eLearning

The Self-Directed Learning [SDL] Support Model: Training Educators for Online Learning

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Since August, I have been on a journey working with some fabulous educators, instructional designers and just all-round wonderful women drafting outlines and creating the content for a chapter that will be published in a book which is being published by the International Association for K-12 Online Learning [also known as iNACOL]. We just completed our draft of our chapter and are so excited.

This chapter will present a student-centered model for online teacher mentoring. The one-to-many online model is designed to be scalable, self-directed, and leverages social learning. The program, Self-Directed Learning [SDL] Support Model: Training Educators for Online Learning, introduces teachers to ideas of self-directed learning, partnering pedagogy, and metacognition while orienting new and prospective virtual teachers to the online learning environment. To maximize impact and sustainability, this program employs the Cognitive Coaching model through a social learning community.

Without giving away all our secrets -you’ll have to wait until the whole book Lessons Learned in Teacher Mentoring: Supporting Educators in K-12 Online Learning Environments is published [due out in the fall of 2012]- we explain ‘how’ we developed and taught an online course which has helped many educators-across Massachusetts- become better learners and in turn better educators.

Our chapter goes into great detail explaining how we used self-directed learning techniques and skills to teach educators how-to understand and use essential self-directed learning skills such as: goal setting, metacognition, motivation, critical thinking and time management.  We also discuss how we designed our online course, how we delivered it and how we improved it.

I can tell you that by implementing the use of social learning, collaboration and ePortfolios we have had a very good success rate with this online course. Here is what a few of our participants said about our course:

“This was a new way to approach teaching.”

“The course really helped me understand how to encourage and coach students not just around content but around linking content to their own goals in life.”

“It’s cool to watch students change over the course of the year. They start talking about what their goals are and what skills they’ve learned. Online learning puts their education in their own hands—it’s wonderful!”

 

Millennials

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There is a very interested infographic of the 18-29 year old Millennials.  Note, 86% of those Millennials who invested in higher education feel it has been a good investment. 50% of those currently in school would like to earn a graduate or professional degree afterwards.  Seems to me, there’s an opportunity to promote online learning to this demographic.

Another good area to study is their Lifestyles.  According to this source, 75% are on a social networking site and 74% feel technology makes their lives easier.  This is even more good reason to expect Millennials are primed and ready to tackle higher education online.

Don’t Go Back to School by Kio Stark

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Self-directed learners are everywhere, as Kio Stark is finding out as she writes her book: Don’t Go Back to School. This is a handbook for independent learning that shows you how to learn almost anything with or without school. Watch this video and read more about Kio Stark’s project here at Kickstarter

eLearning Coach Training Video

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Nellie and I met at a local cafe to do this interview on what self-directed learning skills meant to her and how this training has impacted her thinking and teaching. With a simple background videos like these can impact others.

Self-directed Learning Skills

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How do teachers, parents, paraprofessionals and other working with children help those students develop self-directed learning [SDL] skills? How can we help students plan for and reach their potential?  I built and co-facilitate this course [within Moodle] to teach the skills necessary for developing 21st century habits of mind.

Participants learn to:

  • Negotiate student learning contracts
  • Teach independent thinking skills
  • Motivate and empower students
  • Become fabulous coaches
  • Build an ePortfolio

There is so much more to learn by participating in this course.  Come hear me and Meg Robbins give a one-hour presentation: Motivating students to becoming self-directed learners. MassCUE 2011.

Designing Online Learning

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When I am designing an online course, I use lots of check lists and charts to help guide me. Then,  when reading an articles on Three Keys That Make Good Interaction Design Great, these words stood out to me:

  • Optimizing: Making daily activities more efficient
  • Engaging: Capturing attention, creating delight and delivering meaning
  • Empowering: Enabling people to go beyond their limits
  • Expressing: Encouraging self expression and/or creativity
  • Connecting: Facilitating communication between people and communities
  • Disrupting: Re-imagining completely an existing product or service by creating new behaviors, usages or markets.

Hello, this list can be used to double check an online course.  Are these being represented in the course I’m designing? Why can’t a check list, like this one, be used to help create some dynamic online design?  I say “Yes it can!”