Online Classes: The Good and the Bad

Meredith College has done a great job of keeping up with the times and is gradually shedding that traditional 'old school' feel. It has had the opportunity to be a trendsetter in a few areas, but it never lags far behind when it comes to staying up-to-date. Online classes are quite a common place for many people and in many areas. I think it is definitely a natural option for Meredith to offer and I am proud that we are able to keep with and maintain such a structure.

There are several advantages and disadvantages to online courses.

ADVANTAGES:

1. It's convenient. You are given units and due dates for these units, but for the most part you decide when and where you complete the coursework. You don't have to travel to class and can save money on gas and travel time.
2. You learn about new online resources. I've been forced to step outside my comfort zone and try different Internet resources such as digital locker, Google docs, virtual classroom, Skype - just to name a few. It is a 21st century skill that we all should learn this day in age.

DISADVANTAGES:

1. Making a connection to the course is challenging. Assignments in online courses are just that, assignments. I've noticed that I don't internalize what I've read unless I have a chance to discuss it in person. Call me old fashioned, but it's hard for me to connect to a course if I don't know who's in it. It also helps me to get a 'feel' for teacher by meeting in person.

2. Out of sight, out of mind. The classes that I have on campus take a bit more priority than those that are online because I will never show up to class unprepared. Online classes are just as important, however, it is easy for to forget an assignment for my online courses. You would definitely have to enhance your time management skills to be successful :)

3. The text can become your teacher. You have to be willing to do a quite a bit of 'self teaching.' Meredith professors are easy to contact, so you can always email with questions or set up an appointment. But I've realized that I will often make my best guess about what to do because making an appointment isn't always convenient and/or I can't convey my question correctly in an email. If I know that have class with that teacher next week, I can mark in the text where the question is and will remember to ask during that time. I've recognized that I am more likely to ask questions in person.

4. Online collaboration is challenging because schedules are so different. If you have to meet in person, there is an understanding that you will need to be ready by a set time and day. Online collaboration makes it a bit of a challenge because days and times that are more convenient for one person may not be convenient for next. Plus, you want to make sure that everyone has an equal investment in the project, but that's hard to do online as well; someone has to take the initiative to start a working draft, but there maybe several 'drafts' behind the scenes. Also, there is a possibility that someone does little to no work at all.

Yes, there seems that I've discovered more cons that pros to fully online classes, so it may seem obvious that online classes don't work as well for me. I enjoy the traditional 'brick and mortar,' the in-person interaction with fellow students and my professor, and even just being in a classroom (maybe that's why I'm a teacher:) But, there is a compromise. I have felt great success with hybrid courses. It's like having the best of both worlds. I've taken two hybrid courses and have enjoyed and done well with them. You will have scheduled in-person meetings with your teacher (class sessions) but you will also have those weeks that are more flexible and do some self-pacing for a smaller chunk of time (as opposed to a fully online course). I do a much better job of planning ahead and it feeds my need to interact with my peers.

I think that freshmen and sophomores should be allowed to do hybrid courses, but not online courses. This gives them the opportunity to get the hang of being in college and the rigor of the courses. A hybrid will allow them to get a taste of what it's like to take course online without feeling completely left on her/his own. By junior year, a student has a better idea about what instructional formats work best and is able to make a decision about whether or not to try a fully online course. I think gen. ed. courses should be offered in all formats.

Honestly, I wonder how a professor feels about online courses? I can't imagine the amount of screen time that is spent grading assignments, blogs, discussion boards, emails - it makes my eyes hurt just thinking about it! As a teacher, I think I would also have a hard time getting to know my students which makes the courses less personable, but that could be because I'm used to being very 'hands on' at the elementary level :) I've never had to teach a course that way, and I imagine that it takes someone who is very tech savvy to manage a course online by providing assignments, instruction, and feedback online as well as the ability to find resources via the Internet.

Classroom Practices Reflection: I'm my toughest critic.

When reflecting about my professional practice, it is always easy for me to think about what isn't working and how it can be improved. Like most educators, I want to be sure that I am doing the best that I can to teach the students that I work with. With so many requirements, standards, and pressures that are frequently put on the shoulders of educators, it is easy to feel frustrated, ineffective, and hopeless because there is always something that can be improved. I am my toughest critic.

When I first completed this inventory, I was dreading my 'results' because I thought it would bring to light areas in which I was 'falling short.' I consider myself one that welcomes and accepts constructive feedback. Teaching is one of the few professions where you are constantly changing, learning, and growing, and it truly encompasses the idea of being a 'lifelong learner.' That's what makes teaching exciting, authentic, and organic. But I've also realized that constructive feedback can be hard to accept when it seems that all of the feedback that you get is 'constructive.' There comes a point where the feedback goes from being constructive and becomes destructive and there is a very fine line between the two.

After completing this inventory, I've noticed that I often overlook the good things that are happening in my classroom ... and there are good things happening: I base my teaching on the needs of my students, emphasize critical and creative thinking in all subject areas, provide several instructional formats, provide students opportunities to choose activities whenever possible, and offer enrichment and remediation as needed. My students enjoy coming to school and feel safe in their classroom and I feel that I've created an environment that is nurturing, open, and respectful for them (I got this information from a few of their surveys). My classroom is fairly differentiated and offers the students an opportunity to take ownership and demands that they become active in their learning.

But, there is always room for growth. I would like to become more familiar (and comfortable) with compacting and accelerating content. I've realized it is sometimes hard for me to figure out what is essential and what isn't in some subjects. I also would like use pre-assessments more often than I currently do and offer more ways for students to demonstrate their learning.

