I currently teach 9-12 science, so I chose to focus on the K-12 Quality Matters standards for course design (MarylandOnline, 2019).
1. Which standards do you find the most important or valuable and why?
2. Which standards have been a low priority or are standards you hadn't previously considered and why? Has their value changed with the advent of what you've learned in the readings? Why or why not?
3. Which standards are the most challenging/time consuming to address? Why? How do you plan to address these challenges?
4. What is the point of reviewing these standards/rubrics and discussing them in a blog before you get your collaborative and individual project assignments? Or how will examining these standards/rubrics help you build useful knowledge as you prepare to go into the collaborative and individual projects that will be a large part of the class?
1. Which standards do you find the most important or valuable and why?
- 1.1: Instructions make clear to learners how to get started and where to find essential course components.
- 1.5: Etiquette expectations (sometimes called "netiquette") for online discussions, email, and other forms of communication are clearly stated.
- 1.7: The self-introduction by the instructor is appropriate and is clearly available in the course.
- 2.3: The learning objectives or competencies are aligned with state standards and/or other accepted content standards
- 3.3: Assessment strategies provide learners with opportunities to reflect on their progress towards meeting course requirements and mastering learning objectives or competencies.
- 5.3: Learning activities provide opportunities for learner-instructor and learner-learner interaction.
- 6.2: Course tools facilitate student engagement and promote active learning.
- 7.3: The course articulates or links to resources to support effective course facilitation.
- 8.1: Course navigation is logical, consistent, efficient, and intuitive
2. Which standards have been a low priority or are standards you hadn't previously considered and why? Has their value changed with the advent of what you've learned in the readings? Why or why not?
- 1.3: Minimum technology requirements for the course are clearly stated, and information on how to obtain the technologies is provided.
- 1.4: Minimum computer skills and digital literacy skills expected of the learner are clearly stated.
- 1.8: Prerequisite knowledge in the discipline and/or required competencies are clearly stated.
- 7.1: The course instructions articulate or link to a clear description of the technical support offered and how to obtain it.
- 7.4: Course instructions articulate or link to the institution’s accessibility policies and services
The standards of lowest priority for me where chosen when I think about designing the online course for the students that I am currently teaching at Wrangell HS. Since each of them is provided a computer and high speed internet I do not feel it is important to list the technology requirements. Each students is also required to take a digital literacy course and should already have the skills needed to successfully complete the course I create. Technical support is available in our building and they know how to submit a "help ticket" if need be. Basically, I chose standards that are already covered by prior experience or provided in the student handbook at our school.
I would say a few goals that I may not have thought of as important before the readings and discussion in this class have now been added to my "important list". Mainly those that deal with the instructor interaction with the students. Previously, I would not have really given much thought to how important it is for the learners to feel like they have a connection with the instructor and their peers.
- 2.3: The learning objectives or competencies are aligned with state standards and/or other accepted content standards.
- 5.3: Learning activities provide opportunities for learner-instructor and learner-learner interaction.
- 8.1: Course navigation is logical, consistent, efficient, and intuitive
I believe each of these standards will take the most time because they are ongoing as the course progresses. As I create new content, I will have to take the time to align it to the standards and provide a variety of engaging lessons in which students can interact with other learners and myself. I also think creating a course that is logical and intuitive to navigate will take some major planning and time up front.
These challenges will be addressed just as they are in my classroom. I plan lessons around the standards, try those lessons with my students, reflect on how they went, and make changes as necessary. If they went terribly, then I probably need to find a way to reteach the lesson. If students understood the point, but it didn't go quite as planned, then I make the appropriate changes for the next time I teach the course. And if the lesson goes well, I get to pat myself on the back! :)
4. What is the point of reviewing these standards/rubrics and discussing them in a blog before you get your collaborative and individual project assignments? Or how will examining these standards/rubrics help you build useful knowledge as you prepare to go into the collaborative and individual projects that will be a large part of the class?
It is important to review these standards before completing the collaborative and individual project assignments because we will be designing an online unit and these standards give us a place to start and goals to attain while lining out each component of our courses.
Resources:
MarylandOnline. (2019). Specific Review Standards from the QM K-12 Rubric, Fifth Edition for K-12 Reviews. Retrieved from https://www.qualitymatters.org/qa-resources/rubric-standards/higher-ed-rubric.
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