6.+Session+6-Understandinng+and+Using+the+Course+Environment

1. Open the WV eLearning Course Catalog and review the course offerings. Select as many as three courses you would like to facilitate. Write a brief paragraph describing your qualifications to facilitate each of these courses. Learning in the Dance, Health, & PE Classroom || Pasley || BA in Wellness from University of Charleston 5 Years teaching Experience in Health/Pe Previous course participant || -Project-Based Learning in the 21st Century Classroom -NBPTS Course #1 or #2 || Bronson Shanley || In 2005 I completed my master’s thesis and research study titled, “Linking Content to Life.” I have been a C/T teacher for the past 6 years and see the need for teachers to provide students a reason to acquire their content. Students will be motivated if they feel that the content they are learning will benefit their lives. By providing projects that are based on real life circumstances, we can provide this motivation to our students. In 2010, I completed my NBPTS certification with the help of a local cohort group. || Project-Based Learning in the 21st Century Classroom **﻿** **﻿** 21 st Century Teaching and Learning in the Social Studies Classroom NBPTS Course #1 or #2 || **﻿Martin ** || ﻿﻿I have taken earlier versions of this course three times - once because I was interested in the content, the second time because I really liked it, and the third time because it was a requirement for the TIS cohort. I strongly believe that PBL is a great way to integrate content and make real-life connections.
 * Course Title || Facilitator Name || Credentials/ experitise for facilitating this course ||
 * 21st Century Teaching and
 * * Vocabulary Instruction in the Elementary School Classroom
 * Improving Reading and Writing in the Content Area
 * Differentiating Instruction to Accommodate Learning Styles (PreK-12) || Rachelle Williams || I think I am qualified to teach any of these three courses because I have previously been a participant in all three of these courses so I know the content that will be taught. I also have my MA degree as a Reading Specialist PK-12 and have studied many of these practices in depth. In addition to studying these topics during my undergraduate and graduate classes, I have also went to state and national conferences with national presenters on vocabulary and reading instruction in the elementary and content area classroom. I have had the opportunity to take all of this information and create presentations for the WVDE on all three of these topics and present them through technical assistance and professional development workshops to schools and districts throughout the state. ||
 * -Designing a Virtual Field Trip

I took this class in the Spring of 2008. My final project was chosen as an exemplary lesson. I am certified in social studies in grades 7-9 (a very old certification.)

I certified in 2009. Prior to certifying I participated in a GATE course which seems quite similar to the design of these courses. I also participated in an online support group. I firmly feel working toward NB certification was the best professional development activity I have ever completed. ||
 * 21st Century Teaching and Learning in the Science Classroom

Classroom Management: Tips and Techniques

Vocabulary Instruction in the Middle School || Teresa Taylor || I have previously taken this course, I have a 5-9 Science certification, and I have taught science for the past nine years. I firmly believe in the importance of 21st Century teaching and learning in any classroom.

This is a course that I have participated in also so I know the content, I consider myself more than capable of classroom management, and I have participated in countless professional development hours dedicated to classroom management. I have not taken this course, yet I feel that I am always up for a challenge. I have a K-6 elementary certification, 5-9 general science certification, have taught science for the past nine years, and I have an MA in reading (which included a wide array of vocabulary strategies). ||
 * 21st Century Teaching and Learning in Social Studies.

Incorporating Primary Resources into Social Studies.

Classroom Assessment Enhanced by Technology. || Brittany Greenlief || I think I am qualified to teach the first two courses because I have a Bachelor's Degree as well as a Master's Degree in Social Studies education. I have spent many hours researching and exploring 21st century tools, as well as how to use primary documents, especially since we now have to teach our students to interpret DBQ's.

I think I am qualified to teach the third course because I have taken a course while completing my Master's Degree on classroom assessment and all of the technology that can be used to make it more fun, and to make it easier for the classroom teacher.

I have not taken any of these courses, but I feel confident that I could lead participants no matter which of these three courses is chosen for me to facilitate. ||
 * 21st Century Teaching Mathematics

Classroom Management

Vocabulary Instrustion in Elementary Classroom || Heather Cantley || * I teach math and try to use a lot of technology in the classroom. I have went to a couple of trainings on incorporating technology into the classroom. Mobi and Carnegie Learning to name a few. *I love an organized classroom that has order. I cannot function in chaos and Im sure our students can't either. I took this elearning class and found it very beneficial. *I have my masters in reading. I also have 3 children who are still in elementary school, one of which struggles in reading. I think I have several strategies that would be very helpful. ||
 * Digital Storytelling

Supporting Instruction With Web 2.0 tools

Designing Virtual Fieldtrips || Kim Falls || *I am a TIS and have done several training to staff on Digital Storytelling and using Photostory 3. I also have taught college students Photostory 3 to integrate into their unit plans.

I have my Masters in Education with a specialization in Technology Leadership. I have done trainings on Web 2.0 tools to teachers and students.

I also have my degree in Social Studies and with my technology background I believe I can encourage participants to use technology to create virtual fieldtrips that are meaningful and engaging for all students and in turn increase achievement. ||
 * Webtop for Educators

Using Digital Portfolios to Foster Student Learning

Differeniated Instruction || Jeanie Brown || While taking this course, I saw so many applications for what I was learning. However, I was not in the classroom. So, I enlisted the help of teachers and we implemented some of the ideas in the classroom. I am now conducting an online book study through the use of Manhattan. This is a great course for educators. I am a proponent of the use of portfolios. When in the classroom, a standard part of my geometry classes was a digital portfolio.

