IT343ZA Online Teaching in K-12

Fall, 2014
3 credit hours
Delivered online, via Canvas.

Overview
The goal of this course is to provide students with knowledge and information regarding online
instruction in the K-12 setting. This course is designed to be an overview course; covering broad
theoretical and practical considerations for developing and implementing online instruction at
various grade levels, in various subjects, and with various kinds of learners. This is the tip of the
iceberg, though. A career as an online teacher is complex, and students are urged to develop all of
these ideas and skills more fully in further courses. However, students will also gain practical
information that they can put to use immediately.

Contact Information
Instructor: Abigail Smith, IDT Graduate Assistant
Office hours (via virtual chat in Canvas): Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, 1-2 p.m. CST.
There are two best ways to contact me outside of office hours.
1. If your question is something that you think other students might have, post it in the “Class
General Use” forum within the course. I receive updates from that forum as soon as they are
posted, so I should be able to respond shortly.
2. If your question applies only to you, then email is the best way to reach me. Email via
Canvas is the most secure and reliable way to send me a message

Required Resources and Materials

ü Text Book: Making the Move to K–12 Online Teaching: Research-Based Strategies and
Practices by Kerry Rice. There is a Kindle edition and a paperback version available.
You may use either one.
ISBN-13: 978-0-13-210761-7 (alk. paper) ISBN-10: 0-13-210761-9 (alk. paper)
ü A computer with high speed internet connection.
o There are many videos to watch in this course. Make sure your browser and
internet speed can handle streaming video.
o While Canvas is accessible via mobile devices, and much of your work can be
done on a tablet, you will find it easier to get around the course in a standard
browser via a laptop or desktop computer. Articles linked to in the course may
or may not be on mobile-friendly sites.
ü Standard plug-ins for viewing pdfs, videos, flash, etc.
ü A webcam and microphone. (A headset is preferred for live discussions.)
 ü Screencast software, such as Screencast-o-matic or CamStudio.
ü ESU email. You will also need your ESU account for some (light) library research.
ü Standard authoring tools, such as a word processor, presentation software, and the
ability to upload photos and other kinds of files. You can use Microsoft Office for free
as an ESU student. Go to http://sky.emporia.edu/office and log in with your ESU account
to get started. There are also some free or low-cost authoring and presentation software
options online, such as Open Office, Prezi, PowToons, and more.

NOTE
It will be hepful if you have had some previous experience writing lesson plans before taking
this class. It is also useful if you have some experience working with basic internet technology,
such as browsers, HTML, cloud storage, and other internet-based tools. If you do not have
experience with one or both of these skills yet, you can still take the class, but you may have to do
a bit of extra research for a few of the assignments.

Course Objectives
After successful completion of this course, each student will be able to:
• Articulate various pros and cons of teaching children online
• Express his/her own positions, based on current research as well as personal experience,
about when and how online teaching is appropriate
• Articulate three different instructional models for teaching online
• Access and use several tools currently available for K-12 teachers to incorporate online
learning, specific to the area of specialty in which s/he plans to teach
• List at least three national or international organizations that provide online learning for
K-12 students. Be familiar with at least one organization in which s/he could potentially
teach online, using his/her area of specialization.
• List some important guidelines for developing and teaching in effective online learning
environments, such as instructional design principles, media guidelines, classroom
management, and community building principles.
• List some guidelines for involving special needs students in online education
• Explain, generally, how online teaching can be applied to various subjects
• Explain, more specifically, how online learning can be applied to his/her own field of
specialty
• List and elaborate on several ethical issues to consider in the realm of online teaching.
• Develop a personal plan for keeping up with current technologies and best practices as
an online teacher
• Develop at least three teaching modules within a learning management system that
utilize the skills, techniques, and technologies discussed in class.
• Develop a professional portfolio that demonstrates skills learned in the class
• Develop a personal teaching philosophy as it relates to online education
• Write citations in APA format
Instructional Methods
This course involves readings, projects, discussions, and quizzes. Students are required to
research various topics and tools and share their results with the class. Students are also urged to
explore online tools that could be used for pedagogical purposes. Extensive use will be made of
electronic delivery of assignments, both to and from both students and instructor. Since this is a
Web-based course, daily access to the Internet is critical. Most projects will be peer reviewed, and
much effort will be put forth into building a sense of community in the class.

