PSU Distance Learning Series
Webinar highlights
Whether or not you were able to attend, the PSU Distance Learning Series is providing plenty of resources to unpack as we strive to support learning in a variety of models throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
key takeaways
Common Language Is Needed to Support a Model
Distance Learning Is Not New, but this scale is
Scholars Moore and Kearsley (2011) have defined distance education as “Planned Learning that normally occurs in a different place from teaching, requiring special techniques of course design and instruction, communication through various technologies, and special organizational and administrative arrangements.”
We Must Adhere to the Guiding Principles
Good teaching is important: it may overcome poor use of technology, but technology can never save bad teaching
Designing effective learning experiences requires teachers as instructional designers who understand technology
Each medium has its own design characteristics and context
Make all mediums (face to face, print, audio, video, interactive multimedia) available to learners
Interaction is essential
Prioritization Scorecard
This Prioritization Scorecard serves as a guide to the Common Language & Guiding Questions tool and will quantify areas of the Systems Model that need greater attention and effort to develop your plan.
As you use this Scorecard, focus on the system component definitions provided in the Common Language & Guiding Questions tool to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. Then, work through each system component to mark your score (i.e. 0, 1, 2, or 3) for in-person, hybrid, and distance learning models. Finally, total your scores to determine areas for improvement. For example, a component with a total score of 9 is an exemplar, but a component with a total score of 4 is an area that needs to be addressed.
Upon completion of the Prioritization Scorecard, you will have identified areas to begin and focus your continuity plan. Finally, we recommend you use this tool as a part of any ongoing, continuous improvement plan.
Next PSU Session
Dec 10 – 10am
FACILITATION MODALITIES: PATHWAYS TO INTERACTION
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Brandon Langer serves as the Program Administrator of Instructional Technology at MCIU where he oversees the Montgomery Virtual Program and supports the integration of instructional technology in the Office of Professional Learning. As a former teacher and an instructional coach, Brandon has conducted numerous professional development sessions centered around technology applications and integrating student-centered instruction into the classroom. He has also worked closely with fine and performing arts teachers throughout the northeast to create and advocate for arts programs and modernize arts assessment practices. His passion for student success is grounded in his belief that teachers, not the computer, are the most powerful asset in the classroom today.
Brandon is the host of the OPL Podcast from MCIU and has earned a Bachelor of Music in Education from the University of Delaware and a Master of Science in Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Arkansas State University. He is a regular participant in many online PLN Twitter chats and can be followed @BrandonLanger.
