Scenario #1

Scenario #1 From the textbook, What Works in K-12 Online Learning, choose Chapters 3-7 (pp.33-123) as your basis for this posting. Your selection may be based on the perspective most relevant to your experience and/or goals in online teaching, or it may be based on interest in the content of the chapter. You should embrace the chapter author(s) views and experiences as realistic, accurate, and relevant. Consider yourself an experienced "partner" with these professionals. Scenario: An article has come out in your local newspaper about the growing use of online teaching and learning strategies in your area (concentrated in the content area described by your chosen chapter). There was a flurry of letters to the editor in which parents and other community members expressed doubt about the effectiveness of such instruction, and some were upset by the perceived "impersonal nature" of instruction via the computer. This discussion has been put on the agenda of the next PTA or PTO meeting, and you are asked to attend and help contribute to (not lead) the discussion. Questions: 1. How would you reassure parents that online learning is effective? 2. What best practices in student-instructor and student-student interaction would you describe? 3. How would you assure parents that online students will get feedback and personal attention? Instructions: Create a new posting titled "Student/Instructor/Parent Communications Scenario # 1_YourLastName" to assemble your thoughts on the questions above in the form of notes to yourself that you would write in preparation for the meeting. Use the Chapter number you used from the book as your subject heading. P.S. No, you can't be sick the night of the meeting!

Chapter 5- Teaching and Learning Mathematics Online Questions: 1. How would you reassure parents that online learning is effective? The first thing I would show parents is how individualized online instruction is. Often in a classroom setting a schedule is set that must be maintained whether students understand a concept fully or not. In the online setting students can move at their own pace, because they may understand one concept more quickly than another. I will show how flexible the schedule for online learning can be to meet the needs of each learner. I would also show parents statistics of pass rate for students that complete online math classes and their success in their following math classes. Lastly, I would explain to parents the communication factor that parents and students will be contacted with positive feedback as well as any feedback when their students need extra help so that tutoring sessions can be setup and make sure that parents are kept in the loop at all time with constant communication so that their students are successful.

2. What best practices in student-instructor and student-student interaction would you describe? There are several ways for instructor to communicate with students and students to interact with one another now through virtual means. Some of the most common ones used are online discussion boards available in the online classroom, instant messaging services, whiteboard lessons, Elluminate as well as phone communication on a one-on-one basis or conference calls. Instructors can also set up expert lounges on the class website so that students who have

mastered a particular subject can tutor students who are still struggling because often students feel more comfortable getting help from one another. 3. How would you assure parents that online students will get feedback and personal attention? I would describe the several options that each teacher has to give each student feedback including the online grading portal, whiteboard example problems that allow for written and verbal response, as well as telephone calls for a more one-on-one classroom feeling. Teachers at the school will be required to give student feedback within a 48 hour time frame on all assignments and students that are not being successful will get more personal attention with a individualized action plan for success. Cavanaugh, C., & Blomeyer, R. (2007). What works in K-12 online learning. Washington, DC: ISTE. ISBN: 978-1-56484-236-7

Scenario #2 Chapter 8 of What Works in K-12 Online Learning (pp. 125-141) concerns "differentiated instruction online". Several vignettes demonstrate how particular individuals might interact with online content. For this Scenario, I want you to think of students with whom you work now or have taught in the past, who you believe would require differentiated instruction if they were to take an online course, or engage in a comprehensive computer-based learning experience. Instructions: Create a new posting titled "Student/Instructor/Parent Communications Scenario # 2_YourLastName" to write a short vignette about a student (no name) in which you describe the student's exceptionality, and outline how concepts of Universal Design for Learning would help this student to be successful in an online or comprehensive computer-based learning experience. Make sure to address issues of accessibility and support. Limit your response to 2-3 paragraphs, and include links and references if you wish.

I currently teach 8th grade math which is broken down into Number Systems, Expressions and Equations, Functions, Geometry, and Probability/Statistics. The state sets a pacing guide describing the order in which the teachers are supposed to teach each concept. Often students with exceptionalities benefit when similar concepts are taught together instead of jumping around from concept to concept like Georgia intends for us to do. For two years I taught in an inclusion setting in which I had several students who would benefit from an online learning setting where concepts could be organized for students to complete more successfully. Completing the class online would also allow for more one-on-one individualized instruction for students who struggle and would also allow for very detailed instructions and organization which most of my students struggle with. Each lesson could be set up in a folder and as the students complete an assignment they could be provided with online checklist where they could manually check the item off and it would be crossed off their to-do list. Having all documents online would also be a support for students because they would not have to worry about losing their work or misplacing it because it would always be kept in digital format in their

online folder and accessible when they needed to review a concept and look at their notes and practice problems. Completing an 8th grade math course online would also open a whole new line of accessibility because students would be able to get support outside of the standard classroom whenever they needed help. If an online chat room is set up for students and instructors than anytime a student is struggling they would be able to post a question and get immediate feedback from a peer or instructor for extra support. Often in a traditional classroom once students get home they are on their own with homework and projects and lack the additional help they may need. The online element also offers students a chance to rewatch instructional lessons and videos or podcast for further understanding. Often hearing something repeated or seeing something over and over is an effective tool to help with memorization and multi-step processing which is large part of upper level mathematics.

Scenario #3 Chapter 9 of What Works in K-12 Online Learning (pp. 143-160) concerns "online discussions". There's a great deal of practical information about design and facilitation. But what about the "rules of engagement"? Instructions: Create a new posting titled "Student/Instructor/Parent Communications Scenario # 3_YourLastName" to respond to the following questions:

Questions: 1. What rules would you impose on your students to guide orderly and respectful participation in an online discussion group?

Rules for online Discussion: 1. Every discussion is opened on Monday at 12:00 am and requires and individualized response by Thursday of that same week at 12:00 am. 2. All participants are required to respond to at least two separate postings before the end of the week at 11:59 pm on Sunday evening. 3. Each response should help to further the discussion by adding personal experience or submitting a new reference to help support or show counter arguments to the original posts. 4. Each post should be research based and provide documentation of the reference article in proper APA format. 5. All responses must be respectful and may not contain profanity. When responding or reading responses if you feel that you are unclear of the discussions meaning please message the writer and ask for any clarifications that you may require. 6. If for any reason you are unable to participate in a required discussion please email the instructor as far in advance as possible to set up individualized arrangements (do not wait until the last minute). 7. Late discussion response will not be accepted and will receive a score of zero for the week.

2. What rules would you put on yourself as the facilitator? As the facilitator I will be required to monitor postings on weekly basis for any inappropriate postings and use of derogatory language or unacceptable language. I will also be responsible for monitoring posts on Thursday mornings. If a student has not posted their original discussion by Thursday morning they will receive an email reminder that their assignment is later. I will also respond to at least 5 discussions each week to add further insight or to correct any misconceptions that may exist that other students did not give any peer feedback about. Lastly, I will ensure that a safe community of learning is provided at all times so that students feel comfortable learning and sharing their ideas with one another.