Create high quality online lessons that are interactive, engage students and work WITH your existing LMS.

The first of two items from SoftChalk.  Note these up-coming webinars.

You have a learning management system (LMS)—but is the CONTENT in your LMS course ENGAGING and INTERACTIVE? In this webinar, we’ll show a fast and easy way to create high quality online lessons that are interactive, engage students and work WITH your existing LMS. Did we mention it’s FAST and EASY? Register for a FREE webinar today and see how you can create a professional-looking, interactive, online lesson in an hour with SoftChalk Cloud! Wednesday, December 9 4:00PM ET Thursday, December 17 4:00PM ET We look forward to seeing you there! The SoftChalk Team www.softchalk.com www.softchalkcloud.com Like us on Facebook  •  Follow us on Twitter  •  Check out the SoftChalk Talk Blog

SoftChalk LLC 22 S. Auburn Ave. Richmond VA 23221  877-638-2425

E-Learning Graduate Certificate Program

An item from our friends at UW-Stout.

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Thank You Teachers! Posted: 01 Dec 2020 03:12 PM PST  You have always been first responders! UW-Stout Online Professional Development E-Learning Graduate Certificate

New 2-part webinar series for Superintendents and school leaders

Note these up-coming webinars.

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Hi Michael,

I’m excited to let you know about a new webinar series we’re hosting in partnership with the School Superintendents Association (AASA) in December and January on how superintendents can navigate challenges related to the pandemic.

Dan Domenech and superintendents who are part of the Resilient Schools Project will join me and John Watson, CEO of Evergreen Education Group which manages the Digital Learning Collaborative, in these practical sessions.

The first webinar will be happening Tuesday, Dec 8 at 4pm ET:

The Resilient Schools Project: Sharing Strategies with Superintendents

How are school leaders doing amidst such challenging conditions in schools?
What do administrators need in terms of assistance, support and resources?
Where do we see the “future of school” heading?

These are just some of the questions we’ll be covering during this session. Current Assistant Superintendent Dr. Paula Dillon and former Superintendent Dr. Darryl Adams will explore how districts are responding to COVID-19 impacts, and looking to the future, with a focus on ensuring access, increasing educational equity, new learning models, creative ways of supporting teachers, and more.

The ultimate goal of the webinar is to share broadcast the current state of affairs in K-12 schools across America (from the perspective of school leaders), document feedback from attendees, and, ultimately, forecast how working together will ensure that we are on a better road to success—for our schools, for our teachers, and for our students. If this can be mastered in a pandemic-environment, schools can weather any storm that comes their way—today, tomorrow, and beyond.

Tuesday, Dec 8 @ 4pm ET

REGISTER NOW HERE

Thanks,
Amy Valentine

Facebook: Future of School Stories (public group)
Twitter: @futureof_school and @amyvalentine555
Website: http://futureof.school

​4833 Front St Unit B #503, Castle Rock, CO 80104-7902

Stephen’s Web ~ OLDaily – December 02, 2020 / Professional Development for Online Teaching: A Literature Review

This item came through my inbox yesterday, it was the first item in one of Stephen’s Web ~ OLDaily.

OLDaily by Stephen Downes December 02, 2020

Professional Development for Online Teaching: A Literature Review Heather Leary, et.al., online learning, Dec 02, 2020 According to this review (22 page PDF) of selected, filtered and codified research papers, “the highest areas of focus within the research questions related to the PD program itself, implementation, instructors, and helping  the instructor design a quality course.” Meanwhile another major thread “examined instructor perceptions, outcomes, and characteristics.” Interestingly, “the PD program itself should be the largest focus of universities seeking to improve professional development at their institutions.” This actually makes sense; if you can’t get professional development right, you probably shouldn’t be advising people on how to do professional development. Additionally, “the type of professional development and  the content within it should rely heavily on the needs of the participants at a given institution.” I say this about learning generally, but somehow get a lot of pushback. Web: [Direct Link] [This Post]

The details for this article are below.

Professional Development for Online Teaching: A Literature Review

Heather Leary, Cade Dopp, Chad Turley, Matthew Cheney, Zach Simmons, Charles R. Graham, Riley Hatch

Abstract

The growth of online learning has created a need for instructors who can competently teach online. This literature review explores the research questions, program recommendations, and future research suggestions related to professional development for online instructors. Articles were selected and coded based on date of publication and the context of the professional development. Results indicate that most research questions focused on (a) professional development programs, (b) instructors, and (c) instructors’ online courses. Most program recommendations focused on (a) professional development programs, (b) context of professional development, and (c) instructors’ activity during professional development. Future recommendations for research topics focused on professional development programs and instructors, while future recommendations for research methods focused on research design and institutional settings. The findings suggest that while professional development for online instructors is important, consistency in both design and delivery is lacking. Future research is needed to provide guidance to programs, instructors, and institutions leading to satisfaction and success for more online students.

Keywords

Professional development, Teacher development, Instructor development, Teaching online

Full Text:

PDF

Looking to start a virtual school? We can help.

An item from the folks at the Digital Learning Collaborative.

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Is your district planning to start an online or hybrid school/program for school year 2021-22 and beyond? If so, the Digital Learning Collaborative (DLC) can help. We are planning a year-long, facilitated cohort of districts working together to plan, implement, and build on your goals for your students. The cohort will start in January 2021 and continue throughout the calendar year. We will help your district launch your online or hybrid school (or program) at the start of the fall 2021 semester, and continue working with you through the fall to ensure a smooth first semester. Topics will include: Setting goals and objectives for your school or program Deciding between online and hybrid Hiring, developing, and supporting teachers Content acquisition: build vs buy vs both …and many more All the details are here. If your district is interested in participating, please email us at info@evergreenedgroup.com. Discounts are available for groups of three or more districts signing on together, or for a state, regional, or national organization sponsoring three or more districts. The DLC is a membership organization dedicated to exploring, producing, and disseminating data, information, news, and best practices in digital learning. Did You Know? Webinar reminder! We are launching the DLC webinar series on Thursday this week (Dec. 3) with a discussion titled “Real-time online learning vs asynchronous: which is better?” More details, registration, and future webinar topics are on our webinars page. The DLAC call for proposals is open until December 19! The conference, powered by the DLC, is going to a hybrid format, providing more opportunities than ever to participate. Onsite DLAC will again be at the Hyatt Regency Austin on June 14-16, but a major virtual component has been added, with presentations, discussions, and networking opportunities. Craft a session for whichever way you plan to attend DLAC – onsite or virtually. See our video on how to get started.

Copyright © 2020 Evergreen Education Group, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in at the DLC or DLAC website. Our mailing address is: Evergreen Education Group 700 Main Ave Ste E Durango, CO 81301-5437