Chris Davis, Instructional Support Coordinator Teaching Online with blendedschools.net

Chris Davis, Instructional Support Coordinator

Teaching Online with blendedschools.net

www.blendedschools.net

Providing Robust, Engaging Learning Environments

1.Who are you?

2.What do you teach?

3.Online Teaching / Learning Experience?

Introductions



Agenda

• Tuesday, September 10 and Wednesday, September 11, 2013 (8:00 a.m. -3:30 p.m.)

• Introduction to teaching online with Blackboard using the Blended Schools Curriculum with emphasis on the following skills:– Logging into and navigating Blackboard– Getting familiar with the BSN curriculum– Introduction to online learning– Adding teacher presence to online classes



What is blendedschools.net

• Not-for-Profit Organization dedicated to providing robust, engaging learning environment

– Network of Educators– Curriculum– Technology– Professional Development– Language Institute



• Not for profit.

• Tooling districts for the future.

• Goal is to help develop 21st Century teachers / classrooms

• Courses are written by highly qualified teachers

• Employees are educators.

What Makes BSN Unique



How Districts Use BSN

• Charter school students• Home schooled students• Homebound students• Gifted education or acceleration• Alternative education• Summer school• Supplementing regular classroom instruction• Students who travel• Remediation• Credit recovery• Other



How it Works

Join BSN

Designate Userband

Annual Agreement

Select an Online Primary Contact (OPC)

OPC Training Get Started

500 hours of PD (onsite / online)

Access to 190+ courses

Blackboard licenses

Video / interactive learning objects

Continued PD & Support

Online Help Desk

Live Help Desk Weekdays

Online / onsite PD



• Online world language instruction• Includes curriculum and instruction• Priced per enrollment per semester

– Arabic– Chinese– Japanese– Russian– Hindi– Spanish– French– Latin– German

Language Institute






Usernamemc99.cdavis

Password = welcome



Edit Your Personal Info



Edit Your Personal Info



The Blendedschools.net Tab



The Blendedschools.net Tab

Start Page

1. Add desired modules

2. Drag / Drop modules

3. Minimize / Expand modules

4. Edit Personal Info



Who Develops These Courses?

• Practicing K-12 teachers

• Developers are trained in technology and basic design principles

• BSN Staff supports new developers along with previously successful teacher developers

• Teachers work in teams to develop the courses

• If you are interested in becoming a developer, contact [email protected]



The Course Catalog

• Find the BSN Course Catalog on your “Classes” tab.

• Click “All Available blendedschools.net classes.”



Course Categories

• Catalog is organized by discipline

• Use Category drop-down to a discipline to browse. Then click “Go.”



Category Listing



The Course ID

SC.09.EarthSpaceA_3.0.bnet4copy

Subject Identifier

Level Identifier

Course Name and Version

District Identifier



Consistent Structure

• Breadcrumbs

• Class Information

• Class Menu

• Units

• Resources



Unit Structure

• Enduring Understandings

• Unit Vocabulary

• Project Introduction

• Lesson Folders

• Assessments Folder– Authentic project – Knowledge and Skill Test

• Curriculum Map



MultipleLearningActivities

Direct Instruction Videos

Note Taking

Lesson Hook

Essential Question

Evaluation

Lesson Component

s

• All elements of a lesson fit together for a complete learning experience.

• Feel free to edit, copy, move elements to fit your students’ needs.



Resources• Differentiation Folders

• Teachers files

• Introduction (student tutorials)

• Class Information Area

• Report an Error

Providing Engaging Learning Environments



Class Information

• Course Entry Point

• Contains

– Syllabus

– Enduring Understandings

– Course Materials Lists

– Customizable Policies

– Credits

Providing Engaging Learning Environments



Syllabus Example



Gradable Items List Example



Do You Know?

Essential Question

• Students will be able to answer at the end of the lesson



Getting Started

• Similar to a “bellringer” or “anticipatory set.”

• Often in form of a simple joke, image, cartoon, video, practice problem, or fact.



