Distance Learning Knowhow Manual

Introduction

Advancements in technology are dramatically changing the way we approach teaching and learning. Online instructors now provide context, guidance, and coaching. Instructors monitor student progress and help learners overcome barriers to their advancement. They lead the discussion in digital forums, chats, or group discussions utilizing asynchronous or synchronous methods through Youtube, Google Meet, or other online communication tools. Online instruction allows those teaching to engage learners via video, voice, or text chat and allows instructors to take a look behind the scenes to see which students need additional support. This manual is created to assist instructors who are new to online instruction while providing assistance associated with engaging, planning, and delivering online instruction. Please utilize this manual to enhance your online instructional practice and to assist you with meeting the guidelines within the CSD Distance Learning Handbook (click here) .

The goal of the Cleveland School District is to create beneficial distance learning experiences that are possible for our students. The Cleveland School District Distance Learning program provides: ● Academic rigor aligned to Mississippi College and Career Readiness Standards

● Quality Instruction to eligible students using online, remote learning technology

● Highly qualified, Mississippi certified teachers

● Frequent communication with students and parent(s)/guardian

● Additional support when needed

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Vocabulary

● Asynchronous - when learners participate online at different times. (click for activities)

● Blended Learning -the use of two or more learning methods, typically face-to-face

instruction with online learning.

● Collaborative Learning -learning in peer to peer or other groups where students seek to

achieve an academic goal.

● Constructivist Model of Learning -a model of learning that suggests that learners are

unique and active agents in their own learning; learners are responsible for connecting

new information with the schema of old information unique to their own experience; the

instructor facilitates this activation of new information.

● Flipped Classroom -approach to instruction where students access lectures or lessons at

home through videos and other online media.

● Learning Management System -A software application for tracking, documenting,

reporting, and delivering educational courses, training, and/or learning and development

programs.

● Peer Instruction -a technique where students teach each other by clarifying

misconceptions, finding solutions to problems, or focusing on conceptual understanding.

● Synchronous - when learners participate online at the same time. (click for activities)

● Transmission Model of Learning - a model of teaching that assumes that teachers have

the knowledge, which is transmitted wholesale to learners, who are all assumed to have

similar needs and abilities.

Online Teaching

Online teaching is nothing new but has not been utilized to its maximum capacity. Adjustments from teachers, parents, students, and school faculty and staff will be vital to academic success. Every teacher has the passion to be as effective online as they are face to face but there are many things to think about for this to occur. Below you will find information that will assist any teacher in becoming an effective online instructor. Characteristics of an Effective Online Instructor

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● Flexible and versatile ● Well organized ● Able to communicate well in writing and in speaking ● Has exciting interaction with students but know how to set boundaries ● Willing to experiment and try out new tools and approaches ● Good time manager ● A sincere interest in your students ● Commitment to continual learning and growth to implement best practices

Tips for Moving from Face-to-Face (F2F) to Online

● Do not try to completely replicate your in-person class through purely synchronous

meetings ● Do consider using asynchronous LMS or other platforms to extend the class meeting to

the whole week ● Do shorten synchronous meeting lengths, especially if mostly lecture, and record, place

online for asynchronous access and review, interaction in LMS Keep Students Engaged

● Have resources that are the focus of the assignment, not simply additional material ● Introduce and explain each assignment or activity clearly

○ You and students should know WHY are WE doing this ● Establish habits and patterns

○ Encourage students to log in frequently and participate actively ● Provide early descriptive feedback (click here) ; explaining how to improve. This also

helps to establish your presence online while helping students make necessary adjustments. Have real-world connections to the lesson; keeps the information relevant

● Cater material to students’ interests and learning styles when possible (click here for MILS survey)

Instructional Settings

Traditional Classroom

A traditional course is often based on a linear model of moving from one lesson to the next at the instructor's discretion. The instructor controls the direction, pace, and style of each lesson, and

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all students adhere to the same due dates and class times. This approach aligns with the Transmission model of learning.

