Digital Education: Infographic helps you see the near future of education

Where do you fit in this picture? 
Prepare for the future now: E-Learning and Online Teaching Graduate Certificate Program.
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Created by Knewton and Column Five Media

E-Portfolios for Career Development: It's not just resumes anymore!

Powerful New Ways to Use ePortfolios in the Classroom

The E-Learning and Online Teaching Graduate Certificate program at UW-Stout includes the class by class development of an online portfolio. The portfolio features artifacts of learning that demonstrate both the technical expertise and theoretical knowledge regarding e-learning and online teaching. During the Practicum, in addition to actively teaching in an online class, participants finalize their portfolios with an emphasis on career development. Portfolios help distinguish any application for an online teaching job. 

Here's an overview of the e-Portfolio project that is finalized during the E-Learning Practicum. Numerous examples from program graduates are included.





This video will give you additional insight to ePortfolios:

This week's blog features top resources and emerging uses of ePortfolios in the classroom, including reflective practice and implementation challenges. Explore new ways of using digital portfolios to showcase, assess and deepen learning.

Googlios
This site is where Google tools meet ePortfolios.  It offers a  collection of resources for those interested in using ePortfolios in Education. You will also find solid videos and examples using Google Sites.

Making Learning Visible and Meaningful Through Electronic Portfolios
Terrell Rhodes provides examples of how several higher ed campuses use rubrics with eportfolios to provide multi-dimensional evidence of students' abilities.

ePortfolios with Google Apps
Helen Barrett's extensive experience with eportfolios is evident in her comprehensive guide to using Google Apps for ePortfolios.

Is the Future of ePortfolios in Your Pocket?
Helen Barrett challenges educators to consider how mobile learning tools can be used to capture learning "on the fly"  for ongoing revision of eportfolios.

The Learning Portfolio: Reflective Practice for Improving Student Learning (pdf - 19 pages)
John Zubizaretta describes key questions to consider when developing effective portfolios to support reflective learning. Included are sample questions to help students reflect on their learning.

ePortfolio Rubric
Joan Vandervelde's rubric can be used for assessment of student eportfolios.

A 10-Step Plan for Getting Started with ePortfolios
 Nick Rate's slideshare presentation describes the thought processes behind the ten steps needed to implement a successful eportfolio program.

Electronic Portfolios for Student Learning?
Amy Cavendar offers five key questions for all educators to consider when implementing eportfolios.

Tech Tip: Google Docs Secrets: 21 Power Tips For the Productivity Suite

Keir Thomas provides some little-known tips about Google Docs features, such as: creating drawings within presentations, fixing pictures into position, and dragging images directly from the desktop in Firefox or Chrome.


This post is based on the work and research of Karen Franker, Editor of UW-Stout's Tech Tips for Educators. Karen provides a rich archive of information that is constantly updated. Visit and Bookmark!


Read More about Finding E-Learning Jobs! 
Here are more articles about strategies for finding online work, and the kinds of preparation and paperwork you should be working on: 

1. Where and How to Find E-Learning Jobs
2. Finding E-Learning Jobs
3. Finding Online Teaching Jobs: Are you a Online Teaching, Adjunct Instructor, K-12 Virtual Teacher? 
4. E-Portfolios for Career Development: It's not just resumes anymore!
5. Make Money Teaching Online 
6. Successful Techniques and Proven Strategies for Finding Online Teaching Work

E-Learning for Educators Register Now: Fall 2011 UW-Stout Online

ONLINE COURSE EDUC 760 E-Learning for Educators 3 semester hours graduate credit

Adjunct Professors, K-12 Educators, Corporate Trainers, Health Educators, Curriculum specialists: Hone your skills so you can compete in a growing job market!

Explore online and blended applications for e-learning using an open source learning management system, Moodle, and the D2L learning management system. You will have the opportunity to create your course content with Moodle, an inexpensive way for educators to create an effective online course.

The course provides a strong foundation in e-learning and online teaching theory and technology.  Emphasis is on developing a community of practice founded on critical reflection, personal interaction, and rich experiences with web 2.0 tools. E-Learning for Educators is is the recommended first course in the E-Learning and Online Teaching Graduate Certificate program.

Activities include hands-on experience with Web 2.0 tools such as social bookmarking, blogs, podcasts,  personalized search tools, surveys, quizzes, and discussion systems.

This course prepares learners to lead and manage instructional challenges in a variety of online settings in educational institutions, corporations, the military, health care and government agencies. The emphasis is on what you can use right now in your teaching or training.

This course introduces educators to the hands on realities of teaching online. Using Moodle and D2L teach and learn as both a student and an instructor.  Discover e-learning best practices and create discussion forums, online surveys, quizzes and e-portfolios.

