EdTech 521: Final Synchronous Lesson

The end has arrived, and with it comes the fireworks! Here is a link to the recording of my online lesson (on building a Book Study Website) using Adobe Connect: Fuhry - Final Synchronous Lesson

I feel pretty good about the result!  I was a little nervous, but I am glad I a) pressed the record button and b) didn't turn it into a fumbling train wreck!  I thought my lesson did a good job of highlighting various features of this synchronous teaching technology while allowing me to teach and interact in a natural way.

I believe this lesson was appropriate for a real-time environment because it included two new skills that may be unfamiliar to a student.  The first skill is thinking about a book "report" in a new way -- as a highly creative multimedia process steeped in personal connection and exploration.  Students may be confused or overwhelmed by this request because it might be out of their comfort zone.  By being (virtually) present for the presentation and explanation of this summative performance task, I could engage in discussion with my students and be present for any questions they might have.  The second skill that may also be unfamiliar to my students is basic website design. I feel that the real-time environment allowed for a back-and-forth of showing and telling on both the teacher and student's part. This exchange of screen sharing and trial-and-error discovery hopefully removed some of the intimidation a student might otherwise feel if they were asynchronously assigned to build a website, were given a load of documents, and were told "let me know how it goes".  Having a teacher initially there for comfort, reference, and motivation should help a student kick start this project.  First and foremost, however, I feel the real-time aspect of this lesson is critical because of the real-time discussion and demonstration of skills.

The lesson could be improved in the future by perhaps dividing the lesson into two or three sessions: 1) Introduction to the Assignment 2) Introduction to Wix 3) Reciprocal Teaching and Troubleshooting (formative assessment).  I believe this lesson was a little long, although it wasn't as long as a traditional brick-and-mortar class meeting.  Ideally, however, the student would have more exploration time.  I felt that this lesson became a bit too lecture-based because it involved the presentation of a lot of new, specific information.  I would have hoped to use the collaboration whiteboard board more to flesh out some preliminary ideas together with my student. Asking more critical thinking questions of my students might have also helped them stay engaged (vs. passive) in the first part of the lesson. I should also have planned set tasks that my student worked through when he took over control of my screen.  There are probably very important skills and elements I overlooked because I kept that part of lesson a bit organic and experimental.  (I also completely forgot to mention how to publish the website, which is a crucial piece!)  In general, it was a difficult balance knowing what extent of a Wix tutorial I should provide my student.  I didn't want to steal away too many "aha" moments of their own discovery of Wix tools and features. That being said, I hope I didn't share too much and confuse the student!

If the lesson were split up into smaller meetings, then there would be time between sessions for the students to come back with specific questions that pertain to their unique website creation. It was probably difficult for my student to come up with questions during this particular lesson because it was still new, undigested information.  By dividing up this lesson, there would also be more time to talk about potential multimedia creations for each subpage in greater detail. If this were a bigger class, perhaps each student could highlight one of their multimedia creations each week as a peer-teaching opportunity. Going forward, I would also provide a completed website as an exemplar to share with the students so that there was some kind of visual aid for the endpoint.

All in all, however, the lesson was a success. My student exclaimed that he learned a lot (but was glad he didn't REALLY have to do the assignment as it looked pretty challenging!)

EdTech 521: Working with Synchronous Lessons

Last week my partner and I took the opportunity to practice synchronous lesson delivery through Adobe Connect, which I found to be a promising and versatile digital lesson delivery medium.  Please view our "testing" session here: http://edtech.adobeconnect.com/p2ogviatb48.  Dana and I struggled with a few of the tools because my Safari web browser was not working well with the Adobe permissions requirements.  Overall, however, we found it intuitive to utilize and navigate.

We enjoyed exploring various features of the software including screen sharing, the collaborative whiteboard, different "controls" of a host vs. participant, and screen arrangement/display.  I can see how with this format there is an increased dynamic nature of a lesson, which allows students to maintain engagement instead of passively listening to a lecture, taking notes, and answering questions or working out problems independently.  Teacher presence is strong (with voice, video, presentation, and notetaking), and a sense of community with other participants (classmates) is consistent throughout the meeting. As Yun Park and Curtis Bonk advised in their article Synchronous Learning Experiences:
Distance and Residential Learners’ Perspectives in a Blended Graduate Course, interaction and collaboration skills which are "critical elements influencing typical learning experiences within online courses" (p. 245) are present in a synchronous meeting using this platform. 

