Planning for Distance Learning

Three Options in Manitoba: An Overview

http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/glance_11.pdf

Responding to Local Needs

• Filling in gaps - students needing a course(s)• Low enrolment courses• Extended Absences

– Medical leaves– Exchange trips– Incarcerated students– sports

• Homeschooling• Adults

Planning for DL (Distance Learning)

Divisional plan to deliver/share DL

School plan to support students taking DL

Organizational Chart

• Research completed by Mike Nantais(Assistant Professor at Brandon University)

• http://sites.google.com/site/ictatbu/about-me

• While this chart was primarily intended for use with WBC, it is a useful framework for all forms of distance learning.

Setting Up Your Local DL Programs

• School divisions may want to organize their own distance learning programs and make it part of the regular programming options.

• Why?

Key Points to Discuss

Do you need to setup a committee to work together?

• Are there any courses with low enrolments that can be shared?

• What are the needs of the learners?• What can staff currently offer? • What are their strengths? Who are the master

teachers? Who are the new teachers?

Key Points to Discuss

• Is there a balance between required courses versus the electives?

• Will DL be used for students that need to repeat a course?

• Can any speciality courses be offered?• Will distance learning be accepted in your

community?

Learner Needs

• Do you know which courses your students need?

• Can match student needs and abilities with one of the three options?

The Ideal DL Student• willing to take responsibility for their own progress • high level of discipline as independent learners• high level of motivation• good writing and communication skills • willing to initiate calls/emails to the instructor for

assistance• critically analyze and self-assess progress• Internet and computer literate• problem solvers and are able to find answers on their

own• serious attitude toward the course

Student Readiness

Online Quizzes

• http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/iso/index.html

• http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/tmo/index.html

• http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/wbc/index.html

Staffing To Support DL

• School Facilitator–WBC Site Facilitator

– ISO Facilitator

– TMO Proctor

• School / Division Contact

• WBC Teacher or Tutor/Marker

• Other Support Staff

School/Site Facilitators• Help students become aware of the skills needed

to be successful• Help students with the technology involved• Provide or arrange for supervision of tests and

exams• Communicate relevant information to the

teacher/tutor-marker, for example, lengthy absences, dropping out, etc

• Communicate with parents so that they are aware the students are taking an online course

• Communicating with DLU staff

School/Site Facilitators• Monitor student progress and performance

ensuring they do not fall behind• Assist students in resolving any difficulties they

may encounter during the completion of a DL course.

• Ensure the final mark is recorded in school’s records (administration system if any), EIS and in student’s transcript/report cards

• Provide students with on-going encouragement• Contact administrators, clerks, guidance,

teachers, tech, etc as needed

School/Division Contact

• help disseminate information to teachers and other staff

• help coordinate seat sharinghttp://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/wbc/outsideregistrations.html

• provide leadership in developing supporting DL plans as part of a team http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/wbc/local.html

• Liaison with administrators• Provide updated information for local website

and other publications

WBC Teachers

• How do you select a teacher to teach a WBC course?

• What are the characteristics of an ideal online instructor?

WBC Teachers

• Preparation read through the course and assignments before the students do

• Update the course and web links as necessary• Ensure that all appropriate software is

installed at all participating schools• Become comfortable with the technology and

make sure it works

WBC Teachers

• Be aware of the ICT skills required• Be aware that good teaching in a face-to-face

class is good teaching online• Intentionally pace the course• Communicate often• Engage the students in learning

WBC Teachers

• expect spending a lot of time with emails• follow up quickly with students who do not

participate• know the local support systems of students in

receiving (remote) schools• keep site facilitator(s) informed (remote

schools)• use announcements frequently to keep

students informed

WBC Teachers

• Tell students how to succeed in your course• Post your expectations and rules• Make learning the focus, not the technology• Create an online and emotional presence

Other Support Staff in DL

• The front office staff play a key role in DL courses, especially for ISO– All ISO assignments are returned to the school and

it is expected that schools will return these assignments to the students

• Technology coordinator and technicians• Other ?

IT Support

• does the student have access to the internet at school?• does the student have access to the internet at home?• are the school’s/division’s proxy serving and filtering

software going to hamper access?• does the course require other software to be installed?• are their any computer settings that will prevent

students from downloading and uploading files? e.g. when students have to submit a Word file

• do you have the support of the computer technicians/technology coordinator?

How else can distance learning resources be used in school?

Credit recovery

• WBC and ISO courses are modularized and can be used to support Credit Recovery Programs.

• Does your school have a plan for credit recovery?

• Do you currently use distance learning resources?

