At the beginning of the class, I had a skeptical view of online schooling and what it had to offer. There is a lot of hype on the subject in conferences, journals and even in the popular news. Also, as a teacher I value the physical classroom and its ability to give me an interesting place to work and a way to make my living. I don't want to teach at home in my pajamas, like going to a physical place and I really feel strongly that kids need face to face interactions in order to grow up and be sensible, functioning human beings.
After going through this course and seeing the many options that online schooling has to offer, I am still skeptical, a little less afraid, more open to teach in my pajamas, but still holding to the idea that kids need physical contact in order to develop. A number of different uses of online schooling make really basic sense to me. Using online schooling for the underachieving who need to make work up and the over achieving who want to take things beyond what a normal school has to offer makes sense and we have seen several instances where that is working ( and several where it is not). I can see the "home school kid" fitting in really well to many of the good online schools that we looked at. I can even see where online schooling can make a difference in a regular face-to-face school where scheduling can be difficult in order to deliver what kids want or need.
The most evident thing that I found after this course is that online schooling offers some nice hard data on how kids are really doing on a more objective basis than one teacher in one classroom. I think this will lead to a more efficient education. So many new reform efforts are geared toward cramming stuff - new curriculum, new methods, etc. - into the classroom. Online education can be a way to unpack the classroom. Having more input from different people to assist kids. I can also see if we were able to deliver some courses such as math, on more of an online asynchronous basis, we could have kids progress through course more at their own speed rather than the average speed of all the learners in the room. I see many opportunities for using blended instruction to maximize good face-to-face time. Overall, we are still in the early stages of online schooling and more research needs to be done.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
What was the most difficult aspect of researching this topic?
One of the hardest aspects of researching my topic was to define it. Blended learning is also called hybrid learning, computer assisted learning, and so many other things that basically meant joining "traditional" learning with something else, most with technology enabling it. This meant that you had to define "traditional" learning and distill everything that has been going on in the classroom since the introduction of computers to the classroom. I have been teaching with a Moodle course that is a companion to my face-to-face course for years. Does that mean I am using blended learning? If I use a Smartboard in class and then post my notebook file on my Moodle page in a forum to add feedback I am blended, but if I don't post it, I am not using blended learning.
I guess what I became comfortable with as a definition is if the learning for the class is facilitated inside the classroom AND outside of the classroom (physical classroom), it is blended, but if it all takes place in just one of the two then it is traditional learning or online learning. As for "facilitated", I am talking about something that is beyond "homework" and assigned readings. For outside the classroom, I am talking about discussion forums, chats, or anything that makes up the "meat" of an online course. For inside the classroom, it could be anything you do in a classroom. The blended really becomes a question of location.
The problem is after going through a bunch of articles on "blended" learning, many people were really only speaking about doing stuff in the classroom, in a different way they normally did, but with computers. In other articles, the broader different of types of learning, experiential learning with regular classroom learning or synchronous online learning with asynchronous. The term blended got tossed around in many different contexts. Ultimately, I went with location and found two teachers that had blended experiences with online experiences blended with face to face meetings.
I guess what I became comfortable with as a definition is if the learning for the class is facilitated inside the classroom AND outside of the classroom (physical classroom), it is blended, but if it all takes place in just one of the two then it is traditional learning or online learning. As for "facilitated", I am talking about something that is beyond "homework" and assigned readings. For outside the classroom, I am talking about discussion forums, chats, or anything that makes up the "meat" of an online course. For inside the classroom, it could be anything you do in a classroom. The blended really becomes a question of location.
The problem is after going through a bunch of articles on "blended" learning, many people were really only speaking about doing stuff in the classroom, in a different way they normally did, but with computers. In other articles, the broader different of types of learning, experiential learning with regular classroom learning or synchronous online learning with asynchronous. The term blended got tossed around in many different contexts. Ultimately, I went with location and found two teachers that had blended experiences with online experiences blended with face to face meetings.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Blog reflection due by Wednesday How has your thinking about online schools and online schooling changed since the first week?
There are a few things that have change in my perception of online schooling. The first is that it is a lot bigger and more expansive than I thought. There are lots of schools and there are tiers of different types of schools and offerings. Huge investments are being made into state and corporate schools (sometimes a state school is a corporate school). There looks to be some regulation, though to me it is vague stats. There are an awful lot of coverage about the pitfalls about online ed, but not much beyond puff pieces about the advantages.
