Five Things Students Want Their Teachers to Know about Online Learning

Kids love having the opportunity to learn online but it’s not merely the medium or the technology that students enjoy. At the recent iNacol Virtual Schools Symposium I listened to high school students who have experience learning this way as well as teachers who have experience with these students, share some advice for making this type of learning even better.


Here is their advice as well as suggestions for tools that teachers can use to heed this advice.


Advice for Online Learning Educators

1. Socialization is important!
Teenagers value the ability to socialize and they don’t want to lose that online. Provide opportunities for students to meet, get to know each other, work together, and connect deeply in your online classes.  Teens want you to make it fun for them. While they certainly enjoy the benefits of working independently, they appreciate opportunities to work in pairs, groups, and with other class members.  Help foster this by creating projects and online spaces for them to work this way.
Tools:

• Skype or Google Video: Great for projects where students work in pairs. 
• Google+ Hangout: Works well for students meeting and working in groups.  
• Facebook Page: Wonderful for whole class discussion and interaction in a space where other experts and students can participate.  
• Fieldtrips: Give students opportunties to learn together in the world. 

2. Students Want to See Each Other
Students want to have a chance to get to know their classmates just as they can in a face-to-face environment.  This means seeing one another so they can put a name and a personality with a face.
Tools:

• Web cam: Teachers may want to consider having times when their students are the ones who have the ability to be on the web cam.  
• Google+ Hangout: Schedule groups of up to ten students with Google+ Hangout so students and their teacher can see one another as they talk, learn, and discuss their area of study.
• Video:  Provide opportunities for students to submit work using video response shared in a place where other students can watch, comment, and discuss. 
• UStream: Allow students to present to their classmates (and authentic audiences) using UStream. Encourage classmates to leave text and video comments on one another's work.
• Use Flickr to easily create instant slideshows that capture students via picture or video sharing their thoughts, feedback, and ideas.

3. Students Want to See Their Teacher
Students want to get to know who their teacher is.  Seeing them helps.  They appreciate the ability to see their teacher speaking to them.
Tools:

• Webcams: Use a web cam if possible so your students can see you. 
• Skype: Students enjoy using Skype so they can see their teacher and their teacher can see them.
• Video: Consider giving students feedback with a video.

4. Students Want You to Know Them 
It is important to online students that you know who they are.  Provide opportunities in their work for them to include something personal. This might be pictures of them and their life or  thoughts from members of their family or community. Set up times where you can engage in one-on-one chats. Reach out to your students via text to help make a personal connection using a tool they love.
Tools:

• Video: Encourage students to use video in their work where you have the opportunity to see and get to know them.  You may want to consider having them create channels on a video service like YouTube or Vimeo.
• Glogster: Have students create digital posters that include text as well as photos and video.  
• Set up group texting to quickly and easily send students reminders, encouragement, important information, and learning tips/ideas/suggestions.

5. Keep it Relevant
Just like face-to-face classes, students complain that what they learn online often seems irrelevant to their lives.  Students want to know why they need to know this stuff.  Consider providing an explanation with each unit or chapter that addresses this.
Tools:

• Video: Have former students explain to students how they've used this learning in the real world.
• YouTube: Bring the learning to life with video clips that connect this learning to how it occurs or is applied in life.  
• Skype and Expert: Invite an expert to speak to your class about the real-world relevance of this learning.

Students appreciate the opportunity to learn online, but want their teachers to be sure to incorporate these elements which allow them to realize the benefits of online learning while not losing what they enjoy about face-to-face interactions.  With this advice and these tools in mind, teachers will be sure to provide their students with a more positive online learning experience.

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The 10 Elements of High-Quality Digital Learning

The Digital Learning Council has just released the “10 Elements of High-Quality Digital Learning” which recommends major changes to state education policy that include eliminating seat-time requirements, making a move to competency based learning and assessment, reconsidering funding and tools we provide students for example, funding and providing infrastructure for the real tools of the 21st century for those without access i.e. netbooks rather than textbooks, internet for all, and harnessing the power of tools students already own such as cell phones.

I’m admittedly concerned about who’s behind the council, headed by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and former West Virginia Gov. Bob Wise, (when did politicians become education experts???) but upon first review the elements seem to make sense. Here they are:

10 Elements of High Quality Digital Learning

1. Student Eligibility: All students are digital learners.
2. Student Access: All students have access to high quality digital content and online courses.
3. Personalized Learning: All students can customize their education using digital content through approved provider.
4. Advancement: Student progress based on demonstrated competency.
5. Content: Digital content, instructional materials, and online and blended learning courses are high quality.
6. Instruction: Digital instruction and teachers are high quality.
7. Providers: All students have access to multiple high quaility providers.
8. Assessment and Accountability: Student learning is the metric for evaluating the quality of content and instruction.
9. Funding: Funding creates incentives for performance, options and innovation.
10. Delivery: Infrastructure supports digital learning.
    

