• Course goals and outcomes

    CLEARLY STATED & MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES

    [DLD A1*: Clearly stated and measurable objectives and course goals describing student’s knowledge at the end of the course.]

    EVIDENCE– Provided Demo Course items:

    Where to go in the LMS to see evidence:

    • Demo Course- PED201-WALKFITT:
      • Main Menu (left margin) > Course Info > Syllabus
      • Main Menu (left margin) > LEARNING UNITS > Learning Units (rt pane) > any unit
    • Demo Course- SCI201-BIOLOGY
      • Main Menu (left margin) > Course Info > Syllabus
      • Main Menu (left margin) > LEARNING UNITS > Learning Units (rt pane) > any unit

    The course syllabus provides a comprehensive reading the list of goals and objectives, students will understand what they will be learning throughout the course.

    Course goals and objectives are present, explicitly stated, and can be easily found by students within the outline of each unit, per week. The student’s level of mastery is measured against each goal and objective.

     

    SUFFICIENT RIGOR, DEPTH, & BREADTH

    [DLD A2* Content of sufficient rigor, depth, and breadth to teach the standards being addressed. ]

    EVIDENCE– Provided Demo Course items:

    Where to go in the LMS to see evidence:

    • Demo Course- PED201-WALKFITT:
      • Rigor: Learning Units include Sciences & Activity; Lifetime skills preparation; Pre & post tests for personal distance improvement.
      • Depth: Course adheres to all learning goals for physical education, not just a class where walking is the primary activity.
      • Breadth: The course is complete in all facets by incorporating a sound foundation of science standards-based learning AND regular activity where improvement is encouraged & desired.
    • Demo Course- SCI201-BIOLOGY
      • Semester Course Rigor: Gradebook; Mastery-based learning multi-media lessons (Unit 2); Required *in-person* lab experience (Unit 1, Day L); high-level genetics & DNA lab activities (Unit 3 Week 3-4).
      • Depth: Comprehensive *semester* course including units on: Ecology, Diversity of Life, Organization, Cellular Biology, & Evolution. (Learning Units); Career Exploration (Unit 4 Starts in Week 1)

    “Rigor” is defined as a condition of the learning environment which stretches the individual learner to move beyond his/her comfort zone and grow as an independent learner.  “Depth” refers to the degree to which the course content adheres to the learning goals being taught. “Breadth” refers to the completeness of the course.

     

    CLEARLY STATED COURSE ASSIGNMENTS

    [DLD A3* Clearly stated course assignments reflecting course goals and representative of the scope of the course. ]

    EVIDENCE– Provided Demo Course items:

    Where to go in the LMS to see evidence:

    • Demo Course- PED201-WALKFITT:
      • Any Learning Unit
    • Demo Course- SCI201-BIOLOGY
      • Any Learning Unit

    The scope and sequence of the course is appropriately designed for the subject area and grade level. Concepts and skills are accurately presented, built on one another logically, and connections between concepts and subjects are explicit and relevant.

     

    Course materials and Organization

    SUPPORTING MATERIALS

    [DLD A4* Instructional materials, including supporting materials—such as textbooks, manuals, and videos—made easily available to and usable by learners.]

    EVIDENCE– Provided Demo Course items:

    All instructional materials are found online and within the courses with no additional logins or technology requirements.

    Where to go in the LMS to see evidence:

    • Demo Course- PED201-WALKFITT:
      • Video digitized and contained in course:
    • Demo Course- SCI201-BIOLOGY
      • Video digitized & contained in course: Learning Units > Unit 2 Ecology > Day B

     

    READABILITY

    [DLD A5  Readability levels, written language assignments, and mathematical requirements appropriate for the course content. ]

    EVIDENCE– district certification & course items:

    Evidence shows that in the course design process, the course content is written at appropriate readability levels for the grade level of the student audience, and readability formulas are used to identify the readability level.

    The appropriateness of readability is confirmed by the Everett Public Schools District Literacy Coordinator.

    Readability Evaluation reports are contained in the Demo courses, in the Course Info menu item.

     

    ORGANIZED COURSE CONTENT

    [DLD A6* Course content organized in standard format (i.e., units and lessons), which include overviews describing central objectives, activities, and resources. ]

    EVIDENCE– Provided Demo Course items:

    Where to go in the LMS to see evidence:

    • Demo Course- PED201-WALKFITT:
      • Any Learning Unit
    • Demo Course- SCI201-BIOLOGY
      • Any Learning Unit

    Within the Blackboard Learning Management System (LMS), the course content is placed into developed units and lessons that fall into a logical sequence.

