Copyright 2016. Information Today, Inc. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except fair uses permitted under U.S. or applicable copyright law. P a r t 2 Supporting Diverse Learners EBSCO Publishing : eBook Collection (EBSCOhost) - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY AN: 1257575 ; Bryans-Bongey, Sarah, Graziano, Kevin J..; Online Teaching in K-12 : Models, Methods, and Best Practices for Teachers and Administrators Account: s6352756.main.ehost EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use C h a p t e r 8 Flipped Learning: Making the Connections and Finding the Balance Kevin J. Graziano Abstract Flipped learning, an instructional model that reverses typical in-class lectures and at-home exercises or homework, is on the rise in classrooms across the nation. As a subset of blended learning, the flipped model of instruction often involves the use of a learning management system (LMS) to house the lecture content that students access before hands-on experiences in the classroom. Flipped classrooms have frequently served as a teacher’s gateway to fully online teaching. Through a critical analysis of the literature and reflections from first-hand experience flipping a classroom, this chapter explores the origination, growth, and characteristics of flipped learning and discusses its unique benefits and challenges. This chapter also shares data from teachers who have flipped their classrooms and offers viable solutions and recommendations to guide the successful implementation of flipped learning. Introduction There is a buzz in academic circles, at all grade levels, focused around the flipped classroom. Flipped learning has been discussed and praised in newspaper and magazine articles, online blogs, internet websites, and professional education conferences. In a flipped learning model, the teacher creates video lectures, screencasts, or video podcasts (vodcasts) that teach students academic content outside of class, freeing up valuable class time for more engaging and collaborative activities typically facilitated by the 131 EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use 132 Online Teaching in K–12 teacher (Milman 2012). In the flipped classroom model, teachers move from the “sage on the stage” to the “guide on the side” and roam the class looking for ways to scaffold learning (Siegle 2014, p. 51). The teacher’s role as a course designer shifts from structuring in-class time to structuring advance or preparatory class experiences through the creation or curation of learning resources that can be consumed asynchronously as needed (Davies, Dean, and Ball 2013, p. 565). With technology-driven teaching methods being a major component of flipped learning, the approach has gained popularity among K–12 teachers as an effective online teaching method. Flipped learning has been defined as facilitating low-level (terms, definitions, and basic concepts) learning outside of class and high-level (­application-based) learning within class (Sarawagi 2013). Others have described flipped learning as a mindset (Siegle 2014, p. 51) or a result of teachers using different tools to meet individual students’ needs (Stumpenhorst 2012) rather than a method. Whether a mindset or method, flipped learning has gained popularity due to modern technology. For some educators, myself included, a flipped journey may begin with doubt, resistance, and a lot of unanswered questions. Judy E. Gaughan (2014), who attended her first flipped workshop in 2011, left the workshop wondering, “Would videos cater to and encourage what sometimes seems like an increasingly illiterate student body? Would creating videos of lectures just be hand-feeding the students at a time when they should be learning to engage with materials on their own? Would video lectures somehow diminish or deny the value of what [educators] are already doing?” Gaughan, like many novices to flipped learning, wondered what would happen when new information needs to be added to a video or when it is necessary to refine a particular argument, and asked herself, “Would I be reluctant to flip my class because it would require remaking a complete video?” (p. 222) Through a critical analysis of the literature and reflections from my personal experience in a flipped classroom, this chapter will likely leave you with more answers than questions. In doing so, it explores characteristics of flipped learning, including a discussion of its growth and origination and its benefits and challenges. This chapter also offers viable solutions and recommendations to the challenges of flipped learning and shares data from teachers who have flipped their classrooms. EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use Flipped Learning 133 Flipped Learning and its Origination The concept of the flipped classrooms originated at Harvard University in the early 1990s when Eric Mazur (1991) incorporated computer-based instruction to guide his physics students through a unit outside of class. In 2006, Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams (2012b), high school chemistry teachers from Colorado, began using online, taped lectures to reach students who were frequently absent. They found that the video lessons could serve as instructional resources outside of class and freed up class time for more meaningful work on content. It is important to distinguish between a flipped classroom and flipped learning. According to the Flipped Learning Network, these terms are not interchangeable. Flipping a class can, but does not necessarily, lead to flipped learning. Many teachers may have already flipped their classes by having students read text outside of class, watch supplemental videos, or solve additional problems, but to engage in flipped learning, teachers must incorporate the four pillars of flipped learning into their practice (Flipped Learning Network 2014, p. 1). The four pillars of a flipped learning include the following: (1) flexible environment, (2) learning culture, (3) intentional content, and (4) professional educator. In a flexible environment, the first pillar, teachers establish spaces and time frames that • permit students to interact and reflect on their learning • observe and monitor students continuously and make adjustments as appropriate, and • provide students with different ways to learn content and demonstrate mastery In the second pillar, the learning culture, students • have opportunities to engage in meaningful activities without the teacher being central • participate in activities that are accessible through the teacher’s provision of scaffolding and differentiation, and • learn and progress through a system of ongoing and formative feedback With intentional content, the third pillar, teachers • prioritize concepts in direct instruction for learners to access on their own, and EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use 134 Online Teaching in K–12 • create and/or curate relevant content (typically videos) for students The role of the professional educator, the fourth pillar, requires teachers to • make themselves available to all students for individual, small group, and class feedback in real-time • conduct ongoing formative assessments during class through observations and record data to inform future instruction, and • take responsibility for transforming practice (Flipped Learning Network 2014, 2) In February 2014, Sophia (a provider of online professional development and college readiness programs) and the Flipped Learning Network conducted online independent surveys on flipped learning with more than 2,300 teachers, which revealed that the number of teachers who have flipped a lesson in their classroom increased from 48 percent in 2012 to 78 percent in 2014. According to the survey results, the majority of flipped teaching still occurs in high school. In the Flipped Learning Network survey, 80 percent taught flipped classes in secondary schools with 15 percent in grades K–5. Of those teachers who flip, 96 percent said they would recommend the flipped classroom to a colleague. Additionally, Herreid and Schiller (2013) surveyed 15,000 members of the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science Listserv to see if STEM teachers were using the flipped method of instruction, and 200 teachers reported that they teach in a flipped classroom. During the fall of 2014, approximately 522,000 K–12 students, teachers, administrators, parents, and community members participated in the annual online Speak Up Survey (2014) on educational technology. For the third consecutive year, more than 4,000 building and district administrators from approximately 2,600 school districts have seen significant increases in flipping their classrooms. Over the past three years, school leaders at all grade levels have seen increases from 23 percent to 32 percent of teachers using videos found online, with a slightly larger overall increase in the number of teachers who are creating their own videos moving from 19 percent to 29 percent (Speak Up Survey 2014, p. 1). When school technology leaders from the Speak Up Survey were asked about popular approaches to digital learning that have had positive results in schools, they specifically selected flipped learning 48 percent of the time. They also selected digital content, which includes videos, simulations and EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use Flipped Learning 135 animations 84 percent of the time. Two thirds of those same respondents selected digital media tools for student content creation as a popular and promising approach. Many school administrators are now expecting new teachers to know how to flip their classrooms prior to completing their certification process. In 2013, 41 percent of school leaders indicated that preservice teachers should know how to set up a flipped learning classroom. In 2014, that increased to 46 percent. Of the same group, 68 percent indicated that preservice teachers should come to their new jobs with the ability to create and use video, podcasts, and other media in the classroom (Speak Up Survey 2014). These statistics clearly show that flipped learning and the need for innovative online teaching methods are in the mainstream and on the rise. So, what does it look like, and what are the benefits and challenges of flipped learning? Benefits of Flipped Learning There are a variety of ways that teachers implement a flipped classroom. The teacher’s main role in a flipped classroom is a facilitator of knowledge. Direct instruction is blended with constructivist learning pedagogies so that individualized differentiated learning is facilitated. Learning is not limited to the classroom, and students can personalize their learning by moving at their own pace and directing their efforts based on their individual needs. Through these scaffolded and self-paced options, students are not left behind by class discussions that go too fast, and they are less likely to become bored by class time that is spent covering content they already know (Davies, Dean, and Ball 2013, p. 565). When students become accustomed to the flipped approach of learning, they develop an increased sense of responsibility for their learning and they work with their teachers to achieve common goals (Greenberg, Medlock, and Stephens 2011, p. 10). Katrina Keene (2013) discusses several benefits to flipped learning. She states that flipping can help busy students work ahead and struggling students who may need more time with the teacher. Flipping helps students of all abilities excel, as all notes, concepts, and class materials are online for students who need extra help and it allows students to “pause” and “rewind” their teacher (p. 66). With flipped learning, student-teacher interaction increases. Teachers, as facilitators, provide more one-on-one time with students. Students see EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use 136 Online Teaching in K–12 their teacher