I have had a lot of DI training and will be going to Vegas for more training this summer. I have conducted DI professional development. || 2. Share your ideas about three or more of the components and how each could be used to enhance participant learning / communication in courses you facilitate. Be specific as to what tool could/would be used in what way and for what purpose. 2. Dropbox 3. News || 1.The discussion tool is probably the most valuable tool in the D2L platform. This is where participants can reflect and discuss the content of their course. The discussion forum is great for posting projects for critiques by fellow classmates. Most participants will also have increased acquisition of content by critiquing others’ work. 2. Dropbox is a great tool because it provides the facilitator the opportunity to view participant work to assess the participant’s course progress. Being able to provide a private critique using the dropbox tool helps the facilitator address those areas of a project that are not consistent with the course rubric without embarrassing the participant. The plagiarism tool and online markup might be especially useful if we have access to it. 3. News is a great place to post time sensitive information, since it is the first thing that course participants see when going to the course home page. While email is good for this purpose as well, some people do not check their email regularly and a communication breakdown may occur. Making sure that everyone understands the course requirements, making announcements, or correcting course information can be accomplished through this tool. || 2. E-mail 3. Chat || 1. The discussion is where the participants will show that they have read the content and understood the content. It will encourage interactions between participants and will enhance their learning experience as well as give them new ideas for their teacher toolbox.
 * Facilitator Name || Component (tools) || Ways tool could be used and purpose of use ||
 * Pasley || Chat || Create a live real time chat or (as Rachelle said) Office Hours for weekly session questions, comments, etc. ||
 * Pasley || Email || Use email to communicate to the entire class or to individual participants. Can be used for reminders at the beginning of the week and in the middle. Answer questions participants have. Address issues to individuals regarding grades, participatation, etc. confidentally ||
 * Pasley || Grades || Keep participants up to date on completion of course requirements. Allows for comments when neccessary; for example if a student receives a I (Incomplete) the facilitator can write comments as to why, this helps to clarify and hopefully quickly resolve the Incomplete. ||
 * Martin || Blog || Write a blog reflecting on my practice as it relates to the course topic. Hopefully the participants will read the blog and comment, but even if they don't, writing the blog will improve my practice! ||
 * Martin || Chat || Office hours (as mentioned by Kem and Rachelle) could be established to provide a live forum to discuss the course and to strengthen the class community. ||
 * Martin || <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Notifications || <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Provide more immediate means of knowing when students need support. ||
 * Shanley || 1. Discussion
 * Teresa || # Discussion
 * 1) E-mail
 * 2) Grades || # Tool used to encourage peer interaction, reflect on topics/assignments, post projects for peer review, all of which will enhance participant learning/communication.
 * 3) Tool used to communicate to whole class or individual participants, inform participants of upcoming/current sessions, reminder of deadlines and/or requirements, and to address any issues that participants may have regarding clarification of assignments, grades, etc..
 * 4) Tool used to evaluate students’ performance, alert students to successful completion or in some instances of incomplete assignments with comments as to why the “I” was assigned and also suggestions to successfully complete assignments. ||
 * Rachelle || * Discussion
 * Chat
 * News || * I agree with Bronson that the discussion tool is the most valuable tool we have at our disposal. It is where the majority of the communication for the course will occur.
 * I still stick to my guns that I would like to do office hours via the chat function for students that might be having difficulties with the course.
 * I like this tool because it is the first thing you see when you log in the course. This is very useful to grab the students initial attention to give them any important information relating to the course. ||
 * Brittany || 1. Discussion

2. This will be used to remind students of their responsibilities, to let them know when new content has been opened or changes have been made to the gradebook, and allow those students who are perhaps shy or do not want to use the discussion board to ask questions about their problems to ask those questions.

3. The chat session can be really useful, especially if you can set up a time each week to be available on chat for any problems that are occurring. It is a way for real-time interaction, especially when you are trying to troubleshoot a problem. || 2.chat 3.news || 1. Using email to remind everyone that a session is coming close to an end is very helpful to me. I also like the idea of sending private emails to students in danger of falling behind. 2. Providing students the opportunity to chat live is a great idea. It would be nice to ask a question and receive immediate feedback. 3. The news page is a neat way to keep participants up to date on the course. Its also a way to become personal with the students. To me color and graphics says a lot about someone. || 2. Voki 3. Chat || 1. Use checklists to help participants keep track of weekly activities. 2. Use voki to provide participants with information about the weekly content. 3. The chat feature will be used to conduct help sessions for participants when they have problems. This will be done on an as needed basis or a set time during the week when many participants can join the session. || 2. Checklist 3. E-mail || 1. A short chat time at a specified time once a week can give the facilitator more feedback as to what problems participants may be having but have not surfaced in other formats. Additionally, participants have the opportunity to ask for clarification if the previous response was not clear to them. 2. During this course, there has been much discussion regarding checklists. This is strong evidence that there is a need for checklists. It can be used to draw attention to important parts of the course and it provides yet another way to support participants as we try to help them be successful. 3. E-mails are one of the best methods of providing private encouragement for participants. Also, e-mail provides an excellent method of providing blanket reminders and over-views of what is expected. ||
 * Heather Cantley || 1.email
 * Kim Falls || 1. Checklists
 * Jeanie Brown || 1. Chat