EDLD+5368+Instructional+Design

**__Week 5__**
Educators need to do whatever it takes to keep their students engaged in learning. Today, that means we need to meet them where they are. They are online. They are connected. By knowing how to effectively design and deliver online learning experiences, educators can address the diverse needs of today’s students. Richardson (2007) states “There’s a whole new world out there with a whole new set of skills our kids need to manage” (p. 97). He explains that we must change the way we think about teaching and learning to equip our students with the tools they need to be successful in an ever changing world. What better way to empower our students than by improving our own skills as educators and giving them continual learning opportunities to create, collaborate, connect, and communicate in an online environment?

The course I designed in Schoology is a practical way to introduce teachers to online collaboration tools. Many teachers in my district want the opportunity to participate in online learning because it allows so much flexibility. To help ease teachers into online learning I would probably use this as a blended learning experience. Although there are many teachers who would feel comfortable using the course as designed, there are just as many that need the support of face-to-face experiences. In my district, we are offering two online courses for professional development this summer and for one of them we are providing an open lab for participants who need that extra support. Hopefully teachers will embrace online learning and be more motivated to use it in their own classes.

Online learning presents challenges for school districts. How do we ensure equity of access to all our students? In my school district, we do not have the funds to provide every student access to hardware and the Internet to all students for use beyond the regular school day. According to Mason and Dodds (2005) “not every student has the same access to [the Internet], and the inability to keep pace has created a digital divide that continues to widen” (p. 25). Inadequate funding makes it difficult to provide the same learning opportunities to all students. Another question that teachers have is how do we ensure that the work being done online is being done by the student? This is one of the concerns teachers have. But I argue, for that matter, how do we know that any assignment done outside of the classroom is being done by the student? A solution could be that important assessments could be conducted in a proctored setting.

There is still much I need to learn about creating and implementing online learning. My own experiences with online learning have helped me become more aware and appreciative of the challenge of creating a good quality online course. It is much more difficult and time consuming than presenting a face-to-face course. I see the potential of Schoology for professional development as well as K-12 education. Introducing this tool to teachers by providing online professional development opportunities is one way for me to help them move toward the inclusion of online learning for their students. Schoology is simpler to use than the tool my district currently uses for online course development. The simpler the tool, the more likely teachers will find a way to incorporate it into their curriculum.

Mason, C. Y., & Dodds, R. (2005). //Bridge the digital divide for educational equity//. The Education Digest, 70 (9), 25-27.

Richardson, W. (2007). //The seven Cs of learning: A new c-change in education//. District Administration, 43 (3), 97.

Week 1
Teaching Style Inventory**
 * Sampling of Student Learning Inventories