I have never taken part in a lesson of this nature, but can see how it would be an interesting and appealing experience.  In fact, I believe a student would be much less passive participating in this kind of learning than might otherwise be the case in a traditional classroom.  At this point, I'm not quite sure how an Adobe Connect lesson for students below the middle school years would look, as there is definitely a fair degree of navigation and technical skill required by the participant.  Nevertheless, the various modes of communicating and sharing images, files, etc. accommodates adolescent and adult learners with a multitude of learning styles.  I look forward to exploring all of the options further as I make my more "official" asynchronous lesson.

EdTech 521: Online Teaching Style + Strategies

Although I am not currently in a traditional teaching role, I believe my teaching style has been a combination of teacher- and student-centered for the majority of my career.  As much as possible, I have tried to stay away from lecture-driven lessons.  This is in part due to the age groups I have taught (elementary and middle school mostly) and the diverse subject matter.  Looking at a live meetings in an online classroom, I can see the efficiency and personalization that is possible with posting asynchronous "lectures" in advance of a communal, real-time discussion. This allows students to work in their own time and at their own pace in previewing information that will come up in the synchronous meeting.  Students will enter the discussion with greater confidence and understanding, as they have the background information that is required to take part in the online meeting.

To ensure that the lecture portion of an online course is effective and accessible to the students, I would consider a few important aspects.  These are the same strategies I would incorporate in a blended environment, particularly if flipped learning was the principle format.

1. The lecture should be like a polished performance -- it should have audiovisual components as well as written text.  This ensures that most learning styles are accommodated in the presentation of the material.  Along those lines, the text and graphics within the presentation (e.g. the slides) should be meaningful and easy-to-read/interpret.
2. The lecture should be filmed with high quality picture and sound, with thoughtful and purposeful editing.  It should paint a picture and set a proper tone through the use of background sounds, graphics, and teacher enthusiasm. At the end of the day, the lecture should be succinct and professional, or else it will detract from the focus of the content.
3. Provide opportunities for students to interact with the presentation if possible.  This could include screen-captured images uploaded to a collaborative whiteboard.  Drawing tools are a great way to incorporate kinesthetic learning and engagement. Other options are collaborative mindmapping or notepad bulletin boards. Throughout the synchronous lesson, students should also have the opportunity to interact with one another via backchanneling (such as through TodaysMeet) or by texting their ideas on a public message board.
4. It will be important to make sure all student participants understand the expectations for their participation in the synchronous component of the lesson. Not only that, but they must also know the etiquette that surrounds their involvement (such as when and how to ask questions, what to do it someone is very quite or very dominating, basic troubleshooting for technical glitches, etc.)
5. The teacher must also be sensitive to her students' schedules and the time required to devote to the course.  The instructional videos and reading resources he/she provides the students in advance should not be overwhelming, and the online discussion should not drag on or get off-topic. The teacher must be prepared to redirect and model throughout the entire live meeting.  This includes factoring in "thinking" time, trying out specific questioning techniques, and summarizing at the end of both the asynchronous lecture and the synchronous discussion.

Another valuable resource is the article "Tips for Synchronous Chat" from a Teaching with Technology wiki.  There are more specific reminders for a successful online class session.

A lesson introduced with by a lecture does not inherently need to come across as dull, dry, and antiquated. This meaningful skill- and fact-gathering step is a scaffold to a rich and transformative synchronous discussion.

EdTech 521: Asynchronous Lesson Self-Evaluation

I believe my asynchronous lesson "A Plant's Life: It's Not Easy Being Green" has been successful at meeting the expectations of both the Asynchronous Lesson Rubric as well as the Common Core Instructional Guides. The instructional strategies align with goals of the Common Core Standards for literacy, even though this is essentially a science lesson.

