WCON- Reach out and Touch Someone by Janel

Ways to communicate online...

Hands on experience with
moodle, email, im, chat, discussion thread, chatrooms, whiteboard, voip, video conferencing, web conferencing, blogs, wiki, elluminate, skype

Skype- loaded into a network in less then 5 minutes, computer to computer is free, can call landline for free as well, recently bought out by ebay, originated in Belgium, works on dialup,

Elluminate- conference software, can also share the screen and more.

WCON -David Warlick Keynote Speaker by Janel

David Warlick- Landmark Project
(I have seen this guy at the NECC conference in San Diego adn have resources from that) EXCELLENT
david@landmark-project.com

"The iliterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn adn relearn."

Online handouts- http://handouts.davidwarlick.com
Blog with: redefine,literacy, warlick

We spend too much time teaching kids to use paper when we need to teach them how to use light.

Our job as educators is to prepare students for a future we cannot describe.

We should STOP integrating technology and start integrating literacy. INFORMATION LITERATE. We need to teach our kids how to teach themselves.

Wikipedia vs Encyclopedia (this is not a competition) each have different strengths. The encyclopedia is published by experts but is not as updated. The wikipedia is published by anyone, but is VERY current. Each has a different strength and use.

Reading as a literacy needs to expand to a range of skills including exposing truth. (find it, decode it, critically evaluate it, organize it into personal digital libraries) Kids start with informaiton that is billions of "pages" big. Being a digital detective. uncover the truth behind the information.

Math as a literacy. You ned to understand the language of numbers. Two things have dramatically changed the world of numbers. There are a lot more of them out there. There are thousands and they are digital. EXAMPLE- earthquake search thing. APPLICATION is the second thing. Applications have become more important as technology has become more commonplace.

Languages of technical areas become less important. Music tools for example. You can compose without formal training in music based on sound, technology and music programs.

Anatomy of the long tail. Books, music, movies that don't sell enough to be sold in a store. But the long tail provides a market online for us to produce things and make them available to others. Huge amounts of content made available this way.

Classroom Blogging- published two hours after done writing. Lulu.com self published and will upload the book in Word, saved as a pdf, library of congress stuff, made covers in photoshop, uploaded them, asks how much you want to make $3.00. they said OK we can sell it for $20.00. They make a webpage for it. They then accept credit cards and print and ship on demand. Interesting... look at this... Very cool.

Teach kids to be effective and responsive producers of materials. Everyone has something to say and do. The long tail doesn't make a living, but it is a nice supplement.

Writing expands into expressing ideas compellingly.

Expand our notions of literacy
1. Exposing truth
2. Employing logic
3. Express ideas compellingly
4. ETHICS (love and protect the truth)

Ethics
-seeks to express the truth
-do no harm
-be accountable
-respect and protect the information and its infrastructure

Stop integrating technology, redefine literacy and integrate that.

We see technology, kids see information. Information is at the center of their focus NOT technology. We need to concentrate more on the new information landscape and less on the machines.

How we go about convincing people that we need to retool education in this country.

Funny Internet cartoon-
You have reached the end of the internet. You will have to turn around, Use your back button to do so.

WCON- Organizational Readiness by Janel

Who is here?
New Holstein-looking to implement online learning classes in one department
Menomonee Area SD- planning for online learning last 3 years, board policies, etc
Janesville- has a planning grant for a charter virtual
Westfield- initial research stage of online learning
Sun Prairie- looking at online learning for a planning grant some time in the future
Milwaukee High School- looking at online learning
CESA 3- Looking at professional development online opportunities
CESA 11- Consortium of 29 schools that ar elooking at online learning
Hayward- HS staff is doing hybrid courses
New London- School of Online Marketing with an online component
Arbor Vitae- GT kids doing online learning
CESA 6- Professional Development
CESA 12- Creating Distance Learning Network

Online Curriculum
-Where do you get it?
-What is its quality?
-Do we buy it or develop it ourselves?
-Purchase curriculum only or a teacher too?
-Do we do synchronous or asynchronous curriculum?

Policy and Procedure
-services to provide- guidance, libraries, etc
-extracurriculars online
-preplanning with students using WiscCareers and learning styles inventory

Technical Infrastructure
-Access to internet ready computers with minimal tech specs
-proxy servers, filtering systems, popup blockers
-student email access
-technical staff to assist local teachers and students
-accomodations for after hours access

EMAIL-- Student names can't go out over the Internet according to CIPA--- check into this.