Note-Taking and Vocabulary

Concept Vocabulary• Simple games to

introduce key vocabulary and concepts

Intentional Note-Taking• Reminder for students to

take notes• Graphic organizer of

outline of lesson



Lesson Presentations• Student Controls

– Pause, rewind, re-watch

• Multiple Videos– If lesson is

complex

• “Flip” your classroom starting with these videos

• Use the PPT slides (in teacher files) to create your own screencasts



Learning Activities

• Interactive Activities for practice

Internet Links • Editable• Extension or clarification

Assignments• Open-ended practice



Collaborate and Reflect

These activities require students to:

• think again about the big ideas of the lesson

• be reflective in their writing.



Checks for Understanding

At the end of a unit:• Authentic Unit Project• Unit test • Course final

In a lesson• Open Ended Assignment• Lesson Quiz• Journal Reflection



BSN 3.0 Course Introduction

New 3.0 Courses• New course design• Interactive lessons• Self-scoring learning activities• ScoreCenter tracking



Why 3.0?

Lesson Packages

TextbookRequired

TextbookFree

1.0

2.0

3.0



What Does a 3.0 Course Look Like?

3.0



Navigation

3.0

• Easy-to-use navigation

• Helpful sidebar links



Interactive Lessons

3.0

• Practice during context of lesson

• Interact with content

• Self-scoring



Checks for Understanding

3.0

• Checks for understanding for formative assessment

• Self-scored



Teacher View of Participation

Attempt-based ScoreCenter ReportSee score, duration, give feedback



Teacher Control

Teachers can:• Override auto-scores• Edit settings for scoring• Move lesson packages



Previewing 3.0 Courses

Only enrolled users can access these new lessons due to ScoreCenter / Grade Center connection.

So we have created a special “Preview” area for you, allows you to see the full lesson without needing to connect to Grade Center



Getting Started with 3.0 Courses

Teachers

1. Hide the Preview area from the class menu.

2. Show the actual unit content areas in the class menu.



When will Courses Become 3.0?

• New Releases = 3.0• Current Releases will be converted over time

2.0 3.0



1. Avoided speaking in a meeting?

2. Hesitated in joining a committee?

3. Multi-tasked during a meeting?

Have you ever…



• Hide

• Hesitate

• Hold out

They will…



• What are the benefits of creating a community atmosphere in an online class?

• How can you establish your presence in your online class?

What and How?



Why Create a Community?

“Without the support and participation of a learning community, there is no online course”

Moller, L. Designing communities of learners for asynchronous distance education. Educational

Technology Research and Development

Perceived community = student learning = success or failure of the students.



Why Create a Community?

“Feeling lost or isolated is often big complaint of students who had a bad online class experience.”

Lucidway eLearning group,

Missing or Disengaged Teachers. “Where’s my teacher?” is the most frequent and complaint when it comes to online learning.

Debbie Morrison, Instructional Designer Master’s College in Santa Clarita CA



Strategies for Creating a Sense of Community

• Starters / Ice breakers

• Personalized first contact

• Personality / learning style test

• Video intro

• Voice Board intro• Learner Profile Wiki• Email• Learner Journal• Add a web link to a

personality test, share results in blog

Catch Them



What do you think?

In a traditional setting, how long does our brain focus attention at a time?

(# of hours, minutes or seconds)



Brain in Focus?

8 seconds

Kostina and LaGanza, Golden Climate in Distance Learning 2012

Our brain needs stimulation in the form of curiosity.



Qualities of a Good Ice-Breaker

• Fun• Non-threatening• Quick• Simple• Person-focused, not

content-focused• Promotes finding

commonalities with others



Strategies for Establishing Your Presence

• Start the conversation• Acknowledge and

exemplify contributions• Set the tone• Clarify• PREVIEW

6 ways to increase social presence

1. Welcome letter

2. Personalized intro

3. Frequent announcements

4. Appear in discussions

5. Synchronous workshops

6. Office hours / conferences

Hong Wang, PhD in Faculty Focus. Feb 18, 2010

Join Them

Documents

Chris Davis, Instructional Support Coordinator Teaching Online with blendedschools.net