in an online virtual format as well as in person, allowing teachers to build meaningful relationships with their students both online and in person. When teachers are able to build solid relationships with their students, students are more likely to trust their teachers and are motivated to do well (Schultz et al. 2014, p. 1335). Flipping also increases student-to-student interaction. In the online world, students have access to peers through discussion boards (Keene 2013, p. 66), and research shows that learners learn more effectively if they are actively involved in the process rather than being passive thinkers (Webb et al. 2004). In addition to higher levels of motivation to do well in the classroom, students’ level of interest, engagement, and enthusiasm increase with flipped learning (Fulton 2012, p. 23; Moore, Gillett, and Steele 2014, p. 424). Flipped learning can also change a teacher’s approach to classroom management. Since learning occurs in small groups, students feel less threatened by classroom participation (Keene 2013, p. 66). Another benefit to flipped learning is that it changes conversations with parents. Simply put, flipping educates parents. The focus is no longer on behavior in the classroom. Instruction is the focus of conversation, which lessens or eliminates the behavior conversation with parents. Parents begin getting involved in their child’s education as videos provided online can be viewed and studied together. Flipping also makes teaching transparent. Parents and others can see online what is being taught and can access the curriculum (Keene 2013, p. 66). Video analytics can also be a benefit to flipped learning since the flipped classroom utilizes online multimedia. Video analytics will not only let teachers know when and how many times a student accesses a video, for example, but will also allow teachers to see when they are pausing, what part of the video they repeat, and how long it takes to get through the video (Enfield 2013). LMSs are able to provide some of these data. Challenges of Flipped Learning Flipped learning is not without challenges and criticism. Del Siegle (2014) discusses five problems with flipped learning (p. 52). First, he writes, for flipped classrooms to work, students must have access to computers and the internet from home. Socioeconomic status plays a large role in accessibility, and often determines prior exposure to technology both in the home and in the educational setting (Ching, Basham, and Jang 2005). Second, students need to be motivated to complete the home EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use Flipped Learning 137 assignments, whether they are watching a video, exploring a website, or observing a presentation. Third, lecture, whether it is delivered live or on video, may not necessarily be the best way to learn because it may be too fast for those who already know the material and too slow for those without sufficient background. Fourth, fully flipped learning is unscalable from both the teachers’ and students’ perspective (Freedman 2011). Fifth, most teachers do not have the time or skills to create all the needed lessons for students to watch. Amy Roehl, Shweta Reddy, and Gayla Shannon (2013) report teachers spent about two hours per topic to create videotaped lectures and digital slide presentations with voiceovers (p. 45). In addition, the monetary expenditure needed to produce instructional materials may be problematic for flipped classrooms, and, in the end, students might not even watch the videos. Hence, there may be a lack of accountability for students to complete the out-of-class instruction (November and Mull 2012). Other concerns with flipped learning include the role of teachers being diminished, students’ experience with out-of-class instructions not being interactive (November and Mull 2012), poor quality video production, conditions in which the students view the videos out of class, inability for teachers to monitor comprehension, and use with English language learners and students with learning disabilities (Milman 2012). While repetitive instruction is important in face-to-face (f2f ) classes, it appears to be less important and sometimes frustrating for learners in video instruction (Enfield 2013, p. 25). Jacob Enfield (2013) also warns teachers that, while class time may be freed up by flipping the classroom, new challenges for teachers may surface on how to effectively use class time, which may be especially challenging for teachers who are accustomed to the traditional teaching practice of direct instruction (p. 26). Teachers who use traditional lectures in class may find it challenging to post their lectures online. Another interesting challenge for teachers considering or using flipped learning is that students tend to expect instructional videos to be edited so that there are no errors or unneeded pauses (Enfield 2013, p. 26). Enfield argues that it can be very challenging for teachers to make changes to online content once it has been posted to the learning management system (LMS), as making adjustments to course content requires teachers to use the original technology used to create the course content and then resave the content and upload it to the LMS, all of which can be very time consuming for teachers. EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use 138 Online Teaching in K–12 Despite the growing number of flipped courses, quantitative information on their effectiveness remains sparse. Studies currently available often lack measures of student learning, and many studies make “apples to oranges” comparisons of active learning in flipped classrooms to traditional lecture courses with no active learning (Lape, Levy, and Yong 2015, p. 1). Jamie L. Jensen, Tyler A. Kummer, and Patricia D. Godoy (2015) argue flipped classrooms do not result in higher learning gains or better attitudes compared with the nonflipped classroom when both utilize an active learning, constructivist approach (p. 1). Current studies on flipped learning are also limited due to the fact that so many potential causative mechanisms are being changed between treatments (e.g., shifting to active learning, including additional technology, using additional teaching materials, and implementing peer instruction) that it is difficult, if not impossible, to disaggregate data (Jensen, Kummer, and Godoy 2015, p. 2). Bryan Goodwin and Kirsten Miller (2013) conclude that, to date, there is no scientific research base to indicate exactly how well flipped learning works. Preliminary nonscientific data suggest that flipped learning may produce benefits, and the lack of hard scientific data does not mean that teachers should not flip their classrooms. Goodwin and Miller write, “If we only implemented strategies supported by decades of research, we would never try anything new. Until researchers are able to provide reliable data, the best we can do is to ask whether the purported benefits of flipped learning reflect research-based principles of effective teaching and learning” (p. 78). Viable Solutions to Overcome Flipped Challenges There are viable solutions for teachers to consider with many of the aforementioned challenges. Teachers in schools across the nation wear multiple hats in the classroom and juggle numerous responsibilities and obligations out of the classroom. Teachers often struggle to find time to grade, write, reflect, and be creative, let alone create videos for tomorrow’s lesson. One solution to a lack of time for creating multimedia is to have schools and school districts offer summer technology institutes or “boot camps” where teachers develop online content alongside an instructional technologist and instructional designer. Teachers can also locate and curate free teaching and learning materials from open educational resources (OERs) at this time. These opportunities should be ongoing, offered over several weeks in EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use Flipped Learning 139 the summer or during extended periods of time when teachers are available, and should provide stipends to participants. One solution to the concern that students may not have access to technology outside of school is to offer an afterschool program for students to use computers. Schools with large lower-income populations have been experimenting with ways to deliver content before or after school in the library, on students’ mobile devices, on hardware available for checkout at the school library, or on burned DVDs for students who have DVD players (Finkel 2012). Finkel adds that students who cannot get to the videos at home can watch them during study hall or before class in the library or even in class if they prefer (p. 32). Another solution is to establish partnerships with local libraries, feeder schools, community colleges, or nearby universities where students can go to access the internet and watch videos out of class. Schools implementing 1-1 laptop or tablet initiatives are also ideally poised to support flipped learning approaches. As noted in this chapter, students would probably not watch multiple videos outside of school for multiple subjects every night. A solution is to only flip portions of classroom instruction and make shorter videos for students to watch. In fact, Bergmann and Sams (2014) recommend that videos should not be longer than 60 to 90 seconds per grade level. They suggest, for example, if you are making videos for 10th graders, each video should be less than 15 minutes (p. 27). Another solution is to have students use the jigsaw cooperative learning strategy to view selected videos or sections of videos (Aronson and Patnoe 1997). Students can be assigned to different videos on the same topic and then report back to class the next day on their video content, or students can be assigned to the same video and watch sections of the video rather than the whole video. Brain research tells us that the novelty of any stimulus tends to wear off after about 10 minutes and, as a result, learners tend to check out after 10 minutes of exposure to new content. After that, they need a change of stimulus or an opportunity to step back and process what they are learning (Medina 2008). As noted in this chapter, it can be overwhelming for a teacher to create all the needed lessons for students to watch (Siegle 2014), and resources, hardware, and software may be expensive on a restrictive budget. One solution is to rely on free online resources from OER Commons or the Khan Academy, which provide free educational videos on a variety of topics from algebra to organic chemistry. YouTube and TED Talks also feature useful, free educational videos. EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use 140 Online Teaching in K–12 There is free software available to teachers who wish to create their own online content as well. Camtasia Studio is best known for screencasting. It allows users to record on-screen activity, edit content, and add interactive elements. Jing and Screencast-o-matic are also popular and free screencasting software. Most LMSs have built-in features that allow teachers as well as students to record audio and video. Teachers can rely on technical support from technology specialists on staff to get started with these features. A general rule of thumb is to allow 30 minutes to create a 10-minute video (Bergmann and Sams 2012a, p. 25). The benefit for students is that—unlike an f2f ­lecture— the video content can be paused and replayed on an as-needed basis. Lecture capturing software, such as Echo360, allows teachers to record classroom action and interaction, then turn them into lessons that students can replay on any device in real-time or any time after class. Lecture capturing is helpful for teachers who teach on-campus and online and wish to capture and share on-campus lectures with online students. Teachers can also consider creating online, multimedia posters using Glogster. Glogster allows users to create