For my online course in Schoology, I am using the Texas Pre-K State Guidelines. It works out that there are 5 units required for this class, and there are 5 standards in the technology domain. They are basic rules, and the students will be able to complete them with the help of their parents. The parents will need to read the instructions for their child and help them send in the assessment portion. Parents are allowed to help guide their child, but it says in the instructions they are not to complete the assignment for their child.
Everything in the course is minimal because the students are four years old, and they are just now being introduced to academic technology. In Pre-K we keep everything basic and simple. One step directions or maybe two steps are what we provide in class, so I want to maintain simplicity for them online. I need for them to be able to understand and comprehend when their parents are reading the directions. Part of their learning process, at this age, is learning to follow instructions.
I do not really see that integrating a discussion board would be beneficial to the students. The students are four years old and do not understand the purpose of a discussion board. They wouldn’t be able to type their own responses and would need additional assistance in reading all the information that would be posted on a discussion board.
However, I did make a place for the parents to ask questions. The parents can communicate to one another there if they would like, but it is not a requirement of the course or even necessary at this time. If, at a later date I see that it is necessary, I can add a discussion board with specific posts.
For most of the students in my area and district, attending Pre-K is the first time they are away from their parents and haven’t been around other students or children except for within families.
The active learning section will be the hands-on part of the activity. Each one of the standards requires the students to do some type of hands-on activity, like explore an app, try the tools, or use correct hand motions. The parents can take pictures or video of their actions which will be the assessment component. I will be checking if the students attempted the assignments rather than trying to give them a grade. We do not administer grades in pre-k. Grading is based on what skills the students have developed, or if they are still developing.
I developed the course material based on the conclusion that the parents already know how to use the Schoology website. I did not want to add “how to use Schoology” as part of the course, because parents might get too confused with the lessons of the Pre-K students.
I will offer information, links to help videos, or PDF handouts by using the Bloomz app for parent communication, if they are needed by the parents, or they ask for more information. Most of the parents (in the past) have been able to use the technology we need for their students to do assignments at home activities. They are young parents that seem to be up-to-date with things and are able to with new apps or sites when given the links.
I appreciate the copyright standard. It is important to remember that we must document everything. I know that is a challenge sometimes, but it has to be done to protect all involved. Also, number standard 31 is important to me. Some of my students are ESL students. They need that hands on part/manipulation of the learning so that they can actually do the particular skill in real-life. They need to practice internalizing the skills which assists them comprehending what they are doing.
The video, “Scaffolding for Student Success”, really applies to my situation. I taught Kindergarten for 6 years, and I am now in Pre-K for the second year. I understand the thought process of the little ones and can relate to what they need. I know they are entering school with very little background knowledge, so I am the one helping them building that foundation and preparing them for entry into Kindergarten.
The video says it perfectly, “The construction of learning is built from the ground up.” (Alberta Education, 2015). This is what happens in Pre-Kindergarten, the foundation. This is what I envision for my online course, building a strong technology foundation.
REFERENCES
Alberta Education. (2015, January 30). Scaffolding for Student Success [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTR_snb-0nQ&feature=youtu.be
OSCQR. The Open SUNY Course Quality Review. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://oscqr.org/
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