Grading
Students will be graded on three broad categories: participation, assignments, and quizzes.
• Participation-- 450 points possible
o Weekly Adobe Connect sessions (10): 150 points
o Video Responses(3): 30 points (10 points each)
o Contributions to wiki: 120 points (10 points per question, 25 points per answer)
o Class partner project involvement: 100 points (10 points per project)
o Other participation (discussion forums, polls, etc.) : 50 points
• Assignments-- 300 points possible (see chart under the Course Schedule)
• Quizzes-- 250 points total
o weekly mini-quizzes: 15 points each
o final: 55 points
1,000 points are possible for the entire course. Point values will be converted into a
percentage, and letter grades will be calculated as follows:
93-100% A
90-92% A-
88-89% B+
83-87% B Read on for more information about receiving points in each of the
80-82% B- categories:
68-79% C
60-67% D
Participation
0-59% F Each week, after reading the required material, students are asked to
join in a live discussion about that material’s topic, using synchronous
chat software called Adobe Connect. These discussions provide important perspective, self-
reflection, and opportunities to get feedback on your understanding of the material. They will last
between 30-60 minutes each week. Meeting times will be decided during the first week of class by
using a poll to determine an availability common to all. It is preferred that students connect using
an audio or video feed (using a headset to eliminate background noise); however, if there are
problems with the connection, text comments may also be submitted.
Students are required to participate in the conversation in a substantive and meaningful way, in
order to get full participation points for that week. If you are unable to attend the synchronous
sessions, and do not want to lose those participation points, contact your instructor for make up
work. There are 14 modules, and the highest 10 participation scores will be counted towards the
final participation grade.
 The rubric for grading participation each week is as follows:
Relevance Comments apply logically to the topic being discussed. Connections are up to
made between subjects, as well as between the material and the student’s 5
life. points
Thoroughness It is clear that all material has been read/watched before joining the ≤4
session points
Originality The student adds unique contributions to the conversation ≤3
points
Tone A professional and polite tone is used. Any criticism is done in a helpful, ≤3
kind way. No vulgar or insulting language points

Requirement: Video Participation

Each student must participate in the synchronous sessions, using video webcam, at least three
times during the semester. Each video contribution can get up to 10 extra points, in addition to the
normal weekly points earned for the content.
The content of the videos will be graded with the same rubric as mentioned above. In addition,
you will get points for the following quality items on this rubric:
3 Your face is visible, adequately lit
3 Your voice can be heard clearly, with a good volume and no distortion or clipping.
(Adjust your microphone settings in your computer to help with this.) Your voice is
conspicuously louder than any background noises. (Using a headset will help with
this.)
2 There is not an unreasonable amount of distracting material in the background.
(Pets, noises, TVs or radios, etc.)
2 Your video stays on long enough to provide the full content to fulfill the
participation points (in the rubric above)

Requirement: Class FAQ Wiki.

In addition to participating in weekly synchronous chat sessions, participation will be graded by
contributions to a forum called ''FAQ Wiki.” You must post at least 2 questions to this wiki
throughout the semester, and at least 4 answers. Your answers must be at least two paragraphs
long, in a professional tone, well-researched, and contain at least one high-quality citation. A high
quality citation is one that comes from a professional, peer-reviewed journal. You will need to use
the library's database to find this. (You may use other citations as well, from less-professional
sources, such as wikipedia or online articles, but at least one citation must be high-quality.)
All citations must be referenced in APA style, and references must be listed. Guidelines for
writing citations and references in APA style will be included in the course.