Reflecting on the tips from the relevant Common Core Guide tool 3-12 ELA / Literacy Instructional Practice Guide: Coaching, I believe my lesson has included the following:

• Includes high-quality texts of multiple texts. (Although the lesson isn't specifically text-based, but rather multimedia in nature, many of the websites are presenting at different reading levels to accommodate a variety of learners.)
• Lesson engages students in reading, speaking, or writing about text(s). (Students must read and respond to audio-visual texts in different mediums.)
• The text(s) are clear and build knowledge relevant to the content being studied. (The websites and activities were chosen because they included content specifically on topic and were of high quality (clear and organized).)
• Questions and tasks require students to cite evidence from the text to support analysis, inference, and claims. (The presentation formative assessment asks students to use information gained from the resource collection to present information in a new way.  Although they are not directly analyzing or claiming anything new in this lesson, their connections between the plant life steps as well as the "why" questions on their slides will incorporate informational text support.
• Students are required to appropriately use academic language (i.e., vocabulary and syntax) from the text. (Students will learn and use scientific vocabulary words.)
• Sequences of questions support students in delving deeper into text, data, or graphics to support inquiry analysis, and appropriate procedures. (By participating in the Scavenger Hunt students are following a sequence of questions to aid in comprehension and connection-making.)
• The teacher provides the conditions for all students to focus on text. (The lesson is designed to minimize distractions and direct students to appropriate "texts" that will captivate their interest.)
• The teacher creates the conditions for student conversations and plans tasks where students are encouraged to talk about each other’s thinking.  (The peer evaluation piece at the end of the lesson requires student conversations about the plant life cycle and the presentation process itself.)

Looking more deeply at the CC Standards Guide, I could have incorporated more peer interaction in this lesson.  For example, in my lesson, students do not use evidence to build on each other’s observations or insights during discussion or collaboration.  This is a relatively private and individual learning task.  I could look for extension opportunities for peer teaching or collaborative knowledge-building.  I could also have included one or two resources that were strictly text-based passages as to encourage more critical analysis and interpretation of writing.

The Lesson Rubric itself speaks more to the multi-faceted design of the lesson, and I believe I have been successful in the areas of content, learning styles, engagement, adaptive/assistive technologies, and assessment.

• I have included all required content components (with the exception of associated assignments).  It wouldn't hurt to add the original lesson plan to this website to tie the two together.  It might also be a good idea to list the resources used in the video (including Scavenger Hunt resources) on the written lesson plan.
• The learning styles supported in my lesson, I believe, as varied.  Visual and audio learners will be engaged by the scavenger hunt activity and video tutorials.  Tactile learners will hopefully respond well to the drawing and presentation construction.
• Engagement should be high with the interactive (but hopefully not-too-overwhelming) nature of the webpages.  I have no chat or discussion board in this particular lesson, but the comments feature in Google Docs is a good alternative.
• The content of my website is accessible to many learners.  I'm sure I could find ways to improve the variety of presentation modes and input methods for students with disabilities, and it may be worth adding one or two.  In the meantime, I've tried to accommodate ELL learners who are native Spanish speakers.  I have also accommodated ELL learners and students with reading challenges by including written directions as well as step-by-step videos for each part of the lesson.  The resources I've selected are also of various reading and complexity levels.
• The assessment tools are both formative and summative.  They are interwoven with the lesson in a seamless, natural way.  They are also directly aligned with the lesson objectives.

A few minor additions could improve this lesson and its accompanying website, however I think it is quite solid in its current form.

EdTech 521: Universal Design for Learning (Accessibility)

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) calls for incorporating multiple methods of representation, engagement, and expression in our lessons (National Center on Universal Design for Learning, 2014).  Robust planning and flexible execution of lessons allows for all students to be successful in each activity.  As online schools and classrooms should also aim to consider the guiding principles of UDL, the following adaptations would be beneficial to technology-integrated lessons.

