Learn how to use Canvas to create easily digestible PD pieces to address immediate needs that can be completed during conference periods or breaks. Find out how to organize courses to host multiple PD pieces using module hierarchy for easy educator access, as well as how to create communities around PD content areas that foster communication and PD requests.
Presenter: Nicole Dragisic - Region 18 Education Service Center
Location Map & Room: ESCALA A |
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Ahhh, professional development (PD) online, and the many schools of thought with which it is associated.
Adding to that joy, most elearning research is focused on either compulsory-only or non-compulsory only learning environments.
How does one develop a high value PD environment where both compulsory and non-compulsory courses happily co-exist?
How does one format those courses to get education professionals to find the content presented both accessible and usable?
Don't worry, we spent years trialing various failing recipes before we created a homemade winner.
Soon I will share that recipe with you. :smileygrin:
Feel free to share your favorite online PD "wins" or "fails" stories to get the conversation started.
Ahhh, yes. Yearly required trainings. Where most feel lucky to have a session with a quiz because it is more exciting than clicking through the materials. If the instructor is really creative you may even get a crossword puzzle on Bloodborne Pathogens. What fun! 
When I started in elearning I was handed a stack of books (all published recently) that advocated Scorm based courses, gamification, webinars with built-in chat, and the like. The human element always seemed to be missing. Neither the instructor nor the participant was heavily considered beyond trying to design courses to include some kinesthetic low mental rigor engagement points to keep people awake.
While all of these the books were on the right track and all of those suggestions can make great adds to a thoughtfully constructed course, when the course is is not thoughtfully constructed we began to see some really shocking trends. Cheating, walking away during "play through", low concept retention, even lower return rate, and the most mind boggling part: participants were somewhat dishonest on surveys about the courses. You could get different responses by sitting down with participants in a casual setting.
I hope my short session provides you with some resources to energize your PD.
The entire online world is so interesting people are usually feel this way about it:
However, learning online usually has us feeling like this:
At least laptops are nice and warm. Maybe our participants will have dreams of the beach as they sleep on the laptop while in course.
Once we overcame the daunting task of transforming our knowledge into elearning (see image to the left) we wanted to develop ways to measure our success.
Over time our measure of success has evolved. First we celebrated just getting a course built, then course enrollment, then completion rate, and now we are celebrating return rate.
How do you measure your success in online professional development delivery?
I am getting a wee bit excited about Instructurecon, cannot wait to see you all there.