Funding Strategies
-Operating budgets from multiple sources
-Grants: state and federal
-Potential sources of federal funding
-Funds preserved by holding onto students who might otherwise leave

WCON- Online Course Evaluations- Exploratorium by Janel

presented by Appleton eSchool, iQ Academy, Wisconsin Virtual School, Madison Virtual Campus

Appleton eSchool Connie Radtke-Content Demo
2D Art Examples
-Scan in work or taking digital pictures
-At the beginning of each module it identifies the tasks they are going to be doing and the approx time it will take them to complete
-Students have pace charts and due dates as well
-Flash drawings and ask about what various artists were trying to sketch out. Game format, etc. -Virtual tours to museums

Don't like this session jumping to a new one...

WCON Supplementing Curriculum with Online Options by Janel

Presented by Sue Steiner Keil eSchool

Keil
-application process is through the guidance office
-primarily purchase from Florida Virtual School

Why do students enroll?
health problems
-want a challenge
-scheduling conflicts
-drop outs
-alternative to expulsion
-expelled
-at risk
-flex schedules
-transfer students
-transient students
-ap
-low enrollment courses
-out of sequence courses
-homebound
-travelling
-gt

Quality Online courses
-QUALITY teacher is number one!!!!
-consistent organization from one class to the next important to consider this when setting protocols

How do you know students do their own work
-proctored exams
-frequent communication
-teacher discernment

Tools to use when developing online courses
- http://www.edutools.info/ allows you to compare course management systems and it will provide you details and comparisons for them. This is a VERY useful tool to use. Tons of great information here.
- Moodle http://moodle.org/
- Online Course Evaluation Project (also on edutools) this helps you to look at content providers AND most useful for the categories that are listed on what items are important to look at in curriculum and more. VERY NICE. Put in a rubric that you develop for evaluative purposes
- Ncrel and Research projects portion of edutools
- National Repository of Online Courses- high school and ap. Growing. Quality courses.

Supplementary Content
-adds diversity even in F2F classes
-high quality and content beyond the means of the teacher
-addresses various learning styles
-multimodal learning
-why reinvent the wheel

Course Vendors
-put an rfp together
-piloted a few vendors the first year
-developed some locally developed courses as well
-FVS http://www.flvs.net/ they have course demos so you can look at lessons from many of their courses

Supplementary Providers
-Can license all of these individuals as well
-United Streaming
-Brain Pop
-Get A Clue
-SAS inSchool
-Horizon Wimbda/Wimba (voice email sending)- foreign language, $25 a license
-Geometer's Sketchpad

Web Conferencing Software
-Elluminate (highest quality)- look into this!!!
-WebEx
-Wimba
-Skype
--question to ask- is it VoIP or the Internet AND a phone line. Not sure what she said here... investigate further

Learning Objects
-mini lessons that are out there
- www.merlot.org/Home.php
- Fox Valley Technical College Learning Objects are all together online http://www.wisc-online.com/
- WiscNet http://www.digitaldistricts.org/

Wikis and Blogs

Virtual Field Trips and Projects
-www.twice.cc/rbib.html

Advantages and Disadvantages
-pay for high quality content
-CD/DVD supplements to textbooks
-ABILITY to CUSTOMIZE (check this if you want to be able to add units or lessons)
-updating and support offered by vendors
-Are you purchasing courses or modules? This is important.
-upfront vs. ongoing costs
-cost per student or one cost for course
technology issues

Considerations
-who hosts it?
-security issues
-intellectual copyright issues (if teachers develop) can't copy and paste
-ada compliance
-licensing agreements
-infrastructure support
-content fit the management system?

Teacher training
-need an ongoing mentor
-monthly staff development
-tech support
-other trainings
-Learning Point Associates NCREL- great online 6 week course for online teacher facilitation courses, offered in January, 3 grad credits with Cardinal Stritch, contact Sue Steiner about enrolling in this course

Student Considerations
-orientation course for students
-is their a teacher at the other end of the course
-quality directions
-tech support

Content
-not all text based, needs multimedia
-bandwidth

Start Small
-just go with a few sources at first
-resource that supports a large number of media rich sources
-decide whether to buy, license or build your own
-consider consortia for purchasing power (NL has indicated an interest in partnering with us)
-need to establish buy-in, very important

As far as grants and sustaining go- perpetual licenses are the key!! May not want to consider the rent a course options because they require continual monetary support

WCON- Keynote speaker by Janel

Susan Patrick: NACOL: CEO and President

More technology in our toothpaste factories measuring effectiveness than there is in our schools today.

40% of the high schools in the US don't have PA or advanced classes. This is horrible since we live in a knowledge based economy.

The Tipping Point- get that book

NEA Guide to online teaching for teacher union information. This is a great tool showing how they support online learning so the union doesn't fight so much.

