Session 17 - Online Teaching

Learning Outcomes:

CLO 5252.1 Identify and implement the California History - Social Studies (CA HSS) State Framework, College, Career, Civic Live Framework (C3) Common Core Social Studies (CCSS) (TPE 1b, 8, 9, 12 & 13).

CLO 5252.2 Plan and write lessons and activities for all learners to maximize their ability to meet and/or exceed the CCSS (TPE 1b, 2, 4, 5, 6c, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12 & 13).

CLO 5252.3 Demonstrate an understanding of oral, written, and visual literacy and the ability to promote and instruct on oral, written, and visual literacy in the teaching of social studies and history (TPE 1b, 2, 4, 5, 7, 10).

CLO 5252.4 Demonstrate competence in creating unit plans and instructional programs in Common Core English/Language Arts and Social Studies content areas (TPE 1b, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6c, 7, 9, 10, 11).

CLO 5252.5 Create and implement lessons, assignments, assessments, and other learning tools that provide challenging educational experiences and opportunities for all learners (TPE 1b, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6c, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13).

CLO 5252.6 Provide grade-level learning experiences that create the necessary groundwork for student learning success in subsequent courses (TPE 1b, 4, 5, 6c, 7, 8, 9, 10).

CLO 5252.7 Explore and to research effective, current research-based methods and curricula that promote optimal learning environments for students (TPE 1b, 2, 4, 5, 6c, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13).

Essential Questions:

- How is teaching and learning in an online environment different from a traditional classroom setting?

- What adjustments should I make for my online classes?

- How do you teach Social Studies in a online setting?

- How do you create a successful online instructional plan?

- How are you planning to make content accessible online?

- How are you planning to engage students online?

Information:

Online vs Face-2-Face Classroom.

I see the online world and classroom to be like a GIANT magnifying glass for both teachers AND students. Good teachers become even better using the online tools and strategies available. Their good characteristics become enhanced. On the other hand, bad teachers are

even worse. All their worse habits become enlarged. The same with students. The best students find a way to excel no matter who is

teaching nor the environment in which they find themselves. Their good work and work habits are magnified online and when compared

to the more recalcitrant students, their efforts gleam. Bad students seem to find ways to fail even with the best teachers and even under

the best circumstances.

Research shows that the highest rate of failure occurs in the online environment and the trend is not slowing down, despite higher education's attempts to implement changes.

However, despite the higher rates of failure, there is no demonstrable difference in what is learned nor in abilities. Students who are successful in the online classroom are just as knowledgeable as their traditional classroom counterparts.

A major factor in determining learning is the type of online environment proffered. If the goal of the institution is to make a profit, then

the way to maximize profits is to hire a course designer and then automate the class with self-graded assessments. All students really

need to do is to "click" their way through the course. In these courses, little effort or no effort is needed from the "teacher" and small

effort is required of the students. Students merely "click" their way through the course often completing the course in astonishing time. Anecdotally, one teacher told me of a student who was failing his economics course and the next day came in to inform the teacher that

he needn't worry because the student had gotten an "A" from the remedial course online in just one night's effort. I've taken many, many online professional development courses like sexual harassment. With the number of reports of aberrant behavior at schools as well as #metoo, we can probably conclude that the message is not well learned. This is probably the fault of both the online environment and

the lack of interest from the students.

So what does work? Online environments in which there is a real teacher and students who are truly invested in learning make the online classroom truly exciting. The online environment is MORE WORK, not less - for both teacher and student. Teachers must not only

design and create the online class, but they must also effectively monitor the class. Teachers cannot merely "mail-it-in." Whereas in a

F-2-F class, a teacher could merely lecture from a set of prepared notes, the online instructor needs to monitor the learning that is taking place in the course. Students get credit for being in class by just showing up in a F-2-F class. In an online class, students cannot merely "show up," they must do something like write, do threaded discussions, make videos, or speak up in a synchronous meeting. Instructors need to participate and model the desired participatory actions and behaviors.

See the University of Illinois' 10 Misconceptions for Online Classes.

One of the best course I have ever taught was an online English 12 class for the Concord Consortium's Virtual High School. In this class, I had honors students from the state of Washington who were accepted to the University of Washington, students from the Texas School for the Deaf, incarcerated students from Chicago, pregnant teens from the East coast, and a hodgepodge of others. It was the most diverse

class I have ever taught. The discussions were incredibly rich because of the diverse backgrounds and perspectives. This was a class that would be IMPOSSIBLE to teach F-2-F, because the traditional classroom could not accommodate everyone's requirements. I was truly inspired by the students who were eager to learn and hailed from different backgrounds. For many of them, it was their second chance.

The BIG THREE does not apply online - age, gender, race. In the traditional classroom, the big three must be dealt with. Online, these human characteristics cease to be all-encompassing.

See University of Illinois' 5 Advantages of Online Courses

See John's Hopkins Differences between teaching online and teaching F-2-F.

For me, the hybrid or blended classroom is the best model. Taking the best of Face-2-Face and the online classrooms is the perfect

mixture. For older students, meeting daily is not as important as having a meaningful exchange when the class does meet. "Busy work"

is a waste of everyone's time. A guarantee of contact hours is no warranty of quality. Conversely, the lack of contact hours, is not a sign

of poor quality. There must be a combination of effective teaching coupled with an eager learner for high quality of education to take

place.

Technology Taxonomy by Ray Gen

Video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp4BG4Me7TU

Zoom Meeting Online

1. Log in at https://lmusoe.zoom.us/j/7972079735

2. Intro to the lesson

3. Breakout into small groups (I will assign)

4. Can you convert one of your favorite classroom activities/strategies to online?

5. Investigate: web, youtube, flip it?

6. Post in Threaded Discussion in Brightspace how you would convert your classroom strategy to online.

After you post yours, respond to at least 2 classmates. If a classmate already has two, respond to someone else.

Production:

Create a Lesson Plan that is delivered 100% online. Make sure you have all the components ONLINE including content, assessments, accommodations, feedback structure, etc. Please create this lesson plan on your webpage. Follow the requirements of the LMU template. Due Session 19 and an online lesson is also a requirement for your Unit Plan.

Read: Vaughn, Bos, Schumm chp. 4; Vacca, Vacca, Mraz chps. 6, 8

Next Steps:

Week 18 - Lesson Plan 5 - Social Justice

Week 19 - Lesson Plan 6 - 100% Online Lesson