, without question, can be utilized in planning and preparing for future curriculum.  Questions and topics that students struggled through will be documented via the data in these grade reports.  It may be decided that those areas of curriculum need to be revamped or expanded upon in to add more time for explanation and elaboration.  

The Summative Assessment Quest - (Evaluate 1.1.3)

Summative assessments give a post-unit snapshot of how well the class has learned or mastered the material.  A quality summative assessment will also give an educator the information they need to either move on to the next unit with confidence or perhaps decide to complete a bit of reteaching on specific areas students might have struggled with grasping.  

I have created the following test over Descriptive Language.  This is a summative assessment I have created but as yet have not utilized.  The validity of the questions are assessing whether or not student have learned and are able to recognize the qualities of seven descriptive language techniques:  alliteration, metaphor, simile, idiom, hyperbole, personification, and onomatopoeia.  



Reliability will be tested an assessed through the spread sheets created through Google forms once the test is taken by the appropriate class of students.  Security has been set up by changing the order of the questions as well as changing the order of the multiple choice responses.  Upon implementation, this test would be allotted as short a time period as is reasonably possible to ensure that students are answering from their memory rather than looking up the responses.  The reports derived from the test takers' responses would give me ample resources to double check for validity and reliability. 




Quality Feedback Quest - (Evaluate 1.1.2)

Feedback is a very important part of online education.  Without the day to day interaction in a traditional classroom, feedback becomes critical in making sure students are aware of their successes as well as areas in which they need improvement.  

My daughter Kayla is a GA Virtual School student.  We have both been very impressed so far with the interaction and feedback she consistently receives from her instructors.  The artifact I have selected is the "Cinderella" Assignment she completed for her teacher, Mrs. Andersson.  The link to her assignment is featured below.  I have included Mrs. Andersson's feedback because it is a genuine example of quality, authentic feedback.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1xOeB0vDesNEXSArbD2ja3SbL37hv8D8U--2TIMVsRLo/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=5000



This feedback is personal, positive, specific, and enthusiastic.  Kayla loves to read the feedback she receives from Mrs. Andersson!  I anticipate that my students will feel the same way as we work together, too. :)

Mrs. Andersson, while she may not realize it as yet, has already become an incredible mentor for me as I begin this online teaching journey!

Monday, November 10, 2014

Formative Assessment Quest - (Evaluate 1.1.1)


In today's computer savvy world, there are a plethora of options in which to create, calculate, and track formative assessments.  In this way, effective educators will be able to quantify the areas in which their students are mastering the material, as well as the areas that need to be reviewed or even retaught.  

Google Forms is a great resource that tabulates data based upon student responses.  I created a Formative Quiz that covers Basic Nutrition information.  The link for this quiz is below:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1MXrRpxr2I-iSkILczpno1ttOQpHzW-oyz5p_agr7VNk/viewform

Aggregating Lesson Material Quest - (Create 4.1.3)

Collecting and curating online learning material is critical for organizing and facilitating an e-learning environment.  




The following three resources, in my opinion, would provide effective tools to create and grow e-learning curriculum.

www.livebinders.com-
According to their website, they are already curating over one MILLION resources, which is pretty impressive in my book.  This venue allows you to house virtually everything you would need to facilitate and organize needed information for your e-learning environment.  

www.pearltrees.com-
Pearltrees has the ability to organize your curated information into "trees".  You can then "snip off" parts or even the whole tree to share that with your colleagues, students, or anyone really.  This program also allows you to collaborate with others, which is a great feature.  

www.diigo.com-
There are some tools available in Diigo that would prove very helpful.  You are able to "highlight" snippets rather than whole webpages.  This makes it easier to save when you see it and utilize the information more quickly when it's time to compile the final unit or curriculum segments.  Diigo's website also states that it assists in making sure links you save do not house any "dead ends" by archiving what you save when you save it.  This tool also features collaboration for its users.  Diigo is free, at least for now.  

The link below features an article that I utilized as a springboard for researching this quest:
http://www.edudemic.com/20-free-and-fun-ways-to-curate-web-content/

Principles of Building Portable Learning Objects Quest - (Create 4.1.2)



For this quest, I have created two learning objects that could be used in a Nutrition or Health class.  