For the full report visit 10 Elements of High-Quality Digital Learning.

If you want to get involved, visit www.digitallearningnow.com a national campaign to advance policies that will create a high quality digital learning environment to better prepare students with the knowledge and skills to succeed in college and careers.

You have read this article digital learning / Digital Learning Council / iNacol / online learning with the title iNacol. You can bookmark this page URL http://benncam.blogspot.com/2010/12/the-10-elements-of-high-quality-digital.html. Thanks!

Follow The Tweeter Who’s an Online Learning Leader - Top 200 Tweets from VSS2010

One of the best ways to get smart about any topic is by building your personal learning network through Twitter. Not only will you discover up-to-date information about a shared interest, you also develop a cadre of learning partners you can turn to when there’s something you need to know. During my recent foray into the world of online learning at iNacol’s Virtual Learning Symposium, I enjoyed my time in various sessions, but for me the real learning took place on Twitter where like-minded folks could discuss, real-time what they were learning and do so without disturbing anyone else. We were all tied together and found one another through the conference hashtag #vss2010.

Not only did I learn a lot from these Tweeps (people who Tweet) but after Tweeting out, “Anyone at #VSS2010 Heading to the airport for a 4:30 flight?” I even found someone with whom I could share a ride to the airport. Another fun Tweetcident (Twitter incident) occurred when I found myself in Twitosation (Twitter conversation) with a fellow attendee in reaction to disappointment in the commercialization of several presentations. We soon realized we were not only sitting in the same session but we were just seats apart from one another. How fun to be able to extend the Twitosation face-to-face.

Innovative educators interested in connecting with others passionate about online learning can take a look at the chart below for a list of Tweeps interested in the topic. (Lookie! I’m top and center :-) If you click on the chart you’ll be taken to the source where you can just click on each person’s name and be brought directly to their Twitter account.

Below the chart you can see 200 Tweets I found worth highlighting sans those annoying commercials from the vendors (come on vendors, add some substance to your Tweets!)

Top 200 Tweets from iNacol’s Virtual School Symposium

Here are some interesting online learning Tweets shared at the conference. Find Tweeps you find interesting and connect with them by Tweeting using “@SelectedTwitter” i.e. “@innovativeedu. Your message will appear in their Twitter feed and the Twitosation begins!

Click here for the 200 Tweets.

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The Introductory Guide to Online Learning

I recently attended the Virtual School Symposium which brings educators interested in online learning together from around the world. Following my visit to the symposium I shared my Recommendations to Improve Online Learning and Reasons Students Say They Prefer Learning Online. Today, in places like New York City, online learning is being incorporated into the traditional classrooms, known as blended or hybrid learning, with tremendous success, especially for credit recovery, advanced placement (to promote college-readiness), continuity of learning during a pandemic, dual enrollment, and more.

The realization by administrators, teachers and parents that online courses can fill gaps in course offerings as well as complement traditional classroom instruction with engaging, interactive materials has generated many questions about implementing online learning programs:

• What does an online course look like?
• How do students interact with their teacher?
• What qualifications and training are required of teachers?
• Does online learning really work?
• What state or school district policies are needed to implement online learning?

To help answer those questions, The International Association of K-12 Online Learning released an updated introduction to online learning this week. They also released a state-by-state update of progress. The National Primer on K-12 Online Learning provides a comprehensive overview of online learning by examining the basics about online teaching and learning, evaluating academic success, professional development, technology and other topics.


Highlights include:

1. iNACOL’s official online learning definitions
2. A framework for online and blended learning adapted from the TPAC model to describe the key elements as an approach to systemic educational transformation (see chart below).
   