I. Provide Multiple Means of Representation

Guideline	Description	Suggested Adaptations
Perception	Customizing visual and auditory information by adjusting placement, contrast, size, volume, rate, style, or emphasis.	1. Using good design principles in creating or seeking out websites for students to use 2. Create and turn on captions with YouTube videos 3. Use libraries of described or captioned media titles (www.dcmp.org or signed stories www.signedstories.com) 4. Instructing students how to customize their computer experience with accessibility features (www.microsoft.com/enable/products/windows8 or www.apple.com/accessibility/osx) 5. Posting only focused, relevant information to websites or documents that students are working with (e.g. www.readability.com (viewing stripped down webpages)) 6. Incorporating instructional materials from the National Center on Accessible Materials (AIM) 7. Access and use of text-to-speech generators (such as Voki) 8. Access to Screen Readers
Language, expressions, and symbols	Provides options for diverse languages spoken, and clarity with graphic representations and cultural symbols.	1. Offer embedded translators, dictionaries, glossaries, or thesauruses (e.g. www.dictionary.com, www.ronblond.com/MathGlossary, www.word2word.com, Google Translate) 2. Include a graphic or pictorial equivalent when possible (e.g. Google Image search or http://blachan.com/shahi) 3. Use concept webs and charts to show relationships (to break down complex ideas) (e.g. www.visuwords.com) 4. Add supplementary web links to support understanding of new terminology. 5. Pre-teach domain-specific vocabulary/symbols 6. Add visual structure to a document with a formal outline note-taking format. 7. Suggest note-taking tactics and idea organizers to all students. 8. Direct students to the Simple English Wikipedia for clarity of ideas. 9. Aid students in using text-to-speak software and finding books with associated audio files. 10. Present potentially complicated or new information in multiple forms (videos, comics, artwork, charts, etc.)
Comprehension	Helps students actively retrieve and make use of their knowledge.	1. Create and utilize anchor charts to activate prior knowledge. Keep them in a common and easy-to-access location. 2. Use wikis, concept maps, and KWL charts (http://bubbl.us, www.exploratree.org.uk, mywebspiration.com) 3. Model and provide analogies to build to more complex understanding. 4. Connect to the “real world” context (look for current event connections with primary sources or news outlets)

II. Provide Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Guideline	Description	Suggested Adaptations
Physical action	Allow for customized response “input methods” and navigation, such as rate, timing, and range of motion.	1. Provide alternatives to mouse control, such as interactions with fingers, voice control, adaptive keyboards, switches, or joysticks. (e.g. www.cameramouse.org, Virtual Keyboard, (see accessibility options in the “perception” guideline). 2. Teach students keyboard commands and other “quick” strategies for accessing information in alternative ways. 3. Visit techmatrix.org for specific product tailored for specific needs.
Expression and communication	Allow students express knowledge, ideas and concepts in the way that is most natural and successful for them.	1. Create multimedia learning artifacts using text, speech, illustrations, music, film, art, etc. (e.g. Animoto, VoiceThread, PowToon, Scratch, Glogster, Exploratorium) 2. Use simulations in the place of manipulatives. (or alternatively something such as playosmo.com) 3. Incorporate social media 4. Allow word-prediction software and/or text-to-speech software (e.g. Dragon Dictation) 5. Scaffold with calculators, outlining tools, concept maps, etc. 6. Encourage students to use spell- and grammar-check 7. Provide feedback from teachers and peers (with collaborative document creation (e.g. Google Docs)) 8. Provide open-ended problems (PBL learning)
Executive function	Manage mental functions such as planning, setting goals, and monitoring by controlling short-term or lower-level responses, so that processing skills are more efficient.	1. Set goals with students in an explicit way.  Use tools such as shared calendars to organize timelines and stay on track. 2. Post syllabus, rubrics, checklists, schedules, and important documents for students to easily access when they need to 3. Use portfolios (or student-created websites) as assessment measures. 4. Suggest study guides to improve student strategies (e.g. www.studygs.net/timman.htm or coe.jmu.edu/learningtoolbox/index.html) 5. Show how students can organize resources with bookmarking programs, such as Evernote or Diigo 6. Ask students to reflect on the learning process through blogging, self-assessment, and reflection. 7. Help students see their progress over time with graphed results.