EDUC 760 E-Learning for Educators 3 graduate credits
This is the introductory course in the E-Learning and Online Teaching Graduate Certificate, is an approved elective in the online Master of Science in Education degree program, and is open as an individual course to students seeking professional development.

Sections are nearly full:

Dates
Choose one section:
EDUC 760 900 September 19- November 11, 2011 Instructor: Jim Erbe
EDUC 760 901 October 3 – November 30, 2011 Instructor: Dennis O'Connor
EDUC 760 902 October 3 – November 30, 2011 Instructor: Sara Turansky

Register Now Course Info

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What students are saying:

"It was a great first experience with online learning!  I would, I have, and I will, recommend the course to colleagues with whom I work, and I would consider another online course without hesitation. I couldn't have asked for a better experience!" 
~ Middle School Librarian, Los Angeles, California

"I enjoyed the instructor(s) and their focus on organization and professionalism."
~ Instructor at Waukesha County Technical College, Pewaukee, Wisconsin

"Prior to beginning the class, one of my most strongly held notions was that the interaction and level of engagement in an online course environment could not come close to the experience one has in a face to face class. While I don't know that I am ready to fully embrace the concept that one should be able to earn a high school diploma or a Bachelor's degree completely online,  I certainly believe there is tremendous value, rigor, and powerful sense of community that can be developed in a thoughtfully constructed course with a skilled teacher shepherding the process. "
~ Middle School Librarian, Los Angeles, California

E-Learning Facilitation - Register now!

E-Learning Facilitation!




September 19 – November 18, 2011, 2011
 Register Now!
This course provides you with real hands on experience. You'll learn how to create a sense of online community as you facilitate discussions with your peers. This is an opportunity to practice online teaching skills in a caring, personalized and supportive environment.

Course activities include hands-on practice using synchronous and asynchronous communication technologies.

You will actively: facilitate, explore questioning skills, conflict resolution, netiquette, and collaborative learning through problem solving scenarios, simulations, and online discussions.

You will investigate time management strategies and pitfalls to avoid when designing and facilitating online class activities and explore various assessment tools to analyze and evaluate student participation in online discussions.

Don't miss this chance! Register Today!

EDUC 761 Creating Collaborative Communities in E-Learning
3 graduate credits
Totally online - no travel to campus required

No extra fees or surcharges for out of state or international participants.

This course is part of the University of Wisconsin-Stout Graduate Certificate in E-Learning and Online Teaching.

Instructors: Dr. Kay Lehmann and Lisa Chamberlin

Adjunct Professor: Kay Lehmann's Dream Job:

Dr. Kay Lehman & Lisa Chamberlin co-teach UW-Stout's EDUC 761 Creating Collaborative Communities in E-Learning.  

Kay and I first met when we were going to school together (online) earning our masters degrees in online teaching and learning. She has been a vital part of my personal learning network ever since. In many ways an adjunct professor is like a rōnin samurai. We have to keep our skills sharp to survive in a challenging landscape.


Since so many readers of this blog are seeking to advance their online teaching careers I want to share a blog post Kay did recently on the realities and strategies of working online. Kay is wise and highly skilled.  

In all fairness... I do have a dream job!

"...It works because I've made it work. I've curated a full time job by piecing together courses from several institutions, freelance-style, within an educational industry that has yet to figure out what its going to be when it grows up and become technologically self-aware."

http://transparentignorance.blogspot.com/2010/12/in-all-fairness-i-do-have-dream-job.html

Kay gives you an unvarnished inside look at the world of an adjunct professor. Great advice and a realistic look at our profession. ~Dennis

Networking with iNacol: Midwest Virtual School Symposium

Virtual School Symposium

I find it ironic that a virtual school symposium has no online attendance options.  However, if you're in the Midwest and involved in K-12 Online Education, this is the conference to attend. (To be fair iNacol does sponsor a number of Webinars every year.)

The conference is organized by iNACOL ( The International Association for K-12 Online Learning).  I've been a member of iNacol since 2005.  It has become the foremost professional organization for Virtual Schooling in the world.

I always recommend joining iNacol to the K-12 educators in our E-Learning and Online Teaching Graduate Certificate Program. To build a career in E-Learning you need to create a professional network.  Getting involved with iNacol is an important part of building your connections.

K-12 Virtual School?

These YouTube videos provide an overview of what is happening now in virtual schools across the country.  They were created by Edutopia, another networking center that will reward any virtual teacher who pays attention with resources and connections worth having!





