Thing 18--Virtual Classrooms

Teacher: 

Good News!! The process of extending the classroom beyond traditional brick and mortar walls IS for the faint of heart, AND you don't need to be a 'tech guru' to get started. 

My plan begins with the cornerstone of any good education program; communication. Start with an e-copy of a newsletter, and set your frequency. Your audience will quickly start deleting important info if you constantly bombard them. Monthly works best for me. Better yet, set it up in the form of a blog that allows for interaction. (NETS-S; 2.a,2.b,5.a,5.b,5.c,5.d,6.a,6.b)

In your newsletter, include links to resources bundled on your favorite social bookmarking tool, your classroom YouTube channel, course calendar or...

Create a Web presence via classroom blog / Wiki / Website or  district LMS. House all these resources in one place and provide your students and parents with a 24/7 link to your classroom. 

Time management of all these resources can be tricky. Try establishing 'office hours'. This set time let's your students know when they can reasonably expect to communicate with you and gives you the necessary boundaries so your online work doesn't become all-consuming. 

As you start expanding your classroom take it slow. As you integrate more tools, you'll also pick up new ideas for implementation and what starts as a static communication (newsletter) will quickly morph into collaboration as students begin to engage in more dynamic ways.

Teaching and learning both benefit from making these small steps. All users become more comfortable with hardware and software processes. Fresh, dynamic resources bring new perspective, ideas and opportunities to the classroom experience.

Student

So what about the student? Unfortunately, online learning is NOT for the faint of heart and DOES require the ability to work with technology to a certain degree. Navigating the Land of Online Learning provides all stakeholders the opportunity to experience online learning from a different perspective than their own. The student view highlights how students should, and should expect to be, part of the process in online learning. 

Unlike any other form of education, online learning really lets students take control of their learning. Students choose when, how, where, to study in order to meet course goals. This can be thrilling at the beginning -- isn't it every teenager's dream -- control!! To frustrating mid-stream and downright defeating in the end. However "With great power comes great responsibility" (Spiderman) 

Successful online students need to be independent, self-starters willing to rise to a challenge and problem-solve on their own. That doesn't mean online learning is an isolated process, quite the opposite. What it does mean is that online learning is a new and different process that requires a new approach.

The role of various adults in the online learning process can not be ignored. Mentors, counselors, teachers and district admin provide all the traditional supports. Students still need support in managing time, course loads, content and equipment.