A plan of how I can extend my classroom for me is by using Moodle. I have painstakingly taken the time to upload all my assignments and organized them into units. If a student is absent, they still have access to all the assignments in my class. I have rubrics for every assignment. When I start a unit, I give the students a hard copy of the rubric for the assignments. If they misplace them, they have access to Moodle so they can reprint their rubrics. I love it! I love that they have to be responsible for their own assignments and rubrics. I tell them in advance that I will not give them extra copies; they will need to take their time to print additional copies.
I have forums, chats, assignments and links to videos all organized so, in essence, my class could be a "virtual classroom." If a new student moves to our district and gets added into my class late, he/she has access to everything we have accomplished. Students have the opportunity to review and/or revisit any topic for further understanding if necessary.
I can refer parents to the site so they have access to what is expected of their child in my class. I give the students feedback in Moodle and also post their grades in PowerSchool so they have access to their progress at all times.
Using Moodle has brought my classroom to the virtual level and has encouraged me to incorporate more videos and online resources into my teaching. All I need to do is add the link and the students have the internet at their fingertips. I feel by using Moodle, the students are meeting the NETS-S standards, becoming comfortable with technology, and becoming prepared for the real world.
Online Students:
In our school district, students have been using MVHS as a means for credit recovery, a chance to take AP courses, and also to gain additional credits for graduation. One concern is that the 'online student' has to be very disciplined and an independent worker and thinker. Spoiler Alert--many students who are taking these classes do not fit these characteristics. The students have to organize themselves so they are aware of the assignments and how to submit them to the instructors' specifications. Many students are reluctant to email an instructor and some instructors do not reply in a timely manner. This, of course, causes frustration and anxiety to the student. I have been a mentor for several years. Sometimes the students are in my classroom and I can help them pace themselves and keep them on task. Over the past few years, the students are scheduled during the study halls and placed in the library; therefore, I don't have contact with them. They are instructed to print progress reports every week so we can monitor them, but unfortunately, there is a disconnect since I don't have direct contact with them.
Students taking online classes have to do a substantial amount of reading. More-so than in a regular classroom. Most classes are organized so students need to outline as they are reading which helps them manage the material better. Although, sadly some students are not quite sure how to outline material or how to determine what information is pertinent.
Also, some students have hit a roadblock because some of their tests need to be proctored. A mentor needs to know the password to get into the test. If a student is procrastinating, they may not inform their mentor in a timely manner. In this case, the mentor needs to contact the instructor to get the necessary information. This can delay the whole process which is a pain for all the people involved.
Overall, I think students can be successful using online courses and it provides an opportunity for them to take classes that would not normally be offered in a rural school district. Students need to understand that online classes require commitment, dedication and initiative. The luxury of a teacher verbally reminding (nagging) them of deadlines is not existent in the online environment.
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