The thinklink, below, is a clickable learning tool that allows a student to learn about the six essential nutrients.  I love how these come together to create a very professional looking presentation and study tool!


http://www.thinglink.com/scene/588417598694096896



I created a set of vocabulary flash cards using quizlet.com.  Students can utilize this program to learn the terms, review the terms, play a race game using the terms, and even take a practice test over the terms.  

http://quizlet.com/57839230/basic-nutrition-vocabulary-flash-cards/



Thursday, November 6, 2014

Define and Explain Learning Object Authoring Tools Quest - (Create 4.1.1)

http://jeffreyhill.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d417153ef0105369e66be970c-pi

Learning object tools are integral in creating a knowledge-based, interesting, and innovative classroom environment.  I have selected five tools that I have either used in the past myself or look forward to using them in my online classroom very soon!  

Free Tools
prezi.com:
This presentation software is one of my absolute favorites and its basics are free!  I love the fact that is can be used both as an authoring tool for educators to instruct AND also as an authoring tool for students to demonstrate their standard/content mastery.  

www.smore.com/app:

Smore's basics are free. You also can subscribe for additional options but it is not necessary in order to use.  This site's main goal is to assist in creating signs and newsletters.  However, you can really create just about anything--it could be used for note handouts, summaries, etc.  

www.edmodo.com:
This site provides a free social media network for your classroom.  It allows students to network with one another and teachers to create and utilize quizzes, corroborate, relay information, and formulate data analysis.  I am honestly amazed that it is still a free resource!  

Fee Based Tools

www.quia.com – This site offers a 30 day trial; following the trial the cost is $49 per year for educators.  It offers a lot of bang for your buck, in my opinion.  You can create sixteen different types of games, quizzes with 10 types of question options, and much more.  

edu.glogster.com - This site offers a 7 day trial: following the trial prices range from $39 a year to $390 a year, depending upon what level is appropriate for your needs.  I would call glogster.com a book report or presentation website on steroids!  I am impressed with the possibiities this site has available, as well as the ability to add sound, images, video and more.  

Create 3.1.3 – Locating Resources Quest

Locating resources with Copyright protocol in mind isn't all that difficult, yet it is something many people typically overlook.  Yes, it does take a little end time on the front end...but it is worth the extra time and effort to make sure you are obeying the law!

The following image, text, and multimedia object could be utilized in my Basic Nutrition unit and were fairly easy to locate:


http://pixabay.com/en/cook-food-kitchen-eat-366875/ 
(while no citation is necessary I listed the link anyway)


"You Are What You Eat"

(This segment of text is an excerpt from the link below:)

Not only is teaching nutrition important in combating childhood obesity, but helping your students understand good nutrition builds a foundation for healthy learning. Colloquially referred to as “brain food,” imposing proper nutrition on your children and students promotes healthy brain function and overall development. There’s truth to your parents annoying you to eat your breakfast; starting off your morning with healthy food promotes increased brain activity, and in turn, academic success. But healthy learning doesn’t have to only be in the cafeteria. Healthy Brain for Life offers resources and suggestions for how teachers can promote healthy learning in the classroom:

  • Stay hydrated. Have students keep a water bottle at their desk or take water breaks throughout the day
  • Healthy snacks. Encourage students to bring healthy treats for classroom celebrations, including fruit, whole-grain cracks, and veggies/dip
  • Healthy choices. Teach students how to choose the healthiest available foods on restaurant andfast-food menus.
  • Advocate change. Be aware of your district’s wellness policy, and contribute/obtain for change within your school and/or classroom
  • Teach change. Be sure to incorporate nutrition education into your curriculum across content areas.



The following is a video link for "Nutrients Have Class Too!", a video from TeacherTube:



Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Create 3.1.2 – Fair Use and the TEACH Act Quest


How does an understanding of Fair Use affect one’s role as an online instructor?
Understanding "Fair Use" is an important part of making sure you are not breaking the law when you use other people's work.  The four factors to help ascertain whether or not copyright is at issue are beneficial to assist the educator in making the right decision regarding whether or not to obtain permission.  

How do Fair Use and the TEACH Act correlate to the delivery of reliable content?

Both the Fair Use and TEACH Act give educators the opportunity to utilize information that might otherwise require permission and additional time and cost in order to get approval before utilization could take place.  The TEACH act gives educators more leeway in using information under the condition that it is used for educational purposes.  

Open Educational Resources and Creative Commons Quest - (Create 3.1.1)


What are "Open Educational Resources"?
http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELi7061.pdf

Creative Commons Licenses You Will Likely Encounter:
http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2014/05/what-teachers-need-to-know-about-new.html


Using Web 2.0 Tools to Differentiate Student Assessment Quest - (Create 2.1.3)

Students love the opportunity to do something "their own way".  One of the best tools for doing just that is edu.glogster.com.  While this tool is unfortunately no longer free, it is still one of the best tools for putting together book reports, summaries, or any type of assignment or project that demonstrates skill mastery and information you've learned from instruction.

