SYS Presents: Adventures in Online Education

Show Notes Peter Drake is Associate Professor of Computer Science at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. He teaches a variety of courses including Software Development and AI & Machine Learning. His research has involved building artificially intelligent programs to play the classical Asian game of Go, using deep neural networks to analyze photographs of clouds, and creating video games to teach people about earthquake preparedness. In today’s episode. Peter talks about learning management systems, knowing your purpose as a student, and helping high schoolers learn the basics of how to college. Timestamps 2:22 What makes a good LMS, and how can a teacher harness those tools to effectively engage with their students? 4:33 An on-demand source of administrative information 7:41 Connecting the LMS with other technologies students are using 8:34 Don’t use more technology than is necessary 12:53 How can online high schools prepare students for college? 14:43 In some ways, college is just the next 4 grades…. 15:20 Don’t be afraid to ask questions! 18:22 If you’ve been using a system for years, you may think it’s obvious, but not to a new user 18:32 Students are not alone! 19:14 Using your time wisely 20:40 Check your email at least once a day 23:27 The Plan, Change, Evaluate cycle 26:09 What holds students back when they’re entering college? 26:51 Making mistakes is how you learn 31:47 If there was one thing Peter could give to every teacher in the U.S., what would it be and why? Episode Resources: Peter Drake’s short essay on How To College Small Teaching and Small Teaching Online - Books by Flower Darby and James M. Lang Geeky Pedagogy - Book by Jessamyn Neuhaus Ungrading - Book edited by Susan Blum You can email me at drake@lclark.edu. For social media, I’m on Mastodon at https://qoto.org/@peterdrake. https://github.com/PeterDrake/drakepedia/blob/master/administrivia/how_to_college.md

Guest Bio Maddy Dahl has been teaching online for 8 years. During her tenure, she has taught a wide range of classes from basic high school writing and grammar to AP English courses. When she isn’t teaching, you can usually find her playing board games or exploring Oregon. Episode Summary Maddy teaches us about how to create an online AP course for students, how to help students earn college credits while in high school, and provides invaluable advice to teachers just getting started on their AP journey. Timestamps Maddy’s exciting news! [2:13] How do you create high school AP courses online? [3:50] How the FCM works in an online AP class [6:40] A focus on collaboration asynchronously and synchronously [8:53] Supporting students’ organization, practice, and executive functioning [9:30] All about formative assessments [11:50] Collaborate and listen [13:21] Partnering with community colleges [16:56] AP and college credit courses are rigorous but different [20:25] Maddy’s advice for creating your own online AP course [22:00] Maddy’s favorite teacher when she was in high school [26:29] Resources Find Maddy Dahl at mdahl@syseducation.org How-To AP Guide FREEBIE College Credit Now (Oregon) Frontier Charter Academy College Board AP Central FCM Episode (S2 EP16)

Show Notes Matt Miller is the author of five books, including Ditch That Textbook. His Ditch That Textbook blog reaches thousands of educators in more than 100 countries with inspiration and practical teaching ideas. He's a keynote speaker, podcast host, and the creator of the Ditch That Textbook Digital Summit. In today’s episode, we talk about not just ditching textbooks, but finding your educational hammer. Timestamps 2:02 The mission behind the work 3:23 Saving teachers time and helping equip them to level up their teaching 4:32 A lot of edtech principles are based on good, solid teaching 6:14 Does ditching the textbook mean textbooks are evil? 7:15 It can’t get much worse 8:09 Sometimes you get great ideas just by looking at what others are doing 11:52 How to answer “How does this fit?” 12:04 EdTech tools are marketed to us 12:56 The carpenter analogy 13:56 Amass lots of tools that you can use at your disposal 14:56 Sometimes you need to go back to the tried and true, versatile tool 15:03 When you introduce new tools, students have to learn how to use them 17:27 What would Matt give to every teacher in the U.S., and why? Resources ditchthattextbook.com/101 Twitter @jmattmiller