    Units are broken into lessons that are organized by week. A “Big Idea” serves to frames each week’s and contains the Academic Standards, Essential Academic Learnings, and behavioral expectations for each week.  A variety of activities, assignments, and assessments are used to provide students with different learning styles to master the content.

     

    ASSESSMENT & ASSIGNMENT RUBRICS

    [DLD A7* Grading rubrics and/or models of partially- to fully-completed assignments available to the students. ]

    EVIDENCE– Provided Demo Course items:

    What you will see:

    • Demo Course- PED201-WALKFITT:
      • TDEE Model  (Unit 3 Week 5 Day 4)
      • Weekly-Walking-Log.sample (Unit 4 Week 9)
      • Walking Plan (Unit 4 Week 8 Day 2)
    • Demo Course- SCI201-BIOLOGY:
      • Discussion Board Rubric (Course Info)
      • Ecology Final (Unit 2 Week 4 Day T)

     

    Student engagement

     

    DIVERSE LEARNERS & MULTIPLE LEARNING STYLES

    [DLD A8* The course content addresses the diverse needs of learners and incorporates varied ways to learn and master the curriculum.]

    EVIDENCE– Provided Demo Course items:

    Instructor and class structure promotes a student-centered learning environment. A variety of instructional and assessment methods are used throughout the course.

    What you will see:

    • Demo Course- PED201-WALKFITT:
      • The act of walking is for the student who for a variety of reasons is not able to participate in a ‘regular’ PE class and still wants to engage in an activity for a lifetime of fitness, meeting the needs of a group usually ostracized from the traditional PE course. Walking by its very nature is a Kinesthetic act.
      • Multimedia videos are included for instructions (ex. how to use a pedometer. Unit 1 Week 2).
      • Manipulative tool for feedback: Pedometer
      • Discussion boards and cooperative learning foster a collaborative atmosphere.
    • Demo Course- SCI201-BIOLOGY:
      • Online Student Group work (Unit 1 Week 2)
      • Face-to-face laboratory (Unit 1 Week 3)
      • Interactive Multimedia Instructional Presentations (Unit 2 Week 1 Day B)
      • Movies (“Diversity of Organisms” Unit 3 Week 1 Day C)
      • “Alien activity has a ‘hands on’ component (Unit 3 Week 2 Day G)

     

    ACTIVITIES THAT ENGAGE STUDENTS

    [DLD A9* Activities that engage students in active participation and exploration. ]

    EVIDENCE– Provided Demo Course items:

    Students are given the means for discovering, processing and applying information they learn throughout the course. Less emphasis is placed on giving information and more on discussing, listening, writing, reading, and reflecting.

    What you will see:

    • Demo Course- PED201-WALKFITT:
      • Walking by its very nature is active participation. Pre-tests & Post-tests foster student engagement in the improvement process.
      • Discussion boards and cooperative learning foster a collaborative atmosphere.
    • Demo Course- SCI201-BIOLOGY:
      • Face-to-face laboratory (Unit 1 Week 3)
      • “Alien activity has a ‘hands on’ component (Unit 3 Week 2 Day G)

     

    OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIGHER-ORDER THINKING

    [DLD A10* Opportunities for students to engage in higher-order thinking, critical-reasoning activities and thinking in increasingly complex ways.]

    EVIDENCE– Provided Demo Course items:

    What you will see:

    • Demo Course- PED201-WALKFITT:
      • Product Evaluation discussion (unit 3, week 7)
      • Barriers to Fitness (unit 4, week 9)
    • Demo Course- SCI201-BIOLOGY
      • Ecology Final project (Unit 2 Bottom of page)
      • Reproductive Strategies discussion (Unit 3 Day I)

    Assignments, activities, and assessments provide opportunities for students to elevate their thinking beyond memorization into the realm of analyzing situations, synthesizing information, or evaluating an argument. Activities include open-ended questions, and encourage students to categorize and classify information. Opportunities for group work, decision-making, and finding patterns are also included in the course activities.

    INSTRUCTOR-STUDENT INTERACTION: TIMELY & FREQUENT FEEDBACK

    [DLD A11 Opportunities for appropriate (synchronous and asynchronous) instructor-student interaction, including timely and frequent feedback about student progress.]

    EVIDENCE– Help Desk tutorial:

    OnlineHS Instructor’s are online daily teaching in their classes and working with students. They are required by program policy to log-in daily, answer emails & messages within 24 hours and score/correct on-time assignments within 3 school days.

    The video from the hypertext link above, describes the many ways that students can communicate with their instructor outside the course, inside the course, synchronously, & asynchronously.

     

    INSTRUCTOR-STUDENT INTERACTION:

    [DLD A12 The course content includes appropriate instructor-student and student-student interaction to foster mastery and application of the material.]