Online Learning Definitions

• Asynchronous communication: Communication that is separated by time. Examples are email, online discussion forums, message boards, blogs, podcasts, etc.
• Blended learning (also hybrid learning): Learning that is facilitated by the effective combination of different modes of delivery, models of teaching and styles of learning, and is based on transparent communication amongst all parties involved with a course.
• Credit recovery: Refers to a student passing, and receiving credit for, a course that he/she previously attempted but did not succeed in earning academic credit towards graduation.
• Cyberschool (also online school and virtual school): A formally constituted organization (public, private, state, charter, etc.) that offers full-time education delivered primarily over the Internet.
• Learning Management System (LMS): The technology platform through which online courses are offered. A LMS generally includes software for creating and editing course content, communication tools, assessment tools, and other features for managing the course.
• Online course: Any course offered over the Internet.
• Online learning (also cyber learning, elearning, and virtual learning): Education in which instruction and content are delivered primarily over the Internet; online learning is a form of distance learning. The term does not include printed-based correspondence education, broadcast television or radio, videocassettes, and stand-alone educational software programs that do not have a significant Internet-based instructional component.
• Online teacher: The person who is responsible for instruction in an online course.
• State virtual school: An entity created and supported by a state to provide online academic courses to elementary, middle, and high school students using qualified online teachers.
• Synchronous communication: Communication in which the participants interact in the same time space. Examples are telephone calls, videoconferencing, chat, and face-to-face communication.

Educators interested in finding out more about online learning can download a copy for free here.

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Editor’s note: This post contains numerous excerpts from the National Primer on K-12 online learning's Preface from Susan D. Patrick, President and CEO, International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL).

You have read this article blended learning / hybrid learning / iNacol / online learning / vss2010 with the title iNacol. You can bookmark this page URL http://benncam.blogspot.com/2010/11/the-introductory-guide-to-online.html. Thanks!

10 Reasons Students Say They Prefer Learning Online

Ever wonder how students feel about learning online? At the recent iNacol Virtual Schools Symposium participants were treated to an experience that is surprisingly is rarely available at education conferences. We had the opportunity to hear directly from a panel of students who explained why they preferred learning online. Here are some of the reasons shared by these students and others I heard from explaining why students preferred this method of learning.

10 Reasons Students Prefer Learning Online

1. I can sleep in
While this may sound indulgent to the over-30 crowd who is often of the mindset that students need to be prepared for the 9 – 5 world into which they will graduate, the reality is this.

• Adolescents need more sleep.
• Adolescents often function best late at night and do not function well early in the morning.
• The jobs today’s adolescents will have quite likely will not fit the traditional 9 -5 mold.

It makes sense that students enjoy the opportunity to learn when they are well-rested and most alert. Research studies indicate that students enjoy learning on a schedule aligned to their circadian rhythms rather than the schedule that in many districts was created to enable bus companies to operate most efficiently. As a result traditional school has classes full of students who every day feel the kind of tired that is akin to being jet lagged.

2. I can pursue my passions
A flaw with the American education system is that there is little to no focus on pursuit of our dreams and passions which is often driven by a system that rewards rote memorization and mediocrity. Several students who learn online are doing so because they are pursuing a passion that does not allow them to fit in to the traditional school system. How wonderful it is that students are able to begin exploring and developing their passions while they are in school. We heard from a student who competes in horse competitions, for others it might be music, writing, acting, or filmmaking. We must stop teaching subjects and start teaching students who can be writers, scientists, singers, dancers, and historians today.

3. I can focus on my work without distractions from my classmates
For many students school is a huge distraction, especially in high school where the focus in often more on socializing and fitting in then on learning. Students shared that in online classes, many of the regular distractions from socializing, to intercom announcements, to disruptive students, no longer existed and they could place their attention on learning.

4. I can move at my own pace
A tremendous benefit of learning online is that, when done right, students can learn at their own pace. For some, this might mean they can demonstrate competency upfront and get credit for the class. For others this may mean moving at a slower pace and receiving additional supports if necessary.

5. I don’t have to compete to share my thoughts and ideas
Students in online environments enjoy the equity in the ability to share thoughts and ideas. No longer is it just the student in the front of the room or the one with the loudest voice who is heard. When learning online the playing field is leveled and opportunities are in place such as commenting on posts, videos, and student work or participating in discussion forums. These environments provide students with varied opportunities to share their thoughts and ideas.

6. I can take more interesting classes
Providing online opportunities for students means providing more choice. Students can more easily pursue study in areas of interest. They are no longer dependent on the staffing limitations of their particular school or community.

7. I can learn with a schedule that meets my needs
There are a number of reasons that students might not be able to participate in the traditional classroom environment. These students have often been left behind. One might be caring for a sick relative; another required to watch a sibling, for some pregnancy or incarceration has interfered with education attainment. These students no longer need to be left behind if online options are provided.

8. I can learn despite health issues that might get in the way of a traditional class setting
Students who haven’t found success in the traditional environment due to health issues can thrive in online environments. While this might include a student who is hospitalized, has certain disabilities, or is suffering from a terminal illness, many students have less obvious issues that have made success in traditional school settings difficult. Perhaps a student suffers from a sleeping disorder, social disorder, or from an intestinal condition that just doesn’t fit with the bell schedule. These are just a few examples that in the traditional school setting result in students who end up leaving the system due to excessive absences/tardiness, or labeled as just not paying attention…because they are sleeping in class and miss the material covered.