The glogster below is an actual student project: a book report for 7th grade Social Studies.  



What a fun and unique way to put together a book report.  Differentiation at its finest!

Using Web 2.0 Tools to Differentiate Teacher Instruction Quest - (Create 2.1.2)

The world of Web 2.0 has innovated the world of education as never before.  There are literally thousands of tools at our fingertips that allow us, as educators, to teach and differentiate in so many unique and creative ways!   

I look forward to exploring and utilizing more of these tools are I continue to learn and grow as an Online Educator.  I chose to utilize Wordle for a word activity/word wall piece that would be used to present and discuss the terminology involved in the Basics of Nutrition.  



Appearance Quest - (Create 1.1.3)

Appearance is an important part of a website--often it even predicts the site's long-term success or failure!  

Please see the following websites below.  While this is likely a subjective assessment for most people,  I feel that the first five are exemplary in appearance and design; the second five, not so much! 



Sites Which Utilize Sound Design Principles


gavirtualschool.org - the files are well organized, easy to read, and invite the viewer to find out more

discoveryeducation.com - well organized, love the colorful images, clearly lists the various areas and modalities that are available 


pbskids.com - site is child focused but has definite areas for adults, well organized, a fun place for kids to learn


glogster.com - this site is user friendly, without question, and well organized


khanacademy.org - well organized, user friendly, relevant images, balanced white space



Sites Which Utilize Unsound Design Principles


www.coolmath4kids.com - overwhelming colors, little white space, almost busy looking

www.choosemyplate.gov - lots of great information, but fonts are small and there is so much on the front page that it is simply overwhelming

www.teachervision.com - while informative, color choices are bland and there is too much information on the front page,  could be better organized

www.edweek.org - information filled, could incorporate more color and a larger font for its categories

cavs.mit.edu - this site is basically all white, small fonts, and difficult to process for the reader






Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Web Tools Quest - (Create 2.1.1)

There are numerous tools available online that assist educators and students in their quest for excellence in online learning.  I have selected nine tools that would prove useful in the online educational environment.  


Presentation
Prezi:  According to Prez.com, it is a virtual whiteboard that transforms presentations from monologues into conversations: enabling people to see, understand, and remember ideas. As you click from one page to another, the images zoom in and out and adds a bit of creativity and excitement to your presentations.  

SlideShare:  This is a slide hosting service that is provided through linkedin.  Create presentations loading various files, photos, pdfs that can be shared with other users. Additionally, you can search for topics and utilize presentations other people have previously created.  

Google Presentation:  Free online presentation application that allows collaboration through sharing, editing, and viewing capabilities.   

Storyboards

ToonDoo:  Free online tools to create unique comic strips and cartoons.  User friendly and fun for students as well as educators.

Animoto:  According to Animoto.com, it is a cloud-based video creation service that produces video from photos, video clips, and music into video slideshows. Animoto Lite is free.  Animoto Plus is $30 per year and Animoto Pro is $349 per year.  

StoryboardThat: Touted as the "World's Best Online Storyboard Creator", it features drag and drop, personalization, and numerous way to customize the storyboard as needed.  Free for light usage, Educational StoryboardThat is $9.95 per month.

Communication

Padlet or Padlet Backpack:  Free online bulletin board that allows you and your students to post about various topics on separate board.  Padlet Backpack is designed for education and is $5.00 per month.  

Voki:  Free service that allows you to create animated characters that "speak".  Handy for use to communicate announcements and for students to create responses creatively.

MyBB: Free bulletin board site that was created by the MyBB group.

Monday, November 3, 2014

Creating a Content Map Quest - (Create 1.1.2)

Content Maps are helpful in communicating concepts, content, and the process of how something develops.  These maps are especially helpful for visual/spatial learners.  They make planning curriculum and lesson planning more organized.   This activity could be utilized in online learning as a tool to teach and also an activity that students could create and complete to show content mastery.  

I used Bubbl.us to complete this Writing Content map, featured below:



Time Management Quest - (Create 1.1.1)



Time management, without question, is a very important part of every successful educator.  All five of the tools I've selected are applicable in both personal and professional situations and are instrumental in helping me keep my professional edge.

Prioritize:  
This enables you to formulate your strategy for when each task should be completed.  Just like in the real world,  your online priorities need to completed in a timely fashion.  

Calendar:  
This has saved me from time to time from forgetting something important. However, it's a bit easy to depend upon this tool too often at times.  If I accidentally forget to put something on the calendar, there's a pretty good chance I won't remember it otherwise. I utilize Google calendar, which is a fabulous online tool.  

