Instructional Design in K-12 Online Learning: A Panel

Concurrent Session 1

Brief Abstract

This panel focuses on instructional design (ID) in K-12 online learning and is comprised of ID experts in the field of K-12 online learning. The first two panelists are Dr. Anissa Vega (Kennesaw State University) and Kimberly Bondeson (Gwinnett Online Campus). The title of their project is “Designing Project-Based Online Learning for the K-12 Learner.” The second panelist is Krista Tomaselli (Michigan Virtual University). The title of her project is “Using the QM K-12 Secondary Rubric Standard to Guide K-12 Online Course Development.” The final panelists include Dr. Mary Rice (University of New Mexico) and Dr. Kathryn Kennedy discussing Dr. Rice’s project on Michigan Virtual School courses regarding the IDs design and development process when it comes to keeping students with disabilities in mind.

Presenters

Lead Presenter: Kathryn Kennedy, Michigan Virtual University

Kathryn Kennedy, Ph. D., is the Director of MVU’s Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute (MVLRI). Dr. Kennedy has extensive experience with online and blended learning in higher education and K-12 as a former assistant professor at Georgia Southern University and as the Director of Research for the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL). She coordinates and oversees projects at MVLRI, networks and onboards MVLRI Fellows, and conducts qualitative research. She is involved in national and international efforts in quality assurance for K-12 online and blended learning, including holding leadership roles in the development of new and the enhancement of existing ISTE and iNACOL standards. She has published in various venues her work, which primarily focuses broadly on education professionals and their preparation for next generation learning models, including but not limited to online and blended learning environments.

Co-presenter: Anissa Lokey-Vega, Kennesaw State University

Anissa is an associate professor of instructional technology in Kennesaw State University's Bagwell College of Education. She teaches graduate teacher education courses in instructional technology in online and hybrid formats, and supervises doctoral students. For the past several years, she has coordinated the online teaching endorsement at KSU that serves Georgia certified K-12 teachers. She is currently developing a personalized learning certificate program for educators at the graduate level. Her research has focused on innovative learning models including K-12 online learning and massive open online courses. Outside of teaching and research, she serves on various boards and committees related to educational innovation, online learning, and futurist planning at the university, state, and school districts levels.

Co-presenter: Kimberly Bondeson , Gwinnett Online Campus

Co-presenter: Krista Tomaselli, Michigan Virtual University

Co-presenter: Mary Rice, University of New Mexico

Tags

OLC Accelerate 2017 Research Online and blended learning

Extended Abstract

This panel focuses on instructional design (ID) in K-12 online learning and is comprised of ID experts in the field of K-12 online learning. The first two panelists are Dr. Anissa Vega (Kennesaw State University) and Kimberly Bondeson (Gwinnett Online Campus). The title of their project is “Designing Project-Based Online Learning for the K-12 Learner.” While many student-centered instructional strategies in the face-to-face classroom continue to be tested and validated, few have attempted to translate these instructional strategies for the K-12 online learner. In this design and development study, a K-12 educator and a researcher collaboratively sought to develop a model of ID to translate the student-centered strategy of project-based learning for the K-12 online context. The resulting Project-Based Online Learning (PBOL) model has two parts, and scaffolds the K-12 online teacher role to include the role of online instructional designer.

The second panelist is Krista Tomaselli (Michigan Virtual University). The title of her project is “Using the QM K-12 Secondary Rubric Standard to Guide K-12 Online Course Development.” In the late summer of 2015, MVU began to discuss the idea of relying on Quality Matters (QM) for its course reviews for the Michigan Virtual School (MVS). Based on what MVU had already learned about the Quality Matters K-12 Secondary Rubric -- several staff members had completed the Quality Matters’ K-12 Applying the QM Secondary Rubric workshop in the previous year -- a decision was made to pilot the use of QM as a way to complete the required external course reviews. MVU’s instructional product development team (iPD) viewed the review process as an opportunity to gain additional feedback about the strengths and weaknesses of MVU’s course designs and receive feedback that could help improve both the design of individual courses as well as overall design methodology. Results of this process will be shared during the panel.

The final panelist, Dr. Mary Rice (University of New Mexico) will join Krista Tomaselli and Dr. Kathryn Kennedy in discussing Dr. Rice’s project on Michigan Virtual School courses regarding the IDs design and development process when it comes to keeping students with disabilities in mind. In conjunction with the Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute (MVLRI), outside researchers associated with the Center on Online Learning and Students with Disabilities (COLSD) were granted permission to document the course development process at Michigan Virtual University (MVU). This documentation effort was put into place as part of normal operations to support continued program improvement. The aim of this research effort was to support enhanced learning outcomes for all students, including but not limited to students with disabilities, through learning about the ways in which courses are designed with diverse learners in mind. As part of this work, MVU staff, particularly those involved directly in course design, shares documents related to several newly created courses as well as several that were in the revision process.