Class Partner Work

You will be working in pairs for some assignments. Specifically, you will be randomly assigned
to partners for some assignments, and providing peer reviews on your partner’s work. You will be
graded on your teamwork. If there are discrepancies, your instructor will follow up and investigate
in order to determine a grade. Generally, you will need to hand in your peer evaluations within one
week after receiving your partner’s work.
Assignments
There will be several different kinds of assignments in class. Many of the assignments will be
projects, which you can use in a professional portfolio. A rubric will be posted with each
assignment, explaining what students will be graded on for that assignment. 5% of the
assignment's point value is automatically deducted for each day that an assignment is submitted
past its due date. See the Course Schedule below for a list of the assignments.
You will be required to have a website on which you can display your projects. If you already
have a portfolio website, you may continue using it for this class. If you do not have an online
portfolio, you will create one for this class. By the end of this course, you will have added three
lesson plans, and two student supports to your online portfolio. Work samples like this can be
useful later when you are job searching!
Most assignments will be assessed by a peer before they are handed in to the instructor. This
gives you a chance to collaborate with your peers, expand your knowledge, and see your work
from a different perspective. You are expected to keep in close communication with your
assignment peers during the assessment timeframe.

Quizzes
There will be short quizzes most weeks, testing students’ comprehension and memory of the
material. Each short quiz is worth 15 points. There will be a longer midterm and also a final exam,
worth 60 points each. Quizzes are due on Sundays, by 11:55 p.m., CST.

Timings and Due Dates

There are 14 modules in this course. Each module runs from Monday to the following Sunday,
unless holidays or school breaks interfere with this normal schedule. (I shall announce clearly any
deviations from the normal schedule!)
Most assignments are due on Sundays, 11:55 p.m. CST. There is one quiz assigned each week,
which covers the previous week’s material. All quizzes are due on Sunday of the week they are
assigned unless otherwise indicated. Please make sure to watch due dates carefully. No late
assignments will be accepted without prior permission.

Late Assignment Policy

It is not recommended that you wait for the last minute to submit your work! You may
experience technical issues. Give yourself plenty of time before the deadline. Late assignments are
not accepted in this course without prior permission. There is no guarantee that permission will be
granted for a late request. The student must provide proof of the extenuating situation if possible
(professional doctor’s note, etc.). An exemption from the due date is not guaranteed, but will be
considered on a case-by-case basis. It is recommended to work ahead if you have plans to be out
of town, etc. and are uncertain of your internet connection and/or free time while traveling. A
vacation is not an unforeseen circumstance.
5% off the grade will be docked for every day an assignment is late, unless other arrangements
are made.
Course Schedule
The following is a list of topics covered in each module, and the resources you have to read,
listen to, or watch. (Subject to slight changes. Make sure to check Canvas for the most up-to-date
information!)
Module Topic Resources
1 How to participate in this class. IT343 Orientation video
Introduction to teaching online Syllabus
Move: Forward & Preface
2 The big picture, the spectrum, and Move: Chapter 1
basic terminology. Lecture: Overview
Video: Interview w/ Mike Allan
Other: The LMS assignments
3 Pros & Cons of online learning in K- Lecture: Pros & Cons
12. Approaches for different age levels Video: Interview with Diane Smith
4 Overview of Digital Citizenship Move: Chapter 9
Lecture: Digital Citizenship
Video: Interview with Michael Weichmann
5 Instructional Methods, Gagné’s Nine Move: Chapter 2
Events of Instruction Lecture: Instructional Methods
Video: none
6 Tools for Online Teaching Move: Chapter 3
Lecture: Tools
Video: Interview with Annie Swinton
7 Learners with Special Needs Move: Chapter 8
Lecture: UDL, Accessibility
Video: Interview with Amberlee Bray
8 Setting the Tone Move: Chapter 4
Lecture: Standards for Online Teaching (Refer
to this often!)
Video: Interview with Renee Citlau
9 Collaboration and Community Move: Chapter 5
Building Video: Interview w/ Crystal Howell Beck
10 Effective Online Discussions Move: Chapter 6
Lecture: Bloom’s Taxonomy
Video: TBA
11 Quality Online Lessons Move: Chapter 7
Video: Learning Styles Don’t Exist
Video: TBA
12 More practice with Digital Lecture: Copyright
Citizenship: Copyright Video: Copyright & Creative Commons
Video: TBA
13 Getting a job, staying sharp Lecture: Getting a job
Lecture: Staying sharp
Video: Interview with Debi Crabtree
14 Review, recap, and work on projects
 Every week will have a quiz (due Sunday) and a live chat. In addition, the following
assignments will be due according to the chart below. (Some assignments are actually assigned a
few weeks before the due dates. This chart shows the due dates.)
All times are 11:55 p.m. CST

