SchoolTube - I Have a Dream: Martin Luther King Day

SchoolTube - I Have a Dream: Martin Luther King Day

Sharing Activity #5

http://thejournal.com/articles/2008/07/16/changing-designs-of-online-learning-the-evolution-of-digital-learning-systems-through-customization.aspx

Resource Sharing Activity #5
Facilitating Online Learning, K-12 online education-Online class

The Journal: (Article)
Changing Designs of Online Learning: The Evolution of Digital Learning Systems through Customization
Ruth Reynard
July 16, 2008

This article talks about the changes and challenges that now surrounds technology today. Education today is now described as 21 century skills, which implies the way students receive, understand and apply information that has been learned.

Throughout our reading on Building Online Communities, “Learning through the use of technology takes more than mastery of a software program or comfort with the hardware being used. It takes an awareness of the impact that this form of learning has on the learning process itself.” (Palloff & Pratt)

In order for outcomes to be successful for students, a combination of standards and assessments, curriculum and instruction, professional development and learning environments, all have an impact on facilitating the success in the learning process.
According to the article, distance learning has been around for a long time in some form. Whether it is ink, computer, and tape recorder – it has been part of the educational process. Each of these has brought about new design of instruction delivery. School boards are starting to take notice that teachers are now willing to extend class discussion, expand group and project work and communicate through the use of online tools.

The combination of delivery and instruction has become more of an integrated approach to teaching online.

The Blended Classroom Revolution: Virtual Technology Goes to School

http://www.techlearning.com/article/16210

Resource Sharing Activity #4
Online Learning Communities

Tech & Learning: (Article)
The Blended Classroom Revolution: Virtual Technology Goes to School
Marty Weil, Contributing Editor
February 2, 2009

I believe that this article relates well to our reading on “Building a Learning Community.” The online learning community is becoming more and more popular. The blended classroom vs online seems to be in greater demand amongst students. Having the face-to-face several times benefit students who need the human contact of a class that online does not provide.

The article begins by describing how virtual schools are becoming more and more popular. An increasing number of students are beginning to take courses on line and moving towards the virtual classrooms.

Robert Blomeyer of Lisle, IL stated that online environments are now being viewed as a means to improve and expand educational opportunities in schools. He also stated that this revolution is taking place at a relatively slow pace due to work needing to be done on school technology infrastructures and more laptops being available for students’ use. Online learning is beginning to be seen not as a delivery system in competition with traditional K-12 classrooms, but seeing virtual classrooms as necessary for the improvement of education and student’s improvement.

There is a debate about whether or not the virtual schools can be successful as far as improving the quality of teaching in the public schools. Attention is now being shifted as to teachers using this technology.

Schools are now taking steps to bring the blended model into the mainstream. Chicago’s VOISE Academy, which is virtual opportunities inside a school environment, is a new performance high school is based on a model of virtual technology and face-to-face teacher instruction. Students receive online curriculum in high-tech labs. This distance learning school provides all students with choice, flexibility, and individual attention.

Many districts are applying the blended approach to meet the educational needs of a child or a group of children. “By providing courses online, we can teach students at their particular level, rather than follow a mass factory model where every student has to learn in lockstep,” says Atols. “By using a blended approach, we’re allowing each student to progress at their school level, instead of waiting for someone to catch up or be left behind as the class moves forward.”
Based on our reading, blended and online classrooms are becoming a reality. I know that students are into technology from years in the past. Students are using technology and respond to learning in this manner.

Online Learning Communities

http://www.techlearning.com/article/1912


Resource Sharing Activity #3
Online Learning Communities

Tech & Learning: (Article)
Building a Learning Community
Chris Waters, February 1, 2004


I believe that this article relates well to our reading on “Building a Learning Community.” The article begins by emphasizing the importance of instructor/student and student/student relationships. Instructors have to get to know their students!

Through introductions and interest, instructor and participants get to know each other. This is one of the factors or element to gain a successful online class. The instructor has to pay attention to his or her role. An online class cannot be successful if students are not logging in or participating. Understanding students’ needs is also important. Instructor needs to be flexible when it comes to the various learning styles that participants will possess. In order for an online course to be effective, communication is very important between participant and instructor.

The class must also have a clear focus. What is it that the student wants to learn or get from the class? It is necessary that an online class or community create connections with one another so that the course can be effective.

Instructors need to use various versions of traditional teaching and nontraditional teaching. (Much like what we do in our classrooms) The instructor guides the class concerning content, but acknowledges that because he/she is the expert, knowledge has to be shared. Through online class, participants are given guidelines or structures to follow so that success is achievable.

Wow, it is amazing how the article tied into our reading.