Upon further reflection, I think that I will need to make more of an effort to reflect on the good and the 'bad.' I will give myself permission to make deposits in my 'teaching bank' before I can make any withdrawals. It will leave me in a positive and motivated mood as opposed to feeling negative and depleted.

FAQ about Gifted Education

A reporter for “The Smith Scholarly” created a frequently asked questions' post in response to several questions that were received regarding gifted education.

'What is your current process for identifying gifted and talented students at your school?

Our current process includes two standardized tests, the Cogntive Abilities Test or CogAT, and the Iowa Test of Basic Skills or ITBS. Third grade students are given the CogAT in late winter/early spring and based on these results, students scoring in the top percentile are then administered the ITBS. In addition to these assessments, a teacher observation checklist and parental feedback is also part of identifying gifted and talented students. Only fourth and fifth grade students may be identified to receive gifted and talented services, however, third grade students may be a part of the Explorers group based on teacher recommendation and classroom performance but are not technically identified as 'gifted'.

What areas do the standardized tests, checklists, and recommendations measure?

The CogAT measures students' abilities in reasoning and problem solving using verbal, quantitative, and spatial symbols. The ITBS assesses students ability to think critically in the areas of reading, language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. The ITBS is intended to be more comprehensive than the CogAT. The teacher checklist is more like a rating scale in that there are a list of factors such as motivation, independence, work habits, as well as academics and the teacher must rate the high-performing students on a scale to determine the level of enrichment that would best meet his/her needs. This is also used to determine the delivery method – whether the student's academic needs are best met through differentiated instruction in the regular classroom or if the student needs to be pulled out of the classroom to work with the AG teacher. This documentation is then presented to the school-based committee (SBC) for review and the students receive services starting the first semester of fourth grade. Once identified, students are re-evaluated and new students are evaluated for eligibility at the end of each year.

Do you think it would be potentially discriminatory to use a list of characteristics to identify the gifted and talented students in a large school district?

Yes, I do. The standardized tests and lists of characteristics are based on what researchers in the field have identified to be the most common traits of gifted students such as advanced verbal ability, advanced processing and problem solving skills, and learning information faster than their agemates, among many others (10). A larger population of students means that there will be a larger spectrum of diversity and 'each of these characteristics may be manifested in different ways by students from different cultural groups and educators must be especially careful in attempting to identify these characteristics in students from diverse backgrounds' (10). Students from various backgrounds may express a variety of attributes of giftedness but it may not be recognized by a teacher because the student does not fit a given profile. Giftedness is multifaceted and can not always be measured by cognitive ability. Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences and Renzulli's three-ring definition allow for a more encompassing definition of what gifted and talented is. Standardized tests and checklists may not accurately measure creativity and may not account for students that demonstrate low academic performance and/or have learning disabilities (24, 28). This could cause students to be misidentified or not identified at all.

How would you improve the process?

I think the process should include some form of assessment that can measure non-academic ability. The Evaluation of Potential Creativity or EPoC is a standardized test that measures creativity. For many students, especially those from diverse backgrounds, the use of a standardized test may not be valid and other methods must be identified and implemented to measure non-academic giftedness and talent. Teachers are able to compile a portfolio of student work samples that they believe demonstrate high ability but, again, this is solely academic. In addition, a broader list of characteristics should also include examples of how culturally diverse students might demonstrate their giftedness (19). This way, we can value the gifts and talents of students that go to school in our diverse community.

In addition, many teachers of gifted students are also expected to differentiate their instruction. This means that they modify the content, process, or product of instruction. Adapting these areas help to ensure that the academic needs of gifted and talented students are being met. Through this differentiation, teachers can provide opportunities for students to demonstrate their understanding through multiple intelligences and catering to their strengths.

Differentiation is quite a buzz word among educators, however, it seems that there may be some discrepancy about how to effectively provide differentiation. What factors need to be considered by curriculum designers to construct a differentiated curriculum for gifted students?

There are quite a few factors that need to be considered. These factors include, but are not limited to the following:

• Student population. Students bring a range of talents, gifts, values, and cultural background that affect the content and method of instruction.

• Interests of students. Educators want to ensure that students are engaged in their learning, so considering the interests of the students will enable them to be active participants in their learning.

• Strengths and weaknesses of students. The abilities of the students determines what areas need to be improved and which areas require further enrichment.

• Assessment tools. Tools used to measure performance must be correctly matched in order to ensure that the results are valid and reliable. They should match the students' interests and/or optimal method of performance.

• Purpose and Goals. A clear goal and purpose is needed to serve as the guiding force of the construction and implementation of instruction.

  One factor that is often overlooked are the socio-emotional needs of gifted students. Researchers had once thought that the focus of school needed to be on academic instruction, and that by meeting students' instructional needs that their affective needs would be met as well. That is not the case. The primary needs of all students must be met so that their attention can be focused on learning. Furthermore, gifted students experience the same emotions as their agemates but they may do so at an earlier or faster rate (417). Their unique characteristics, such as a highly developed sense of humor, perfectionism, and high expectations of self and others, may prevent them from 'fitting in' with their peers which may make it difficult to make friends. Research has shown that there is a connection between cognitive and affective functioning so socio-emotional components must be included as a part of any program (418).

One way to include affective components into instruction is by including open-ended discussion that requires honest and respectful discourse, including art into content as a form of expression, and providing opportunities for real-world application and reflection (420-421).