interactive posters with text, graphics, images, audio, video, and web links. Glogster is also available as an app for iPad users. VoiceThread is another option for teachers to consider as they develop interactive slideshows. VoiceThread allows the teacher to create slideshows that hold images, documents, and videos. Students can then leave comments using text, voice, or video formats. Both Glogster and VoiceThread allow teachers to incorporate innovative, nontraditional videos that engage students with online content. Teachers can also use student-created content to supplement their instruction and engage learners online. Bergmann and Sams (2014) believe it is worth the time and effort for teachers to create their own videos. They write, teaching is inherently about human interaction and teacher and student relationships. Students recognize that when teachers create their own videos, they are taking the time to “teach” them (Bergmann and Sams 2014, p. 27). Students from Amanda J. Moore, Matthew R. Gillett, and Michael D. Steele’s (2014) study of flipping high school math classes suggest that the presence of a teacher, either through narrated voiceovers or a camera presence, may be an important factor in the success of using videos (p. 424). The iTunes U app gives users access to free education content on thousands of topics. Other useful apps include the ShowMe iPad app. ShowMe allows teachers to create lessons using a whiteboard. The app is free and there is no limit what you can teach. Users can retrieve lessons created by other users from chemistry, history, math, sports, or arts. EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use Flipped Learning 141 Educreations is another popular app that allows users to record voice and iPad screens to create video lessons that students can access anytime. Educreations allows users to share videos via email, Facebook, Twitter, Edmodo, or YouTube, and even download and store them in Dropbox or Google Drive. Videolicious and Nearpod are other recommended video apps that teachers should explore. The photovoice app is also gaining popularity in schools. Users take a photo (or select any image already on an iPhone), record a brief audio commentary about the photo, and then save the photo with the accompanying audio. Teachers and students can create photovoice projects that are content specific for students to view outside the classroom (Graziano 2011, 2014; Graziano and Herren 2009). Teachers can also consider Creative Commons, a nonprofit organization that enables the sharing and use of creativity and knowledge through free legal tools. Creative Commons is a gateway to a wealth of openly free licensed products ranging from songs and videos to scientific and academic materials. Application of Flipped Learning Although there is a lack of empirical data on flipped learning, countless teachers continue to flip their instruction with positive outcomes such as improved academic performance and higher test scores (Roshan and Roshan 2012; Yarbro et al. 2014), increased student engagement (Hamdan et al. 2013), increased homework completion rates (Yarbro et al. 2014), fewer disciplinary problems (Hamdan et al. 2013; Yarbro et al. 2014), and a decrease in the amount of preparation time required for each class meeting and in the amount of time spent on remediation (Enfield 2013). Similar results of improved academic performance, increased engagement, and positive student attitudes towards flipped instruction have been reported by various disciplines, practitioners, and researchers (Datig and Ruswick 2013; Gaughan 2014; Kay and Kletskin 2012; ­Ruddick 2012; Talley and Scherer 2013). In 2013, I took a more student-centered approach to flipping my undergraduate second language acquisition course. By way of background, I teach a language acquisition course every fall semester to undergraduate preservice teachers onsite at a partnership school. I use a Teach, Apply, Reflect model of instruction. The first hour of class is a seminar (Teach) where I actively engage students in lectures on course content. Students are assigned to a classroom teacher for the second hour of class. They observe the classroom teacher each week for 16 weeks. Students observe best EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use 142 Online Teaching in K–12 practices used by the teachers (Apply) and relate them to content learned during the first hour of seminar. The last hour of class allows students to debrief (Reflect) on classroom observations during the second hour of class. Lessons were flipped for 12 weeks during the semester. Students watched videos and podcasts I selected or created on course content. All students were required to watch the videos and podcasts outside of class. Students were randomly assigned to groups of two to three students and voluntarily signed up to teach a lesson during the first hour of class (Teach) on a selected chapter of interest from our textbook along with the accompanying videos and podcasts. A different group of students taught one lesson per week. The lesson had to include all eight components of the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) lesson plan (Echevarria, Vogt, and Short 2013). I met with all students prior to their delivery of the lesson to ensure their lesson included active learning strategies and engaging, meaningful activities and in-class assignments. Every lesson also had an informal assessment created by students. I delivered direct instruction after each group taught their lessons to reinforce concepts and new knowledge. Not only did this model of flipped learning allow students to receive more one-on-one time from me before, during, and after class to support their learning, but it also afforded the opportunity to interact with the classroom teacher they observed each week and strengthen their connections of course content from theory to practice. Conclusion Technology experts predict by the year 2025 there will be an ambient information environment where accessing the internet will be effortless and most people will tap into it so easily it will flow through their lives like electricity (Anderson and Rainie 2014). I hope by 2025 the divide between those who have and do not have access to the internet, broadband, and cell phones will be obsolete, and everyone will have broadband access at home similar to household utilities that most individuals utilize on a daily basis. In the meantime, we need to identify innovative and practical options to bring the internet and modern technology to students who do not have access. It is important that school administrators reach out to colleagues, parents, and community organizations to identify and develop strategies for securing access to hardware, software, and the internet for all students in and out of school. This degree of access will aid students in EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use Flipped Learning 143 the development of 21st century skills that will transfer from classroom to classroom and to life after graduation. School administrators should also provide support to teachers who may need to learn the latest technology that will allow them to flip their classrooms. With anything new in education, teachers need time and support to roll up their sleeves and experiment. Teachers should be able to work with others in a supportive environment where they can ask each other questions, share ideas, create, and reflect. School administrators should consider offering professional development opportunities throughout the school year so teachers together with their colleagues and collaborators can acquire the necessary skills to make videos and other multimedia suitable for instruction. Teachers should start small and identify colleagues who favor flipped instruction, share resources, observe colleagues online by enrolling as guest users in courses with flipped instruction, follow flipped discussion and online forums, participate in blogs on flipped instruction, and join special interest groups (SIGs) or the Flipped Learning Network. Teachers should also document their individual and collective experiences using the flipped model of instruction. These experiences can be shared at regional and national conferences and published in educational journals, which will contribute to the research on flipped learning. The experiences from flipping a classroom and familiarity with LMSs, technology, and online best practices may serve as a gateway for teachers to teach online. Teachers may be inspired from the experience and seek opportunities to transition from f2f teaching to online or hybrid teaching. It is important to note that the flipped model of instruction might not work for all teachers and students or with all grades and subject matters. Not all teachers will succeed with it, and some students may prefer traditional classroom approaches (Hamdan et al. 2013). The limited amount of data available in the literature on flipped learning, however, is promising and supports a classroom environment that is student-centered. Teachers at all levels of education seem to have caught onto flipped instruction, and it does not seem to be going away anytime soon. References Anderson Janna, and Lee Rainie. “Summary: 15 Theses About the Digital Future,” 2014. http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/03/11/digital-life-in-2025/. Aronson, Elliot, and Shelley Patnoe. The Jigsaw Classroom: Building Cooperation in the Classroom. New York: Longman, 1997. EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use 144 Online Teaching in K–12 Bergmann, Jonathan, and Aaron Sams. “Before You Flip, Consider This: Leaders of the Flipped Classroom Movement Say Each Teacher Will Have a Different Experience, but Securing School Leadership Support, Time, and IT Resources Will Be Important to Every Effort.” Phi Delta Kappan 94, no. 2 (2012a): 25. —. Flip Your Classroom: Reach Every Student in Every Class Every Day. Washington DC: International Society for Technology in Education, 2012b. —. “Flipping for Mastery.” Educational Leadership 71, no. 4 (2014): 24-29. Ching, Cynthia C., James D. Basham, and Eunice Jang. “The Legacy of the Digital Divide: Gender, Socioeconomic Status, and Exposure as Predictors of Full-­ Spectrum Technology Use Among Young Adults.” Urban Education 40, no. 4 (2005): 394-411. Datig, Ilka, and Claire Ruswick. “Four Quick Flips: Activities for the Information Literacy Classroom.” College & Research Library News 74, no. 5 (2013): 249-57. Davies, Randall S., Douglas L. Dean, and Nick Ball. “Flipping the Classroom and Instructional Technology Integration in a College-Level Information Systems Spreadsheet Course.” Educational Technology Research and Development 61 (2013): 563-80. Echevarria, Jana, MaryEllen Vogt, and Deborah Short. Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners: The SIOP Model. Boston: Pearson, 2013. Enfield, Jacob. “Looking at the Impact of the Flipped Classroom Model of Instruction on Undergraduate Multimedia Students at CSUN.” TechTrends 57, no. 6 (2013): 14-27. Finkel, Ed. “Flipping the Script in K12.” District Administration 48, no. 10 (2012): 28-30. Flipped Learning Network. “The Four Pillars of F-L-I-P,” 2014. http://flippedlearning.org /domain/41. Freedman, Terry. “8 Observations on Flipping the Classroom,” 2011. http://www.ictin education.org/home-page/2011/10/20/8-observations-on-flipping-the-class room.html. Fulton, Kathleen P. “10 Reasons to Flip.” Phi Delta Kappan 94, no. 2 (2012): 20-24. Gaughan, Judy E. “The Flipped Classroom in World History.” The History Teacher 47, no. 2 (2014): 221-44. Goodwin, Bryan, and Kirsten Miller. “Evidence on Flipped Classrooms is Still Coming In.” Educational Leadership 70, no. 6 (2013): 78-80. Graziano, Kevin. “The Everyday Realities of Palestinian College Students Living and Studying in Israel: A Photovoice Study.” International Journal of Progressive Education 10, no. 1 (2014): 32-45. —. “Working With English Language Learners: Preservice Teachers and Photovoice. International Journal of Multicultural Education 13, no. 1 (2011): 1-19. Graziano, Kevin, and Craig Herren. “Students as Researchers: A Photographic Approach to Teaching High School Economics.” In Justice, Care, and Diversity: Addressing the Needs of All Students in Catholic Secondary Schools, ed. Edmundo Litton and Shane Martin. Arlington, VA: National Catholic Educational Association, 2009. EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use Flipped Learning 145 Greenberg, Brian, Leonard Medlock, and Darri Stephens. 