Experts in K-12 online and blended education - Reviewers Wanted

This request forwarded from a colleague:

Reviewers Needed

My name is Jason Siko, and I’m currently an assistant professor of educational technology at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, MI.  My research interests included K-12 online and blended learning.  I am looking for teachers, administrators, and researchers to review a series of modules that promote readiness skills in online learning.

These modules were developed to align with the Educational Success Prediction Instrument (ESPRI), a survey that examines student beliefs in four areas:  technology use/self-efficacy, academic risk-taking, organization, and achievement.  Various studies using the ESPRI have found that it has an 80-90% accuracy rate in determining student success (i.e., pass vs. fail) in online and blended courses (see references below).

There are four modules: one for each of the four areas of concern in the ESPRI.  In theory, students could take the ESPRI, and low scores in one or more of the areas would alert an online teacher or facilitator to encourage the student to work through the appropriate modules.  However, any student could be encouraged to work through any or all of the modules.

At this point, I am looking for feedback from experts in K-12 online and blended education.  If you are interested, please contact me at sikojp@gmail.com.  I will set you up with a student account so that you can view the modules as a student would and attempt the tasks associated with each module.  Upon completion of each module, a survey will appear allowing you to provide feedback.

Those who successfully provide feedback on all four modules will be entered into a drawing for a small prize.

Thanks in advance.

Sincerely,

Jason Siko

Assistant Professor of Educational Technology

Grand Valley State University

Grand Rapids, MI

jasonsiko.com

References

Roblyer, M.D., Davis, L., Mills, S.C., Marshall, J., & Pape, L. (2008). Toward practical procedures for predicting and promoting success in virtual school students. The American Journal of Distance Education, 22(2), 90-109.

Roblyer, M.D., & Marshall, J.C. (2003). Predicting success of virtual high school students: Preliminary results from an educational success prediction instrument. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 35(2), 241-255.

Siko, J.P. (2014).  Testing the waters: An analysis of the student and parent experience in a secondary school’s first blended course offering.  International Journal of E-learning and Distance Education, 29(2).  Retrieved from http://www.ijede.ca/index.php/jde/article/view/882

See, Think, Make, Imagine!

I was very excited to hear from Emma Sherie from the West Coast who, while currently on sabbatical and studying for her Masters, has volunteered to teach with us. Yes a word we don't hear so much in this busy day and age VOLUNTEER - 'a person who freely offers to take part in an enterprise or undertake a task.'
I was very impressed with Emma's attitude in stepping up to the challenge to further her knowledge and experience in becoming an online teacher. She is 'walking the talk' with developing her teaching practice to complement the learning she is undertaking with Massey this year.
Our maths teacher Rick has been doing this for the last three years & this year is preparing to write his dissertation based on the VLN Primary School. This is a win/win for our students, not only do they get access to some great teachers, we also get to feed into (& benefit from) research based around our learners.
So if you are a post grad. student focussing on elearning or online learning (or is you work with these students) - i would encourage you to get in touch with us to get some practical experience to base your theoretical knowledge on.

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Here is the class that Emma is offering, registrations welcome now!

See, Think, Make, Imagine!

Have you ever wondered how movies are made? Do you want to learn to make your own?

This is a unit designed for extension literacy learners in Year 7-8. Students will have the opportunity to explore areas of filmmaking while making connections with the literacy strand. It is an opportunity for them to explore film making in preparation for junior media at high school.

Students will be scaffolded while they acquire skills. This term the focus will be on;  storyboarding, camera angles  and editing. They will discover the different roles involved in making a movie and have a chance to hear from a New Zealand film maker. Students will be exposed to a range of apps and online tools to help them create their own short film using an ipad. They will have the opportunity to reflect on and critique their own work and other online participants.

Links to the curriculum:

Key Competencies;

Key competencies are inherent in film making. These include opportunities for group work and the competencies related to working with others, and managing oneself. Students learn to use media language, symbols and texts. They also discover how to be reflective and critical thinkers.

Literacy;

Processes and strategies

Students will:

Integrate sources of information, processes, and strategies with developing confidence to identify, form, and express ideas.

Purposes and audiences

Show a developing understanding of how to shape texts for different purposes and audiences.

Ideas

Select, form, and communicate ideas on a range of topics.

Language features

Use language features appropriately, showing a developing understanding of their effects.

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Course Co-ordinator and Facilitator;

Kia Ora,

My name is Emma Sherie I am an experienced New Zealand trained primary school teacher and I have a passion for e-learning, so much so that I am undertaking my Post Graduate in - e-learning this year.

I am also a self confessed “movie buff!”  I live in the remote West Coast of New Zealand and you will often find me outside “bush bashing” and practising my photography skills.

I am excited to be part of the VLN Primary School this year, having the opportunity to be able to offer students access to a wider range of learning opportunities, no matter where they live is very cool!

I believe that filmmaking and digital stories are a powerful way for students to demonstrate and share their stories. It is an opportunity for students to use a range of media to express themselves (not just in written form) to entertain, inform and educate us.

I am really excited to be bringing you this unit on filmmaking and look forward to seeing your creative creations as they develop.

Students will need access to;

A laptop

Ipad

Internet

Able to download “Silent Film App” for ipads cost is $1.29

*Students will be working on the internet and uploading their work. Schools need to check that students are working within the schools internet policy.

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Check out our Protocols of Participation that outline procedure & costs involved and use our online form to register your students to participate.

(Note if you already have students registered with us this year, please just send an email to primary@vln.school.nz expressing an interest to participate in this class)

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