K-12 Online Learning At The MVU Symposium 2009

Sitting at the opening keynote at the Michigan Virtual University Symposium 2009.  The opening keynote is being delivered by Lee Rainie, the Director of the Pew Internet and American Life Project. The description for the opening keynote is:

Lee Rainie is the Director of the Pew Internet & American Life Project, a non-profit, non–partisan “fact tank” that studies the social impact of the Internet. The Project has issued more than 200 reports based on its surveys that examine people’s online activities and the Internet’s role in their lives. Lee is a co-author of Up for Grabs, Hopes and Fears, and Ubiquity, Mobility, Security, a series of books about the future of the Internet published by Cambria Press and based on Project surveys. He is also co-authoring a book for MIT Press about the social impact of technology with sociologist Barry Wellman that will be published in late 2010. The working title is Networked: The New Social Network Operating System. Prior to launching the Pew Internet Project, Lee was managing editor of U.S. News & World Report. He is a graduate of Harvard University and has a master’s degree in political science from Long Island University.

Essentially it appeared to be a review of the data he has been collecting related to his Web 2.0 work (although after he finished entertaining the audience with his Twitter tales, he began his actual talk from the paradigm of digital natives, which meant that I largely tuned out right away – for just some of the problems with digital natives, see Jamie McKenzie’s piece – also note that it is based on no research whatsoever).

So, I’m going to use this time to outline the presentations here today that focus on K-12 online learning.

10 – 10:50 a.m

Being there Virtually for Students The Importance of Online Teacher Presence (Room 104)
A key component of a successful educational experience for students is the support and presence of a quality teacher. While online teachers aren’t physically in the classroom, their virtual presence is critical to student success as well. Timely responses to student questions, substantive feedback to written work and thoughtfully posed questions on discussion boards are some of the ways in which teachers exhibit their presence in online courses. Time and time again MVS instructors speak of the quality of the communication and relationship building that occurs in the online course environment. This year’s MVU online teacher of the Year will share some of these student and teacher testimonials and highlight examples of the many ways that MVS instructors engage their online students.
Presenter:
Michigan online teacher of the Year

Using Web 2.0 tools to Meet Students Where They ‘Live’ (Room 105)
The Internet as a one-way or static experience is being replaced with the interactivity of Web 2.0 tools. This presentation will show you how today’s online teachers use Web 2.0 tools to connect students with their teachers, classmates and the digital world. The tools covered in today’s presentation run the gamut from blogs and wikis to avatars and streaming video. Learn how these tools allow students the experience of the dynamic interaction that is a valuable part of the Web 2.0 experience in both the virtual and physical classroom.
Presenters:
Jay Bennett, Instruction and Course Coordinator, Michigan Virtual School
Kristi Bush, Online Instructor, Michigan Virtual School & Michigan LearnPort; Media Specialist, Shepherd Public Schools

Algebra for All: What it Means for Thousands (Auditorium)
Answering a call from the governor, the Michigan Mathematics and Science Centers Network, Wayne RESA, the Michigan Department of Education and MVU teamed up to meet the challenge of teaching algebra to all Michigan students and providing professional development for 1,000 Michigan teachers. This session describes the project, Algebra for All, which consists of eight days of face-to face-training at sites across Michigan, coordinated through video from a central site, with local facilitation of learning activities. Michigan LearnPort serves as the resource-sharing site for the documents used in the professional development, provides complete online coursework to replicate each day’s training for those who miss a session, and has established social networking for the teachers between sessions. This is proving a powerful model for large-scale professional development, with applicability to many additional content areas.
Presenters:
Libby Pizzo, Mathematics Consultant, Wayne County Mathematics and Science Center, Wayne RESA
Carolyn Siebers, Mathematics Consultant, Wayne County Mathematics and Science Center, Wayne RESA
Roger Verhey, Emeritus Professor of Mathematics and Director of the Center for Mathematics Education, University of Michigan–Dearborn
Ken Schramm, Manager of Video Telecommunication Services, Wayne RESA
David Young, Instructional Designer, MVU

Virtual Learning Lab (Heritage Room; repeats at 11 a.m. and 1:40 p.m.)
Visit the Virtual Learning Lab to learn more about the services offered by our sponsors; try out Michigan Virtual School courses while interacting with experienced online instructors; and learn how Michigan LearnPort provides online professional development for the K-12 educational community. You can also get online with the new and improved myDreamExplorer®, MVU’s powerful career development websites, a free resource for Michigan students. The CareerForward® course will also be demonstrated. MVU team members and symposium sponsors will be available to inform and guide you through the lab.

11:00 – 11:50 p.m.