Nate is a tech-loving history teacher from Indianapolis, Indiana and author of two books on teaching. Don’t Ditch That Tech: Differentiation in a Digital World, and Breaking the Blockbuster Model: Using Edtech and Accessibility to “See What’s Next” in Classrooms. He was the Indiana Connected Educator of the Year in 2020 and his work has been featured in such publications as the New York Times and Washington Post. He also holds a Master’s Degree in History from the University of Indianapolis. In today’s episode, Nate talks about old pedagogical models and new ones, and he explains how his new book helps educators to navigate through it all. We'll learn what the blockbuster model is and how we can learn from the streaming model to make online learning awesome. Timestamps 2:53 Which instructional practices have stood the test of time, and what should we leave in the history books? 3:50 Two really disruptive things in the education world 5:14 Things to look at with direct instruction 6:28 Comparing collaborative learning with direct instruction 9:50 How student’s perception of learning affects their learning 14:03 The need to improve digital equity 14:46 Continuing the good things we do as educators 15:48 The three metaphors of Nate’s book 16:56 What is cloning? 19:46 Meeting students where they are and where they want to be 24:25 A blend of the theoretical and practical 25:13 What would Nate give to every teacher in the U.S. and why? Resources Nate’s twitter - @TeachfromRidge Nate’s blog - breakingblockbuster.com Breaking the Blockbuster Model

Guest Bio - Christine Voelker is the K-12 Program Director for Quality Matters, a global non-profit dedicated to quality assurance in online and innovative digital teaching and learning environments. QM provides a scalable quality assurance system for online and blended learning used within and across organizations grounded in research and driven by best practices. Summary - Today Chris is going to teach us about what QM does and how their work supports the national standards for quality online education. Timestamps - Career transitions over the years and seeking greater impact [2:44] What are the National Standards for Quality Online Learning? [6:55] What do the standards for teaching cover? [10:56] What do the program standards cover? [11:15] What do the course standards cover? [11:53] Similarities with the Danielson Framework [12:39] What is the Learning Portal? [13:40] QM’s mission statement [16:46] Three-pronged approach to quality assurance [16:57] What’s the course review process? [18:46] What is Rigorous Professional Development? [19:39] Quality Matters reviews are for you to see [21:23] How does the work of QM complement the work of the Standards? [23:32] What’s “QM Lite”? [24:50] Becoming certified! [25:34] Who was Chris’ favorite teacher as a kid? [27:28] Resources - National Standards for Quality Online Learning Quality Matters Bridge to Quality Course Design Guide Digital Learning Collab Virtual Learning Alliance Twitter: @nsqol; @k12qm; @qmprogram; @vllaonline; @theDLCedu; @voelkerc

Edi Cox serves as the Director for Low Country Virtual, an online school in South Carolina. She began her career as a high school teacher who was recognized for her innovative work. In her most recent role she served as the Executive Director of Online Learning and Instructional Technology in one of the largest school districts in South Carolina. She is credited with launching one of the first district-led virtual programs in the Palmetto State. In 2013 Ms. Cox was instrumental in the writing and submission of a Gates Foundation Grant designed to help a district launch personalized learning efforts with a rollout of 1:1 devices to more than 43,000 students. She holds multiple degrees and has completed additional graduate-level coursework through Western Governors' University, where I recently attended as well! Edi continues to stay current in the field by serving in a variety of roles with national organizations such as the Digital Learning Collaborative, Virtual Learning Leadership Alliance (VLLA) and Quality Matters. She provided guidance in the revisions to the National Standards for Quality (NSQ). Today, Edi tells us about the power of collaboration among districts, and how important it is for us all to learn from our collective mistakes and wins. Timestamps 2:53 What Edi’s educational journey has looked like 4:46 Edi was an instructional designer before instructional designers were a thing! 5:45 Edi’s work with the Low Country Educational Consortium 7:06 Taking advantage of the forced online learning from the pandemic 11:52 We know that the majority of students are well-served by the traditional brick and mortar classroom 13:06 Supporting the students who are not served well by the traditional model 17:45 Why is it important for Low Country Virtual to partner with organizations like Digital Learning Collaborative and Quality Matters? 20:33 Quality Matters 24:14 What would Edi give to every teacher in the U.S., and why?