III. Provide Multiple Means of Engagement

Guideline	Description	Suggested Adaptations
Recruiting interest	Engage and sustain student interest through choice, relevance, authenticity, and autonomy.	1. Allow students to make a lot of decisions about their learning products and activities 2. Design curriculum to incorporate Project-Based Learning. 3. Help students stay current with authentic real-world connections through RSS feeds. 4. Plan for virtual field trips, role playing, and simulation activities 5. Create class routines so students can manage expectations, but also incorporate novel or surprising situations at times to avoid excess repetition. 6. Teach students study skills that help them focus and filter out distractions.
Sustaining effort and persistence	Foster student motivation in an extrinsic way.	1. State goals and guidelines in a clear way, and remind students of the benefits of the outcome 2. Create rubrics (e.g Rubistar) to guide student productivity and application. 3. Assign group tasks with clear goals and roles,  and otherwise encourage peer interactions 4. Establish an incentive program for positive behavior or performance. 5. Consider a more "global" collaboration option such as Skype or ePals. 6. Provide constant, focuses, and personalized feedback
Self-regulation	Empower students to self-regulate their motivation (intrinsically) by teaching strategies explicitly.	1. Ask students to set personal goals in a structured way. 2. Increase the frequency of self-reflection activities 3. Teach coping and conflict resolution strategies (e.g. www.copingskills4kids.net) 4. Ask students to chart their own progress to increase personal motivation

Consider checking out this great interactive and informational tool: http://udlwheel.mdonlinegrants.org for further discussion and examples.

At the end of the day, these accommodations are essentially just good educational design practices.  They reduce barriers of varying types and degrees, whether physical, emotional, cognitive, or even attitudinal. They take into consideration the diverse learning styles and preferences of all students.  All of the guidelines above offer scaffolding, in different forms, to meet learners “where they are at” and help them progress or access information accordingly. UDL accommodations also set up students to take greater accountability for their own learning by advocating for themselves, troubleshooting to find a better alternative, or better understanding how they personally learn in the most efficient and effective way.  

Resources

National Center on Universal Design for Learning. (2014). UDL Guidelines - Version 2.0: Examples and Resources. Retrieved from http://www.udlcenter.org/implementation/examples

CAST. (n.d.) Learning Tools.  Retrieved from http://cast.org/learningtools/index.html

CAST. (n.d.) Lesson Builder. Retrieved from http://lessonbuilder.cast.org

EdTech 521: Learning Styles in the Online Classroom

Technologies for Certain Learning Styles

I am not certain that I completely agree with Gardner's theory of Multiple Intelligences or similar theories of learning styles that maintain each individual learns best with one or two distinct modes of presentation or activity format.  I believe the nature of the material being learned leads itself to certain more appropriate "styles" of information retrieval or generation.  That being said, as a student I have always been drawn to activities that feature the most multi-modal opportunities to engage with the material.  That means, I have enjoyed and achieved the most success with lessons that involved auditory, visual, and kinesthetic components.  As a student I appreciate a variety of social and solitary learning experiences as well as activity types.  For example, as much as I enjoy some talents in the creative arts (music, visual art, etc.), I also believe I am mathematically intelligent, and would enjoy looking at new information from both of those "angles".

Note: I am very skeptical of any sort of questionnaire-based personality assessment, however for fun and a bit of self-reflection I completed the "Multiple Intelligences Self-Assessment" from Edutopia.

That is why, as a teacher, I particularly enjoy multidisciplinary studies and finding ways to infuse lessons or units with a wide range of activities that (hopefully) appeal to all learning styles. I believe that interest could and would easily transfer to the online environment.