2011. “Blend My Learning: Lessons Learned From a Blended Learning Pilot.” http://www.blendmylearning .com/2011/12/06/white-paper/. Hamdan, Noora, Patrick McKnight, Katherine McKnight, and Kari Arfstrom. “The flipped learning model: A white paper based on the literature review titled a review of flipped learning.” 2013. http://flippedlearning.org/domain/41. Herreid, Clyde, and Nancy A. Schiller. “Case Studies and the Flipped Classroom.” Journal of College Science Teaching 42, no. 5 (2013): 62-66. Jensen, Jamie L., Tyler A. Kummer, and Patricia D. d. M. Godoy. “Improvements From a Flipped Classroom May Simply be the Fruits of Active Learning.” CBELife Sciences Education 14 (2015): 1-12. Kay, Robin, and Ilona Kletskin. “Evaluating the Use of Problem-Based Video Podcasts to Teach Mathematics in Higher Education.” Computers and Education 59 (2012): 619-27. Keene, Katrina. “Blended and Flipping Distance Education.” Distance Learning 10, no. 4 (2013): 63-69. Lape, Nancy, Rachel Levy, and Darryl Yong. “Probing the Inverted Classroom: A Study of Teaching and Learning Outcomes in Engineering and Mathematics.” EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (2015): 1-5. Mazur, Eric. “Can We Teach Computers to Teach?” Computers in Physics 5, no. 1 (1991): 31-38. Medina, John. Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School. Seattle: Pear Press, 2008. Milman, Natalie. “The Flipped Classroom Strategy: What is it and How Can it Be Used?” Distance Learning 9, no. 3 (2012): 85-87. Moore, Amanda J., Matthew R. Gillett, and Michael D. Steele. “Fostering Student Engagement With the Flip.” Mathematics Teacher 107, no. 6 (2014): 420-25. November, Alan, and Brian Mull. “Flipped Learning: A Response to Five Common Criticisms,” 2012. NovemberLearning.com. http://novemberlearning.com /educational-resources-for-educators/teaching-and-learning-articles/flipped -learning-a-response-to-five-common-criticisms-article/. Roehl, Amy, Shweta Linga Reddy, and Gayla Jett Shannon. “The Flipped Classroom: An Opportunity to Engage Millennial Students Through Active Learning Strategies.” Journal of Family & Consumer Sciences 105, no. 2 (2013): 44-49. Roshan, Stacey, and Wendy Roshan. “My View: It’s Never Too Late to Begin Flipping Your Classroom,” 2012. http://schoolsofthought.blogs.cnn.com/2012/08/24/my -view-its-never-too-late-to-begin-flipping-your-classroom/. Ruddick, Kristie W. 2012. “Improving chemical education from high school to college using a more hands-on approach.” PhD diss., University of Memphis. Sarawagi, Namita. “Flipping an Introductory Programming Course: Yes You Can!” Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges 28, no. 6 (2013): 186-88. Schultz, David, Stacy Duffield, Seth C. Rasmussen, and Justin Wageman. “Effects of the Flipped Classroom Model on Student Performance for Advanced Placement EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use 146 Online Teaching in K–12 High School Chemistry Students.” Journal of Chemical Education 91 (2014): 1334-39. Siegle, Del. “Technology: Differentiating Instruction by Flipping the Classroom.” Gifted Child Today 37, no. 1 (2014): 51-55. Speak Up Survey. “Speak Up 2014 National Research Project Findings Flipped Learning Continues to Trend for Third Year,” 2014. http://flippedlearning.org /domain/41. Stumpenhorst, Josh. “Not Flipping for Flipped,” 2012. http://www.stumpteacher.com /2012/12/not-flipping-for-flipped.html Talley, Cheryl P., and Stephen Scherer. “The Enhanced Flipped Classroom: Increasing Academic Performance With Student-Recorded Lectures and Practice Testing in a ‘Flipped’ STEM Course.” The Journal of Negro Education 82, no. 3 (2013): 339-47. Yarbro, Jessica, Kari Arfstrom, Katherine McKnight, and Patrick McKnight. “The 2014 Extension of the 2013 Review of Flipped Learning,” 2014. http://flippedlearning .org/domain/41. Webb, Eileen, Alan Jones, Philip Barker, and Paul van Schaik. “Using E-Learning Dialogues in Higher Education.” Innovations in Education and Teaching International 41 (2004): 93-103. EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use C h a p t e r 9 Virtual School-Home Communication Dianne L. Tetreault Abstract Online learning is on the rise. Statistics show that the number of students taking at least one online course has rapidly increased since 2002. Today’s students are quite computer savvy and are often referred to as digital natives. They use many types of technology on a daily basis. From the perspective of an experienced K–12 online teacher, this chapter discusses the importance of making the home–school connection via a multitude of technology-based tools. This chapter also offers online teachers and family members simple activities that promote improved teacher-parent/­guardian involvement and foster the quality and level of communication that is essential to student success. Introduction Online learning is rapidly increasing in K–12 education. This trend is growing in both the sheer number of online programs and in the number of teachers, students, and families who participate in online programs. Many students are attracted to online learning because they believe it gives them more control over their learning and that they have more support from their online teacher. This shift in educational models changes the dynamics of K–12 teaching and learning. In online settings, parents or guardians who assist their children are often referred to as “learning coaches” as they take on the role of advocate and advisor: “Learning coaches are student managers and guides for their own children, [motivating] them to press on and [guiding] them through the curriculum” (Hasler, Waters, and Leong 2014, p. 52). 147 EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use 148 Online Teaching in K–12 Educators have long been aware of the importance of the connections to be made between home and school, and in the case of online learning, these connections take on a new level of significance. With the goal being to improve student retention and success, this chapter discusses how teachers in online programs can establish and sustain a home-to-school connection with parents and caregivers. The means of communication in an online school are substantially different from those found in a traditional one. In a traditional setting, in-school or after-school communication with students and families are often based on a daily and time-bound schedule. Correspondence is often managed through email messages, phone calls, or through a parent portal or student information system. While these same unidirectional or asynchronous tools are used in the online setting, virtual schools are optimized to support communication that is ongoing and dynamic (Sivy 2014). One of the most important factors in the success of a virtual school program is a policy and infrastructure that drives good, clear communication between students and teachers as well as teachers and parents. Florida Virtual School (FLVS) supports open and ongoing communication through its use of its ConnectYard portal that integrates email, text, and social media networks within its learning management system (LMS) (Namahoe 2012). Students and teachers are able to send and receive messages through their preferred device platforms, and all these messages are stored in the LMS itself. A great benefit is the ability to connect students, teachers, parents, and staff using social media without requiring them to change their behaviors. This system features social media tools, including trending topics that enable users to follow popular discussion topics, as well as capabilities to support online tutoring and study groups. Teachers can also track messages to ensure students receive them and send communications to individuals or entire classes. The virtual experience can differ depending on the type of program in which a student is enrolled. Regardless, all virtual experiences require a strong collaboration between the home and the online school. In many cases, the enrollment counselor or school guidance counselor is the first avenue of communication, as she often guides the parent through enrollment, placement, and registration. Once this is complete and the student is enrolled and placed with a teacher, the teacher takes over. Teachers in online settings communicate via email, telephone, online live lessons, web meetings, and other tools. The teachers closely monitor all student progress and report to parents. Teachers often conduct live online sessions through their virtual office to ensure mastery of content. Teachers also EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use Virtual School-Home Communication 149 have the ability to develop interventions if a student is struggling. These interventions might include one-on-one tutoring, video or screencasts, or additional web resources to further explain the content. The teacher is the manager of the online content and its delivery and—especially on the elementary or middle school level—she communicates with the parent often. Additionally, many fully online programs implement a structure in which parents or guardians serve as learning coaches. A learning coach is not responsible for creating course content or assessing student work. However, for younger students, these coaches can be essential partners in the participation and success of online learners. Digital Immigrant Versus Digital Native Today’s students are not like students of the past. Many of our students’ lives are already filled with technology. Students today spend countless hours texting, emailing, participating in chat rooms, manipulating photos, playing video games, and expressing themselves in many different forms of multimedia. Students born when digital technology was increasingly ubiquitous and widespread are often referred to as digital natives (Prensky 2001). These individuals have often grown up using technology tools for a plethora of uses every day. On the flip side of digital natives are the parents or caregivers who may be in the category of digital immigrants (Prensky 2001). Digital immigrants are the ones who came to use technology later in the game. Some digital immigrants are still trying to figure out this game while the digital natives know no other way. As teachers, if we are not speaking the same language as students, then how can we expect them to learn? This, in turn, gives rise to a disconnect with the rate at which students, parents, home, and school communicate. Strategies for Effective Communication Between Home and the Online Learner A productive and successful learning environment includes one where parents are invited and encouraged to participate in their child’s education. Researchers have found that parents of students in K–12 online programs often help them with organization, technology, and time management (Hasler, Waters, and Leong 2014). Therefore, establishing good communication with parents is a promising strategy to improve achievement among online learners. It is true, however, that parent involvement in the day-to-day efforts of their child can vary widely, and this is true of those in online as well as EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use 150 Online Teaching in K–12 brick-and-mortar settings. Just because a child is learning online does not mean that the parent is hovering over the child’s daily lessons. Regardless of the age or grade, communication is