Dr. Allison Powell is the former Vice President for State and District Services/New Learning Models of the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL), which provides expertise and leadership in K-12 Blended, Online, and Competency-based Learning. Working at iNACOL, Allison helped write the National Standards for Quality and several other reports to expand and improve the field of K-12 online, blended and competency-based learning. Allison taught in both face-to-face and online K-8 environments. She has been working in the field of online learning for over 15 years, starting as a K-8 blended teacher for Odyssey Charter Schools in Las Vegas, NV. After teaching in a blended environment, the Clark County School District asked her to help start the Virtual High School in the fifth largest school district in the country. In her role as an administrator for the program, she helped with training teachers, building courses, overseeing technology and educating leaders on the benefits of online learning. Allison was charged with starting an online professional development program for the school district to allow all administrators, teachers, and district staff to meet their training needs in a more flexible environment. Allison regularly shares her expertise in K-12 online education by speaking at various education and policy meetings and events around the world. She has served on several boards for various schools and organizations. Allison completed her doctorate in educational technology from Pepperdine University. In today’s episode, Allison talks about the importance of groups such as the Digital Learning Collaborative, Quality Matters and the Evergreen group. She reminds us that online instruction works best when everyone has equitable access, and relationships are strong. Timestamps 3:34 Allison’s roles in the Digital Learning Collaborative, DLAC, and the Evergreen group 5:35 How does the DLC do their research? 8:10 What is DLAC like? 11:00 Allison’s time with iNACOL and how she got involved with online learning 13:27 The process of creating an online high school program 15:50 Stories from the early days 19:21 What have been some of the most positive changes in the world of virtual education over the past 15 years? 21:21 It’s common to form stronger relationships online than in brick and mortar schools 23:39 Some of the new things coming to online learning 29:19 What would Allison give to every teacher in the U.S.? Resources Allison’s twitter allison@evergreenedgroup.com Allison’s LinkedIn

Pete Wharmby is an autistic speaker, writer, tutor and parent, who is working to improve autism acceptance in society by sharing insights and experiences of autism to the widest possible audience. He has spoken at many conferences and events, often as the keynote speaker, on topics such as autism in education, the experience of autistic students and teachers, the importance of monotropism and special interests and much more. In today’s episode, Pete talks about valuing our autistic student’s strengths, like hyperfocus and clear communication. He tells us to encourage student interests and strengths in the online classroom, and reminds us that not every sound practice will benefit autistic students. Timestamps 2:56 What Pete loves about being autistic 3:34 Hyperfocus 5:36 Be flexible! Allow students to stay in the “flow state” 7:30 Interleaving is a good idea, but won’t work for a lot of autistic students 8:31 The clarity of autistic communication 11:45 Taking criticism from students publicly 12:24 Making expectations exact instead of vague 16:59 How Pete’s special interests have shaped his life, and how it can teach you more about autism 21:02 Pete’s advice to teachers: take it as a sign of trust if an autistic student shares their special interest with you 21:32 Just listen! 23:11 What would Pete give to every teacher in the U.S. or U.K., and why? Resources Pete’s Website Pete’s Blog Pete’s YouTube Channel What is Neurodiversity - Harvard University

Traci has worked in special education for over 20 years. She has been a Teacher, Autism Specialist and currently works as a Student Services Professional Development Coordinator. Her professional work includes working with students from age 3-21, their families and their teachers. You can reach her at traci.sevick@gmail.com. In today’s episode, Traci talks about supporting students with autism, in the online classroom and the brick and mortar setting. She also discusses the societal view of autism, and centering autistic voices in discussions. Timestamps 2:41 What kind of students tend to be successful in online classroom environments? 6:04 What about online school for students on the spectrum? 9:48 Who should parents go to if they need help figuring out in-person activities for their autistic child? 10:39 Developmental Disability Services 13:21 Light it up Blue and #RedInstead 14:32 A societal shift in perspective about autism 15:00 What does Traci wish teachers and admin knew about the needs of autistic students? 19:30 If there was one thing Traci could give to every teacher in the U.S., what would it be? Resources https://autismsociety.org/ https://www.learnfromautistics.com/light-it-up-red-for-world-autism-awareness-acceptance-day/ https://factoregon.org/ https://www.autismspeaks.org/teachers-and-administrators https://www.nea.org/resource-library/teaching-students-autism-guide-educators https://www.spectrumlife.org/tigard/therapy-and-interventions/apricot-clinic