Online Classroom

An online course offers a very different experience. Students can access the course at different times and complete assignments at their own pace. They may choose not to complete assessments or lessons in a linear style. In addition, students may not meet the instructor or classmates in person. Therefore, the instructor has much less control over when and how students learn. This approach aligns more closely with the Constructivist model of learning. Students taking online courses may have different needs and require different types of guidance and assistance than students in traditional classrooms. To be effective, online instructors must keep these differences in mind.

Blended Learning

Blended learning occurs when elements of both traditional face-to-face instruction and online learning are combined. Proponents of blended learning argue that this combined educational experience is more effective than the components apart. (click here for video)

Flipped Classroom

Students can work online in a self-directed manner before a course begins. This allows them to brush up on fundamentals or prepare assignments for the face-to-face classroom. During the course, online learning tools like discussion forums or video instruction can become part of the experience. Quicker students may need to hear a lecture only once, while others may want to repeat the material. In a traditional classroom, the instructor must pace the lesson to match the learning rate of the slowest students. For younger students, the flipped classroom model also allows parents or guardians to be involved in the learning process. Parents are exposed to the course material directly from the instructor, so they are better prepared to answer their children's questions. Finally, the flipped model reduces the impact of student absenteeism, since absent students can catch up on the lectures at home. (click here for video)

Role of Instructor

An online instructor's primary role is to help students navigate the course elements and features and to assist students in mastering the course material independently. An online instructor acts as a guide and coach. Instructors should carefully review their online course to familiarize themselves with the content and online elements. Then, they can anticipate student questions,

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gauge what guidance students may need, and troubleshoot when necessary. Instructors must strike a balance between authority (setting the boundaries and rules) and mentorship (helping students navigate the course). Online instructors must also strive to be available to answer student questions, keeping in mind that students will access the course at different times. Instructors should also facilitate interaction and cooperation between students via discussion boards and chat elements. Just as in a traditional classroom, online instructors must establish a safe learning environment for students. They should demonstrate a firm understanding of the subject matter while being flexible about the different learning styles of students. Instructors and students alike must become comfortable with online tools and elements.

Leading Discussions

Leading an online discussion is both similar to and different from leading a classroom discussion. The best discussion topics encourage learners to apply what they have learned in the course content, either to what they already know or to new circumstances. Another approach is to ask students to take a position on a question and explain why they are doing so. Online instructors must...

● Remember that students may be new to the subject matter. ● Be sure to provide support to students as they often need help in having

productive conversations in discussion forums or virtual classroom settings. ● Facilitate interactions by prompting learners when conversations stall or head off

course. ● Gently correct statements made in a group setting that are inaccurate, or foster a

misinterpretation of the material. ● Be an active participant in the discussions to monitor and direct the discussion

towards the ultimate goal.

Tips for Online Discussion

● Establish the parameters at the outset for appropriate discussion (Parameters may include civility, courtesy, respect for others, no use of profanity, etc.).

○ This can be communicated through an initial post and/or in the course outline.

○ You may want students to know that you reserve the right to edit or delete posts. Be sure to set behavioral expectations and have clear rules at the beginning of the course.

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● Connect topics with the readings and online materials, but seek to challenge students to think critically and move beyond simple recall.

○ For example , a discussion about the origins of the Civil War might be started by asking students whether or not the North and South could have found a compromise to avert war and what such a compromise would have looked like.

○ This sort of question asks learners to synthesize and move beyond a simple recitation of what they've encountered in the course materials.

● Praise learner posts that contribute to a discussion. ● Guide off-topic conversations back to the question at hand. ● Prepare your questions ahead of time. This will assist you with more thoughtful

questions for the discussion. ● Ask students to describe their real-world experiences (where appropriate) as a

way of making the discussion more relevant. ● Do not feel the need to constantly interject yourself into the discussion—pick

your spots judiciously.

Facilitate Collaborative Learning

Online instructors can help encourage collaborative learning by effectively utilizing the available technology. Instructors can seek to move students toward a sense of togetherness and provide opportunities for "peer-to-peer" learning as well as fostering productive discussion. Collaborative learning can include pairing students to solve a problem, asking a small group to work through an assignment, employing peer instruction, or asking groups to collaborate on a semester- or course-long project.