essential. Facilitating communication within the fast-paced world that both students and parents live in can be challenging. It is still the teacher’s responsibility, though, to communicate with parents and ensure that they are aware of the child’s successes and struggles with the curriculum. The quality and frequency of this communication leads to better understanding among all parties involved. The online teacher may at times find the fostering of communication to be frustrating or demanding. However, positive outcomes typically prevail. Research conducted and compiled by the National Association of School Psychologists in 2008 indicates that effective, responsive, well-planned home/school communication has the following results: • • • • • • • • improved test scores improved grades more positive student attitudes lower dropout rates less high-risk behavior enhanced relationships between school and community increased parental support for school’s initiatives and programs improved parental opinion of and regard for the school (Lavoie 2008) Research is clear about the kinds of parental involvement that lead to student learning. Anne T. Henderson and Karen L. Mapp (2002) analyzed eighty studies of parental involvement in K–12 schools, and some of their key findings provide clear guidelines for effective communication: • Family involvement that is linked to student learning has a greater effect on achievement than more general forms of involvement. • Family involvement that supports student learning at home is linked to improved student achievement. • Families of all cultural backgrounds and education and income levels can have a positive influence on their children’s learning. • Family involvement efforts that recognize cultural and class differences, address family needs, and build on families’ strengths are effective in engaging diverse families. EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use Virtual School-Home Communication 151 A survey distributed to members of the International Association for K12 Online Learning (iNACOL) shares some of the strategies that online teachers and schools are using to keep parents and families involved (Bryans-Bongey 2015). Based on feedback from iNACOL members and school representatives who completed the survey, a majority of these online teachers and administrators stated that parents volunteer time and effort to promote and enrich the school community. According to these respondents from roughly 30 different online schools, approaches for parent involvement in the online K–12 classroom include the following: • Parents or community members serve as guest speakers or presenters in an online class (65 percent). • Parents are involved in some form of Parent-Teacher Association (41 percent). • Parents are involved in virtual or face-to-face (f2f ) field trips (41 percent). • Parents and/or family members participate in supplemental f2f events (35 percent) . • Parents participate in fundraising events (18 percent). • Parents take part in group web meetings (18 percent). (Bryans-Bongey 2015, p. 15) While many parents seem engaged in their child’s education, the online arena demands vigilant and ongoing communication on the part of the teacher. As a teacher, it is important that you communicate and connect with parents, guardians, and families. The way this is done may vary based on teacher or family preference and/or available communication tools. Like our online students, many parents and guardians are connected with digital devices that allow them access anytime and anywhere. Establish a plan and start your communication early. Whether you use wiki, website, blog, or social media like Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook, consider tools that meet the lifestyle needs of parents, guardians, and families as well as your own. The age of the child in a virtual program is an important factor in approaches used to establish and maintain good communication with parents or guardians. For the younger elementary child, the parent often acts as a learning coach, establishing and maintaining daily routines. The learning coach typically stays in touch with the student’s teacher via phone, email, or online meetings. The teacher and the parent should establish contact early in the school year to discuss how they will work together to EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use 152 Online Teaching in K–12 ensure the success of the child. In other instances, particularly in middle school and high school, the student is a more independent learner. Regardless of how much communication is needed throughout the school year, it is essential to communicate contact information, office hours, and any other procedures or venues that support a free flow of questions, comments, and student support on an as-needed basis. Many virtual programs require a welcome call to both student and teacher/guardian. These welcome calls are an introduction and a critical component in getting things started on the right foot. A good rule of thumb is to block a 20-minute time span for each welcome call. During the call, the teacher introduces herself and provides essential contact information. Discussions should center on pacing guides and general policies for learning. The teacher should also review expectations and how parents will be contacted and kept informed of their child’s progress. Oftentimes, there may be discussions relating to technology requirements or materials. Lastly, the teacher should discuss the course content, how the student will be assessed, and other content-related information. The online program in which the student is enrolled often requires the use of a specific LMS. There are several content delivery systems such as Blackboard, Canvas, Desire2Learn, among others. These systems all require teachers and students to log in with a username and password, ensuring that online discussions, grades, and other sensitive information is visible only to those who need it. These platforms organize and present course content, and they offer a rich array of communication tools that support the ability to send and receive email, post grades, and support ongoing access for parents. Through private gradebook comments and opportunities for synchronous and asynchronous communication via discussion boards, online journals, in-course messages, and web meetings, these systems often let the teacher tailor their communication to individual students. This type of feedback is studentcentered and provides parents with timely information as to how their child is progressing. It is important that students in an online setting feel that their teacher is present and cares about their success. Therefore, it is essential that the teacher personalize her communication. Frequent contact is also necessary. An online teacher’s spare time should be used to keep in touch and build professional relationships with her students. Teachers should remember to communicate early at the first signs of a struggle and provide detailed feedback on assignments. Teachers should EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use Virtual School-Home Communication 153 show the students that working toward a goal may require revisions and discussions with the teacher. Teachers should be providing detailed feedback to students. Doing so provides guidance, fosters the teacher-student connection, and ensures that students are more apt to work towards the goals set forth. Sometimes, the same students who may avoid a phone call will respond quickly to an email or text message. It is important to know your students and to keep track of their communication preferences. Online teachers should keep a comprehensive log of all types of various communications. Oftentimes, an LMS will have a separate file system to allow the teacher to keep a log of communications for future reference. Although teacher communication is essential, it is really up to the teacher which method or methods to offer and employ based on convenience, student-needs, and the specific objectives of the communication. A virtual online teacher can use a variety of tools for communication. The next section takes a brief look at social media as an opportunity for communication and the ongoing exchange of ideas. Social Media Web-based solutions create a virtual open window into effective communication. In an article by Jason Tomaszewski (2012), studies suggest that approximately 70 percent of all organizations engage in structured collaboration using online social learning tools such as blogs, wikis, and podcasts. The use of online tools like social media sites and services has also increased in the K–12 school setting. Social media can be an excellent way to increase communication reach as well as to further engage our learners to enrich their online content. These resources can build a community of learners and allow for collaboration and the sharing of ideas. Social media and apps such as Facebook and Twitter have allowed us to communicate in real-time. Using social media and apps within the educational setting can serve to enhance the experience of those participants. There are several advantages to using social media to connect home and school. Social media is designed to be user-friendly and allow for cross-cultural communication. Other benefits include minimal technical requirements, multimedia sharing capabilities, and the opportunities for extending the reach of one’s message. Social media tools encourage back-and-forth type of communication, and many of these tools are applicable in a pure virtual setting, a blended setting, or a brick-andmortar setting. EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use 154 Online Teaching in K–12 Teacher Resources to Foster the School-Home Communication Here is a brief list of social media and other online resources that teachers can use to enhance their ability to support open and ongoing communication with online students and their parents: Facebook: Less sensitive material and general information can be kept on a facebook page. This link—www.schooltechnology.org/blog/2010/08/18 /creating-facebook-page-school-edtech-elearning—is a good resource for help in creating a school-type facebook page. Edmodo: A social networking space designed for online learning environments, Edmodo (https://www.edmodo.com/) allows a teacher can post discussions, create student polls, upload additional documents for enrichment or remediation, and develop calendars and many other types of virtual learning experience. The parent receives a class code to access the space and can keep up on their student’s online learning. Poll Everywhere: This is an easy-to-use polling tool that can be accessed from any smartphone to solicit responses and opinions from parents. As an online teacher, Poll Everywhere (https://www.polleverywhere.com/enter prise) can be used during online collaboration meetings with students. Additionally, it can be used to collect parent feedback on a certain assignment or more general concerns. When compared to making numerous phone calls or waiting for parents to respond to emails, this is a faster way to elicit responses and gain insight. Wetxt.com: Also used to create groups to invite parents to join, Wetxt (www.wetxt.com) is a new service offering free group text messaging. Wetxt works with 10 major cellular service providers to support the ability to send text messages to large groups at once. In addition to creating and sending initial messages, Wetxt offers an option for sending reply all messages. Messages can be sent from a mobile device or from an email account. A mobile calendar helps teachers keep track of items that need to be sent out as text messages. Google for Education: Google offers a wide variety of creative apps for learning and communication including Google Voice and Google Hangouts. Google Voice and Google Hangouts promise Google-powered simplicity. You can send and receive messages from your phone, Gmail, or