This document discusses online learning and the design of online courses. It provides definitions of different types of online courses and statistics on trends in online enrollment. Independent schools are increasingly offering online and blended courses for reasons like enrichment, preparing students for online college courses, and providing access to courses the school cannot offer otherwise. The document outlines challenges in designing online courses, like creating discussions without in-person interaction and utilizing technology without making it the focus. It provides examples of how one teacher designed her "Madness in Literature" online course, including using online chats, forums, and varied assessment types like podcasts and blogs. The teacher learned the importance of pacing and helping students learn how to learn online.

1. Online Learning
Kathryn Gazso
English Department Chair
School of the Holy Child
February 2012

2. A LOOK AT ONLINE
LEARNING
What is online learning? Who takes online classes? Why teach them?

3. A Few Definitions
 Web-Facilitated: 1–29% course material available
online;
 Blended or Hybrid: 30–79% course material
available or completed online;
 Online: 80%+course material available and
completed online.
Definitions provided by Sloan Consortium

4. Who takes online
classes?
 The Pre-K-12 population of the online learning
industry is growing faster than any other segment.
In 2010, over 4 million students participated in
formal online learning programs.
 Virtual schools are showing annual growth rates
between 20% and 45%
 Prognosticators suggest that by 2019, 50% of
courses will be delivered online
Statistics from iNACOL: Fast Facts About Online
Learning

5.  Supplemental or full-time online learning opportunities
are available statewide to at least some students in 48
out of 50 states plus Washington, DC
 27 states, including Washington DC, have statewide, full-
time online schools
 38 states have state-led online initiatives
 75% of school districts had one or more students
enrolled in an online or blended learning course
 In April 2006, Michigan became the first state to require
online learning for graduation. Tennessee and Alabama
are now amongst the states with the same requirement

6. Trends in Independent
Schools
Web-Facilitated
Offer Blended or Online Courses
Planning to Offer online courses
13%
19%
68%
Only 25% of independent schools do not offer, or plan to offer any online
courses.
Statistics from NAIS, Curriculum/Technology Task Force’s Report, September 2011

7. Reasons Independent Schools Offer Online
and Blended Courses?
 For enrichment, or to supplement existing curricula
 To prepare students for online college and university courses
 To keep students engaged in learning, and to maximize the
strengths of F2F and online learning
 To provide access to courses the school cannot otherwise offer
 For acceleration or advancing study
 To address students’ scheduling conflicts
 To continue school during closings due to unusual circumstances
 As part of 21st century learning initiatives or a school’s strategic
plan

8. DESIGNING THE
ONLINE COURSE
Madness in Literature

9.  What challenges do you anticipate in designing and
implementing an online course?
 Any fears or concerns?

10. My Fears, Questions and
Challenges
 Never having taken an online course, what did one look like?
 How could I create a discussion-based class without F2F
time?
 How could I utilize technology WITHOUT making the course
about the technology but about the content?
“Madness in Literature” became our second online course;
• Virginia Woolf: Mrs. Dalloway and The Hours (Spring
2010)
• Blended Courses:
• 2-D Design
• Media Production I

11. Things to Consider
 Timing & Type of Course
 Enrollment
 Students must learn how to learn online
 “Differentiated learning” and the multiple
intelligences
 Creating varied assessments
 How to provide meaningful feedback; when and
how to incorporate my voice into dialogue

12. What I Did Not Anticipate/Consider Before
Beginning (and Should Have)
 Students who were unable to utilize certain
applications (and therefore unable to complete
certain assessments!) due to older operating
systems
 Student-access to the internet outside of school

13. Madness in Literature
 Spring trimester elective
 Juniors and seniors only, all whom carried a full
course load already (including APs in some
instances)
 Only interacted with students online
 Director of Instructional Technology available for
tech assistance
 Selected two novels, one short story and one
painting to complete a comparative study of the
representation of female madness in literature

14. The Moodle (Our LMS)

15. Creating Community of Learners
Online Group Chats Voicethread
 Used several times  Opportunity to respond
throughout the to one another using a
trimester vehicle other than
discussion forum
 Time selected in
evening when  Used for initial
everyone expected to introductions as well
be available as responses to
art, selected passages
 Participation in
conversations were
graded

16. Assessments
Discussion Forums
Our weekly forums asked students to consider several essential
questions regarding the text.
 Post #1: This post would be an articulation of student’s original
thoughts to the reading and prompts for the week. The first
Forum Post that students write on the prompts should be 250-
400 words. Students must adhere to the elements of grammar.
Students must include specific references from the reading to
support their assertions.
 Post #2: The second post would be in response to someone
else's post. The purpose is to reflect on their peers' ideas and
to further the discussion. This should be 100-200 words.
Students would have until Friday at 3:00 PM to respond to one
of their peer's posts.

17. Example of Original Post

18. Assessments: Projects
 Podcast
By gaining a general understanding of Plath’s life and world, we will be
able to examine the text through the historical and gender lenses, in
addition to the reader response lens.
 Blog Project
A blog is a public way to reflect upon one’s inner life. Construct a blog
in which you consider what it means to be uniquely feminine, and how
any diversion from that which is feminine might be viewed as a
rejection of femininity, or even madness. Draw upon the texts we
studied this trimester, “The Yellow-Wallpaper”, The Bell Jar, and Wide
Sargasso Sea, to complete your blog. For each blog entry, use a quote
from one of our three texts to springboard your discussion of femininity
and acceptance (or rejection) of societal norms and mores. You must
complete 7 sizable blog entries.
 Film Project
Create a film trailer with director’s statement for the novel.

19. Advantages
 Students can take a course of interest to them
despite limitations of a schedule
 Students learn how to work independently and
manage time

20. What I learned…
 Timing and pacing is everything; it is essential to
spend time learning how to learn (and therefore
teach!) online
 How to use technology to further content rather than
to use technology
 That a good online teacher is the same as a good
F2F teacher – she must still work to establish a
community of learners that fosters mutual respect
and encourages diligence

21. QUESTIONS?