• Could you use distance learning resources?

How else can distance learning resources be used in school?

IEP - Modifications and adaptations• ISO and WBC courses are written at grade appropriate

numeracy and literacy levels. • Can distance learning resources be used to support

programming for students that require modification and adaptations?

IEP - Gifted/Challenge Credit• Do you have high achieving students or gifted students

that are seeking more of a challenge. • Could distance learning resources be used to address this

need? How would you implement this?

How else can distance learning resources be used in school?

SIP/Dual credits/career internships

• SIPs, dual credits and career internship credits are some ways that students earn credit towards graduation.

• Which ISO courses can be used for this?• A blank WBC course be used to create a SIP

How else can distance learning resources be used in school?A Specific Example

Grade 11 and 12 Physical Education/Health Education Credits

• WBC and ISO Courses can be used to assist students and/or teachers in offering the required PEHE credits.

• In what situation or circumstance would you recommend that a student take an ISO versus a WBC PEHE course?

• In what situations or circumstance would not recommend an ISO PEHE course?

How else can distance learning resources be used in school?

Planning for Pandemics/Natural Disasters

http://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/emergencyplan/pandemic/guidance/continuity-recs.pdf

Ensuring continuity of learning during individual or prolonged absences or during school wide dismissals‐

• Communication strategies and tools for the school, teachers, and students

• Accessing academic resources and other supports from home• Planning for needed equipment and other resources• Informing all parties involved and training teachers • Pandemic planning chart available pandemic planning chart.pdf

How else can distance learning resources be used in school?

Teacher Reference• ISO and WBC courses are available as references

for teachers.• Support a new/beginning teacher• Supplement IEPs • Credit recovery programs• Programming for gifted/exceptional children• Accessing ISO http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/iso/reference.html

• Accessing WBC http://web4.gov.mb.ca/wbcrequests

Contacts

Howard Griffith, howard.griffith@gov.mb.ca

Donald Girouard, donald.girouard@gov.mb.ca

Questions?

Distance Learning Guidebooks and Support Documents

ISO Handbook • http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/iso/handbook.pdf.School Facilitators Handbook

http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/schoolfacilitator/index.html TMO Guidebook• http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/iso/handbook.pdf. TMO School Proctors Handbook• http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/tmo/school_proctors.html TMO Wiki• http://teachermediatedoption.wikispaces.com/WBC Handbook/Guidelines • Developed locally by schools and school divisionsWBC Wiki • http://dluspace.wikispaces.com/Webinars and Workshops for Blackboard Learn• http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/wbc/training_workshops.html

References• Adult Learning and Literacy http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/ael/all/index.html.• Alberta Distance Learning Learning Resource Centre http://www.lrc.learning.gov.ab.ca• Distance Learning at a Glance http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/glance_11.pdf • General Educational Development http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/ael/all/ged/index.html • Home Schooling http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/schools/ind/home_sch.html.• ISO School Facilitator webpage http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/schoolfacilitator/index.html• ISO Student Readiness Quiz http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/iso/index.html• ISO Website http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/iso/index.html• Manitoba Education Curriculum Development Process http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/process.html • Manitoba Education: Distance Learning Website http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/ • Mike Nantais http://sites.google.com/site/ictatbu/about-me • Preparing for the Flu: http://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/emergencyplan/pandemic/guidance/continuity-recs.pdf• Senior 1 to 4 Mature Student Graduation Requirements http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/policy/mat_student.html.• TMO School Proctor webpage http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/tmo/school_proctors.html• TMO Student Readiness Quiz http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/tmo/index.html• TMO Website http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/tmo/index.html• TMO Wiki site http://teachermediatedoption.wikispaces.com/• Tutor/Marker Information http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/iso/tutormarker.html• WBC School/Division Contact List http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/wbc/local.html• WBC Seat Sharing http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/wbc/outsideregistrations.html• WBC Student Readiness Quiz http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/wbc/index.html• WBC Website http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/wbc/index.html• WBC Wiki site http://dluspace.wikispaces.com/• Web Base Course Request System http://web4.gov.mb.ca/wbcrequests

Some Research and Pedagogy• http://www.jofde.ca/index.php/jde/index • http://ejournals.bc.edu/ojs/index.php/jtla/ • http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/index • http://www.inacol.org/research/ • http://thejournal.com/articles/2010/06/29/report-

online-learning-nearly-doubles-among-high-school-students.aspx

• http://www.edutopia.org/stw-online-learning-research-roundup

• http://www.inacol.org/research/nationalstandards/iNACOL_CourseStandards_2011.pdf