Online Learning Modules Melisha McCoskey Walden University Dr. Jacqueline Derby New and Emerging Technologies EDUC 6715 November 11, 2011

What What is an online learning module? Online learning modules may be used to fill gaps in student learning for individual students, used as differentiated learning in the classroom, course recovery, advanced elective courses, projects and more. This is a new idea and might be implemented into achievable parts (Laureate Education, Inc.,2009a) in order to give students a connection to technology as well as delivering the necessary content (Meech, 2009).

Why Why use a learning module? How many times have we, as teachers, realized that a student is missing a key element in learning? Maybe they do not understand fractions, nouns, the water cycle or the Civil War. An online learning module can fill in the gaps (Pajares 2002). Maybe a student is advanced and needs to be challenged, but has exceeded our learning offerings. Perhaps a student failed a class and needs to recover that knowledge before moving to the next course. Scheduling conflicts could be alleviated by an online learning module. A class might continue to study on snow days or when an individual student is ill, or when a teacher is absent.

When When would the modules be used? Online learning modules can be completed any time. They could be administered at school in your classroom, in a course recovery classroom or in the library. Modules can be accessible from home as homework. Lessons could be completed over the summer in summer school or at home. You might even use them as a pretest for the course and a post test to check learning. They might only be used for a class project or something similar.

Who Who would create these modules? Teachers can be the leaders who create these modules for students to complete. It could be as simple as one module on fractions for students to work on half days, substitute days, etc. (Laureate Education, Inc.2009b). It might also be as detailed as an entire class developed for online work. Students might be assigned to create a module for a class project. Then, teachers could use that module to help other students learn the content.

Where Where would we create these modules? There are many places from which we can choose to develop online learning. Moodle offers free access and tools for teachers and students, as does Rcampus. Google has some tools through which an online learning module could be developed. Our current A+ program has the capability of adding our own modules, but it is not accessible outside our building. This might help keep it secure, but does not allow for at home learning.

Moodle and Rcampus offer online learning with branched tests, this means you can create a test or learning module that takes them to different pages based on correct or incorrect answers. So, a student who answers correctly may move on to the next lesson. But, a student who answers incorrectly can be taken to a review page. Also, these tests and lessons can be graded by the program and grades automatically entered. Rubrics, lessons, tests, etc. are shared on these sites, so you may be able to simply use lessons that are already created.

To locate Moodle ( or Rcampus ( simply type them into your search engine. Click on them and create a free account. You will be asked some simple information such as your name and . You simply create an account and begin learning to use it. Take some time to explore. Be sure to look at lessons, rubrics, etc. that have already been created and shared.

Rcampus Home Page

Moodle Home Page

How How could we implement something such as this? First, using it for differentiated instruction could begin right away. This could occur in the classroom or at home with a module on something that some students may be missing, such as fractions. For more extensive types of learning, administrator approval would be necessary. Teachers would need to explore the sites and create the modules. This may seem time consuming, but if the modules were created over a year’s time, as lesson plans were created or plans that are already saved in the computer were uploaded, it could be simple and easy.

Sharing Please share your thoughts, concerns and ideas. Could teachers work together to create a few modules. For example, one math teacher might create a module on fractions to share with everyone else. Another math teacher might create a module on integers to share. Maybe we could focus on the areas in which we have concerns based on MAP or EOC results and create modules for the students specific to those areas to increase our scores. What other ideas and concerns do you see with this type of learning? Also, do not forget that Google has many tools that could also be used to create online learning, auto grading and eportfolios, chat, etc.

Resources Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009a). Program Five. Change [Webcast]. New and emerging technologies. Baltimore, MD: Author. Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009b). Program Four. Introduction to Teacher Leadership. [Webcast]. New and emerging technologies. Baltimore, MD: Author. Meech, S. (2009). Are there educational lessons that require the use of technology because they can’t be replicated without it? Retrieved from Pajares (2002). Overview of social cognitive theory and of self- efficacy. Retreived month day, year, from