Review Team B 9th Grade English 1Summer semester

Susan BiggersCarla GregoryZena MaNais

July 2010 -7472/Distance Education

ContentStrengths Weaknesses

Unit 3: Old Man and the Sea covers several GPS standards

No syllabus

Academic integrity and netiquette expectations are included

Few objectives and/or goals found

Quizzes provide immediate feedback

GPS standards not included with each unit

Copyright is addressed in the Academic No Cheating Policy

Only way for students to communicate with teacher is via email

ContentRecommended changes•Create a syllabus that lists GPS standards, national standards, and objectives•Link standards and objectives with each unit•Make sure all GPS standards are covered once all units have been posted•Incorporate more information literacy and communication skills•Provide students with more than one way to contact you

Note: Further ideas can be found on the Henry County Online Academy Wiki

GPS not observed or partially observedELA9RL1a-elements of fictionELA9RL1b-elements of non-fiction, memoir, biography, autobiographyELA9RL1c-effects of language in memoir, biography, autobiographyELA9R1L1a-aesthetic effects of subject, sound devices, and structure in poetryELA9R1L1b-sorts and classifies poemsELA9R1L1a-identifies and analyzes dramatic literatureELA9R1L1b-analyzes characters and themes of dramatic literatureELA9R1L1c-dramatic elementsELA9R1L1d-how dramatic elements support dramatic literatureELA9RL2d-compares and contrasts themeELA9RL3a-relates a literary work to a non-literary work from literary periodELA9RL3b- relates a literary work to a non-literary work to historical settingELA9RL4b-supports ideas through the textELA9RL4c-works cited or bibliographyELA9RL5b-prefixes, suffixes, and rootsELA9RC1-reads 25 books or 1 million wordsELA9RC2c-relates messages and themes from one subject to anotherELA9RC2d-evaluates texts in every subject

ELA9RC2f-features of disciplinary textELA9RC3b-Uses content vocabulary in speaking and writingELA9RC3c-explores understanding of new wordsELA9RC4a-life experiences related to contentELA9RC4b-how words relate to multiple subjectsELA9RC4c-strategies for defining wordsELA9W1a-g writing structure, engages reader, coherent focus, closureELA9W2b-e narrative writingELA9W2a-e informational writingELA9W2a-i persuasive writingELA9W2 a-I technical writingELA9W3 a-f uses research and technology to support writingELA9W4a-e writing processELA9C1a and c-grammar, sentence structure, paragraph structureELA9C2a-writing conforms to manuscript requirementsELA9C2c format requirements, spacing, margins, citationsELA9C2d-works cited or bibliographyELA9LSV1d-solicits another person’s comments/opinionsELA9LSV1i-group decisionsELA9LSV1j-divides labor in groupELA9LSV2a-h-formulates judgments in various media genres; delivers polished presentation; responds to written and oral textsELA9LSV2a-d delivers and responds to presentations

Student AssessmentStrengths Weaknesses

Ongoing and frequent assessments were available.

Lack of variety in assessments. Quizzes were used as the only assessment tool.

Assessment tools designed to identify students’ strengths.

No discussions were provided.

Assessment strategies were aligned to course goals.

No rubric attached to assignments.

A grading policy present. Grading policy does not state specific grading information i.e. late assignments.

Student AssessmentRecommended changes•Utilize discussions as a method to add variety to assessment tools.•Add a rubric for each assignment.•State specific examples of scenarios that will affect students’ grade.

Note: Further ideas can be found on the Henry County Online Academy Wiki

Instructional Design

Strengths WeaknessesCourse is organized into units and lessons

Most assessments are quizzes

The course is accurate and free of bias

Few discussions (student-to-student or instructor-student)

Appropriate instructor-student interaction is found in feedback from quizzes and live sessions

Clause PowerPoint is overwhelming

Pacing guide that provides a course overview

Few opportunities for students to engage in higher-order thinking skills

Instructional DesignLevels of Interaction•Live sessions provide some instructor-student and student-student interaction•Use of email is available•No discussions for student-student interaction

Recommended changes•Break the clauses PowerPoint into chunks for better student understanding•Provide opportunities for enrichment and remediation•Provide an overview for each lesson that includes standards and objectives•Provide more variety in lessons (discussions, real-world application, authentic assessments, writing)

Technology and 21st Century Skills

Strengths WeaknessesCourse architecture permits instructor to add and extend learning opportunities.

Course does not make maximum use of the capabilities of online medium and resources available

Easy to navigate Course does not emphasize 21st century skills as identified by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills

Hardware, software, and browser requirements specified

Prerequisite skills identified

Course utilizes appropriate content-specific tools and software

Technology and 21st Century Skills Recommendations– Evaluate web sites used in each unit for instructional needs and specific disabilities of

diverse learners (check links to these sites provided in current lessons)– Evaluate accuracy and suitability of web sites used, update to appropriate grade level– Locate additional technology resources for diverse learners consider multiple

intelligences, for example; concept maps, videos, photographs are great tools for visual-spatial intelligences

– Use learner-centered strategies that address diverse needs of learners; allow learners to choose from a variety of projects

– Demonstrate students’ higher-order skills and creativity with technology rich activities; require research and writing activities that are challenging; provide web sites that allow students to access multimedia applications for project presentation

– Assess student learning with a variety of techniques; concept maps, voice threads, video, Google docs, Wikis, Photo story, Movie maker

– Add threaded discussions with topics specific to each unit– Add AUP and Copyright activity to ensure learners adhere to these policies

Review National Ed Tech Standards at this web address: http://cnets.iste.org/Utilize nationally recognized sites for lesson planning:

http://www.webenglishteacher.com/http://www.eduscapes.com/tap/tapenglish.html http://edsitement.neh.gov

Final Thoughts

Suggestions for Reviewing Online CoursesRubrics should possess “essential” standards that courses MUST satisfy for a successful review. Courses should be required to satisfy at least 85% of the standards.Review team should always include a subject matter expert (SME).

Scoring for standards should consist of counting the frequency of the ratings, not the cumulative.

GPS Alignment should be combined and not separated. Separated GPS increases review time.