Collaborative Learning Examples...

● Group Chat-Open group chat (or video conferencing)-Allows students to comment, ask questions, and interact with the instructor in a collaborative manner.

● Discussion Boards-Instructors can post topics for debate or discussion. Grouping the class into smaller sections and giving each a topic, or having them debate the same topic in different threads, can make this a collaborative learning experience and promote critical thinking. It will also give them the opportunity to respond back to one another and communicate understanding of the topic through peer feedback.

● Daily/Weekly Question-Instructors can encourage a sense of community by posting a daily or weekly open-ended question. Students can then post their

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responses to a discussion forum and can be asked to comment on at least one other response.

● Group Projects-Instructors can establish smaller groups and ask them to collaborate on a group project by working together virtually. These projects can range from formal research papers to more informal assignments.

● Presentations-Instructors can ask students to make presentations in a video chat/ video conferencing setting so classmates can watch, ask questions, and comment.

● Peer Feedback-Students can exchange essays, papers, or other materials and "peer edit" or comment on the work.

Challenges to Consider for Online Learning

There are differences between teaching online, teaching face-to-face, or in front of a classroom. Some of the challenges faced by "virtual instructors" are unique, and some are similar to those encountered in traditional teaching settings.

The following are the most common challenges faced by online teachers, as well as some possible responses.

Time

● Challenge: Spending more time on a course than they did when they taught it in a traditional classroom. Monitoring an online course, leading discussion in a forum, assessing and grading student work, and providing timely feedback to students can occupy significant amounts of time. Time management becomes an essential skill for teaching online.

● Response: Establish guidelines for responding to student emails and inquiries. Set windows of time for "virtual office hours" for video or instant chat with students can be helpful. Another approach is to reserve specific times to respond to students (answering emails from 8 am to 9 am and from 8 pm to 9 pm.).

Student Connection

● Challenge: Developing a connection with students. Not having the ability to make eye contact in the way they do in person, or to assess body language. Lack of back and forth conversation.

● Response : Give students a sense of your personality and background through video chats or even recording an introductory video."Icebreaker" exercises where instructors, and their students, are able to exchange information about themselves

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to begin to build a connection. Over-communicate in the first few weeks of an online course in order to establish more of a rapport with students.

Student Conduct Online

● Challenge: Some s tudents may not respect appropriate boundaries when they communicate. Students reaching out to instructors or other students outside of the online class, or their participation in discussion groups or group activities may become problematic and could possibly cause frustration, therefore leading to a student losing interest in that online class.

● Response: Instructors should establish guidelines and "netiquette" for student-instructor and student-student communication at the start of the online class. Online communication is restricted to school-sanctioned email and/or discussion forums and while communication should be friendly the relationship between student and instructor should always remain professional. Aggressive behavior by students through online channels of communication should be handled professionally and school administrators should be involved when necessary.

The Disruptive Student

Here is an example of an Online Code of Conduct.

Rules for Class Conduct

● Stay on task. Personal anecdotes that aid your argument are welcome, but personal conversations should be reserved for separate (informal) threads or the chatroom.

● Be courteous. Evaluate a person's argument, not their personality or motives. Discourteous comments, personal attacks, and profanity are not acceptable and will be deleted.

● Write professionally. Proofread all comments before posting. Watch capitalization (no capitalization is informal, all caps (ALL CAPS) can be interpreted as shouting), abbreviations, slang, and punctuation. Use emoticons sparingly, if at all.

● Share the stage. Give everyone a chance to comment and participate. ● Feel free to post links to documents, videos, or websites if they are relevant! ● Respect others' privacy. The course intranet provides many mediums to

communicate both publicly and privately.

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NOTE: I reserve the right to remove or edit any post that does not adhere to the above standards.

External Disruptions

● Challenge : Power outages or technical difficulties. For online teachers, power failure or continuing technical issues become particularly problematic as the internet is typically their primary means of communicating with students.

● Response: Contact students whenever there are continuing technical concerns. Develop a hard-copy roster of the phone numbers and emails of all enrolled students for emergency use. Students should be alerted when unexpected problems arise that will impact instruction.