    EVIDENCE– Course items:

    Opportunities for instructor-to-student interaction

    Opportunities for student-to-student interaction

    Plan for monitoring the interaction

    • By Everett Educational Association & Everett School District policy, instructors are responsible for the interactions within their classes– “on-ground” or “on-line”.
    • OnlineHS teachers are required to
      •  “Maintain a presence” in all interactive areas of their course and monitor student-to-student interactions.
      • Answer all emails & messages within 24 hours. These typically are requests from students for assistance with the course material or assignments. A timely 24-hour turn-around means students can receive an individualized and personalized response to their question and/or need.
      • All on-time assignments are required to be scored/corrected within 3-school days. The quick turn-around from submission to scoring includes important feedback on formative assessments to prepare students for success on unit/concept/standard summative assessments, so they can foster mastery.
    • Instructor assistance & oversight is provided an OnlineHS program director and by the OnlineHS Administrator.

     

    ASSIGNMENT STRUCTURE:

    [DLD A13 Assignments structured to require consistent effort and an appropriate amount of time for online interactions, study, and homework throughout the term.]

    EVIDENCE– Course items:

    ALIGNED TO EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS

    [DLD A14 Aligned as appropriate to OSPI’s Educational Technology Standards or the ISTE NETS 2007 (Students) standards. ]

    EVIDENCE– Course items:

    The Everett Public School’s OnlineHS is on the cutting-edge of a 21st Century Learning Environment with it’s virtual learning program that directly addresses the two primary goals of the OSPI Educational Technology Standards external web site:  Technology Literacy & Technology Fluency.

    Technology Literacy is built into EVERY OnlineHS course as students demonstrate the ability to responsibly, creatively and effectively use appropriate technology to:

    • Communicate.
    • Access, collect, manage, integrate and evaluate information.
    • Solve problems and create solutions
    • Build and share knowledge.
    • Improve and enhance learning in all subject areas and experience

    Technology Fluency is demonstrated when OnlineHS students:

    • Apply technology to real-world experiences.
    • Adapt to changing technologies.
    • Modify current and create new technologies.
    • Personalize technology to meet personal needs, interests and learning style

    The OnlineHS program–by virtue of being a true virtual learning environment– to provide students with achievable outcomes using the many and varied available technological tools available on the Internet.

     

     

    MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION

    [DLD A15 Multicultural education and instruction, incorporated as appropriate, that is accurate, current, and free of bias.]

    EVIDENCE– Course examples:

    What is included in the courses to indicate a multi-cultural approach:

    • Demo Course- PED201-WALKFITT:
      • Announcements (upon entry)
      • Unit 1: Family Medical History Discussion-  Provides students with the opportunity to express their family’s medical history (culturally and socioeconomic links) in a away that is comfortable to them and in the context of promoting  a healthy life for themselves.
      • Unit 3: Nutrition unit is left open ended so that students can track nutrition for what they eat, foods of different ethnicities are welcome.
      • Unit 3: Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) Calculation. Students use their own height and weight (free of bias as body composition has genetic factors) to determine nutritional needs.
      • ACTIVITY= Walking: Students do not need to “suit-up” for walking.  Can wear whatever, including traditional or religious apparel.
    • Demo Course- SCI201-BIOLOGY
      • Photos from classes with multicultural people/scientists (throughout)
      • Mexico Scene in the ecology presentation (Unit 2 Week 1 Day A)
      • Characters in the Pasture video (Unit 2 Week 2 Day G)
      • Easter Island lesson (Unit 2 Week 4 Day P)
      • Russian Czar story in DNA section (Unit 3)
      • Evolution (Unit 4) presented with care for religious views; Not telling kids WHAT to think, but presenting what the scientific community has found.
      • Modeling the Earth’s History (Unit 4) it’s an inquiry discussion on students placing geologic and biologic events in order at the beginning of the unit before learning about it. It is OPEN to allow students to justify their placements with reasoning. These students often use their personal religious beliefs. It’s an inquiry course so the teacher remains “on the side”.

     

    CLASSROOM INTERACTION:

    [DLD A16* The instructor promotes a high level of classroom interaction using various modes of communication.]

    EVIDENCE– Provided Demo Course items:

    What you will see:

    • Demo Course- PED201-WALKFITT:
      • Announcements (upon entry)
      • Discussion Boards
    • Demo Course- SCI201-BIOLOGY
      • Announcements (upon entry)
      • Discussion Boards

    All online instructors drives instructor-to-student and student-to-student exchanges through various modes which includes: announcements, email, instant messaging, lab activities, and other group projects.

    However, it is through the use of asynchronous discussion boards and the development of online communication protocols that create continuous engagement with the material and each other that is powerful for student success in the online environment.