When I look at a students to teacher ratio of 40 to 1, I am a little taken aback. When I hear that a parent has to be available for the student for five hours a day, I wonder about all those parents who work. I guess some of them could get jobs a home, but this still seems to me that there are two tiers of virtual schools, one for stay at home parents, probably wealthy or poor but not middle class, and the cost saving online schools where students are herded into a classroom and monitored by a "monitor" (there was no mention of learning specialist/teacher/etc. there except out in the cloud).
I see a lot of potential in virtual classes, especially in offering kids a special experience that that could not get in their own school (either is was not offered, not enough students interested, or remedial/enrichment). I can't see teens managing themselves at home without some adult no less tweens. I am more convinced that a full online class could work in a school setting (before this, I was only convinced that a blended experience would work).
When I look at a students to teacher ratio of 40 to 1, I am a little taken aback. When I hear that a parent has to be available for the student for five hours a day, I wonder about all those parents who work. I guess some of them could get jobs a home, but this still seems to me that there are two tiers of virtual schools, one for stay at home parents, probably wealthy or poor but not middle class, and the cost saving online schools where students are herded into a classroom and monitored by a "monitor" (there was no mention of learning specialist/teacher/etc. there except out in the cloud).
I see a lot of potential in virtual classes, especially in offering kids a special experience that that could not get in their own school (either is was not offered, not enough students interested, or remedial/enrichment). I can't see teens managing themselves at home without some adult no less tweens. I am more convinced that a full online class could work in a school setting (before this, I was only convinced that a blended experience would work).
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Week Two
Blog reflection due by WednesdayWrite a tweet-length paper (140 characters) that describes what you would be thinking if you were a parent choosing a school for your child, or if you were a student looking for an online school.
Parent Prespective
Can my kid keep up with his/her work when no one is physically watching? Will he/she have fun and a social life?
Parent Prespective
Can my kid keep up with his/her work when no one is physically watching? Will he/she have fun and a social life?
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Week One Reflection
This has been an interesting week. I think I have learn a bunch of stuff, but hear are a few ideas that stick out:
- The diversity of the class - as Professor Lowe said in her reflection, I am impressed by the geographical diversity and content area diversity that we have in our group. I am in the CCTE program and my classes are normally filled with CCTE students. Since I spend a lot of time working with teachers of other disciplines in my school, it will be great to hear the multiple perspectives here to help me work better with those teachers.
- Hijacking Worries - after reading the article Bracey article and a few news articles on how different groups are hijacking virtual schooling for profit or to circumvent reforms, I am a little worried. How can we help people (teachers, parents, admins) filter out the good from the bad? Also, how can we help teachers do more effective teaching that takes advantage of the capabilities of VS, rather than do stuff that was mediocre face to face in an online version.
- There is some good stuff out there and it is helping kids. I took a look at some of the Florida Virtual School stuff, mostly just articles about it, and I can see some promise there. I went to this Edtechcamp conference in Dec and met these guys from a school in Camden, NJ that is doing some incredible stuff through online schooling. I now have a reason to follow up with them.
The biggest question for me what is working in VS and how can I coop it into my work at my school?
- The diversity of the class - as Professor Lowe said in her reflection, I am impressed by the geographical diversity and content area diversity that we have in our group. I am in the CCTE program and my classes are normally filled with CCTE students. Since I spend a lot of time working with teachers of other disciplines in my school, it will be great to hear the multiple perspectives here to help me work better with those teachers.
- Hijacking Worries - after reading the article Bracey article and a few news articles on how different groups are hijacking virtual schooling for profit or to circumvent reforms, I am a little worried. How can we help people (teachers, parents, admins) filter out the good from the bad? Also, how can we help teachers do more effective teaching that takes advantage of the capabilities of VS, rather than do stuff that was mediocre face to face in an online version.
- There is some good stuff out there and it is helping kids. I took a look at some of the Florida Virtual School stuff, mostly just articles about it, and I can see some promise there. I went to this Edtechcamp conference in Dec and met these guys from a school in Camden, NJ that is doing some incredible stuff through online schooling. I now have a reason to follow up with them.
The biggest question for me what is working in VS and how can I coop it into my work at my school?