Communities of Continous Inquiry and Improvement

http://www.sedl.org/pubs/change34/5.html

Resource Sharing Activity #2
Community Outcomes: Improving Teaching, Learning, and Understanding


Professional Learning Communities: (Article)
Communities of Continuous Inquiry and Improvement
Dr. Shirley M. Hord (1997)

"Our view is, by the way, that if you can't make a school a great professional place for its staff, it's never going to be a great place for kids" (Brandt, 1992, p. 21, quoting Hank Levin).


This articles’ focus identified how the relationship between staff and students, working together, created a learning community which produced positive outcomes for student’s achievement. They took ownership and shared the responsibility and success of students. In being successful to create such positive outcomes, these schools were committed to working together. They had something else in common; they shared the same mission.

Schools that became a professional learning community were willing to work together. They made changes to their classroom pedagogy and as a result students began to become engaged in learning task and achievement became greater in reading, math, science and history.

According to Darling-Hammond (1995) observations were made on schools that had initiated school improvement efforts. These schools analyzed teaching and learning, and through discussions, they realized that the practices were effective for students. Also academic results developed more quickly than schools that did not initiate school improvement.

Darling-Hammond also suggests that the interaction between teachers is critical. Teacher need to be able to talk and share with each other what they know, as well as being able to seek answers from other teachers regarding problems that they may be experiencing with teaching and student’s learning. Teacher’s seldom have the opportunity to observe their peer’s teaching and it is something that definitely needs to be addressed. Teaching is an every changing cycle and like students change over time, the same is true with teaching.

Professional Learning Communities are not only addressing the needs to the students, but the needs to teachers as well. Teaching is an ongoing process and to be an effective teacher, learning is always going to be taking place. The learning community gives the teacher opportunities to not only learn within their school, but outside the school as well.

In order for schools to be successful, there must be a connection. Learning becomes successful when teachers can teach in their classrooms effective, but when they also have the opportunity to find solutions to problems with other teaching professionals.
I thought this article tied in really well with our regarding. I know that it brought a greater understanding to me as far as the importance of Professional Learning Community. Improving our teaching, learning and understanding cannot be undertaken along. When teachers are not willing to be a part of such a community, I think the interest of the student’s learning is not their focus. We also have to remember, that no one person knows everything. We can’t be afraid to say when we are faced with problem(s) and need help in finding solutions.


References:
Brandt, R. (1995, November). On restructuring schools: A conversation with Fred Newmann. Educational Leadership, 53(3), 70-73.
Darling-Hammond, L. (1995). Policy for restructuring, in Ann Lieberman (ed.), The work of restructuring schools: Building from the ground up. New York: Teachers College Press.
Lieberman, A. (ed.). (1995b). The work of restructuring schools: Building from the ground up. New York: Teachers College Press.

Schools as Learning Communities

http://pdonline.ascd.org/pd_online/secondary_reading/el200405_dufour.html
Resource Sharing Activity #1
Facilitating, Assessing & Sustaining Professional Learning Communities

Educational Leadership (Article)
Schools as Learning Communities
Richard DuFour

The focus of this article talks about creating a learning community to enhance learning instead of teaching. The article was broken into Big Ideas, focusing on Students Learning, Collaboration, & Results. In the past, individuals have tried to develop various initiatives to promote school reform, but individuals who attempted to get things started really didn’t seem to have a clear idea of what they’re doing. There seemed to be no real focus on what needed to be improved or how to get things improved. Hence, the ideas eventually faded away until someone else tried to come up with something new.
When the movement came along regarding developing Professional Learning Communities, educators needed to first reflect on what would it take to make up this type of community. The “Big Ideas” were developed as a sort of guiding point.
First, educators had to realize that the need to focus on student’s learning and not so much on their teaching, was necessary. In a learning community, questions need to be answered. What do we want our students to learn? The school needed to be quick when identifying students who were struggling. There needs to be intervention in place rather than remediation. How will we know when each student has learned it? How will we respond when a student experience difficulties in learning? Secondly, there has to be a culture of collaboration. The learning community cannot be afraid to work and share together. Once this has been established, teacher can begin to come together to create learning for all students; creating a learning community. The final idea was the results. Working together begins to create an ongoing process of identifying the level of student’s achievement as well as creating a goal to help students achieve mastery in the area of weakness.
The learning community will continue to focus on student learning, how to get them where they need to be, continued to monitor their process through data and as a results continue to use what is working so that it can continue, as well as get rid of what’s not working.
This article goes well with the reading from Martin-Kniep and McRel. In a learning community, everyone becomes a stakeholder in the learning of students, collaboration amongst each other and using what’s learned along with data to keep the learning community strong.



References
Barth, R (1991). Restructuring schools: Some questions for teachers and principals. Phi Delta Kappan, 73(2), 123-128

Marzano, R (2003). What work in schools: Translating research into action. Alexandria, VA: ASCD