Distance Learning Teacher “To Do” Checklist

BelowaretasksforClassroomTeacherstocompletetoexecuteauni�iedapproachtofacilitating�lexible,distancelearning.

Hardware&Software

ALaptoporChromebook(built-inmicrophoneneeded).

Laptop/ComputerCharger

Ensureaccesstoalldistrict-widecurriculumdocuments,apps,&resources

Maintainalistofteacher&students’username&passwords

EstablishadistancelearningcourseinGradeResults

Distributelogininformationtofamilies.

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ProvideaccesstoGradeResultscoursetoCampusAdministrators

Communication

Establishaquietworkareatoparticipateinonlineconferencecalls/meetings/andcompleteworkassignments

Replytoallcorrespondencesfromstaff/students/parentswithin24businesshours

Reviewthedistrict’sdistancelearninghandbook

Answeranystudent/parentquestionsrelatedtodistancelearning

Emailsupport@cleveland.k12.ms.uswithanyquestionsregardingthedistancelearningplanorforspeci�icneeds

Checkonstudentsandfamilies/Sendaf�irmingandencouragingmessagesviaphonecalls,emails,ClassDojo,Remind101,SchoolStatus,GradeResults,etc.

Teachers’webpagesshouldalsohavethefollowinginformation:● TeacherBio● Of�iceHours● LinktoSyllabus● LinktoCSDYouTubePage● Bi-WeeklyAgenda/LessonPlan(UPDATEDEVERYTWOWEEKSwith

assignmentdetailsandsuggestedtimeforcompletionofeach)

CreateaclubinGradeResultsforeachclasssection.Eachclubshouldhavethefollowinginformation:

● TeacherBio● Of�iceHours● LinktoSyllabus● LinktoCSDYouTubePage● Announcementsaboutassignments/importantclassinformation(UPDATED

FREQUENTLY)

LessonPlanning

UtilizetheWeeklyLessonPlanTemplateforuniformeddeliveryofweeklytasks

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Plandailylessonsthatshouldtakenolongerthan30-45minutespercontentarea

● Shouldutilizeexistingonlinelearningplatforms(GradeResults)● Assignmentscanincludediscussionposts,onlinequizzes,practice

exercises,uploadingpictorialevidence,videos,newsarticles,etc.● Teachersshouldbemindfulthatstudentsmaynothavedaily,continuous

accesstoacomputer&/orwi�i

Promoteandutilizedistrictpurchaseddigitaltechnologyresourcesfortasks/activities.Becomefamiliarwithnewtechnologyandknowhowtousecommontechnologytoolsandresources.

Ensureallhyperlinksincludedinthelessonplanworkproperly

EnsuresharedsettingsarecorrectforanydocumentssharedfromGoogleDrive

UploadweeklylessonplanbyFridayatNoon

Postfrequentannouncementsofassignments,resources,instructionalvideosand/oranyadditionalimportantcommunicationtoyourclassinSchoology,GradeResults,etc..

Trackandmonitorstudentprogress/providefeedbackoncompletedworkinatimelymanner

MakeuseofcalendarsandchecklistsonGradeResultstokeepstudentsontrackwithlearningandcompletingassignments..

PreviewandcustomizeyourcourseonGradeResults,etc.tore�lectappropriatepacingofcontentforstudents.

CollaboratewiththeSpecialEducationDepartmentforspeci�icstudents’needs.SpecialEducationprogramsincludeSpEd,ESL,andDyslexia.

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References

(n.d.). Retrieved from https://dukecs.mindedgeonline.com/content.php?cid=41956

Comparing Face to Face and Online Teaching. (2019, October 25). Retrieved from

https://ep.jhu.edu/faculty/learning-roadmap-for-new-online-instructors/comparing-face-to-

face-and-online-teaching

Ko, S., & Rossen, S. (2017). Teaching online: A practical guide . Routledge.

Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Distance Learning Activities. (2010). Retrieved May 7, 2020,

from http://olms.cte.jhu.edu/olms2/data/ck/sites/193/files/Synchronous vs Asynchronous

Learning Activities.pdf