Program Details Title Category Presenters Description Growing Pains: Behind the Scenes Managing Online PD Administration Bethany Fee This session will describe how Broward Virtual University began from paper and pencil to an online registration system with automated features that allow participants to register, view course schedules, cancel enrollment, and view and purchase course materials. From establishing the course calendar, monitoring enrollment, assigning facilitators to processing final course close-out, learn from BVU's experience in behind the scenes management of an online staff development program. Sustaining Online Learning: How do you select and manage resources for your PD course? Design Catherine Glass, Lourdes Smith The use of resources to support the learning of teachers in an online course is critical. Resources selected for inclusion in an online professional development course should be user-friendly, current, and aligned with the mission and goals of the professional development course. Florida Online Reading Professional Development (FOR-PD) will share a system for evaluating and selecting relevant resources. The presenters will share many online resources that are free to educators. With Us, It's Personal! How to Have Super Successful Online Learners Facilitation Joyce Menz, Tanya Adin The strategies a district and online course instructor use to direct, facilitate, and support participants' success in web-based classes become the most important condition of success when a school or district has already selected a course provider that meets their needs for course design, features, and technology. In this session, participants and session facilitators will interact regarding research-based principles of effective instructor practice and adult learning and practical applications to teachers' success with online learning. Web Writing That Works Design Dr. Joseph Howell Many e-learning courses present text-heavy content that fails to rethink the act of writing in the context of Web-based training or to exploit the multimedia richness of the World Wide Web. This presentation offers practical guidelines for writing effective text presentations for Web courses, including Eliminating the language "distance" between content and the learner Collapsing content into self-contained, fragmented, reusable modules Using hypertext layering as a safety net and tool for scaffolding Best Practices: Online Course Design & Facilitation Design & Facilitation Donna Boles, Crystal Howard The Florida Virtual School (FLVS) motto, Any Time, Any Place, Any Path, Any Pace says it all. Online learning is here for students and teachers alike. The FLVS ESOL specialist and reading coach will review what to look for in online course design and best practices for facilitating online learning. Both presenters have had experience as FLVS teachers and trainers. Their insight into what works and what does not work, will help you in evaluating online courses for your staff. Constructing Hybrid Programs: Combining the Best of Face-to-Face with e-Learning Design Dr. Stephen Dunnivant The rise of Course Management Systems; such as Blackboard, WebCT, Angel, and Desire2Learn, have opened many new possibilities for educational systems. These emerging technologies initially impacted courses, and quickly evolved to changing entire educational programs. In this session, participants will learn how a full-hybrid program at a community college on alternative teacher certification was developed, and the strategies implemented during development that led to its success. Tricks of Facilitation: Organization & Communication Facilitation MaryBeth Johnson This session will set the tone for facilitation from the first communication with participants through the final congratulatory letter. The facilitator's ability to communicate knowledgeably and personably is key to successful online courses. Organizing the facilitation process upfront will provide helpful guidelines o facilitators in creating an educational, yet comfortable, learning environment for participants. Throughout our six years of providing online professional development, we have created an extensive training and support program for our facilitators. Character, Computers, and Classroom Community Design Dr. Susan Adragna The teaching of character education in K-12 public schools is state mandated; however, crowed school schedules and accountability testing leave little time to do so. An innovative approach, character education online, is gaining popularity in public elementary schools. Using this proactive approach, students learn about setting goals, defusing arguments, and expressing feelings. The result is a stable learning environment where classroom community and academic achievement can occur. Preparing & Sustaining Online Learning - Lessons Learned Design & Facilitation Catherine Glass, Candace Whitehead, Vicky Zygouris-Coe How do you prepare and sustain online facilitators for a large scale, high-stakes project? In this session, members from Florida Online Reading Professional Development will share information about the infrastructure of the facilitator division. The presentation will cover information about recruitment, training, continued professional development, and ongoing support. Presenters will also share lessons learned and factors that have contributed to successful online facilitation. Engaging Learners Through Course Design Design Sandi King Can learners really be engaged in learning through an online course? With a 94% successful completion rate, Beacon Educator demonstrates that learner engagement is not only possible, but a reality! Come learn the design techniques used to create learner engagement and enhanced professional development. Topics include "If We Build It, Will They Come?" (how to attract e-learners), and "If We Build It, Will They Learn?" (how to engage the learner once he/she is committed to e-learning). Build It and They Will Come Design Virginia Richard, Christie DeVane, Bill Bucklew, & Dawn Mulder How did one district build an online user base of over 2600 educators within two years? Course designers and instructors will share best practices for facilitating online professional development. Presenters will share how online learning can address the Florida Professional Development protocols, while reducing costs, and increasing the value of the learning experience. Learn how online courses can build collegiality and remove barriers associated with face to face professional development. Tips: Developing, Facilitating & Mentoring Online Design & Facilitation Lynn Kimberlin Are you interested in starting or tweaking online professional development for staff? Maybe you are looking for some tips on mentoring online facilitators and instructors? Come learn more about one district's success story with online learning. This session will focus on 26 tips (A - Z: A is for Adult Learners; B is for Building Blocks…, etc.) for training teams, designing & developing effective courses, and mentoring instructors in delivering online professional development. Creating An Online Course: From Conception to the Web Design Vicki Quinn, Bethany Fee This session will provide an outline of the detailed planning and organizing that is necessary to create a robust educational online experience. The use of templates and matrices to create the course content from the beginning outline to the weekly details will be explained. Tempaltes are also used to assist in the development of video, audio, and interactive components that meaningfully engage the user in the learning experience. Samples will be shown. Evaluating Online PD & Impact on Teacher Knowledge and Student Achievement Administration Catherine Glass, Bonnie Swan How do you assess the effectiveness of a large scale, online professional development course? In this session, members from Florida Online Reading Professional Development (FOR-PD) will discuss a model used to evaluate the effectiveness of the FOR-PD online course. The session will address decisions about research questions, data collection and management, and data analysis. This session will also provide examples of how to use data for continuous improvement of online learning. Technical Support 101 Administration & Facilitation Phil Lee Does your phone ring off the hook from participants who can't login? This session is designed to give tips that will facilitate some common issues with new online learners. Login, submission, and file download problems will be discussed as well solutions which should alleviate most problems. Pop-up blocker, privacy, and security settings are addressed. Communication is the Key: Getting Your Message Across Clearly & Concisely Facilitation Scott Norman This presentation focuses on best practices in synchronous and asynchronous course facilitation. The absence of facial expressions and body language make communication more difficult, yet the opportunity to contribute anonymously frees students to share more readily. The presentation explores issues of facilitating on-line lectures, discussions, and presentations while dealing with a multicultural and multigenerational audience. Issues include key communication skills such as clear and concise instructions, use and misuse of humor, and keeping class interesting.