Assignment points Due date to due date to hand

hand in to in to instructor
peer
Online portfolio set up 5 NA Sep. 7
LMS set up 25 Aug. 31 Sep. 7
Create Netiquette Guidelines 20 Sep. 21 Sep. 28
Create a Lesson plan using Gagné’s 9 events 50 Sep. 28 Oct. 12
Post the 9-events lesson plan to LMS 25 Oct. 5 Oct. 12
LMS: identify and use one tool from each 20 NA Oct. 5
category mentioned in the Tools lecture
Evaluate everything in the LMS so far for 40 NA Oct. 12
Accessibility
Create a lesson plan that conforms to UDL 50 Oct. 19 Nov. 2
post the UDL lesson onto LMS, (also making 25 Oct. 26 Nov. 2
sure everything is Accessible)
LMS: Post some high-level discussion prompts 15 Nov. 2 Nov. 9
Write a lesson plan based on PBL 50 Nov. 9 Nov. 23
Post PBL lesson plan to the LMS 25 Nov. 16 Nov. 23
Use a standards list to evaluate a classmate’s 50 Nov. 30 Dec.7
course. Make necessary changes to your course
on the LMS based on your evaluation received
Total points 400

Drop/Add/Withdrawal policy
Those wishing to drop, add, or withdraw should refer to the dates set by ESU.The academic
calendar of ESU is online here: http://www.emporia.edu/regist/calendar/

Incompletes
If a student takes an Incomplete in the course, for a grade of I, the student's grade will be
reduced by a grade level (10% overall) when the work is completed during the next semester. For
example, an A grade at 95% will be reduced to a B grade at 85%.
Incomplete work that is not finished by the end of the next semester automatically turns to an F
(by the Registrar's Office).
According to ESU policy, Incompletes can be assigned only in the most extreme circumstances.
The Teachers College requires a signed contract between the student and the professor in order to
obtain an Incomplete grade.
IDT Plagiarism Policy
It is important for students to practice different processes to demonstrate the acquisition of
knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in the field of Instructional Design and Technology. The
completion of different types of assignments, projects, discussions, and activities within each class
is essential to learning these processes. Therefore, work completed for another class will not be
accepted in this class, nor will work completed by any individual other than the student submitting
the assignment.
Any work found to be plagiarized from another source will receive an automatic “zero”
grade. Do your own work. If you want to draw from the works of others, then you are required to
use quotations or paraphrases, as well as proper citations, if you are using text format. If you are
using images, video, or music that was not created by you, you may be breaking copyright law.
Make sure that any intellectual property you use is either
1) In the Public Domain;
2) In the Creative Commons, and you are using it in the way allowed by the creator; or
3) Used with written permission by the creator.

Americans with Disabilities Act

Anyone requiring special adaptations or accommodations should inform the instructor as soon
as possible. I will work with you and the Office of Disability Services to ensure access to the
course. I have done my best to make the site and all its resources accessible, but there may have
been some accidental omissions. If so, please bring these to my attention as soon as possible.

Library Resources
The William Allen White Library supports the academic, research, and service programs of
ESU. To meet individual and Distance Education needs of university, community, and Kansas
citizens, the library provides access to resources in print, multimedia, and electronic formats.
Students also have access to the Kellogg Online Catalog and other online search tools.
Resources for Distance Students- A listing of library resources and services.
(www.emporia.edu/libsv/disted/disted.htm)
As a distance education student, you have access to academic assistance through the writing
lab, mathematics lab and the reading lab.
Contact the various labs for information (Writing Lab - 620-341-5380; Mathematics Lab - 620-
341-5342 and the Reading Lab 620-341-5495)