For the purposes of this week's reflection assignment, I considered a learning style that I am naturally drawn to: Visual/Spatial.  Conducting an online class, I would be cognizant to present information with video, graphic cues, filmed examples, and charts. "When learning online visual learners benefit from the ability to replay simulations or videos, trace an outline on the screen, note color coding, interpret pictures, and interact with a wide variety of interactive visual media" (Gilman, 2010).  Some of the technologies or strategies that appeal to this kind of learning preference include:

1. Mind-mapping tools (e.g. Bubbl.us or MindMeister) helps students and teachers visualize cause and effect , prioritize information, compartmentalize or organize concepts, etc. in a graphic way.
2. Visual dictionaries or thesauruses (e.g. Visuwords or VisualThesaurus) create concept maps to define words or show relationships between word parts and/or synonyms
3. Multimedia posters (e.g.  Glogster).  Glogster is an interactive program whereby students share their new learning or the results of research.  Posters can include text, images, video, sound, graphic embellishments, and weblinks.
4. Visual search engines (e.g. Spezify, Google Image Search, Compfight). Students can look up images by keyword, filtering choices by size, Creative Common license, format, etc.  These tools would be useful in creating visual dictionaries or encyclopedias, or in creating multimedia reports that require embedded images.
5. Animation creation programs (e.g. GoAnimate or PowToons) or dynamic presentation tools (e.g. Prezi). These student-friendly programs have made it easy for students to take content and animate it using established characters, movement, transitions, templates, etc. 

On the flip-side, I considered tools or activities types that would enhance learning for Auditory learners. "When learning online auditory learners benefit from being able to replay recordings of lectures, videos, and other auditory sources of information" (Gilman, 2010).

1. Audio-editing software (e.g. Audacity or WavePad).  Students or teachers can record their voice and edit it as necessary (adding multi-tracks, shortening or removing segments, even changing pitch) to create audio presentations.
2. Text-to-Speech software (e.g. ReadPlease or Natural Reader), which will read web pages or documents and even translate selected text in some cases.
3. PodCasts (e.g. iTunes, PodcastDirectory, PodOmatic). Students and teachers can contribute their spoken word to podcast libraries or search for audio files on a given topic or author.  Students may prefer their teacher's spoken assignment or content explanations over written directives.  In this case, a student could subscribe to a teacher's podcast and receive regular updates of new materials.
4. Audio books online (e.g. Project Gutenberg or LearnOutLoud). Students can download books onto their mobile devices for easy access to literature or research materials.

Resources:
Gilman, C. (2010, May 5). Maximizing your learning style in school and in life. Online Learning Tips. Retrieved from http://onlinelearningtips.com/2010/05/05/maximizing-your-learning-style-in-school-and-in-life
AlKhayat, A. (2010, November 24). Effective web tools for visual, auditory and kinesthetic (VAK) learners. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/amanyh/effective-web-tools-for-visual-auditory-and-kinesthetic-vak-learners-5896370

Diploma Guide. (2008). 30 of the best educational tools for auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners. Retrieved from http://diplomaguide.com/articles/30_of_the_Best_Educational_Tools_for_Auditory_Visual_and_Kinesthetic_Learners.html

EdTech 521: iNACOL Online Teaching Standards

Discussion of the iNACOL National Standards for Quality Online Teaching (Version 2)

Do you think these standards are all that different from good teaching standards in any environment?

Yes, a solid understanding of content and pedagogy is required to be an effective teacher.  Although the "pedagogy" piece will look different for online instruction, there are best practices that are universally applicable to the profession.  There is also the shared vision of keeping up to date with current trends and practices.  The spirit of "pioneering" and experimentation comes through in these standards, and I believe any good teaching standards should incorporate that character trait.  Standard J reiterates the "professionalism" of the teaching profession. The practice of lifelong learning (e.g. professional development and networking) as well as partnerships with other adults in the community are both required to properly support student success.

Whereas the modern teacher can get by (and in many cases be very successful) with limited knowledge of technology and online tools, an online teacher is expected to know and be able to use technology for communication, productivity, collaboration, analysis, presentation, research, and content delivery (Standard B).  These are selected based on both subject matter and student needs.  Teachers in any realm should feel empowered and be skilled at troubleshooting when things go wrong, however an online teacher has a greater responsibility to be knowledgeable about the technology being used so that he/she can serve as a go-to person when things go wrong or need attention.  An online teacher also must be more familiar with the legal and ethical issues surrounding technology use (Standard E) than an traditional classroom teacher might be, although both should be familiar with basic rules and best practices.

