Post Modern Pedagogy Meets Digital Content & Tools: Don't
Transcript of Post Modern Pedagogy Meets Digital Content & Tools: Don't
Post Modern Pedagogy Meets
Digital Content and Tools:
Don’t Leave Home Without It
Too often, digital programs are chosen without a clear pedagogical perspective i.e.we make choices based on bells and whistles and not solid foundations in learning.From a curriculum creator's experience, learn valuable lessons that will assist youand your school in your quest to select quality programs that continue to deliverafter the bells and whistles have been silenced. Learn about sound pedagogicalbenchmarks that must be in every program offered to school children. Learn howteacher preparation and training are key elements in the delivery of digital content.See how a student's learning community can be enhanced by more authenticparticipation from parents and care-givers. Discover new methods for evaluatingstudents and learning about the revitalized 21st Century report card. See howtraditional lessons are delivered in a post modern framework and check out howwell students are doing using these tried and true methods in new packages.
How am I going to meet the needs of
individual students…special education,
credit recovery, AYP, budgets, parents…
Hardware and software sufficiently robust to manage the learning activities of tens of thousands of online learners
Digital content that engages the learner for every core subject on every day of the week for an entire school year
Thorough on-line and off-line curriculum, augmented with multi-media, flash and video/audio clips, Internet links and educational games
Training closely integrated with the instructional materials, whether for classroom or home
Initial or ongoing assessments for placement as well as mastery
Services to simplify planning and progress tracking
Presentation models to meet the needs of all student learning and assessment styles.
Hardware infused throughout the student body so that all students enrolled have access
Elements of Strong Digital Content
and Tools
FACT: Since students in online schools have more flexible schedules,
many find they actually have more time for social and community
activities than their peers in more traditional schooling environments. A
recent study shows that full-time online students are at least – if not
more – socialized than students in a traditional setting.
MYTH: Students who attend school
online lack socialization skills
Synchronous teaching activities are offered-in person and
virtual
Bulletin boards, discussion boards, blogs, competitions,
science fairs, online clubs (ex., Chess Clubs), etc.
Monthly Student/Family Outings and Activities
Social Networking is Valued
FACT: In a well developed online course the student should spend a
certain amount of time each day engaged in schoolwork. They should
be required to take standardized tests and receive grades.
A solid curriculum should be developed by experts and should meet
or exceed your certification, accreditation, and state’s standards, for a
VERY WELL EDUCATED STUDENT!
MYTH: Online schools do not meet the
curriculum requirements for public
schools
FACT: In a well developed online course the student should spend no
more than 10-50% of the day online.
The remainder of the curriculum should rely on printed and/or hands-on
materials, including worksheets, textbooks, workbooks, microscopes
for lab work, etc.
MYTH: Students spend all day
staring at a computer.
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100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
K 3 6 9 12
Grade Level
OnlineInstruction
Learning
Coach
Role in
Process
Percentage of Instruction Online
FACT: An online education is rigorous, challenging and exciting.
Students in a sound online program spend between 5 and 7 hours
per day working on school.
A solid program provides significant teacher support, a
recommended schedule, required materials and lesson tools for
tracking progress.
MYTH: Attending school online is a
part-time endeavor
FACT: Teachers are in frequent contact with students. Teachers
provide instruction and guidance, answer questions and make
suggestions, check and grade work, and monitor attendance.
This is done remotely rather than in the classroom. Teachers also host
live “Class Connect” online sessions.
MYTH: Teaching cannot be accomplished
adequately in online schools
Guiding Principle #1
A solid curriculum uses “tried and true” educational
approaches for Instruction and assessed objectives based
on rich content and “big ideas.”
Course development is based on education research about how learning happens.
A vigilant commitment to effectiveness and a nimble responsiveness to change-a quality to seek.
Courses should be offered in all subjects:
Language Arts/ English
Math
Science
History
Art
Music
World Languages
Electives
Guiding Principle #2
A solid curriculum uses technology appropriately
for learning.
Guiding Principle #3
To ensure mastery, a sound curriculum includes sufficient
learning activities that require full-time student involvement.
Lesson
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Navigation
Instructional
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Interactives
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Lesson
Guiding Principle #4
A solid online program includes highly qualified, certified
and widely experienced teachers who interact frequently
with students.
Turn teachers into subject-matter heroes by offering professional development and
training services that help teachers achieve the right knowledge, skills, and unshakable
confidence to teach effectively in a virtual environment.
Apply research in training and delivery, to find an instructional design process. Begin by
performing a needs assessments. Then design a training program using appropriate
content methods and media. Implement the training, either face-to-face, virtually, or
through blended methods, and evaluate the effectiveness of the training product.
Before doing this, though, invite teachers and administrators to attend an orientation that
covers the basics of working in a virtual school using the curriculum, technology, and
processes. Teach them to become familiar with the program and the curriculum; gain an
understanding of student profiles; learn about the Platform tools and Reports; and discuss
enrollment, logistics, and operations.
Teachers should be offered training workshops, web seminars, web-based training, and
quick reference tools to meet the needs of the school. These events will help keep staff
up-to-date with support system upgrades, and give teachers a better understanding of
content changes and process improvements.
It all depends on how thorough and complete the program is. If it
includes only online work, then what happens to the student who
learns via manipulatives?
Louisa Moats, a leading phonics expert proposes using ALL senses
to teach phonics. This same pedagogical approach should be used
and woven throughout the entire content offered.
How can one program meet the needs
of all children?
Longevity = Success
A solid online program can show increases in student
performance within one school year and continued
performance growth over time.
The longer students remain with the program, the better they should perform.
• The highest quality, most modern curriculum, built on
academically validated principles
• A curriculum that can prove its record of success with students
both quantitatively and qualitatively
• Teacher, Parent & Administrative Training and Support
• Student Recruitment and Enrollment Processing
• Orientation and Community Building Resources
• Administrative Services Including Report Assistance
• Diagnostic and Prescriptive Tools for Student Intervention
• Customer Care and Technical Support
• Test Prep Assistance
• School Counseling Resources (for older students)
What to Look for When Selecting an
Online Provider
• Clayton Christensen, a Harvard Business Professor writes in
his book titled, “Disrupting Class” that, “Like all disruptions,
student-centric technology will make it affordable, convenient,
and simple for many more students to learn in ways that are
customized for them.” (p. 92)
• Based on trends Christensen points to research which points
out that, “In the subsequent six years, technology’s market
share will grow from 5 percent to 50 percent. It will become a
massive market. And based on further business forecasts, 80
percent of courses taken in 2024 will be online in a student-
centric way.”
Summary