Virtual School Symposium (Details)

The International Association for K-12 Online Learning's annual conference, the Virtual School Symposium (VSS 2011), is November 9 - 11, 2011 at the JW Marriott in Downtown Indianapolis. The theme of this year's Virtual School Symposium (VSS) is "Empowered to Perform: Online and Blended Learning Models."

Online and blended learning are important innovations in K-12 education. The VSS conference provides professional development for K-12 online and blended learning for more than 2,000 K-12 administrators, policy leaders and practitioners; important networking opportunities; access to expertise and analysis, trends and research; and thought-provoking sessions for leaders looking to help shape the future of education. Attendees will find solutions for college-readiness, credit recovery, core and advanced courses, as well as target personalized learning solutions and competency-based pathways for students across the K-12 grade-levels.

New Preconference Sessions Announced!
iNACOL is pleased to announce 15 preconference workshops on Wednesday, November 9, 2011. Participants can choose from a variety of half and full day sessions on important topics in the field of K-12 online and blended learning. Learn from experts, participate in engaging discussions, and gain a deeper understanding of these important topics.

iNACOL is pleased to announce two new VSS pre-conference sessions:

Blended/Hybrid Learning 101 - From Inception to Implementation lead by Michael Horn and Heather Staker from Innosight Institute.

Experts have noted that the majority of K-12 online learning in the United States is likely to happen in blended learning environments--and districts and charters are already responding and creating a variety of different models to personalize learning for students. This session will involve deep participant discussion to explore what blended learning looks like in the trenches. What is it? What are the different models of implementation? How do schools get started? How does one evaluate what tools--software and resources--to use when creating the model? Thought-provoking panels will include the experts, consultants and school personnel who are starting up and running blended learning programs.

Best Practices for Online Teachers with iNACOL/SREB’s National Online Teacher of the Year, Kristen Kipp

Award-winning National Online Teacher of the Year, Kristen Kipp, will lead this session designed for online teachers to share best practices from their online classrooms. Expert panels will include information on building community in the online learning environment and working with at-risk students online. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in round table discussions on current issues in online teaching including motivating students, differentiation, academic integrity, and assessment. All ideas will be grounded in the very best online teaching practices and research. Participants will leave with new ideas of how to improve and enrich the teaching in their program.


Many more! VSS half-day workshops and full-day preconference workshops on November 9 include:

• Administration and Management of Online Programs
• Colloquium on Researching and Evaluating Blended Learning
• Evaluation in K-12 Online Learning
• Google Workshop for Educators (Online Teacher Edition) (Full day)
• How to Start an Online Program Preconference Session (Full day)
• Issues of Diversity in Online Learning
• Learn Moodle! An Open Source Learning Management System
• New Learning Models – Mobile Learning, Game-Based Learning, and School Turnarounds
• Online Christian Education Association (OCEA) Symposium
• Online STEM Initiatives: A Hands-On Training Workshop (Full day)
• Open Educational Resources Workshop (Full day)
• Professional Development for Online and Blended Teachers: Identifying Successful Practices and Addressing Challenges
• Web 2.0 and Emerging Technologies for Online Learning

Full descriptions and registration for all of the preconference sessions are now available on our website at http://www.virtualschoolsyposium.org. Seating is limited for all sessions, so sign up soon!

Registration for the VSS conference is now open with an "early bird" discount until September 15. Register online at: http://www.virtualschoolsymposium.org/registration.php.
About VSS

Online and blended learning offers new delivery systems to maximize capacity -- doing more for students - even in times of economic distress. To learn more about online and blended models in K-12 education, the iNACOL annual conference provides access to experts and networking opportunities to learn more about new learning models, digital content innovations and technology tools for next generation learning.

For more information, visit www.virtualschoolsymposium.org.

About iNACOL

iNACOL is the International Association for K-12 Online Learning, a non-profit 501(c)(3) membership association based in the Washington, DC area with more than 3,800 members. iNACOL is unique in that its members represent a diverse cross-section of K-12 education from school districts, charter schools, state education agencies, non-profit organizations, colleges, universities and research institutions, corporate entities and other content and technology providers (www.inacol.org).

To ensure proper delivery of our email messages to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), add info@inacol.org  to your Address Book or Safe Sender List.

Bloom's Taxonomy meets Google Applications: Thank you Kathy Schrock!

Here is another thoughtful and interesting project from Kathy Schrock.  The graphic is interactive. Click the Google App image and you'll open the Google tool.

Just thinking about how these Technologies relate to the levels of Blooms Taxonomy is a step in the right direction. What is the right direction? How do we engage today's learners? 

Answer: Use modern technology for enhanced critical thinking.

kathyschrock.net/googleblooms

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