9. I can easily communicate with my teacher when I need to
Students participating in online environments often share that they appreciate the ease and opportunities available to communicate with their teacher. It is often difficult, if not impossible, to get your teacher’s attention in a traditional 45-minute period and if you do, you may not want to have your discussion heard by the entire class. Online environments typically have structures in place where students can easily send private instant messages or emails to their teacher leaving them feeling much more supported by and connected to their teacher.

10. I can easily communicate with my classmates when I want to
A traditional classroom setting often discourages students from communicating with one another. It can be considered disruptive to instruction or limited by the physical placement of students. The online environment makes it much easier for students to connect with one another on topics of interest in both synchronous and asynchronous environments.

Though the technology exists to provide these environments for students, sadly, few students have, or know they have, such opportunities available to them. For most students, they exist, or are unable to exist, in an educational system stuck in the past that has not introduced them to such options. Why? There are several reasons which include being in a system that requires us to follow outdated policies that may have worked for yesterday’s students, but do not work today. Changing these policies in a bureaucratic, slow-moving, political climate can be a tremendous task. Additionally, many of the customers (students and their parents) don’t even know this option exists. And, another reason of course, is because schools (and parents) are used to doing things the way they’ve always done them. However, doing things they way they’ve always been done hasn’t proven effective for most industries and it shouldn’t be accepted for our students any longer either.

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The Innovative Educator’s 10 Recommendations to Improve Online Learning

I just attended my first iNacol Virtual Schools Symposium where I heard from a number of politicians, authors, administrators, educators, students, and vendors about online learning. Knowing learning online provides an opportunity to transform education, I was rather disappointed as I heard from various individuals engaged in this work. In many cases they were doing business as usual...just online. It seemed they were not harnessing the true power of this medium. However, as an innovative educator I know that we often need to follow the progression of doing things we've always done in a new platform, then move to doing things differently in a new platform, and finally to doing different things in this new platform. Below are my ideas for moving online learning across this continuum.

10 Ideas for Improving Online Learning

1. Online learning should not be place-based
Many of the online learning programs I learned about unnecessarily required students to follow the traditional system of having students together in classroom consuming the same material at the same time. Why? The content is online. Are we so stuck in our old methods that we are forcing a potentially innovative learning opportunity into the same old structure of a brick and mortar school? For many, yes we are…but we shouldn’t be.

2. Online learning should not be state-based
I was just amazed at how many online learning programs are state-based? Why? When online does it really matter that the teacher or students are all from the same state? NOOOOO!!!!!! It does not. States need to provide funding from students to take classes from a menu of options, but these students and teachers DO NOT need to reside in the same state. Hello??? We’re online for goodness sakes. The content of these courses is not state-centric. Algebra 1, English 1, American Government, US History, Chemistry 1, etc. etc. etc. do not, or at least should not have state-specific content. We need to blast open the doors and let students and teachers cross state lines for goodness sake!

3. Online learning materials should be shared
People all over the world are selfishly developing fabulous online learning content. Selfish because they’re not sharing. Aren’t we one nation? Don’t we want to do what’s best for all? Then why are schools and districts hording their materials? Why are we all doing the same thing over and over? Why are we continuously wasting money and reinventing the wheel??? In some cases, it never even occurred to folks that they could or should or be sharing. They can and they should and LMS platforms should make this easier.

4. Online learning students should be connected
Guess what? Online learning is online and we’re teaching a lot of the same course at the same time to students all over the world. The online learning world needs to learn a lesson from social media and enable those pursuing the same interests to connect. Conversations are more robust and learning is more relevant when the numbers of other teachers and students you can connect to and share with is increased. Let’s erase the artificial lines of traditional schooling and let online learning provide an opportunity for students to connect.

5. Online learning classes should be more interesting
Online learning has finally gotten some legs and it’s about time, but what amazes me is that they’re not offering more interesting courses. In large part they’re just offering the same opportunities available in traditional school settings. Let’s expose students to new opportunities that are missing in schools. Let’s provide some amazing offerings in music and photography in filmmaking or becoming a stylist. Let’s open their worlds online rather than providing them with what they already had access to in the traditional classroom. Let’s bring experts in the field into these courses and help students find their passions, talents, and interests. Let’s expose and connect them to others who love what they love.