To-Do List:  
An online To-Do list goes hand in hand with my calendar.  This tool assists me making certain keeping tabs on my priorities and the things I need to accomplish every day. 

Allow Ample Time:  
Often things end up taking longer than we anticipate.  When we plan for the unexpected, an extra margin of time if you will, that extra time will allow us the wiggle room we may need to get things done before the deadline even when the unexpected happens. 

Focus:  
Sometimes removing the distractions are key.  Close the windows on your computer that may be distracting.  Silence your phone so you don't hear every single SmartPhone tone that comes your way.  Close your office door if you have to during that hour or two you need to get your priorities taken care of.  



The Newsletter Quest - (Communicate 3.2.1)


In today's technological era, it is imperative that we take every opportunity to keep ourselves current and fresh when it comes to communicating information.  As an online educator, it is even more important because what we communicate and present to our students and families is often all they are able to see since we have no brick and mortar classroom.  

Newsletters should provide a good deal of information to stakeholders, preferably in an innovative way.  Everyone, at some point, has seen a newsletter from one venue or another.  Our job is to make our newsletters attractive, professional, and something students and their families look forward to reading each week.

I have utilized the following three communication tools and have been very pleased with the results:

www.smore.com - a great tool for creating flyers, newsletter, or other viewables or printables



www.flipsnack.com - the program creates a "flippable" online notebook that is incredibly user friendly.

www.thinglink.com - this tool allows you to take any clip art or image and make it interactive and information-laden.

The Synchronous Session Quest - (Communicate 4.3.1)


Reflect upon the importance of utilizing a synchronous session to “create a true classroom culture” online. 

Synchronous sessions are important tools in the arsenal of online education.  It is the one type of session which imitates real-time classroom experiences more closely than any other medium.  It allows the educator and students to find some common ground and get to know each other at least a little better as they work together to cover the material in the course.  Students can root each other on and form bonds as they solve problems and contribute their thoughts and ideas.  

How does integrating synchronous learning sessions within the online environment assist in developing a learning community for students? 

One of the things many point out about online education is that students don't have the social interactions with other students like in a traditional classroom.  Here is where synchronous learning shines a bright light toward negating that stance.  Students will be able to put their "virtual heads together" and bond socially as well as educationally.  Done well, synchronous learning creates a learning community of socially adept students who are also becoming higher level thinkers as they progress through their courses and virtual classrooms.  

Discussions Quest - (Communicate 4.2.3)



What role or purpose do discussion forums serve in the online classroom and are they effective?
Discussion forums are an integral part of an effective online curriculum.  Higher order questions that are answered by all students help give you a snapshot of where your students are and what you may need to reteach or highlight a bit more during a synchronous or asynchronous review session.  They also are a very good way to assist students in getting to know one another and feeling like a part of the class on a more personal level when they interact.  

How do discussion forums function as a teaching tool?
Discussion forums can definitely assist an educator in making sure key concepts or standards have been adequately explained and covered throughout the curriculum.  Areas that seem weaker in student responses can then be retaught or covered more fully during future sessions, particularly via synchronous or asynchronous class sessions.

How could they be used effectively and ineffectively?
Effective use of discussion groups would be utilizing them to involve your students, assess their progress, and help build community through the questions you provide them to answer.  Ineffective use of discussion groups would be "going through the motions" of the groups without really utilizing the information that student responses glean.  Additionally, if students do not feel you are reading and responding on a personal level, they may choose to complete the bare minimum in order to get the participation points when they could contribute so much more.  

Furthermore, what are some best practices for facilitating forums online?
It is important to communicate clear expectations to your students in terms of what is acceptable and unacceptable within the discussion groups.  It is also very important to monitor and facilitate consistently.  In this way, they know you are definitely aware and are going to comment on their responses and reflections.  

Feedback Quest - (Communicate 4.2.1)

Feedback is a critical part of online learning since live interaction is rarely if ever available. There are numerous ways we are able to provide effective and meaningful feedback.  More than in a traditional environment, it is very important to be able to personally connect with each student. Meaningful feedback is one way to do just that!

Please see the link below for a nutrition assignment that also demonstrates the ability to provide effective and meaningful feedback.  


Students will find labels for two soups or two similar items (think canned vegetables or fruits).  They will complete page one of the link above.  Then, in the Discussion group area of the LMS for this course, they will answer the following questions in complete sentences. 

  1. What two food items did you compare?
  2. Which food do you feel like is the most healthy choice?  
  3. Why?


In order to get full credit for this assignment, students must comment on at least three other student discussion responses.  

Please see the following rubric for how this will be graded and the way in which feedback will be provided to you! :)