desktop. You are able to answer voice calls and listen to voicemails from the browser, and Google Voice even transcribes your voicemail messages. Google spreadsheets can be shared with parents/guardians and by providing them with editing rights to the spreadsheet; it can be used as a centralized signup sheet for appointments (https://www.google.com/edu/). EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use Virtual School-Home Communication 155 Classdojo: Any online teacher can adapt this classroom management app to fit their needs within the virtual setting. You may not use it to manage behavior, but instead use it to encourage students and give feedback on specific skills they are trying to master. The students will not be sitting in front of you, but in many cases you will know when they are online and working. Send your students messages, and use Classdojo (https://www .classdojo.com) to share updates with parents. Remind101: This simple app can solve various communication obstacles between the virtual teacher and the parent. App security can be an issue, so this app does not display any phone numbers and all communication stays within the Remind101 (https://www.remind.com/learn-more) interface. SchoolWay: Teachers can configure SchoolWay (myschoolway.com/parents) to send activity updates, assignment reminders, and other notifications. Blogs and Wikis: Blogs and wikis are great tools to engage parents and students in an open dialogue. The teacher can set up a post and request comments from parents that facilitate an ongoing discussion. You may want to use a combination of the two; look at EduBlog (edublogs.org) and WikiSpaces (wikispaces.com) as possible tools. Skoolbag: A mobile school app, Skoolbag (www.skoolbag.com.au/) allows teachers to create customized content for single-point parent communication. Vimeo: Students can share their work in video format with teachers and parents through Vimeo (https://vimeo.com/). Bonfyre: A networking app, Bonfyre (https://bonfyreapp.com/) allows users to create clubs, sports, and study groups, and improves parent-toteacher communication. SurveyMonkey: Create and publish online surveys in minutes using SurveyMonkey (https://www.surveymonkey.com/), and view your survey results graphically and in real-time. Here are a few scheduling tools that make it easy for teachers, parents, and students to schedule appointments: Doodle: Doodle (doodle.com/features) offers a wide selection of online solutions that radically simplify the process of scheduling appointments, ranging from the group event poll that does not require registration to the professional version. Flash Appointments: With easy one-page scheduling, Flash Appointments (www.flashappointments.com/index.htm) allows the student to select from a preset menu designed by the teacher to set up various types of online appointments. Appointments populate to a calendar in real-time. EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use 156 Online Teaching in K–12 Cyber Safety and Digital Citizenship for the Online Learner The ability to exhibit digital citizenship, to be information-literate, and to use the internet safely are important attributes and skills for 21st century learners. Teachers can assist parents and students by providing them with basic information and resources on cyber safety. There are several tips for keeping students safe. These should be reviewed with students and parents/guardians in an effort to make a child’s online learning experience positive and free from distractions. The LMS is a secure system that requires all teachers and students to log in. However, even in the closed and password-protected setting of the online classroom, it is possible for students to behave unkindly and inappropriately. Therefore, it is important to teach students to alert an adult if they feel uncomfortable or threatened online. Following are suggested safety rules and procedures to discuss with students: 1. A student should tell parents right away if they come across something that makes them feel uncomfortable. 2. Teach students not respond to any messages that are mean or in any way make them feel uncomfortable. Let them know it is not their fault if they get a message like that. 3. Teach students to refrain from giving out their passwords to anyone (even best friends) other than their parents. 4. Teach students to check with their parents before downloading or installing software or doing anything that could possibly hurt their computer or mobile device or jeopardize their family’s privacy. 5. Teach students how to be a good online citizen and not do anything that hurts other people or is against the law. (Safekids .com 2015) It is important for teachers at all grade levels to help students develop skills of digital citizenship such as those described in the International Society for Technology in Education’s (ISTE) standards for students (2007). These essential attitudes and behaviors involve creativity, communication and collaboration, research and information fluency, critical thinking, digital citizenship, and expertise with technology operations and concepts. When teachers proactively teach, model, and encourage respectful and cooperative behavior, students are better able to learn these essential digital citizenship and literacy skills, and the entire online community stands to benefit. EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use Virtual School-Home Communication 157 Conclusion It is clear that online teaching and learning offers both challenges and opportunities that may not exist in the f2f setting. Fortunately, through the use of careful planning, deliberate outreach, and interactive or collaborative tools, it is possible to open and maintain positive communication between virtual school and home. Regardless of the instructional format, all parents should have opportunities to become meaningful participants in their child’s education. A child’s academic success is greatly enriched when teachers and parents are partners in the process. Online teachers can and should initiate meaningful conversations that allow both parents and students to participate. Teachers should be sure to choose the communication tools that work for the parent. Not all parents are the same, and using multiple communication methods makes the parent feel connected in a more comfortable way. Keep in mind the following questions: Are your methods getting parents to respond? Which of the methods yields the best results? Surveys? Emails? Phone calls? Texting? Video conferencing? Web meetings? Are you using a combination of approaches to support whole class as well as oneto-one communication? For example, while class websites, newsletters, or blogs are a great way to communicate with all family members, other tools and strategies are needed for personalized communication. Teachers should respond to parents in a timely manner and acknowledge their communication. Even if it is not possible to answer parent inquiries right away or in the detail required, let them know that their request or concern has been received. A responsive approach as well as more general and proactive efforts to cultivate communication with all parents will go a long way in fostering relationships. Relationships are at the heart and soul of teaching and learning and are built on communication. Ongoing communication in an online teaching and learning environment must be deliberately designed on the part of the teacher. Just like their counterparts in more traditional programs, parents of students in virtual settings from kindergarten to high school need open communication and timely information. They want to know when their child’s progress is slipping, and they want insight on how to help their children improve. They want to be kept informed of live online sessions and collaboration activities that require online attendance. Parents and teachers have the same goal in mind: success of the student. Communication is key to reaching this goal. An effective home-school connection fosters growth in children and confidence in the virtual school setting. EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use 158 Online Teaching in K–12 References Bryans-Bongey, Sarah. “Meeting the Holistic Needs of K–12 Online Learners: Designing Schools for the Future,” Fall 2015. Internet Learning Journal, 4(2), 7-24. http:// www.ipsonet.org/publications/open-access/internet-learning/volume-4-number -2-fall-2015. Hasler Waters, Lisa, and Peter Leong. “Who is Teaching? New Roles for Teachers and Parents in Cyber Charter Schools,” Journal of Technology and Teacher Education 22, no. 1 (2014): 33-56. Henderson, Anne T., and Karen L. Mapp. “A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement,” 2002. https://www.sedl.org/connections/resources/evidence.pdf. International Society for Technology in Education. “Standards for Students,” 2007. https://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/20-14_ISTE_Standards-S_PDF.pdf. Lavoie, Rick. “The Teacher’s Role in Home/School Communication: Everybody Wins,” 2008. http://www.ldonline.org/article/28021/. Namahoe, Kanoe. “Florida Virtual School Adopts New Communication Portal,” 2012. http://thejournal.com/articles/2012/07/11/florida-virtual-school-adopts-new -communications-portal.aspx. Prensky, Marc. “Digital Native, Digital Immigrants.” On the Horizon 9, no. 5 (2001). http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives, %20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf. Safekids.com. “Kids’ Rules for Online Safety,” 2015. http://www.safekids.com/kids -rules-for-online-safety. Sivy, Mark. “Virtual School Leadership,” 2014. https://virtualschoolleadership.word press.com/2014/09/19/virtual-school-internal-communication/. Tomaszewski, Jason. “Study Suggests Benefits of Social Media in the Classroom,” 2012. Education World. http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/study-suggests -social-media-has-place-in-classrooms.shtml. EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use C h a p t e r 10 Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Online Learning Luis Pérez, Kendra Grant, and Elizabeth Dalton Abstract Universal design for learning (UDL) is a curriculum design framework, one which considers learner variation as based in neuroscience. Developed by the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) in 1991, UDL bases its core principles on the brain’s affective, recognition, and strategic networks. The three core principles of UDL are multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression. This chapter provides background on UDL and relates UDL principles, guidelines, and checkpoints to online instruction and learning. Real examples of UDL infusion in an online learning course provide models for further exploration and application of UDL as a model framework for K–12 online instruction. Introduction We know that one-size-fits-all instruction is ineffective in meeting the needs of the diverse learners we see in our classrooms. Unfortunately, we often see this approach applied to online environments, where providing everyone with the same content, the same pathway for learning, and the same assessment makes managing the instruction easier. Whether instruction is delivered in a face-to-face (f2f ) or online environment, the reality is that addressing variation in what students bring to the learning experience and what they need to be successful is primary to any effective course design. In addition, online learning brings unique challenges that may include learner isolation and a lack of engagement and support. 159 EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use 160 Online Teaching in K–12 We three authors created an online professional learning opportunity to explore how one framework, universal design for learning (UDL), could counteract some of the potentially negative aspects of online learning. This chapter focuses on the insights we gained as we developed this course for educators, many of which can be applied to your K–12 online instructional practice. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Developed by the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST), UDL offers a curriculum design framework based on the foundations of neuroscience, universal design (UD) in the physical environment (Center for Universal Design 2008), and constructivist principles (Vygotsky 1962). To meet current learner needs, UDL provides guidance to systematically address learner variation through purposeful and proactive design of goals, assessments, methods, and materials in different types of instruction, including that which takes place in online environments. The three core principles of UDL—multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression—and the guidelines developed to support implementation also provide direction for educators to purposefully build variability into lessons and teaching (CAST 2011). In this chapter, we provide an overview of the UDL framework and explore how it can be used to support K–12 online instruction. UDL is a framework that guides supported and improved teaching and learning (Rose and Meyer 2002). This is accomplished by effectively addressing the widely varying needs of students in the general education classroom from the onset, through innovative curriculum design rather than through individual retroactive adjustments and accommodations. In Teaching Every Child in the Digital Age, David Rose and Anne Meyer (2002) embraced technology and its ability to reduce barriers, provide access to information and, when applied appropriately, provide broader access to learning. CAST and UDL itself reflect a break from a medical model in which treatments or solutions are specifically and reactively designed to address those “in the margins” to one that focuses on an initial design that supports learner variability at the outset, and with the goal of developing expert learners (Meyer and Rose 2005, p. 1). UDL has three core guiding principles: 1. multiple means of engagement with the goal of creating purposeful, motivated learners EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Online Learning 161 2. multiple means of representation with the goal of developing resourceful, knowledgeable learners 3. multiple means of action and expression with the goal of supporting strategic, goal-directed learners (Meyer, Rose, and Gordon 2013) Each principle in the UDL framework has three more detailed guidelines to support educators in the development and implementation of goals, methods, materials, and assessments that work effectively for the widest range of learners in any type of learning environment (CAST 2011). The UDL guidelines follow a horizontal as well as a vertical organization. Horizontally, the guidelines address variability along three primary brain networks identified in neuroscience: 1. The affective network (multiple means of engagement): This network, located in the center of the brain, monitors the learner’s internal and external environments in order to set priorities for behavior. It determines what a learner finds motivating or threatening in a given learning environment as well as his or her ability to persist when challenges arise. By providing supports for this network, we can minimize frustration and make it more likely that a learner will achieve the goals of a given learning activity. 2. The recognition network (multiple means of representation): This network, located in the back of the brain, recognizes patterns in the information received through the senses. This ability to recognize patterns differs between novices and experts, who bring differing amounts of background knowledge to each learning experience. Accounting not only for these different levels of background knowledge and experience, but also developing learners’ abilities to acquire and organize new information in order to translate it into new knowledge is key to effective UDL implementation in this learning network. 3. The strategic network (multiple means of action and expression): This network, in the front of the brain, is involved in planning, organizing, and executing purposeful actions such as writing an essay or solving a math problem. A key UDL goal with regard to this network is to reduce barriers that are present when the goals of a lesson or unit are combined with the means for achieving EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use 162 Online Teaching in K–12 them. An example would be requiring that all learners write an essay demonstrating their understanding of an important event in a history course. Such a requirement could put certain learners who have motor difficulties that make typing slower or more painful at a disadvantage. By providing other options such as the recording of answers using the microphone or camera on a mobile device, we can ensure all students can demonstrate their understanding on a level playing field. While each network is often discussed separately for ease of explanation, in practice the three brain networks are highly interdependent. Barriers in the recognition and strategic networks can result in frustrated learners who are less motivated to continue with a given learning activity. Conversely, highly motivated learners often find ways to get around barriers in the recognition and strategic networks, although our goal as teachers and designers should be to minimize the need for such workarounds. Vertically, the UDL guidelines are organized to emphasize extrinsic factors at the bottom (what the teacher or instructional designer does to empower learners to be successful) to intrinsic ones at the top (what learners do to empower themselves to be successful). Recognizing and integrating this organizational pattern is often the step missing from many UDL implementations, where the focus remains solely on the extrinsic factors that are foundational to UDL. These factors by themselves will not result in expert learners who take ownership of their own learning. In keeping with the UDL principle of multiple means of representation, Figure 10.1 offers an infographic entitled “The Key Goal of UDL: Developing Expert Learners” (Grant 2015). It provides a visual representation of the UDL principles and guidelines, highlighting the vertical organization of the UDL guidelines. The UDL goal of developing expert learners is at the top, reflecting the ultimate aim of any UDL-based learning environment. The potential for UDL to be achieved in an online learning environment is high, primarily due to opportunities for variation of content and concept representation available through different digital online tools. Digital resources tend to be, by their nature, more flexible than traditional analog ones. With a print textbook, for example, separate versions need to be purchased for learners with low vision who need the text enlarged as well as for those who are completely blind and require a braille version. With a digital version of the same textbook, however, learners who need the text enlarged can do so by changing a setting within the application EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Online Learning 163 Developing Expert Learners who are: Purposeful & Motivated Resourceful & Knowledgeable Strategic & Goal-Directed Self-Regulation Comprehension Executive Functions ??? S M A R T Intrinsic The Goal of Learning Efforts & Persistence Language, Math, Symbols Communication abc Building Important Skills for Learner Success: Necessary but not enough Recruiting Interest 1 2 3 !?! Perception Physical Action F4 Close Window Extrinsic AAA Creating an accessible classroom & removing barriers: A foundational first step Figure 10.1 Online learning and UDL used to display the book. Similarly, those who are blind can use a screen reader to have the content read aloud using text to speech, a feature that is often built into many operating systems today. As is often the case with a universal design approach, features such as text-to-speech that help those “in the margins” are often useful and helpful to other learners (Meyer and Rose 2005, p. 1). Actually, text-to-speech could be used by any reader who struggles with decoding, even if he or she has not been diagnosed with a disability such as dyslexia, or by an English language learner who could benefit from hearing the correct pronunciation spoken aloud as he or she reads the text. As with the UD movement in EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use 164 Online Teaching in K–12 architecture and product design, UDL starts by considering barriers that prevent equitable participation by those in the margins but always with the goal of creating flexible environments that work for all. In addition to potential reliance on flexible learning materials, online learning has a number of other advantages for diverse learners. For those who have difficulty with navigation due to poor vision or motor challenges, the convenience of accessing lessons from home can be a great asset. Furthermore, for those who struggle with social interactions, the online environment provides a more anonymous form of interaction. For those who are shy, an online environment could provide more opportunities for participation than in a traditional f2f classroom, reducing direct interpersonal threats for the student, thereby increasing their willingness to engage and participate. To realize the potential of online learning for all learners, special attention needs to be paid to accessibility best practices. Without such a focus, barriers will remain in place and may prevent certain learners from enjoying the benefits of such environments. A common problem is that while digital resources tend to be more flexible, they are not always accessible for those who rely on assistive technology (AT). As quoted by Mindy Johnson (2015), senior instructional designer at CAST, “born digital does not mean born accessible.” Teachers and instructional designers need to pay attention to accessibility best practices in order to ensure such digital resources do not replicate the barriers that would be present in an f2f classroom. An example is the reliance on scanned PDF documents in many online courses. When these documents are scanned as images, they do not present useful information to those who need the content described aloud because they are blind. On the other hand, when these documents are scanned as text (through a process known as optical character recognition or OCR), they are accessible to not only those who use screen readers due to a disability such as blindness, but also to those who would rather hear the content read aloud during a long commute. While accessibility is an important consideration for any UDL implementation, it is even more important in online learning environments where digital content is the primary way learners engage with the content, each other, and the teacher. In the remaining sections of this chapter, we explore how to incorporate a number of accessibility best practices and UDL principles, guidelines, and checkpoints into the design of online courses (CAST 2011). Our suggestions are based on a course we delivered to two cohorts of teachers in the springs of 2014 and 2015 (Dalton, Grant, and Pérez 2014). This EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Online Learning 165 course is available for review at www.sooc4learning.com. Key goals of the course were to teach in-service teachers how to utilize the latest apps for mobile devices in order to implement UDL in their classrooms, while at the same time modeling key aspects of UDL in the design of the course. While the course was aimed at a professional audience, many of the same design considerations are easily transferrable to support online courses developed for K–12 learners. Note that the design approaches and references that follow make use of the UDL checklists and checkpoints that are available on the CAST.org