6. Online learning should not feel like a sentence. Doing time should not be the indicator of mastery.
Many students admit that school feels like they’re just doing time. Unfortunately in many states, seat time is still the measure indicating if a student has completed a course. This needs an update which online has the potential to make happen if only the laws were updated. Students should be able to prove mastery any time during the class or take extra time and get additional supports if necessary.

7. Online learning should push states / nations to provide more opportunities for assessments when students are ready, not when it’s easiest to herd students through the tests.
Online learning has the potential to deliver courses to students anytime in the year, yet many tests are still only given once a year, often several months after the students have completed the course. States need to figure out how to certify educators or others to proctor the test throughout the year as students complete the course.

8. Online learning should result in the eradication of textbooks
Did you know the textbook companies still have their fangs in the pockets of funding for our students requiring students to buy outdated, boring textbooks to receive credit? Are you kidding me??? These are online courses. The textbooks need to reach their long-overdue death and enable students to learn in relevant, engaging and up-to-date environments. The fact that educational systems are allowing this and not driving the industry to come to its timely demise only points to the politicized, commercialized interests that are inappropriately driving education. Save the billions of wasted textbook dollars and replace it with relevant content.

9. Students in online learning environments do not need to be grouped via date of manufacture.
I was surprised by how many online learning teachers, schools, and providers still grouped students by year of birth / grade. Why? We don’t need to sequence all students through the same courses at the same time. We really don’t. With online learning perhaps a students wants to focus deep into a subject and plow through several math, science, or literacy courses. They should be able to do that. Or perhaps a student just moves right through a class. They should be able to steamroll full force ahead to the next class, regardless of their age. On the other end of the spectrum, if there is a topic a student is having difficulty with, they should be able to spend more time in that area and/or have the opportunity to receive the support they need.

10. Learning centers should be available to students
For many students, taking classes at home is not a viable option for a number of reasons. Communities need to establish learning centers to meet the needs of such students. This may mean opening the doors of school and local libraries to students with proof of enrollment, it may mean partnering with local businesses, it could mean turning the often unused community room of a building or project into a learning center during specified hours, or perhaps it means making use of schools of education like Teachers College, that often remain empty during the day. There are numerous possibilities that could make this a viable option for interested students.

Online learning is a modern construct that is by habit employing outdated practices. Upon questioning several implementing these programs appear to be doing what they’re doing because this is always how they’ve done it...or because disconnected policies and politicians say it’s so. My message to them is, “STOP!” Implementing these common sense recommendations is in the best interest of our children. Doing what is best for our children should not be a fight. It should be a cause that we are all behind. After all, what is really the motivation of those who are fighting to keep these outdated constructs in place? This is how we’ve always done thing? This makes it easier for politicians to measure success? This serves as an easy money stream for textbook providers?

We need to put in the forefront the reason we are doing this work. It is not to make politicians look good, to make textbook companies richer, to do what educators are most comfortable doing, or to make test implementation easier for the multi-million dollar testing companies. Instead it is to do what is best to serve our children...following these recommendations will move us in that direction.

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The Six Elements of Next-Gen Learning Platforms

I had the fortune to meet Tom VanderArk at iNacol's Virtual School Symposium last night. He shared he had just come up with six element of Next-Gen Learning platforms which I could find on his blog http://edreformer.com. A hop over there lead me to his latest post with these six ideas for learning platforms.

1. Widget rich social learning platform that makes it easy for teachers to customize learning for groups of students (and groups of teachers)
2. Engaging content tagged to Common Core: objects, lessons, units, and adaptive sequences; both open and proprietary
3. Data warehouse that extracts key elements from the flood of key stroke data from learning applications (games, sims, virtual environments, adaptive sequences, etc)
4. Comprehensive learner profile that accepts input from after-school, summer-school, tutoring, test-prep and informal learning providers and has facebook-like privacy management profile
5. Smart recommendation engine that develops a customized multi-modal instructional playlist for every student
6. Aligned services support students (eg tutoring), teachers (eg, PD) and schools (improvement services)

This is a great start that I'm sure will grow and grow.

To do this, he believes it will cost more than $250m, and that will require 1) aggregated demand of >2m students, 2) a consortium of private vendors, and 3) philanthropic investment to mitigate risk and promote equity.

I wonder if, to do this, rather than $250m, we just need to open source the whole thing and have educators abound just start sharing.

Check out Tom's other insights here or follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tvanderark

You have read this article #vss2010 / iNacol / online learning with the title iNacol. You can bookmark this page URL http://benncam.blogspot.com/2010/11/the-six-elements-of-next-gen-learning.html. Thanks!