Enhancing quality in K-12 online learning: Course reviewing through a project-based partnership

1. Enhancing quality in K-12 online learning: Course reviewing through a project-based partnership Virtual School Symposium 2010 Jason Huett, Kim Huett, Steve Thompson, Aaryn Schmuhl, Justin Castile, and Sharon Synan

2. Who We Are University of West Georgia • Jason Huett • Kim Huett Henry County Schools • Steve Thompson • Aaryn Schmuhl • Justin Castile Georgia Department of Education • Sharon Synan Jason

3. Presentation Structure Wiki Overlay vss2010.wikispaces.com • Need for Project • Project Design • Outcomes from “Round 1” • Future Iterations • Questions & Discussion Kim

4. 1. Need for Project • Preparing Teachers for the Future • Authentic Learning Experiences • Course Feedback to LEA Teacher Designers & Administrators • Improving Courses Along with Student Experiences and Student Outcomes Jason, Steve, Aaryn, Justin

5. 2. Project Design • Management • Courses Reviewed • Participants • Phases 1, 2, 3, and 4 • Wiki as Collaboration Space 33 graduate students reviewed 9 online courses. Kim

6. 2.A Management • 1 professor (university) • 1 project manager (university) • 1 blended middle school principal (LEA) • 1 online academy director (LEA) • 1 technology support specialist (LEA) Kim

7. 2.B Courses Reviewed Reviewed 1 semester of each course. Number in parentheses = number of graduate student reviewers on team. Kim

8. 2.C Participants • 12 teachers ( teaching 9 courses) • 33 graduate student reviewers Aaryn, Steve, Jason

9. 2.D.1 ProjectPhases Phase 1 – individual reviewing • Graduate student reviewers review course using 2 instruments: • Content Alignment Document to determine to what extent course addressed Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) • National Standards of Quality for Online Courses (modified) • They post reviews to group wiki page. Sample instruments posted to VSS Wiki Overlay. Kim

10. 2.D.1.aGPS Content Alignment Instrument For each standard and element (criterion)… “Understand” Level …reviewers would indicate whether the course covered the standard, and if at the appropriate level of Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy. Kim

11. 2.D.1.b National Standards of Quality for Online Learning Instrument uses a scale from 0 (absent) to 4 (no improvement needed). Kim

12. 2.D.2 ProjectPhases Phase 2 – social processing • Reviewers study groupmates’ Phase 1 feedback on same course. • Reviewers discuss findings with group. • Reviewers adjust individual Phase 1 documents on wiki, as needed. Kim

13. 2.D.3 ProjectPhases Phase 3 – synthesizing & presenting • Reviewers analyze their Phase 2 discussions and identify themes related to these four areas: • Content • Instructional Design • Student Assessment • Technology & 21st Century Skills • Reviewers create an online audiovisual presentation to share synthesis with client (using VoiceThread). Kim

14. 2.D.4 ProjectPhases Phase 4 – reflection • Reviewers view final presentations of all other groups (in same semester); • Reviewers identify themes across all course reviews and reflect on value of project as well as recommend adjustments. Kim

15. 2.E Wiki as Collaboration Space • Rationale for Using Wiki • Online Review Project Wiki Jason, Kim

16. 3.A.1 Outcomes, Round 1 • Preparing Teachers for the Future • Authentic Learning Experiences • Course Feedback to LEA Teacher Designers & Administrators • Improving Courses Along with Student Experiences and Student Outcomes Jason, Steve, Aaryn, Justin

17. 3.A.2 Grad Student Feedback • This course may be the most important course I take at W. GA… • This class is the best one I have taken in this program. I got real life experience that I can put on a resume… • I hope to teach online classes in the future, and this course has well prepared me for that. • This course has given me a stronger focus to be a change agent in my school system and to support distance education… Jason, Steve, Aaryn, Justin

18. The course content was designed with a clear purpose to teach the skills necessary to perform the authentic ending project. • I feel like I am better prepared and more knowledgeable in the field of distance education after taking this course. • This course was fantastic. I was able to garner real world experience working with Henry County…I have a clearer understanding of what it takes to build and teach online. • This course has been nothing less than fantastic… reviewing the Henry County online courses gives excellent hands-on approaches to distance learning. • The Henry County project was the best learning experience out of everything I have done during my graduate work. • It was invaluable going through the process and then being allowed to put that knowledge and understanding to real world tasks. Jason

19. This course has challenged me, prepared me, and… I feel equipped to go back in my individual community and make a difference. • Reviewing the Henry County classes also gave me real world experience…I am very excited about the future of online learning and am looking forward to more opportunities to explore this. • I cannot say enough good things about the course work! I have learned A TON this semester about distance education and participated in the most thought-provoking project - a true review of online courses. All I can say is WOW! • My confidence has risen dramatically. If I applied for a job, I would feel confident in what I know about online teaching…. • I feel empowered. • Excellent! Superb! Exciting! Challenging! Thought provoking! Jason

20. 3.B Ongoing Research Research & Data Analysis • Descriptive Analysis of National Standards Instrument • Qualitative Coding of VoiceThread Audio and Textual Data • Qualitative Coding of Post-surveys Jason

21. 4. Future Iterations • Course review to continue • Less emphasis on state standards, more on design • Reviewer video walk-throughs • Bite-sized professional development • Stronger ties between graduate student reviewers and teacher designers Jason et al.

22. 5.Questions & Discussion All

23. Thank you! Jason Huett – jhuett@westga.edu Kim Huett – khuett@westga.edu Steve Thompson – sthompson@henry.k12.ga.us Aaryn Schmuhl – aschmuhl@henry.k12.ga.us Justin Castile – justin.castile@henry.k12.ga.us Sharon Synan – ssynan@doe.k12.ga.us