Need Help Introducing Distant Learning

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Casal on December 3, 2010 at 6:14am

You mention "online learning" and "distance learning", to me these are 2 very different things.

I see "online learning" as a variety of things, using the internet for research, collaboration, publishing, etc. All as an addendum to, or in support of, traditional classroom work.

I see "distance learning" as taking the classroom completely to the internet in order to get students "in class" when they can not physically be there (things like Blackboard, LiveMeeting, WebEx, etc).

I mention this difference because I don't know if you are trying to get your Supt. to approve the use of web resources (blogs, wikis, etc) for engagement of you are trying to implement a new form of learning for your district with a virtual classroom environment.

Yes, the 2 are similar but I would equate "distance learning" to online classes like University of Phoenix and "online learning" to using the internet as a tool to enhance traditional classroom experience.

Either way I think the most effective way to do this is meet with them in the environment you are trying to sell them on. If it is bringing the class to someone who is unable to physically get to class have your meeting with something like Skype to show them the ease of closing that "distance". You could also create a public Google Doc that you edit with notes of your meeting while having the meeting, you give them access to the document and they can add thoughts too. This can strengthen the collaborative nature of the internet (without having to pay a WebEx or LiveMeeting fee).

If it is more about allowing student access to web tools, show them blogs, wikis, pages, etc that demonstrate effective teacher use of these tools. You said you have integrated these tools in your own class, so integrate them in to the meeting. Make the meeting an online learning experience.

Just some thoughts...

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Permalink Reply by Dana Sirotiak on December 5, 2010 at 4:21pm

Hi Chris, thank you for your help. I meant virtual/distance learning. I am trying to show them the cost benefits of distance learning and how it can be used for credit recovery and enrichment. I teach in an inner city school district where many of our students drop out. We need to find another way to help these students.

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Casal on December 5, 2010 at 6:18pm

Look at options like Blackboard (I've used in on the Graduate level, it is a pretty widely used platform in higher-ed) or ePals Learning Space for managed servies.

Moodle, and to a lesser extend Edmodo, could be viable options as well.

Research these platforms and present them all. If you feel the best bet for your district is a free option like Edmodo base the meeting around the platform, as if it were a class.

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