Best Practices in Online Mathematics Teaching

Gwinnett Online Campus

Dr. Matt Waymack, Director

Sheri Gilbert, Coordinator

http://vss2008.wikispaces.com/waymack

About Gwinnett Online• District-level program started in 1999• Gwinnett County Public Schools,

Metropolitan Atlanta, GA• 102 courses – all owned by GCOC• eCollege LMS since 1999• Semesters – not rolling enrollment• Quality math instruction (K12 and higher

ed) utilizes a blend of synchronous and asynchronous tools

YTD 2008 – Total GCOC Scope

High School 3713

Middle School Online 13

Middle School Hybrid/Web-Enhanced 325

Middle School Support Classes 968

Staff Development 625

Special Entity Support 600

Curriculum Support 484

TOTAL 6728

Objectives

• Asynchronous tools

• Synchronous tools

• Other quality policies/procedures

• Other useful software and tools

• Questions/discussion

Asynchronous Learning

• Daily work (accuracy vs effort)– “Weekly” Problems

• Submitted though dropbox

• Checks for effort

• Scanned or submitted in .rtf format

Asynchronous Learning

• Daily work (continued)– Homework Checks

• Multiple choice questions from pool of questions

• Checks for accuracy

Asynchronous Learning

• Daily work (continued)– Homework notebook (hybrid setting)

• Used during short terms– Want to assess how well students are doing math rather

than how well they can type math

• Physically handed in lieu of Weekly Problems at the end of the semester

Asynchronous Learning

• Quizzes and Tests– Use a variety of question types – not just one

• Multiple choice

• True/false

• Short answer

• Use pools

• Respondus imports nicely into eCollege and other LMS

– Grading and Feedback• Time consuming, but beneficial for students

Asynchronous Learning

• Discussions– Little used in lieu of heavy emphasis on

CLP/Elluminate– Mathematics discussions with high school

students have not been as productive as social studies and language arts.

Synchronous Learning

• Virtual class sessions at least once weekly– ClassLive Pro and/or Elluminate– Can not make “mandatory” b/c of students in

multiple time zones– Virtual Office Hours & Teaching– Schedule at different time to accommodate

schedules– CLP recording archive in course– CLP may also be used asynchronously

ClassLive Pro Archive

Students can be directed to the correct session to review as often as they like

Synchronous Learning

• Hardware/Software• Wacom tablet or digital pen

• TI Graphing Emulator

• Headset Mic• Webcam

Synchronous Learning

– Offer Extra Credit, “homework pass” or other incentive to show up

– Mandatory if grade is below a C

Synchronous Learning

– Previewing material• Prevents students waiting until office hours

• Eliminates frustration of covering too many concepts in one night

– Students may listen to archives

Synchronous Learning

• Benefits– Increased understanding and test scores

– Students may repeatedly watch interactive discussions are needed

– Fewer drops

– Good return on investment

– Positive feedback from all levels of students

– Coming soon – export of sessions into MP3s and MPEG4 videos

Course Calendar/Pacing Guide

• Students are given assignments that are due DAILY rather than weekly

• Students (both high school and college) need the structure, and less likely to procrastinate with well-structured deadlines.

• Math is linear and is more difficult to get caught up online if they get behind

Final Exams

• Administered Face to Face– Validity check

– Adds to program credibility

• If final exam grade differs from test average by more that 25 points students may be required to take additional cumulative assessment in proctored environment. Credit is not awarded if discrepancy remains.

Communication• Math Phobia • Email grade reports

– External gradebook program (local requirement)

– Sent weekly to students/parents/local schools

• Parent/auditor roles• Weekly parent calls or regular contacts with

higher ed students for students not doing well

• Course announcements and email checked daily

Communication• Email first means of contact

– 24 hour (preferably much less) turn around time

– Students put name and class on every email• I don’t know who bubba_dawg_123@ yahoo

is?????

• Kind words

• Never put anything in email that you do not want on the front page of the newspaper

• Can fix mistakes, but can not fix unkind words

Local Support Structure

• Site-Coordinators at all 20 high schools

• Liaison between GCOC and schools, online teachers and local students

Courses

• GCOC writes and updates the majority of courses

• National Repository of Online Courses– http://www.montereyinstitute.org/nroc/– Good value and has good content from which

to pull– Imports into eCollege and other LMS(show

course)

Software

• Captivate www.adobe.com

• Respondus www.respondus.com

• TI-SmartView education.ti.com

• Elluminate elluminate.com

Student Quotes

• ….It’s nice to be in a class where the teacher focuses on what I need help with rather than what they think is important…

• …I like how chats are used for teaching what I actually do not understand…

• …I have more personal interaction with you than any of my teachers at my school…thank you

Questions/Discussion

• Dr. Matt Waymack, Director

• 770-326-8082• matthew_waymack@gwinnett.k12.ga.us

• http://vss2008.wikispaces.com/waymack