MyNotes - Status of PD and Unique Needs of K-12 Online Teachers

Check out this new report....

http://edtech.boisestate.edu/goingvirtual/goingvirtual.htm

• 2010: The Status of Professional Development and Unique Needs of K-12 Online Teachers
  

Some main points that jumped out at me from the Report:

1. 25% of brand new online teachers reported receiving no training
2. The most highly preferred form of professional development is fully online facilitated (53%), and in a workshop format (49%).
3. Social networking is the least desired skill (26%) where respondents want or need training
4. Respondents indicate design tools (40%) as the area in which they are most interested in receiving training.
5. According to a 2008 Sloan Consortium report, more than 75% of schools and districts say they need online learning to offer courses not otherwise available. Systemic challenges in K-12 education support the need for online teaching and learning as a central strategy for reform to address teaching shortages and to increase access to college-prep curriculum. Only 40% of high schools offer Advanced Placement courses.
6. Online learning has grown 30% in the past decade. K-12 online learning has grown from 50,000 enrollments in 2000 to more than 2,000,000 enrollments in 2009. 
7. According to the Sloan Consortium, 70% of school districts offer students at least one online course.
8. Online learning is an innovation with an evidence-base of effectiveness in improving student achievement and educational outcomes for K-12 students.
9. In June 2008, the U.S. Department of Education released a meta-analysis of over 1,000 controlled studies comparing online and face-to-face instruction. The conclusion was clear. “...on average, students in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face classes.” These findings also held true for blended learning conditions compared to face-to-face. The reasons for the increased performance included increased learning time, innovative curriculum and pedagogy, opportunities for collaboration and reflection, and learner control over interactions with the media.
10. Singapore trains every preservice teacher to teach online, including blended learning models in the classroom, and 100% of secondary schools use online learning. Since SARS in 2005, Singapore has used e learning for continuity of learning—and has during the recent H1N1 flu pandemic—ensuring that teaching and learning continues for healthy students and faculty during physical school shutdowns.
11. The online teaching quality standards from iNACOL, SREB, and NEA are guiding teacher education programs to develop curriculum for online teaching. Yet only 50% of virtual school administrators at this time report using PD guidelines developed outside their own organization.
12. Many larger schools or systems have their own closed social networks or professional learning communities (PLCs), often accessed through a learning management system. Others utilize professional educational communities such as iNACOL, ACTE, ISTE, and ASCD. This highest mentioned social network for personal learning was Facebook (n=29). Other networks mentioned included LinkedIn, Second Life, Twitter, Skype, Diigo, Ning, and PB Wiki.
13. Desired workshops:
• Higher order thinking and abilities to teach with that type of method online.
• How to increase active participation and truly know what students are learning/not learning.
• Working with at-risk students from distance learning.
• Ways to motivate students to learn.
• Using PBL virtually, best practice teaching strategies.
• hardware - mics, cameras, scanners, backup drives.
• Use of the tools needed for instructional

 

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Everything posted on Miguel Guhlin's blogs/wikis are his personal opinion and do not necessarily represent the views of his employer(s) or its clients. Read Full Disclosure