Virginia county- gave all students a laptop (26,000) and still spent less than the state average because they got rid of the financial support for the old school model and invested in the new one.

NGA Gates Foundation Study just published. Challenges all students to complete college preparatory coursework whether they want to go to college or not. This reverses our thinking.

National- what is happening in elearning
#1 reason for offering online curriculum in hs in the US is because the course is not currently offered in their high school.
#2 reason offered by districts is to meet the specific needs of student groups

For policy making and presentations- get all the things you need to make on an index card
1-online learning expands options
2- online learning is rapidly growing (30% annual enrollment)
3-Research shows it is equal or better to traditional academic environment (based on federal study of student achievement scores)
4- Susan Loews. It improves teaching. Rethink content and strategies and go through significant training.

Measures of success
Are online students engaged?
What are the completion rates? (95% FVS, 90% AeS, 70% HS grad rate)
AP exam scores (national 60%, FVS 70%)

If we could enroll all of the kids who wanted online courses today there would be enough to everyone. There are 12 states, primarily in the Northeast, that are not in tune with online learning either locally or statewide.

2006 what's new
-Michigan requirement for all students to have an online learning experience (20 hours or more of intense)
-Georgia allows cybercharter programs
-New state led programs in many states opening up
-CA opening charter schools
-Nebraska distance ed law
-Washington developing guidelines for online learning
-Corporate America 30% do online training, will go to 50% in a few years time

We still spend money on globes. How many college programs buy globes?
Libraries are still spending money on subscriptions, how many students just go online to get the information
Text books- or laptops??? Which makes more sense, looking at 4 year leases. $250 a year. (1.11 per student per day)

System design- we need to focus on how we design the world, because things can only go as fast and as far as they are designed to do so.

Last time the high school system has been redesigned? 1905. Decided that they did not have to prepare all kids for college. Systemic effort to sort kids so 75% would go to industrial jobs and 25% would go to college. Valued efficiency above all else. Bell system, lock step kids by age NOT by how fast they learn, no choices, 30% drop out. 26% make it to 2 years of college. This model does not work.

Majority of drop outs 88% had passing grades, 69% are not motivated or disenfranchised, 66% would have worked harder if more had been demanded, At Risk kids. Losing these kids in our schools

We start schools as a question mark and end as a period.

WCON- Opening Session by Janel

WCON conference is the only one in the state that focuses exclusively on K12 online learning
_________________________________________

Appleton e-school skit- focused on what it was like to look at and take an online class, oral exams and phone call office hours

_________________________________________

Appleton eSchool and IQ Academy parent and student panel

-Parents feel that online classes allow them to be more involved than traditional classes
-Students felt that one on one communication was better online than traditionally
-Students liked that they could take required courses online to leave room for the advanced and elective courses they wanted to take in school
-Cheating- eSchool requires proctored final exam that students must pass can be taken in Appleton, at a library, in a local school, etc

I had more in this post but experienced Internet problems with the connections and lost the original post.

WCON Conference by Janel

Janel attended the WCON (Wisconsin Collaborative Online Network) http://www.wcon.info/
Conference in Fondulac at Marion College
November 16-17, 2006

I have a flash drive with most of the powerpoints from this conference on them (presented by Appelton eSchool and Kiel)

Marcia's Summarizing Statements from the Dallas Conference

Summary—and my opinions

Parents
Parents are an important factor in a student’s success with online courses. Only one of the sessions I attended stated that the parents are not expected to actively participate. The rest expect the parents to motivate/encourage students, as well as make sure the students are logging in and working in their classes. Some expect regular interaction with the teachers.

Students
Students say traditional classes are boring. I partially agree—nothing can be exciting all of the time. I think the problem is that schools are designed to provide a general education, and this education is paced according to the needs of the “middle” students—leaving the gifted and talented unchallenged/underchallenged, and the lower students lost and confused. I think this is what the students really mean when they say classes are “boring.” I can see how online classes would be more stimulating. Students are able spend as much or as little time as they need to learn individually, as opposed to a daily 40 minute classroom experience. Furthermore, the students are quite “connected,” and online classes would be appealing.

As all of the presenters stated, online classes are not for every student. The students who spoke to us stated that they (and their friends) thought the classes were easy, although the presenters stated that the classes are not easy at all. Online classes require responsibility as well as motivation, and the students need interaction with their teacher, according to one of the students.

Some things that might inadvertently help students succeed…
The fact that students choose to take an online course gives them some ownership. They receive a computer, and all the components necessary for their class, and this is “cool.” They can set their own time schedule, and they know they can contact their teacher (and they know how to contact their teacher) if they need help. They do not have the distractions that happen in traditional classes, and there are no face to face classmates who can bully or tease them. There is some freedom in the anonymity—if you said/wrote something embarrassing during a group discussion, you don’t have to face the others all day.