Dr. Novak is an internationally renowned education consultant, an author, adjunct professor at UPenn, and a former Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Massachusetts. Dr. Novak has more than 19 years of experience in teaching and administration, a doctorate in curriculum and teaching, and is the author of 8 published books, including the best-selling education books, UDL Now!, Equity By Design, and UDL and Blended Learning. Episode Summary In this greatest hits episode, we wind back to season two, where Katie Novak and I talk about intrapersonal variability and facing the skill-breakdown that often comes with starting on your UDL journey. She helps us understand the connection between UDL and equity and also how to ditch labels and focus on students as individuals. Timestamps Where does Katie’s UDL passion stem from? [2:51] Facing skill-breakdown in the face of inclusion [4:01] Effects of allowing students to make decision for themselves [5:07] What is UDL? [7:46] Roots in architecture [8:23] Embrace intrapersonal variability [10:16] Firm goals, period. [10:50] Can learners really self-differentiate? [11:01] Your most beneficial source of growth [12:39] Firm goals, flexible means [13:00] A career commitment [13:30] The connection between UDL and equity [17:23] The general education classroom as the least restrictive environment [18:15] Labels don’t have meaning? [19:41] Katie’s universally designed breakfast [20:32] A child should be able to consent to their care [22:14] Get to know Katie’s favorite teacher, Mrs. Krause [25:09] Resources: Novak Education What is UDL? Infographic 30 Universally Designed Lesson Plans for Online Teachers The Science Behind UDL

Jonathan brands himself as an Educational Technology Specialist. He is not working toward “best practices,” but rather “next practices.” He believes that innovation and creativity is where we are supposed to live as educators and that the phrase that will kill a career is, “but I have always done it this way.” In today’s episode, Jonathan talks to us about Project Based Learning. He examines the generational differences in technology that kids are dealing with today, talks about how we can work with students to understand their motivations, and how to use tech in the classroom effectively. Timestamps 2:35 Who is iGen? And what do we do to adapt online education to their educational needs? 3:52 The good things about Millennials - and the consequences 5:16 Different generational attitudes about technology 8:47 Education about digital privacy 9:40 How Computer Science aligns with privacy, morals, and ethics 10:19 Technology laws are often archaic 11:59 Talking to kids about privacy 13:41 How socialization has changed with social media 18:06 Online learning has been a major pivot for a lot of people, and we’ve learned a lot about it in the past few years 19:02 Elementary teachers do PBL so well! 21:45 Problem based learning 24:27 How are we connecting with students? 25:13 What do students care about? 28:28 Laying out expectations 28:44 How do you do this with tech? 29:49 Bringing in experts 31:52 One of the great powers of online education 32:36 Why does this matter (to me)? 38:00 If Jonathan could give one thing to every teacher in the U.S., what would it be? Resources Twitter @jonredeker Gmail jredeker@gmail.com Website sites.google.com/view/jonathanredeker

Colin Seale was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, where struggles in his upbringing gave birth to his passion for educational equity. Tracked early into gifted and talented programs, Colin was afforded opportunities his neighborhood peers were not. Using lessons from his experience as a math teacher, later as an attorney, and now as a keynote speaker, contributor to Forbes, The 74, Edutopia and Education Post and author of Thinking Like a Lawyer: A Framework for Teaching Critical Thinking to All Students (Prufrock Press, 2020) and Tangible Equity: A Guide for Leveraging Student Identity, Culture, and Power to Unlock Excellence In and Beyond the Classroom (Routledge, 2022), Colin founded thinkLaw (www.thinklaw.us), a multi-award-winning organization to help educators leverage inquiry-based instructional strategies to close the critical thinking gap and ensure they teach and reach all students, regardless of race, zip code or what side of the poverty line they are born into. When he’s not serving as the world’s most fervent critical thinking advocate or tweeting from @ColinESeale, Colin proudly serves as the world’s greatest entertainer to his two young children. In today’s episode, Colin teaches us to unlock brilliance in our students and move beyond compliance to build psychological safety in our online classes and engage all students with critical thinking. Timestamps 2:27 What’s the unique draw to Tangible Equity? 6:38 Asking, ‘What is the significance?’ 7:52 Bringing kid’s backgrounds into their learning 10:11 Kids need to be not just problem solvers, but problem finders 12:40 Is the “Why” different for different students? 14:20 Unpacking the hidden curriculum 16:47 How you as a teacher can make a tangible difference 18:41 Our kids need direct engagement with each other to learn how to be better 23:02 How did Think Law come to be? 24:42 What Think Law does right now 29:03 Learning how to learn 32:50 Do our kids have the psychological safety to be brilliant? 36:26 The importance of teacher confidence 38:26 What would Colin give to every teacher in the U.S.? Resources @ThinklawUS @ColinESeale

