8.1 Reflection: iNACOL Standards for Quality Online Teaching

The shift from traditional teaching to online or blended teaching is quite significant. There are many skills that transfer, however the shift toward student centered, project based and collaborative learning in a global community is an amazing pedagogical leap forward. Going through the Online and Blended Teaching Program has provided me with an excellent jumping off point. There are many skills that I need to develop, however, doing this course has given me confidence that I will be successful. I think that some of my strengths at this point include:

• iNACOL Standard A: Promoting student success through clear expectations and prompt feedback.
• iNACOL Standard D: An understanding of the primary concepts and structures of effective online instruction.
• iNACOL Standard F: Being cognizant of diversity.
• iNACOL Standard J: Interacting in a professional, effective manner with colleagues, parents, and other members of the community to support students’ success.

Through this process I have changed as a teacher. My view of the possibilities for education has expanded beyond the four walls of the classroom. It’s incredibly exciting to see how the capacity, for meaningful, engaged, and collaborative learning, can expand through the use of technology. I have changed as a learner as well. Online learning has given me a much greater awareness of, collaboration opportunities available through chat rooms and discussion boards, and opportunities to stay in the loop through Twitter and other social media. In addition web 2.0 tools not only provide formative and summative assessment, etc., they also help us to think in different ways about learning and learners. One area of need is to expand my range of technology. (iNACOL Standard B) This will happen as I continue trying things in the classroom and delve more deeply into technologies. I also need to learn how to plan for collaboration and project based lessons. (iNACOL Standard C) I plan to watch lessons being taught online and observe teachers at school to see what I can adapt. I plan to learn more about teaching digital citizenship. (iNACOL Standard E) My study skills class is a perfect setting for putting digital citizenship curriculum into practice. Learning about Tuttle’s stages of formative assessment is new learning that I value. (iNACOL Standard G) I plan to make an effort to hit all of Tuttle’s stages when planning activities. Using an online Learning Management System is my biggest weakness. (iNACOL Standard K) For me I think Google Classroom is a good place to start even if it’s not considered an LMS per se. It sounds like a good option. Finally, I plan to make myself a list of these plans to remind me of all the things I want to try.

7.3 Reflection: Personal Learning Plan for Online Coaching

Having never taught an online course there are many things that I need to learn and many skills that I need to gain and strengthen. Although I believe that my skills gained from being a classroom teacher apply to all four roles, I see the role of technician as my weakest.  Although technician is my weakest it may be the easiest to master through training, online tutorials, and learning by trial and error. Being unclear about how systems work together and what is actually visible from the student perspective causes anxiety for me. There is also anxiety around the possibility of technical problems occurring and being unable to help students. The best cure for this is to identify ahead of time where to get help. As program manager I need to make sure to identify the best communication tools to use with my particular students. I need to survey my students in the beginning to see what communication tools they like best as well as use a variety of tools. This will require that I practice using these tools so that I become comfortable with them. I will need to provide a comprehensive syllabus so that the expectations are very clear. This will make handling student disagreements easier and avoid confusion that might lead to frustration, discouragement, and loss of motivation for students. As social director I need to give clear guidelines for behavior “netiquette” and make sure I address behavior that is inappropriate through positive communication. Overall I need to consider ways to create a positive tone for the course and try to foster a strong sense of community. As the instructor it will be important to communicate the course goals and outcomes using the syllabus as well as refer to goals throughout the course by including them in weekly announcements. Providing timely feedback is something I will need to prioritize as a way to facilitate student understanding and avoid student frustration. Feedback should be concrete with specifics about strengths and areas for improvement. There is a lot to consider when planning an online course. Fortunately, a lot of resources have been created to help me along the way.

Four Roles of an Online Teacher

Social Director, Program Manager, Technician, Instructor

List the Four Roles of an Online Teacher from Your Weakest to Strongest	What Skills Do I Need to Gain or Strengthen?	How I Will Gain The Skills?
Technician	Using a Learning Management System Manage course roster Manage student submissions Manage course files and folders	Participate in online tutorials and training for the LMS that I’m using. Consult with colleagues Learn more about Google Docs
Program Manager	Use communication tools Communicate grading Provide comprehensive syllabus FERPA policies	Read articles such as: “What online teachers need to know”; “The Online Educator’s Complete Guide to Grading”; “Syllabus Template Development for Online Course Success”; “Classroom Management Issues in Online Courses”; and “FERPA and Social Media”
Social Director	Netiquette Asynchronous discussions	Read articles such as: “Eight Ways to Increase Social Presence in Your Online Classes”; “Sweating the Small Stuff”; “Eight Tips for Facilitating Online Discussion Forums”; and “The Core Rules of Netiquette”
Instructor	Communicate course goals Plan for feedback interaction Statement of sensitivity to disabilities and diversities	Read articles such as: “Measuring Educational Experience Using the Community of Inquiry Framework”; and “Mapping Success: Essential Elements of an Effective Online Learning Experience”