Mary Rich, one of the students who spoke to us, made a point I hadn’t considered. When discussion distractions at school, she said, “There are distractions at home, too, but they are YOUR distractions and you know how to handle them.”

Teachers
“A good classroom teacher is not necessarily a good online teacher.” This was repeated throughout the sessions.
Teachers need a great deal of initial and ongoing training and support, and need a mentor for guidance. They also need a mentor or a trustworthy group with whom they can “vent” confidentially and to combat/conquer frustration.
There is a “time factor” that will have to be considered, not only with training teachers, but with managing their online classes. The symposium attendees who were not teachers generally thought that online classes/teachers actually save time, but those who teach online stated that, initially, it takes more time, and eventually becomes about the same amount of time as a teacher would spend in a traditional class. Most classes contain at least ten, but not more than twenty, students. One group allows a veteran online teacher to accept more students.

Starting a Virtual School
I received some excellent information, and even a worksheet to help plan a virtual school.

Plan, plan, plan!

Creating policy is very important—have all of your ducks in a row and you will avoid many problems.

All presenters stated that you need to find a partner to help financially. It is important to determine at the beginning which partner will be responsible for providing each aspect of the virtual school. Again, planning—know exactly “who” is responsible for “what.”

A man from Colorado told us that they were creating their own curriculum materials, because the cost of purchasing curriculum is prohibitive. He and his team are quite computer-savvy, and have access to many community/business resources we do not have. At this time, I do not feel I have the ability or knowledge to create an online course that would have the “bells and whistles” of a prepackaged curriculum. The little bits of these courses that I saw were truly fabulous. According to the presenters, there are all kinds of prepackaged programs, and some of the least expensive are basically correspondence courses. “You get what you pay for” was the phrase they used, and said it definitely applied to prepackaged curriculum programs. They suggested that whatever program is chosen, it should be one that can be altered to meet state standards, and can be updated.

All presenters suggested that starting small was the best way to begin; it’s better to be successful with something small, than have something large that is just OK. A successful experience will fuel progressively large ventures.

“Yes, but…” or “Yes, and…”

During this symposium, I think Chic Thompson has managed to change our way of thinking. Instead of thinking a negative “Yes, but…,” we are thinking “Yes, and…” and seeking the positive. Turn things around—look at “What would we never do?” Sometimes, changing your viewpoint makes all the difference.
_______________________________________________________________________

I went to this symposium because I wanted to see what other people are doing with online education, and how they are doing it. I wanted to learn what others did “wrong”(in hopes that we could avoid it), as well as what they did “right.” As a teacher, I wanted to see the quality of the curriculum available, and I wanted to discover what I would need to do to become an online teacher. (The only thing I’d still like to do is view the Language Arts courses from various programs.)

I left the symposium feeling that a virtual school is something that we CAN create, and it will be successful. The “road” to that virtual school is going to be difficult, with many decisions and a ton of planning…and it will be a great learning experience for everyone. And… I am willing to be one of the teachers,… but I have to test drive the curriculum first!
Marcia

Links from the Dallas Conference

Link to information about What A Great Idea and Chic Thompson
http://www.whatagreatidea.com/

Companies that specialize in virtual school products:
--Pearson digital learning http://www.pearsondigital.com/
--Virtual School K12 Programs http://www.educators.k12.com/
--ecollege virtual Sage, online curriculum publishers http://www.virtualsage.org/



Virtual Schools that presented
--Minnesota Virtual Academy, Kim Ross Superintendent Houston, MN
--IQ Academies at Wisconsin, Lisa McClure lmcclure@kcdistancelearning.com See Marketing Ideas Sheet. Very useful. (In Janel's file) #1
--Michigan Virtual University Online Experience Guidelines (useful framework- In Janel's files) #2



Presentation Links
--Starting a Virtual School Program for Your District- The Virtual Campus Rapid City, SD: www.rcas.org/thevirtualcampus
--Virtual Veterans Top ten lists (interesting stuff- in Janel's file) #3
--Nacols research trends and statistics sheet with links to a lot of research (in Janel's file) #4
--Nacol's paper Virtual Schools and 21st Century Skills (in Janel's file) #5
--How to Start A Virtual School PreConference Packet (in Janel's file) #7
--Keeping Pace with K12 Online Learning State Level policy and practice book (in Janel's file) #8
--Quality School Checklist from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (in Janel's file #9)




Next year's conference is in Louisville Kentucky. http://www.nacol.com/ November 4-6.2007