Show Notes Dr. Luke Hobson is the Senior Instructional Designer and Program Manager at MIT, the author of the book What I Wish I Knew Before Becoming an Instructional Designer, the founder of Instructional Design Institute, and the host of the Dr. Luke Hobson Podcast and YouTube Channel. In today’s episode, Luke tells us all about instructional design, and how you can get started in your classroom. Timestamps 2:46 What does an instructional designer do? 3:42 How did Dr. Luke get involved in instructional design? 6:52 Luke did NOT love school as a kid! 8:48 The importance of getting to know your students 11:19 Telling younger students about instructional design 13:15 EVERYONE needs an instructional designer! 16:41 How does a teacher start the process of improving their instructional design? 18:03 Incorporating student voice 19:02 Beta testing your courses before they go live 22:27 Course mapping using your data 27:52 Using qualitative AND quantitative data 31:48 So many more people know what instructional design is now! 34:19 Trying to avoid using jargon 35:14 Actually, maybe jargon can be inclusive SOMETIMES 37:10 What would Luke give to every teacher in the U.S.? Resources https://drlukehobson.com/

Show Notes Jay McTighe has a wealth of experience and knowledge developed during a rich and varied career in education. He is an accomplished author having co-authored 17 books, including the award-winning and best-selling Understanding by Design series with the late Grant Wiggins. His books have been translated into 12 languages. Jay has also written more than 50 articles and book chapters and been published in leading journals, including educational leadership and Education Week. He has an extensive background and professional development, and is a regular speaker at national, state and district conferences and workshops. He has conducted workshops in 47 states within the US and seven Canadian provinces, and internationally to educators in 35 countries on six continents. In today’s episode, Jay explains Understanding by Design, and how you can implement it in your classroom. He tells us how UbD can lead to deeper understanding and learning and talks about assessment in the UbD framework. Timestamps 3:58 What is Understanding by Design? 4:53 A modern education should do more than equip students to repeat back information they’ve learned 5:32 Teaching does not ensure learning 6:22 The three stages of backward design 7:17 Stage one: Identifying transfer goals 8:06 Stage two: What would students need to be able to transfer? 8:25 Stage three: Identifying the more specific and discrete knowledge and skill objectives 8:55 Understanding by Design in a nutshell 10:07 Teachers can answer Ryan Bowens’ question 11:40 Some areas of curriculum are naturally taught with UbD 12:04 What do those areas have in common? 12:48 UbD is also common with extracurricular activities 12:59 What makes learning meaningful 13:25 An athletics analogy 14:28 Teaching isn’t just about marching through grade level standards 17:25 Is there still wiggle room in the day to day operations of our classes? 17:55 Essential Questions 18:48 Some examples of essential questions 19:48 Assessments we use should be directly linked to the goals we’ve identified in stage one 20:35 There may not be much differentiation with WHAT we want students to know, but there can be in HOW they demonstrate their understanding 20:54 An example about declarative knowledge 23:37 The bookends of goals and success criteria 24:37 An example about with the goal of argumentation 28:19 Where to start with backward design? 31: 55 Some advice for teachers new to UbD 35:14 Find a partner or a team to plan with! 36:42 What would Jay give to every teacher in the U.S. and why? Resources Jaymctighe.com Twitter - @jaymctighe Understanding by Design by Ryan S. Bowen Grant Wiggins’ YouTube Video UbD White Paper from ASCD Tomlinson, C., & McTighe, J. (2006). Integrating differentiated instruction and Understanding by Design: Connecting content and kids. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Guest Bio - My guest today is Cassie Pierce. This is her eighth year teaching. She has experience teaching both upper and lower elementary in very different school settings (private, public, charter etc.) with an equal amount of time both in-person and online. She went back to school to become a teacher while working full time at a not-for-profit hospice where she worked for six years. Cassie volunteered after work for a children’s bereavement support group and this experience coupled with her time in classrooms, inspired her to pursue an education degree. Cassie is also an instructional coach for online teachers. Summary - In our Greatest Hits episode, Cassie and Natalie talk about all things class culture and relationship building. You’re going to feel like you’ve just received a big hug by the end of this one! Timestamps - We are a team! [2:48] How the doctor’s office is like school [5:20] The words we use make a difference [7:17] Defining and building a positive class culture [10:20] Offering multiple supply options [16:05] Building culturally responsive curriculum [19:57] Growth and process over product and answers [24:34] Cassie’s favorite teacher [28:40] Resources - Class Jobs Freebie! Disability Visibility by Alice Wong

