LTTO Session #11: Using a Template to Assist Faculty in Online Course Development

In session #11 we will view the seminar, Using a Template to Assist Faculty in Online Course Development. I can't upload the handouts, but I will distribute them at the session. We will watch the last 43 minutes of the seminar.

Jerry Case will also do a brief orientation on how to use the new cart for audio and video capture of lectures, etc.

Please join us for the next LTTO session on February 27th at 11:00 in TC 217.

Session #10: Summary

In Session #10 we discussed the questions developed for evaluation of distance learning programs. In general, we agreed that since our graduate program is online, we should be able to answer the questions satisfactorily. A couple of highlights of the discussion were:

• The Elementary Education Graduate Artifact Rubric will help with data collection and analysis in the graduate program. We decided to field-test the two "Impact" rows in graduate courses for Spring Semester, although faculty members are free to use more of the rows for evaluating artifacts. Two faculty members are going to have their students submit Impact Statements via inQsit this Spring and will report to the group if this is effective.
• The Quality Matters Rubric, which Jim will use to evaluate new online courses before he requisitions the course development stipend, will help us maintain quality in our graduate courses.
• Because we have a student course evaluation that is specific to online courses, we can continually use that data to improve our courses.
• rGrade will enable us to evaluate our distance learning program and provide systematic and ongoing data for program improvement.
• We can meet the NCATE field experiences requirements in our online courses by having our students complete assignments in their own classrooms or the classrooms of others. Field experiences do not have to occur in each course.
• In order to meet the diversity requirement, we can collect demographic data about the environments in which our graduate students teach. Eva and Pat will work on an assignment in EDEL 644 that will match teachers based on the demographics of their students, in the hopes that this will be a diversity-understanding experience for them.
  

We had the largest crowd ever for this interesting discussion!

LTTO Session #10: NCATE Evaluation of Distance Learning Programs

In session #10 we will discuss the questions developed for evaluation of distance learning programs. "The ten questions have been approved by the UAB as guides for BOE teams and institutions in the assessment of distance learning programs. These questions were developed to assist teams and units in determining whether distance learning offerings meet NCATE standards to the same degree as other programs offered by the unit through traditional means."
Please join us for the next LTTO session on January 23rd at 12:00 in TC 217. Bring your lunch!

LTTO Session #9: Summary

Jill Miels began the session by describing her work on the ATE Technology and the Future of Teacher Education Standing Committee. She shared a grid listing the NETS for Students, NETS for Teachers, 21st Century Skills, and TPaCK (Technology, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge) Skills. Jill distributed two teaching/learning scenarios about what learning could look like with extensive use of technology. The group discussed the interface between the grid and the scenarios.

Next, Jill showed a graphic of a networked teacher and a traditional teacher and talked about the differences.

Finally, a School 2.0 Learning Ecosystem graphic was shown and discussion ensued about how we prepare teachers for the schools of the 21st Century.

You may access a podcast of the session here. You will see that I need much more practice making podcasts!

Session #9: Preparing 21st Century Teachers for 21st Century Classrooms: The Challenges for Teacher Educators

In session #9, our Featured Faculty member, Jill Miels, will start out with a short vocabulary review of Web 2.0, Education 2.0, 21st Century Classrooms and 21st Century Learning Skills. These four concepts will frame the rest of the discussion related to the implications of technological changes for teacher education programs. Attendees will also have the opportunity to examine a scenario of what one of these classrooms might look like and what types of skills will be required of the teachers.

Please join us for the next LTTO session on November 19th at 10:00 in TC 217.

LTTO Session #8 Summary

Diane Bottomley began the session by demonstrating how she uses rGrade to manage assessment in her online courses. She showed the group how she accesses assignments students have submitted to the Blackboard digital dropbox within rGrade. Discussion ensued about the advantages and disadvantages of the Web Gradebook, rGrade, and the Blackboard gradebook.

Next, Diane discussed ways we could use rGrade data to evaluate our program in the future. rGrade has great potential for data manipulation and analysis.

Finally, the group had an extensive discussion about students' submission of the same project/assignment in several different courses. It was decided that the Elementary Education faculty should draft a statement to put in our syllabi stating that all work submitted for the course must be original and not previously submitted in another course. Additionally, faculty should configure their assignments with specific criteria to limit students from being able to use them in multiple courses.

Session #8: Evaluation

In session #8, the Featured Faculty member, Diane Bottomley, will facilitate a discussion on issues pertaining to evaluation. Specifically, issues related to student learning, tracking student projects so they are not used for more than one class, and program evaluation will be discussed.

Join us for the next LTTO session on October 22nd at 9:00 in TC 217.