Saturday, January 22, 2011
About Me
I am a EdM student in instructional technology and design at TC and a 7-12th grade technology coordinator at a private school near Union Square. Before becoming a tech coordinator in 2000, I have worked as a software developer and a HS English teacher. My interests include research into STEM education, teaching teachers how to integrate tech, kids making stuff (robots, electronics, software), and online tools that support teachers and students.
What made me interested in this course?
This subject interests me for a few reasons. First, in my job I help teachers integrate technology. We have experimented with hybrid courses (part online, part face to face). I am interested in finding ways to support teachers in making good versions of these courses. Also, I teach a number of courses myself including a new HS programming class that is a hybrid course, so I want to know how online learning can help me teach kids and teachers. Lastly, this is a growing trend in education and I want to find out the best practices, techniques and where online course are going in the educational world.
What experience do I have in this area?
As a student, I have taken two courses at TC that were entirely online. They were a mixed bag. One course was very discussion based. We were divided into discussion groups, had good discussions on reading (which were mostly paper textbooks), and wrote a lot. I found the course challenging (you couldn't fade into the back of the room), but the course offered a coverage of the topic that I could get otherwise. It was intense. The other course focused on using an edtech tool. I found the course more of a series of links to self guided tutorials. I received some feedback from the teacher, but I felt like there was not much offered by the course that I could not get through a lot of online tutorials that were offered for free on the web.
As a teacher, I have had some experience with online hybrid courses and software. I have used and worked with many teachers on how to use Moodle over the last five years. I use Moodle as a companion to all of the courses I teach. I just starting to teach a hybrid class that meets twice a week and has the equivalent of two meeting online (async but I am going to try a couple of sync classes). Online support for face-to-face classes has been a great way for me and many of the teachers that I have worked with to extend the class into a richer experience outside of class. It reaches some kids better than other, but overall it has a positive effect.
Overall, I am on the fence with totally online classes, especially with younger kids. I teach at a private school and many parents would be difficult to convince that online courses are good for their kids. On the other hand, the number of specialized opportunities available for HS students that online classes can provide might change their minds. I think the key for online classes is that students must have a strong motivation to take one. Hybrid courses hold a lot of promise for my school. They offer more scheduling flexibility and allow students to individualize portions of the class with enough scaffolding. As I said, I am still on the fence about totally online classes, but I guess this class will give me time to contemplate on the issues..
What made me interested in this course?
This subject interests me for a few reasons. First, in my job I help teachers integrate technology. We have experimented with hybrid courses (part online, part face to face). I am interested in finding ways to support teachers in making good versions of these courses. Also, I teach a number of courses myself including a new HS programming class that is a hybrid course, so I want to know how online learning can help me teach kids and teachers. Lastly, this is a growing trend in education and I want to find out the best practices, techniques and where online course are going in the educational world.
What experience do I have in this area?
As a student, I have taken two courses at TC that were entirely online. They were a mixed bag. One course was very discussion based. We were divided into discussion groups, had good discussions on reading (which were mostly paper textbooks), and wrote a lot. I found the course challenging (you couldn't fade into the back of the room), but the course offered a coverage of the topic that I could get otherwise. It was intense. The other course focused on using an edtech tool. I found the course more of a series of links to self guided tutorials. I received some feedback from the teacher, but I felt like there was not much offered by the course that I could not get through a lot of online tutorials that were offered for free on the web.
As a teacher, I have had some experience with online hybrid courses and software. I have used and worked with many teachers on how to use Moodle over the last five years. I use Moodle as a companion to all of the courses I teach. I just starting to teach a hybrid class that meets twice a week and has the equivalent of two meeting online (async but I am going to try a couple of sync classes). Online support for face-to-face classes has been a great way for me and many of the teachers that I have worked with to extend the class into a richer experience outside of class. It reaches some kids better than other, but overall it has a positive effect.
Overall, I am on the fence with totally online classes, especially with younger kids. I teach at a private school and many parents would be difficult to convince that online courses are good for their kids. On the other hand, the number of specialized opportunities available for HS students that online classes can provide might change their minds. I think the key for online classes is that students must have a strong motivation to take one. Hybrid courses hold a lot of promise for my school. They offer more scheduling flexibility and allow students to individualize portions of the class with enough scaffolding. As I said, I am still on the fence about totally online classes, but I guess this class will give me time to contemplate on the issues..
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