Valerie Sousa is a Kindergarten Teacher from Western Massachusetts. She has been teaching for 12 years and loves to incorporate new and innovative ideas into her classroom. She is the author of the book “Coding to Kindness” through EduMatch Publishing. This book was inspired by her students and her journey as she began coding in the classroom. In today’s episode, Valerie teaches us that teaching students to code young can also help them build community and SEL skills. She shows us how to start kids off with the “building blocks” of coding, and explains how teaching the logic of coding early can help with foundational skills. Time Stamps 1:59 How Valerie’s coding and kinder journey began 4:35 Basic building blocks for coding 6:57 Coding is a collaborative task! 8:50 Benefits of learning to code young 10:01 The SEL side of coding 10:28 What makes a community? 13:44 How do SEL and coding come together in the classroom? 14:30 What inspired Valerie to write Coding for Kindness 14:50 Teaching kids to be part of a community 16:13 Women in STEM! 17:37 An interactive book 20:46 Guided questions and background history! 22:07 What thing would Valerie give to every teacher in the U.S.? 23:22 Remembering the things that you’ve done over the year Resources Valerie’s WebsiteBrian Aspinall Robot mouse activity set Botley the coding robot

Guest Bios - All of Season Two’s guests are featured today! It’s an all-star crew! Episode Summary - All of our guests and the crew at AOE answer the same question - Who was your favorite teacher as a kid and why? Timestamps - Katie Novak [1:21] John Warner [6:35] Allison Galvin [8:54] Tom Schimmer [10:11] Ken Williams [12:27] Amanda VanBuren [14:46] Rachael George [17:00] Nefertiti Dukes [19:17] Tim Batiuk [20:25] Chase Orton [22:41] Cassie Pierce [24:15] Matt Rhoads [28:11] Maddy Dahl [29:29] Rachel McBroom [31:36] Thomas Cooper [32:48] Chris Smith [33:35] Chris Voelker [34:33] Shawn Bundy [36:54] Megan Mills [40:36] Katie Schweitzer [42:56] Andrew Senkowski [44:59] Nick Wolf [47:17] Joe Dale [50:32] Jodi Miller [53:10] Fonz Mendoza [53:38] Ashley White [55:05] Matt Duran [55:50] Lexie Boren [56:48] Natalie Farrell [58:14] Natalie Conway [1:00:15] Resources - SYS Website

Guest Bio - Joe Dale was a teacher for 13 years and is now an independent languages consultant. He’s from the UK and works with a range of organizations such as the BBC, Skype, Microsoft, The Guardian and many more. He has spoken at conferences and run training courses around the world! Episode Summary - Today Natalie and Joe talk about how technology can help students gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for modern foreign languages and cultures. Timestamps - What Joe and Natalie have in common [2:11] Free webinars?! Yes please! [4:01] Benefits of Google Arts and Culture in virtual classrooms [6:53] Importance of primary sources [7:38] What’s the future of augmented reality (AR)? [9:14] How Google Earth can help with language learning [14:30] Traveling around the world with Window Swap and more [16:32] Natalie’s high school language teachers took two different approaches [20:01] Yes/and not either/or when it comes to language and culture [21:14] Technology as a means to promote independent learning [26:10] How Joe’s approach to Clinical Sessions inform our work with students [28:13] The need for algorithms and apps to be paired with a human element [30:32] Will technology replace teachers? [34:42] Who was Joe’s favorite teacher as a child? [36:42] Episode Resources - Find Joe Dale Twitter @joedale YouTube LinkedIn FREEBIE!!! Online Tools for Language Learning Virtual Field Trip Websites Google Earth Window Swap Drive N Listen City Walks Virtual Vacation ThingLink Expeditions Other Resources TiLT Webinars (free) Learning For Justice Facing History Quizlet EdPuzzle Google Arts and Culture FlipGrid AR EdTech Review Sept 2021 Article Book Creator GifCap Developer MOTE Vocaroo