Using Online Solutions to Do More With Less (Room 104)
School districts today are being asked to solve increasingly complex problems while dealing with dwindling resources. Learn how the 20 school districts in Kent County ISD partnered with the Michigan Virtual School to collaboratively find online solutions to three significant challenges: (1) maintaining student access to the 22 career tracks offered at the Kent Career Technical Center; (2) providing Kent students an opportunity to recapture core credits while still having access to the Kent Career Technical Center; and (3) developing and providing virtual testing out opportunities in a less costly and more efficient manner. Learn how the Kent ISD and MVU team responded to these challenges and how their efforts are changing the way Kent students access testing out and CTE programs at the Kent Career Tech Center.
Presenters:
Jason Kalis, Academic Support Teacher, Kent Career Technical Center
Ron Moag, Principal, Kent Career Technical Center
Deb VanDyke, Academic Support Teacher, Kent Career Technical Center
Jackson fox, Academic Support Teacher, Kent Career Technical Center
Scott Vashaw, Associate Director, Michigan Virtual School

When the Flu Bug Bites: Planning for Continuity Using Online Resources (Room 103)
Are you prepared? School closures for long periods of time are a real possibility. If not the flu, natural disasters or other situations could cause schools to close, idling students and staff for days, weeks or months. How are you preparing for educational continuity? This session will examine low- and no-cost online solutions to keep students and teaching staff in touch and engaged. Social networking and media offer solutions that were nonexistent just a few years ago. Learn how teachers can create a classroom-based social network, use Twitter and You Tube and provide lectures, demonstrations and conduct group discussions for little or no cost. A local school superintendent will also share how one district is migrating educational content online to prepare for many contingencies.
Presenters:
William Skilling, Superintendent, Oxford Community Schools
Mary Barry-Cybulski, Associate Director, Michigan LearnPort
James Bell, LMS Specialist, Michigan LearnPort

Attacking the Dropout Challenge – An Innovative Online Approach in St. Clair County (Room 105)
What is the impact of a dropping out of school on your students, school and community? In your district the situation is probably like many others in Michigan, once a student has left high school the odds are very slim that he or she will return. Every time a student drops out they begin a path that leads them on a downward spiral and further from success. When students drop out it impacts your schools in lost revenue, lower graduation rates and AYP status, and also your community. In this session you will learn how St. Clair County RESA in a cooperative effort with their local school districts and Michigan Virtual School is using online learning to attack the dropout challenge. The St. Clair County Online Learning Academy has taken an innovative approach in helping St. Clair county students get back on the academic track to success. Project staff will share how the plan was developed and implemented as well as the data they’ve compiled and lessons they’ve learned.
Presenters:
Joanne e. hopper, Director, Educational Services, St. Clair County RESA
Denice Lapish, Director, Virtual Learning Academy, St. Clair County RESA
Dan Degrow, Superintendent, St. Clair County RESA
Richard Ferdig, RCET Research Professor and Professor of Instructional Technology, Kent State University

1:40 – 2:30 p.m.

Online Teaching and Learning Mastery Program (Room 104)
This session will highlight the features and benefits of the Online Teaching and Learning Mastery program and solicit feedback from participants to help customize the program to better meet the needs of Michigan’s K-12 community. The Mastery program is a four-course online program for K-12 educators who want to build skills and become leaders in the rapidly advancing field of online/blended teaching and learning.
Presenters:
Francis Saroki, Course Development Manager, MVU
Peter Arashiro, Instructional Design & Systems Manager, MVU
Miriam Taylor, Owner, T3 Consulting

STW – Three Simple Letters, One Big Opportunity (Auditorium)
Using teacher-led online courses, the MDE-approved Seat Time Waiver (STW) program allows schools to set aside the specific requirement that a student be in attendance at the school in a seat and in front of a traditional teacher. This session will highlight educators from Michigan schools and districts offering STWs to their students. Attendees of this session will gain knowledge of the challenges faced in implementing the waiver program as well as the benefits and successes students have experienced from this flexible approach to learning. You’ll take home a set of preliminary MVU guidelines for supporting online learners, a rubric to assess student readiness and a sample board policy regarding full-time online learning.
Presenters:
Jayne Mohr, Associate Superintendent, TCAPS
Bruce Umpstead, Director, Educational Technology, MDE
Marsha Myles, President & CEO, EdTech Specialists, LLC
Al Vigh, Frontiers Program Director, Wyoming Public Schools
Joe Tibaldi, Principal, Traverse City West Senior High School
John Bailey, Northwest Academy, Charlevoix
Moderator:
Robert Currie, Executive Director, MVS

2:45 – 3:45 p.m.
Closing Panel Discussion: The Future of Online Lernning
(Big Ten Room A)
Panelists:
Kathy Hayes, Executive Director, MASB
Robert Riley, Guidance Couselor, Millington High School
Stan Kogut, Superintendent, Ingham ISD
William Skilling, Superintendent, Oxford Community Schools
Tom White, Consultant and former Executive Director, MSBO
Moderator:
Rossi Ray-Taylor, President & CEO, Ray.Taylor and Associates, LLC; Member, MVU Board of Directors

I’ll have blog entries from some of these sessions.