Preparing  Your  Students  for  Success  in  the  Online  Environment  

Jason  Neiffer,  Montana  Digital  Academy  Susan  Quinn,  Charles  M.  Russell  High  School  

It  takes  a  village  to  teach  an  online  student…  

Our  PresentaIon  

•  About  MTDA  •  What  is  MTDA’s  experience  related  to  online  learning?  

•  MTDA  Tools  to  support  •  Local  District  to  support  

Lessons  from  MTDA’s  First  Year  

Independent  

Flexible  

Self-­‐StarIng  Self-­‐AdvocaIng  

Curious  

Tech-­‐Savvy  

What  makes  a  great  online  student?  

Poorly  Placed  

Techophobic  

Disorganized  

Instructor  Dependent  

OvercommiTed  

HosIle  

Inexperienced  

What  makes  a  less-­‐than-­‐ideal  online  student?  

What  makes  a  less-­‐than-­‐ideal  online  student?  

Less  Ready:  •  Extremely  supporIve  environment  

•  Local  adult  intervenIon  •  Extended  local  computer  access  •  Less  independence  

More  Ready:  • More  independence  •  Student-­‐generated  progress  reports  

MTDA  InsItuIonal  Philosophy  

All  students  can  be  an  online  learner!  

…but,  some  students  need  more  support  than  others!  

Developing  a  Local  School  Program  Around  Montana  Digital  Academy  

Entrance  counseling  

IT  support  Staff  support  

Parent  support  

What  discussions  need  to  happen  locally  to  build  a  support  regime?  

Careful  entrance  counseling  

•  USE  MTDA  TOOLS!  •  MoIvaIons  for  taking  an  online  course?  

•  ImplicaIons  for  dropping  or  failing  the  online  course?  

•  ExpectaIons  that  the  student  treats  the  course  with  equal  seriousness  as  a  face-­‐to-­‐face  course  

IT  Support  

•  Computer  availability  •  Filtering  and  website  access  issues  •  AlternaIve  access  scenarios  •  Required  so[ware  installs  •  IdenIfied  staff  to  offer  support  

Staff  Support  

•  Site  facilitator  or  another  point  of  contact?  

•  Does  staff  require  training?  •  Does  staff  require  access  to  MTDA  student  management  data?  

•  Does  a  content  area  teacher  need  to  offer  support  in  special  circumstances?  

Parent  Support?  

•  Has  the  student’s  parents/guardians  been  part  of  the  decision  to  u9lize  MTDA?    Do  they  understand  the  implica9ons  of  local  policy  related  to  MTDA?  

•  Refer  parents  to  live  or  archived  student  orientaIon  materials.  

Program  Example:  Charles  M.  Russell  High  School  

Title  

•  Lorem  ipsum  dolor  sit  amet,  consectetuer  adipiscing  elit.  Vivamus  et  magna.  Fusce  sed  sem  sed  magna  suscipit  egestas.    

•  Lorem  ipsum  dolor  sit  amet,  consectetuer  adipiscing  elit.  Vivamus  et  magna.  Fusce  sed  sem  sed  magna  suscipit  egestas.