Guest Bios - Nefertiti Dukes leads the Professional Development team at Screencastify where they focus on what video makes possible for classroom educators, not what Screencastify makes possible. Before joining the Screencastify squad, Nef taught middle school and high school Humanities. And, she has worked with learners of all ages on speech and debate. Alfonso Mendoza serves as an Instructional Technologist and has received his Masters in Educational Technology, E-Learning Certification, Technology Leadership Certification and Technology Director Certificate. He is currently working on his doctorate in Curriculum & Instruction with an emphasis in Educational Technology. Alfonso is a Google Innovator and was named 1 of the Top 50 EdTech Influencers on Augmented Reality in K-12 Worth a Follow in 2021. Jodi Miller is a former high school biology teacher and current PhD student at The Johns Hopkins University School of Education. She also created WellCheq, an online platform that allows students and teachers to log their feelings each day. Summary - Today my guests wrestle with four scenarios that students and teachers often encounter in online learning, from struggles with engagement to community building and checking our assumptions in order to better serve our students. Timestamps - Scenario One: Engagement [3:36] Jodi asks, “What’s going on?” [4:12] Fonz shares the importance of connection before content [5:42] Nef considers connection in another sense [7:14] Scenario Two: Seeing Students’ Thinking [9:05] Kids as customers in our class [10:07] The obvious answer [12:20] Consider getting an inventory of preferences [13:29] Scenario Three: Flipped Class Model (FCM) [17:14] What TikTok teaches us about video instruction [18:08] Timestamps aren’t just for podcasts [19:57] Flipping the FCM script on students [21:27] Do kids have to watch the entire video? [23:42] Treating students as customers choosing our classrooms [26:00] Scenario Four: Class Community [27:21] Fonz keeps it simple [28:23] Nef zeroes in on community norms [30:35] Jodi includes empathy in the conversation [32:12] Resources - Connect with Nef Dukes @NiftyNef Connect with Fonz Mendoza @MyEdTechLife and @MyEdTech.Life Connect with Jodi Miller @Jodes39 and @CheqWell WellCheq Website MyEdTechLife Website Screencastify Website EdTech Heros Podcast

Guest Bios - Andrew Senkowski is a former Math educator who has worked in both brick & mortar and online schools over the past decade. He currently lives and works from Pennsylvania as a Content Editor Manager for a national curriculum company, but stays connected to online teaching as an Instructional Coach for SYS. Nick Wolf spent his career working in all aspects of K-12 education, both nonprofit and for-profit, from the local to national levels. Nick started out his career at the KIPP Foundation before moving on to work at Alma, an upstart student information system, and now serves as the Technology Systems Coordinator at SYS Education. Episode Summary - Today Andrew and Nick teach us that there’s a lot that must be pre-planned and intentionally designed in the background for an online school or program to function really well for students and families. These two help us understand that it’s okay to use fewer apps and use them really well, and that we should treat ourselves like a best friend and be kind to ourselves as we learn and take risks in the online world. Timestamps - Learning about Andrew’s birding life [3:23] Nick is an indoor kid [4:48] Andrew’s take on the unseen work of an online educator [6:29] Balancing synchronous and asynchronous instruction [8:05] The tech side of a school is all about preparation [11:10] What is equity of access? [12:10] Eliminating user friction [13:00] It always comes back to universal design for learning [16:00] The walled garden of student safety [16:33] What all the successful schools start with [17:56] The most important factor in any online program [18:38] Start with ideas, not tech [21:21] Steady, responsive and flexible leadership [24:44] What Andrew learned from working in an online school in PA [26:13] Nick’s advice for first-year online teachers [31:16] Nick quotes Shakira [32:29] Andrew’s advice to treat ourselves like a friend [34:27] Concerning student accountability [37:06] Andrew’s favorite teacher growing up [39:53] Nick’s favorite teachers growing up [42:45] Resources - SYS Education Website The Big Year Movie Whiteboard.fi Desmos MyEdTechLife Podcast SYS FREEBIE! Open Educational Resources (OERs) for MS/HS and K-5 Dr. Katie Novak’s Website Chase Orton’s AOE Episode Contact Nick Wolf on Twitter @NickCWolf and nwolf@syseducation.org Contact Andrew Senkowski at asenkowski@syseducation.org