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Three Quick Tips: Neurodiversity in the Online Classroom

The first week of school is an exciting and chaotic time for teachers. The thought of adding, yet another task to the plate can be overwhelming. Here are three quick and easy ways to make the online classroom more welcoming for neurodiverse learners:

  1. Consistency: Create a format and stick with it throughout the online course. As a bonus, this makes it easier for teachers to stay organized throughout the semester.
  2. Clarity: Imagine a room full of students in front of you. What questions would they ask about an assignment? Answer those questions in your instructions online. It will save you several emails too!
  3. Create Options: Build in variety and student choice in your assignments. By doing so, you allow students to leverage their strengths and show you what they know!
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Sensory-Friendly Activities Near Milwaukee County

Franklin Public Library: This library is great for young kids with sensory needs. The Children’s library has a giant tree playhouse that provides quiet places to read and calming toys like Legos and puzzles. The set up gives parents peace of mind since it is a controlled environment that allows kids to play freely. In addition to sensory-play classes, the library is home to fantastic and welcoming librarians!

Kayla’s Playground: By far, one of the best aspects of this playground is the fence that surrounds the entire play area. With only one central entrance and exit, parents can allow kids to run freely. The playset also offers creative play equipment that allows for children of all abilities to join in the fun.

Milwaukee County Zoo: With a little planning, the Milwaukee County Zoo is an excellent place to spend the day! I’d recommend going to the zoo early in the morning during the week to beat the crowds. Start your day off in the Family Farm to play on the playset before it becomes crowded. Next, head to the African exhibits to visit the underwater viewing area for the hippo and to see the giraffes and the elephants. If you need a break during the day, the giraffe building is a quiet place to have snack, use the restroom and rest your feet. The zoo also offers accommodations such as lactation stations and sensory bags.

We Rock the Spectrum: Located in Oak Creek, this is a great option for the winter. The indoor kids’ gym contains activities such as a zip line, a trampoline, swings and a sensory room. Book your tickets online before you go to save time!

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A Lesson from a Pandemic: Flexibility

During the pandemic, flexibility became a key component of education. Due to unpredictable circumstances and factors beyond the learners’ control, courses were built so that students could still succeed even when daily life challenges emerged. Even after the pandemic, flexibility will remain important, especially, for adult learners. When juggling family, career and finances among other responsibilities, adult learners find support in increased flexibility.

Three ways to incorporate flexibility into course design:

Due Dates: Quality work is more important than work that is submitted by a certain date. Provide guidelines for submission to help students stay on track, but allow students the flexibility to adjust dates to meet their individual schedules.

Assignment Choice: Provide students with options for assignments. Allow students to choose between options so that they can complete work that is matched to their available resources and learning styles. By listing two or three assignment options, instructors can rest assured that students will be completing work that demonstrates mastery while still providing students with flexibility.

Group vs. Individual Assignments: Allow students the freedom to choose if they will complete assignments in groups. Especially for students with outside responsibilities, group assignments can add an extra layer of challenge due to the need to coordinate schedules.

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Teaching Students how to Write Thesis Statements

A thesis statement is responsible for the direction and organization of any piece of writing. Without a thesis statement, a reader doesn’t have a road map to follow while reading. Teach students how to write thesis statements by using the following steps: Define, Summarize, Test.

Define: Start by having students define the goal or purpose of their writing. By being able to identify what they hope their reader will learn or how their reader will respond, it becomes easier for students to narrow down their ideas to create a functional thesis statement. Use questions such as the ones listed below to help students through this step:

  • What will your reader learn?
  • What action do you hope for your reader to take?
  • What should your reader be able to do after reading your writing?
  • How should your reader respond?

Summarize: A thesis statement is a one-sentence summary of your writing. If the thesis statement was separated from the rest of the paper and given to a reader who did not have prior knowledge of the paper, the reader should be able to accurately, state the main idea and purpose of the writing.

Test: Have your students give their thesis statement to a reader to see if the thesis statement provide enough detail and accurate information that gives the reader a firm understanding of the main idea and purpose. Based on the reader’s response, instruct students to revise their thesis statements by using the feedback that they received.

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Backwards Planning is like Planning a Road Trip

In curriculum design, backwards planning starts by determining what skills and concepts students need to master and how learners will demonstrate mastery. In many ways, backwards planning is the same process as planning a road trip.

When planning a road trip, the first step is to plan the final destination. Will you visit a beach, a theme park, a cruise or a large city? Similarly, start by planning your learning destination. Will your students be able to analyze a text for use of rhetorical devices? Will your students be able to how to find a mead, mode and median?