website. Multiple Means of Engagement Provide Options for Recruiting Interest Engagement is a big topic in education circles these days—so big, that in the latest version of the UDL guidelines it is mentioned first, whereas before it was the third principle. We know that without interest most learners give little effort and retain even less. In recognizing that what learners find engaging and worthy of their effort varies from one person to another, it is important to build choice into your courses, which will vary depending on your learners’ experience with online learning, their age, and their command of technology. As you design learning tasks, consider creating a variety of ways for the students to show you what they know. Rather than assign one culminating task such as an essay, expand their choices and consider providing an open choice option approved by you for more advanced learners, choices that will help make learning meaningful and relevant to all your learners in accordance with UDL checkpoint 7.2 (optimize relevance, value, and authenticity). Also, let students choose the tool or app they use. This models the UDL checkpoints 4.1 (vary the methods for response and navigation), 5.1 (use multimedia for communication), and 5.2 (use multiple tools for construction and composition). For younger students, provide them with one or two tools, expanding upon their choices as they gain skills. Providing students with a choice of media and tools is a simple way to honor the varying skills, abilities, and interests of all learners. Provide Options for Sustaining Effort and Persistence While gaining learners’ attention and interest is key, learning to sustain effort and persist in the face of challenge is an important part of learning. When such challenges arise, supports need to be in place, especially in online environment when the perception of being alone can quickly EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use 166 Online Teaching in K–12 become overwhelming. To strengthen learners’ abilities to persist, we recommend you provide both synchronous and asynchronous support to address varying schedules and preferences for interaction. While your learning management system (LMS) may have an automated response email when learners struggle, fail to sign in, or show waning effort, our course confirmed for us that teacher presence is paramount. You need to be available, with a system of timely responses in place that meets both your learners’ and your own needs. By being available, you address the UDL checkpoint 8.3 (fostering collaboration and communication) and you model what sustained effort and commitment looks and sounds like. Effort can also be sustained through features that assist learners in tracking their progress toward the completion of learning goals. In our course, we incorporated digital badging as a way to document completion of the tasks and as a tangible recognition system for weekly progress and final completion of the course. These badges were linked to the appropriate International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) 2015 standards in order to document the skills and dispositions addressed in each week of the course. Many LMSs have built-in badging. In addition, Classbadges (2015) has an excellent system to organize, award, and share student badges. To better address UDL principles related to engagement, carefully consider how you will use badges. Competency-based badges, with a set of criteria to be met, can help learners maintain effort and persistence, while skill-based badges, focused on intrinsic abilities, can support self-regulation. Provide Options for Self-Regulation Self-regulated learners take initiative and drive their own learning. They are reflective and make adjustments as needed with a reduced need for prompting from the teacher. To encourage this type of reflection, provide learners with self-reflection rubrics, encourage them to post their thoughts in a learning community, and build reflection into your instructional tasks. Electronic portfolios are excellent ways for learners to select some of their best products then reflect on what they learned and how they can improve. Providing continuous formative feedback for each learner addresses UDL checkpoint 8.4 (increase mastery-oriented feedback) and UDL checkpoint 9.1 (promote expectations and beliefs that optimize motivation). While it requires commitment to respond to learners consistently, this commitment, as we experienced in our online course, is often reflected back in the quality of the tasks and reflections posted. EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Online Learning 167 Multiple Means of Representation Provide Options for Perception While UDL today is an approach that aims to make the curriculum work for all learners, we cannot forget that it started as an effort to reduce barriers to learning for those “in the margins” (Meyer and Rose 2005, p. 1). Thus, it remains important to address the accessibility of learning materials for those with sensory or other limitations when designing an online course based on UDL. Many LMSs now model best practices for web accessibility in their design; however, it is best to review the support they include. Also, even if the LMS you select is accessible, it is the content shared within the system that will ultimately determine the accessibility of your course. At a minimum, you should provide descriptive text equivalents for images and other visuals to make them accessible to screen reader users along with closed captioning for any videos. This practice of including closed captioning not only makes the content accessible for those with a hearing loss, but also becomes a valuable aid to other learners (including those who are not fluent in the target language). It can serve as a support for reading development, as well. If you are creating your own videos, then we recommend you create a script first as it not only results in a more polished presentation, but also facilitates the captioning process. After you upload a video to YouTube, it is a relatively simple process to upload the corresponding transcript and let YouTube accurately time the captions. Resist the temptation to rely on the automatic captions provided by YouTube itself, as these are not yet sufficiently accurate to provide an accessible solution. Ideally, you should also link to the transcript used to create the captions, since some learners may require more time to process the information and the rate of presentation of the captions may be too fast for them. Finally, you should carefully consider the selection of colors for handouts, videos, and other visual representations to ensure there is sufficient contrast between the text and the background. Clean layouts with sufficient contrast not only work well for those with low vision, but also make the information easier to scan and process for everyone. Size of text is also important for clarity in reading. A minimum of 14-point san serif text is recommended for large print for those with low vision or those with reading or tracking difficulties; however, 18-point text is preferred. Fortunately, this does not mean you need to create all your online course content using 18-point text because when text is digital, it can be enlarged quite easily. EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use 168 Online Teaching in K–12 Provide Options for Language, Expressions and Symbols The ability to easily hyperlink to definitions of unfamiliar terms and concepts is a unique advantage of digital resources that can be used to support learners’ varying levels of language competence and background knowledge (UDL checkpoints 2.1—clarify vocabulary and symbols and 3.1—activate or supply background knowledge). The first time you use a specialized term (such as UD or variability in our course), you should link to the appropriate definitions on the web. Doing so ensures everyone in the course is starting from a common definition of terms that are essential to understanding the content. Digital content also supports the use of the text-to-speech features now built into most devices as an aid for decoding text (UDL checkpoint 2.3). It is important to ensure your content, especially PDF documents, are accessible. Many PDFs are actually images, making them inaccessible to screen readers. Finally, use a variety of media to illustrate important concepts in a way that appeals to learners’ preferences for different modalities (UDL checkpoint 2.5—illustrate through multiple media). You can use cartoons and other visuals to provide alternative representations of text-based content. Videos can also be an effective way to present content in an engaging manner. However, we caution against the simple recording of a traditional f2f lecture that is then presented online. For our course, videos were created with the Powtoon service for a more engaging presentation through the careful use of images, color, and animation. In addition, we edited the content of our videos to create a concise 10-­minute video with links to additional information rather than the typical 45- to 60-minute lectures. In our estimation, these are rarely viewed in their entirety. Lastly, do not forget to include closed captioning in your own instructional ­videos, too. Provide Options for Comprehension At the highest level of multiple means of representation, the goal is not only to provide access to the content, but also to assist learners in making sense of the information in order to translate it into useful knowledge. This task may be complicated by the fact that learners bring differing levels of background knowledge to the learning task, or have different native languages or cultures to where you may need to provide some of that background knowledge for some learners in the form of links to additional online resources that fill in the gaps for those learners. For example, if you provide overview videos to introduce key concepts, supplement them with EBSCOhost - printed on 7/25/2022 9:43 PM via PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Online Learning 169 a number of additional online resources to provide background knowledge (UDL checkpoint 3.1—activate or supply background knowledge) and multiple ways for learners to access the information. Clearly label these additional resources to provide easy access to them. Expert learners are highly resourceful and capable of organizing information in a way that makes sense to them, but novice learners may lack this skill. To aid with comprehension, guiding questions can be provided to highlight the key ideas and concepts for novice learners (UDL checkpoint 3.2—highlight patterns, critical features, big ideas, and relationships). For example, you may want to include a series of guiding questions to focus the learner’s attention on the key ideas presented in the video or text. Furthermore, novice learners may need some guidance in how to proceed through the content in an efficient manner. In our course, the link to each video on YouTube was supplemented with a table of contents linked to the specific point in the video where each item was discussed. This additional feature was included to further organize the content for learners in keeping with UDL checkpoint 3.3 (guide information processing, visualization, and manipulation). Multiple Means of Action and Expression Provide Options for Physical Action Just as some learners may have sensory limitations that make it difficult for them to access the content in an online course, so do some learners have motor limitations that make interaction with the learning environment more difficult. For example, some learners may not be able to use a mouse; thus, they rely on the keyboard for all or most of their interaction. One issue we discovered early in the design of our course website was a lack of accessibility for keyboard users with the pull-down menus tha...
Purchase answer to see full attachment