1. REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL LAB ~ APPALACHIA
The Effects of Kentucky Virtual High School’s Hybrid Course in Algebra I on
Teaching Practices, Classroom Quality,
and Adolescent Learning
On-Line Collaboration
March 2008 Series
Challenges to Teaching Hybrid Algebra I

2. GOALS FOR ON-LINE COLLABORATION
On-line Collaboration using Horizon Wimba:
Share teaching strategies/resources,
Discuss planning instruction,
Analyze student work,
Share formative and summative assessment instruments/strategies that move learning forward,
Provide instructional structures where “feedback is focused on how students can improve related to learning goals,”
Others as defined by teachers and as need to address issues in the field – including new learning that promotes student achievement.
Set up purpose for the hour, emphasize the importance of sharing and addressing the disconnect students seem to have between the lab time and classroom time.

3. NUTS & BOLTS Technology Issues Update regarding changes to the Lessons
See Spot Light on Algebra – Course Documents, Teacher’s Instructor Guide
Control Panel Hints
February Results
Bring up issue that several teachers expressed surprise that I was coming. Again just to remind you, We asked for input, sent out a schedule, and we reminded everyone during the conversations last month. Focus on the findings from our observations: need for connection between thte two environments,
Also, as a reminder we would like a copy of your lesson plan for the day we are coming. It helps us to identify what standards are being addressed that day.

4. SHARING STRATEGIES, PROCESSES, & STRUCTURES
Mathematical Literacy Strategies
- Vocabulary Development
- Writing to Learn
- Reading to Learn
- Academic Dialogue
- Technology
- Manipulatives
- Modeling

5. SHARING STRATEGIES, PROCESSES, & STRUCTURES (continued)
Formative or Summative Assessments Created and Used
Instructional Issues or Barriers You Are Facing or Encountering
Shared Experiences and/or Suggestions from Colleagues (Community of Learners)
Processes, Structures, and/or Lessons that Promote Student Achievement
Others

6. REQUESTED TOPICS Storing key concepts in long-term memory.
Keeping students focused during the KVHS Lesson.
Gauging student learning progress and determining next steps what is the best time for the formal assessment.
Interacting with students during the KVHS Lesson in order to draw attention to key concepts.
Recognizing key components to graphing linear equations – especially slope-intercept of a line.

7. From: What is "Brain-Based Learning"? by Lisa Chipongian
“Hart pushes this analogy even further in order to drive home his primary point: if classrooms are to be places of learning, then "the organ of learning," the brain, must be understood and accommodated.”
Leslie Hart is the author of Human Brain and Human Learning (1983)

8. From: Brain Research and Effective Teaching by David Ruenzel
“… that the single most effective strategy is to have students compare, contrast, classify, and make analogies and metaphors.”
“This was followed by eight other effective teaching strategies, including:
having kids summarize and take notes on what they're learning,
reinforcing effort and giving appropriate praise,
assigning homework that encourages practice, and
having students use non-linguistic representations- e.g., using a symbol or diagram to represent something they're learning.”

9. Summarizing and Note-taking
Requires that students distill information into a concise, synthesized form and focus on important points.
Research emphasizes the importance of breaking down the process of summarizing into a structure that can be easily understood by students.
Students should be encouraged to revisit and revise their notes after initial recording them.
They should use different formats and make notes as complete as possible.
Verbatim note taking is the least effective note-taking technique

10. Classroom Instruction That Works
Category
Ave. ES
% Gain
Identifying similarities and differences
1.61 45
Summarizing and note taking
1.00 34
Reinforcing effort and providing recognition
.80 29
Homework and practice
.77 28
Nonlinguistic representations
.75 27
Cooperative learning
.73
Setting objectives and providing feedback
.61 23
Generating and testing hypotheses
Questions, cues and organizers
.59 22

11. STORING KEY CONCEPTS IN LONG-TERM MEMORY
Making connections (Use of NAGS, Three way tie….)
Note-tracking and having them look back at notes and how learning is tracked.
Working in groups for constructing knowledge and practicing skills.
Attending to brain research strategies.

12. From: Will the Real Brain-Based Learning Please Stand Up
From: Will the Real Brain-Based Learning Please Stand Up? by Jerry Gabriel
“You can look at what kinds of experiences change the anatomy of the brain in studies,” he says. “If the animal is in control of the experience, then there is a much more powerful effect on brain structure than if the animal has no control and the experience just sort of happened to the animal. So there are connections like that you can draw by funneling things through the behavioral science.”

13. Keeping students focused during the KVHS Lesson
Set expectations about interacting with the guided notes for the discussion
Model your expectations for students, “While listening to the lesson, I wondered…”
Use text-coding strategy and focus post lesson discussions around codes
Make your expectations clear and hold yourself accountable for enforcing them
Chunk the lesson
Create an alternative assignment

14. ASSESSING STUDENTS FOR GAUGING LEARNING AND DETERMINING NEXT STEPS
Use of accountable talk (L. Resnick) through:
- Press for clarification and explanation.
- Require justification of proposals and challenges.
- Recognize and challenge misconceptions.
- Demand evidence for claims and arguments.
- Interpret and use each other's statements.
Attend to any written account of student understanding

15. INTERACTING WITH STUDENTS DURING THE KVHS LESSON IN ORDER TO DRAW
INTERACTING WITH STUDENTS DURING THE KVHS LESSON IN ORDER TO DRAW ATTENTION TO KEY CONCEPTS
Plan an applet that reinforces the concept being studied
Ask specific questions that they may be able to answer as a result of this lesson
Have a set of questions that students answer in small groups
Allow students to post/respond to questions on a wiki or blog that furthers their experience in the virtual environment

16. RECOGNIZING KEY COMPONENTS TO GRAPHING LINEAR EQUATIONS – ESP SLOPE-INTERCEPT OF A LINE
Three way tie method each time you are discussing or modeling linear functions
Use of Number/Table, Algebraic Symbols/Equation, Graphic Model, Sentence or Oral Description of what story the Models are telling

17. REMINDERS Office Hours: Monday from 9-10 AM & Tuesdays 1 -2.
March On-Line Series ( 13TH Thr, 17TH Mon.,18TH Tue,19TH Wed )
April On-Line Series ( 1ST Tues, 2ND Wed, & 3RD Thurs) – three sessions
Help Line:
- Bb:
- KDE, Paula White: (#4512)
- KDE, Kari Welch: (#4546),
- KDE, Grace Yeh: (#4537)
- Identify yourself as HYBRID ALGEBRA I TEACHER
NCTM Conference:
- April 9-12, 2008 ,Salt Lake, Utah -
KCTM Technology Conference: April 19
POLYGON