The next step in planning road trip is planning the route. Will you fly, drive, or take a train? On which airline will you fly? Where will you stop overnight if you drive? As you plan your learning route, determine what exercises and lessons students need to arrive at the ability to master the final learning destination. Do students need to see examples of rhetorical devices before reading the text? Do students need to first practice using the definitions of mead, mode and median?

If backwards planning feels like an overwhelming process, break it down the same way you would when planning a road trip. First determine your ultimate destination and then determine how you will arrive there.

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Writing Learning Objectives: Measurable Outcomes

Learning objectives are the road map to help instructors and educators engage in learning experiences that result in mastery of content. Writing learning objectives can be challenging and feel overwhelming at times. However, by utilizing quantifiable verbs, it is possible to increase the effectiveness of learning objectives and turn objectives into a powerful learning tool.

What is an effective learning objective?

An effective learning objective states a measurable outcome that a learner should be able to achieve as a result of the learning experience.

How is an objective measurable?

Start by utilizing verbs that can be quantified, seen, demonstrated or proven. Verbs such as summarize, analyze, create, or evaluate indicate learning outcomes that have a tangible demonstration of learning. It is evident if a student is able to analyze a text or summarize an article.

Verbs such as feel, believe, or appreciate are harder to objectively measure It is difficult to assess what a student truly feels or believes. A student may write a paper on how they feel about a text, but the paper is a tangible demonstration of an intangible outcome.

Examples of quantifiable and measurable learning outcomes:
Analyze the article to determine the credibility of the author’s arguments. .

Create a short story that utilizes first person point of view.

Explain the process for calculating the mean, mode and median.

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Categories of Online Education

Online education uses a variety of terms to describe the parts of an online course and the operations of online learning. Below are common terms used:

Virtual Course: When a course is considered to be “virtual”, often the courses are taught synchronously via Zoom or another video conferencing tool.

Blended: Courses that are blended are taught partly face-to-face or synchronously and partly asynchronously by using a learning management system.

Asynchronous Online: Courses that are asynchronous online, students complete work on their own time while following a schedule. The course work and materials are presented by using a learning management system.

Learning Management System: Programs such as Blackboard or Canvas, are designed as a place to create online courses. Students and instructors access all the course materials, submit assignment, communicate with classmates and record grades.

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Instructional Design, Defined

Instructional Designers:

Innovate by identifying challenges in higher education, teaching and student learning and by responding to the challenges with solutions that help instructors utilize best practices and help students master learning objectives.

Educate by providing instructors and subject matter experts with a toolbox of resources and techniques that help support the student learning experience.

Evaluate by maintaining a process of continuously collecting data on mastery of learning outcomes, the student experience, instructor engagement and user analytics.

Create courses that are are visually appealing, easy to navigate, and accessible for all learners.

Celebrate all learners and all styles of learning by incorporating universal design and diverse perspectives.

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Teaching Writing Online

It is possible to teach writing just as effectively online as it is in a face-to-face classroom. With a little innovation, lots of feedback and instructor presence, teachers can provide students with an engaging digital writing classroom.

When I design and teach online writing courses, I build in as many opportunities for students to receive feedback as possible. Peer review is a great strategy to use to provide students with a sense of collaboration and an opportunity to submit a first draft without the pressure of writing for a grade. But, remember, peer reviewing is a skill that needs to be taught. Provide students with exemplars by posting a sample paper and examples of helpful comments that provide positive feedback that points to specific examples and explanations of why something is working well in the writing. Also be sure to include examples of comments that highlight opportunities for growth and suggestions for revisions.

In order to create a sense of collaboration and a course composed of a community of writers, be active in the course as an instructor. Post helpful tips and strategies. Give resources that speak to common themes you have seen in student writing. Respond to students in the discussion board. Writer personalized feedback and comments that show you have carefully read the student’s work.

Teaching writing online is about more than grading papers and posting assignments. Teaching writing online is a chance to create a community of writers striving to grow as readers, writers and communicators. In order to achieve that outcome, instructor presence, communication and feedback is a key component to the course.

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First Day of School: Online Classrooms

The first day of school comes with a mixture of excitement and anxiousness for both students and teachers. This year, students and teachers are facing even more uncertainty on their first day of school. For many, the first day of school will be online or at least partially online. Below is a list of techniques that teachers can use for a strong start to an online school year:

  1. Create a community of learners: Provide students with the opportunity to meet their peers. Host a Zoom meeting to provide students with the chance to interact synchronously with their classmates.
  2. . Learn students’ names: Respond to student posts in discussion boards, and be sure to start your response by using the student’s name, just as you would respond to a student by name in a face-to-face classroom.
  3. Model respect and engagement: Demonstrate for your students, as early as the first day of class, how to be respectfully engaged in an online classroom.Create guidelines for discussion boards and online interactions in order to keep the conversations respectful and productive.