Best Practices in Online Learning: The Voices of Experience - MACUL 09

Best Practices in Online Learning: The Voices of Experience
Michigan Virtual School – Krisit Bush & Julie Swartz

Key Component #1 - Platform
• Blackboard
• http://bb.mivu.org
• Cooltext.com – Banner generator
• Blending your building
o Classroom Lecture – Podcast
 Can take their classroom home and have their family involved
o Worksheet – Interactive through tools like SAS in School (now FREE)
 SAS Curriculum Pathways
• Interactive Assignments
o Core areas
• All you do is access the assignments from there. Provides instruction on how to use one of the assignments
o Written Test – Self-grading assessment with immediate feedback
 IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK
• Frees up teacher to focus on the writing portion and higher level thinking skills
o Lab or Experiment
 Google – Science Simulations
• TimeSaving Tips
o Utilize existing files by adding attachment
o E-version of textbooks
 Check your current textbooks
o Textbook company web resources
o Test Genearator
• Powerful Tools
o Discovery Education
o Respondus
o SAS Curriculum Pathways

Key Component #2 - Curriculum
• Mivhs.org
• Writing Reviser program that walks your kids through revisions
• Hierarchy
o Administrators
• Coming Soon to BB
o Curriculum Alignment Tools
 Content Standards and Benchmarks
 Reporting
• Gap Analysis
• Connect assessment results to content standards being evaluated

Key Component #3 – Assessment
• Immediate feedback