Moodle focused professional development

I was recently asked whether or not Moodle should be a main topic in training our teachers and administrators in online learning.  Here is my response:

Moodle is a vehicle, a tool and/or container for online learning. There is no doubt in my mind as online learning or hybrid courses expand in our schools, that  teachers are going to need a session on tips and tricks in Moodle.  However,  what I see as a bigger need, is continuous sessions on how effectively utilize online learning to support and meet the diverse needs of our learners. Moodle is not the cure-all, and should not be the only tool considered in an storm of new tools and enhancements. A two hour session is great for our teachers who are hand-holding, hands-on learners. HOWEVER, more importantly… we will need to develop networks of learning to support this endeavor when teachers need it  – by teachers who use it… not when WE decide to schedule it. Online professional development, just as online learning for students, will be driven by the needs of each individual teacher.

As for the administrative training…that is a different beast. Many administrators, do not understand the benefits of online learning and have not “bought in” to its effectiveness. Many of them haven’t even taken an online course and now are the key decision makers in the policy and procedure of online learning? That is ludicrous. If you think of the journey to administration..it is supported by years of classroom experience, followed by some administrative theory and practice. This a whole new landscape!!! Should Moodle be the focus of this training? I say no. Can it be embedded? Of course. Our administrators should be encouraged to take online training, participate in the learning communities right along with our teachers.  Actually, I take that last statement back.. Why do we have to encourage this learning? Shouldn’t they WANT to do this for the benefits of our schools?

Online teaching/learning…coming soon to a location near you!

Last week, after our online learning committee meeting, I was asked to develop a survey that would ask all middle and high school teachers their interest in learning more about online learning.

FROM THE SURVEY

Are you interested in learning more about online learning? Please select the level of training you would like to receive below.  (select all that apply)

  • Level 1 – Basic informational meeting – What is it, How does it work, how will it affect my classroom?
  • Level 2 – Extending my face to face classroom into the online environment using Moodle.
  • Level 3 – Learning to develop/teach fully online classes.
  • Other

THE RESULTS

Out of the 80 or so teachers (MS/HS), 23 teachers indicated interest in learning more about online learning…and even possibly teaching online!  I am very excited to see that our teachers are showing interest in this new method of delivering education.   After all, Pawlenty’s 2013 online high school learning experience will be a requirement for our current 8th graders!

OLL Results

Information sessions will be coming to your buildings very soon – be on the watch for invitations.

Was Pink Floyd and education futurist?

Think of how education has been delivered for the past 130 years.  Information was not readily available.  If you wanted to be informed, you would have to go to a public library, pick up an encyclopedia, or be “taught” information by university scholars deemed “teachers”.

 Fast-forward to today’s environment.  Information is readily available and students can Google information faster than the teacher can lecture it.  So is the lecture important?  Do you think the traditional industrial aged teacher, who was the keeper of information, will be successful in an online environment?

The biggest change (or challenge) for online teachers is that they will transform from the “sage on the stage” (givers of information) to the “guide on the side” (mentors of information). Online learning is truly student-centered and teachers will need to help students with their questioning, problem solving, and investigation skills while individualizing and differentiating their instruction for every student. 

Since online teaching will focus on the needs of the students, it will be very important to have multiple ways to assess them.  When I say asses – I do not mean TEST!  (traditional t/f, multiple choice tests) Too often teachers use the “test” method as the only measure and evaluation of student’s learning.  Learning comes in multiple facets so we need multiple ways to obtain students personal growth.  Assessments need to be viewed as a teaching tools and learning tools.

Assessments can be reflective and personal (like blogs, journaling), can be knowledge based and measured (quizzes, tests, pre/post courses surveys), and they can be collaborative (like skype and wikis).  All assessments must be based on the courses objectives and final outcomes!  

Teachers will also learn from these assessments.  Are my course materials effective?  Does content to be further enhanced or developed?  Teachers need to be open-minded and accept the learning and feedback they receive from their students.  It can be very empowering to the students that we are learning from them, just as they learn from us.

So, please review Pink Floyd’s video “Another Brick in the Wall”.  How does it coincide with the current problems in brick and mortar classrooms?  How will online learning tear down these bricks in the wall?