Virtual Schooling Post-Reading Thoughts

Some of the main ideas I read within the articles which took me by surprise include:
    -The fact that Michigan is such a strong influence in the virtual schooling community and that we have had the longest standing virtual learning Schools in the nation. I know I have personally worked with kids on Michigan virtual and it is a very difficult curriculum. Needless to say, I thought the east and west coast schools would have beat us to the online thoughts.
    -The immense amount of growth and popularity virtual learning has gained within the past 10 years.
    -The fact that MVHS teachers, in 2005, did not have to be a Michigan certified teacher boggles my mind, considering the current emphasis placed on obtaining a MI teaching certification.  However, the immense change in policy isn't far off of the change in online schooling mindset.
   -The variations of course work students can enroll in has come quite a distance! I was never aware of the Test Prep courses via MVHS, however the fact that students did utilize them is wonderful; Comparison of test results pre and post test prep course would be interesting to analyze.
  -The below diagram helped me in visualizing the many different components online learning has to offer and how the different variations of 'online learning' can truly make or break a student's success in a course!

Virtual Schooling PreReading Knowledge

The majority of my knowledge regarding K-12 online learning, virtual schooling, or cyber schooling comes directly from the content I have learned thus far during this course, in addition to the implementation of Virtual Credit Recovery programs and Distance Learning (instructor and 1/2 of the students are in building 1 and the other 1/2 of students are across the district in building 2 watching their teacher on their screen and being directed by their instructor throughout the class while a paraprofessional is overseeing them).

 
I believe there are two main formats/branches online learning/virtual schooling/cyber learning can be viewed as: synchronous and asynchronous. 

 
There are many different settings in which online learning can take place, depending on how your district views the need for physical presence of each student, how the state you are teaching in records the number of students being instructed, the availability of paraprofessionals to oversee a class of students, etc. 

Students taking online learning courses usually have a variety of options regarding where they complete their course work and can differ vastly from one student to another! Students can either be in the classroom with the para, at home sitting at a desk, at home sitting in their bad, in a library, or in front of their instructor. The main idea here is that they have an Internet connection and are able to access the learning management system and the courses content. 

 
The courses offered range from English to Math to Science to History to digital art to health. However, the only way I have seen physical education completed without the students physical presence in class was when they were required to have an adult sign off on the activities they needed to perform.  

As I mentioned at the beginning, my experience with online learning is only a result of my students with learning disabilities completing a course as a result of failing their F2F course, otherwise known as 'Credit Recovery'.

Innovative Education

Utilizing my Diigo account and creating lists!

Links to two of "My Lists" I created using Diigo. Let me know what you think!

Innovative Education  - Innovative Education/Technology within Education

Academic Material  - General academic material for students, eductors and parents alike to efficiently access. Separate sub-lists within this 'Parent' list details the subsequent information to be found.

About me!

Hi there! My name is Kathleen (Katie) Degenhardt and was a full time High School Special Education teacher in Bloomfield Hills.  I'm now devoting my time to my master's courses to finish my IT masters as quickly as possible!  

I grew up in Troy, however attended Mercy High School in Farmington Hills. I then continued on to Michigan State University and was later accepted to their College of Education, majoring in Special Education- Learning Disabilities and minoring in English. Immediately proceeding graduation/student teaching, I was offered a couple of full time Special Ed. positions and decided on Bloomfield Hills, considering that was where I did my student teaching! I taught in Bloomfield Hills as a high school special education teacher for 4 years.  During my 4th year, I made the very difficult decision to resign from teaching and go full time as a student to get my Master's in Instructional Technology. I recently decided to follow my lifelong dream of living out west and made the drive out to Denver, CO...I arrived here YESTERDAY!

While student teaching, I became good friends with our media technician/program/software manager and our District's IT guru for our building; needless to say, I ended up with a few programs/software updates none of our Sp. Ed. or Gen Ed teachers even knew we had. I wanted to use as much technology as our district had to offer, so I immersed myself in that setting. My last year, I had 6 iPads in my classroom which were used everyday by either myself or my students!  My students and I learned (with each other) how they could access the curriculum in a way which best suited them.

Besides technology as a hobby, I am a big runner, love yoga, enjoy biking, swimming, photography/scrapbooking, reading-when/if time permits-, hanging out with my 4 brothers, my parents and keeping in close touch with my 20 cousins! 

What brought me to the IT masters program? Well, one of my main goals as a Special Education teacher is to teach my students skills, techniques and strategies, they can use in their everyday school setting to show their 'true' knowledge, instead of their knowledge impeded by their disability. My other goal is to find them access to the general ed curriculum, just as their fellow students can easily access. As our world of education is rapidly transforming into a technology friendly environment, not only is knowing how to implement, integrate and utilize the tools technology has to offer, but being on the brink of instructional technology could be life-altering for my Visually Impaired, Reading Disabled, Writing Disabled, etc. students. 

The program/path I am beginning is to obtain my Masters of Instructional Technology with an emphasis in K-12 technology integration. I hope to gain a more thorough understanding of what Instructional Technology really means, what it can look like in the K-12 setting and make a thorough conclusion on how to EFFECTIVELY implement and EFFICIENTLY utilize the tool-if and when appropriate. 

Additionally, I believe that with a degree in science and technology, I will be very marketable and highly sought-out. 

Wayne State's reputation in IT brought me to choose WSU. 

As far as a favorite website, it would have to be either TED or Pinterest, as there are a plethora of topics to choose from within the age category needed. 

I would like to apologize for my late response as I did not have access to my blackboard account until last night. (Unfortunately, as a result of recently moving, some of my mail was lost in the 'forwarding' process.). 

Either way, I look forward to working with each of you and learn from all, as much as possible! 

Katie~
"If a child doesn't learn the way you teach, then teach the way they learn." ~Unknown

Beginning of IT6230

The Beginning of IT 6230- Winter 2014

Usage of Gmail and Twitter have been, for at least 5 years now, in my favorites, visited at least once daily, used for social and professional networking and have been known to capture my full attention for much longer than anticipated! The blogging website, Blogger, was introducted to me and utilized during Undergrad, however I forsee myself spending time learning utilization tricks and tips!  

Thus far, one tool I have not used, but am aware of and acquainted with, is a RSS reader.  Of what I know, a RSS reader gathers desired articles based on the users personal preferences and assembles them into one portfolio; easy access to relevant, craved-for information in a timely and efficient manner is a RSS readers achieved goal.
http://feedly.com/index.html#my

My personal website is a constant work-in-progress! Any constructive comments or suggestions are greatly appreciated! 

Technology is an ever-changing topic resulting in the inability to CONTINUOUSLY be on the cusp of the newest, latest and greatest technology (in general), let alone educational or instructional technology. Take a moment and think about how closely intertwined and connected not only educational technology and instructional technology are, but then add in every other deviation of technology; each branch of technology plays a role, in some way, shape or form, with instructional technology and/or educational technology. With that said, in order to attempt to be up on the latest and greatest information in regards to educational and instructional technology, one needs to have an open mind to welcome and encourage comments, suggestions, critiques, discussions of other possibilities other than one's own.