Student-centeredness is at the heart of Standard C, and should also be at the heart of any good teaching.  To me, this is one of the most important standards. A teacher should always be able to design and implement lessons that foster "active learning, application, interaction, participation, and collaboration".  Differentiation should be a feature in all teaching practices.  Accommodating students' physical disabilities, tailoring instruction to suit students of diverse talents, and being culturally sensitive to student backgrounds are all significant components of differentiation (Standard F).  Students should be encouraged to indulge in their own inquiry and goal-orientation.  The teacher-student relationship is important, but as in any good teaching practice, so is student-student, teacher-parent, and teacher-mentor interaction (Standard C).

The design of an online or traditional course should include "clear expectations, prompt responses, and regular feedback".  These are crucial to effective and efficient communication which leads to increased student success. It's important to note that in these standards as well as in any good teaching standards lies the idea that a student is able to approach the teacher with questions and offer feedback about the course as well. Defining objectives, establishing/communicating assessment criteria from the outset, and offering constructive, personalized feedback are all part of effective communication on the part of the instructor.  Lesson design should always feature standards-based objectives tied to assignments tied to assessments.   The data from the assessments as well as self-reflection should be used to modify the content as well (Standard I).

Which standards would not apply in a traditional brick and mortar classroom?

Standards A, B, and C underscore the role of community-building and collaboration in online learning to connect to a global community.  Teachers must be able to interact with various communication tools much more in an online setting than in a brick-and-mortar one.  In my experience, teaching methods or styles are discussed more than the tools themselves when it comes to traditional teaching practices.  The behavior and rationale is considered much more than the actual programs or tools, which on the contrary seem to dominate many conversations about blended or online teaching. (In reading Chapter 7 of our text (see below) I think it's important that is discusses how "tools" should not define us as teachers, however; They do not make us good teachers. )

While all teachers should feel prepared to facilitate and monitor communication and discussion in their class, online teachers need to be highly skilled and attuned to promote dialogue-driven learning.  This is an element of Standard C. Teachers need to guide often asynchronous class conversations into focus and prompt with questions that require critical thinking (or extend the questions of their students).

Assessment is an important practice for all teachers, but it can be particularly complicated for the online teacher.  Ensuring security of student data and the accuracy of measurement are components of this standard that are amplified for an online instructor.

Standard K, although optional, speaks to the need for strong instructional design skills.  More often than not (I would think), online teachers are responsible for the instructional design of their course, which is significantly different in "digital" format than it is in a brick and mortar setting. Multimedia, web resources, LMS options, and project development in an online setting is much more involved for the online teacher.

All in all, however, I believe the standards for effective online teaching are really not that much different from those of good teaching in any format.  That's why I think it is rewarding for a teacher to be able to try out face-to-face, blended, and online teaching at various points in his/her career to see how learning best practices in one format can improve one's craft in another format.

I believe Chapter 7 of our course textbook Making the Move to K-12 Online Teaching summarizes many of these standards in its discussion of best practices for quality lesson design.  I can see its value as a sort of "rubric" for self-reflection and analysis of our course design and teaching practices.

I also found the comparison of the LMS to a physical classroom space helpful.  I am concerned that I have limited experience working with LMS options at this point, but will make a concerted effort to dabble in at least one to see what options it provides.

Have you identified any authentic activities, virtual activities, and/or simulations that you might like to try with your students?

I am anxious to try Skype in the Classroom to connect students with both field experts and other classrooms around the world.  Our school has received fantastic telepresence equipment through a local grant, and this is currently underutilized. I would also like to learn more about virtual field trip options to suggest to my elementary and middle school teacher colleagues, especially museums (e.g. Smithsonian). A great resource for quick and easy simulations, especially for math and science, can be found here: http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/category/new.  At this point I am guided tremendously by the needs of my teacher colleagues, for whom I serve as a resource.

* * * * *

Side note: Here is the initial development of my asynchronous lesson plan for this week's assignment.