Ucompass Educator, the online course management system used by the virtual school I'm observing, has a variety of interesting tools teachers can use to meet the needs of special learners. I spent an hour this evening exploring the Help Center, a page on the virtual school website that explains the features of the system, focusing on the management and communication tools that a teacher could use to support struggling learners and enrich the learning experiences of advanced learners. I'll describe those that are not features I've found on Moodle, the course management system I use in my face-to-face classroom, though I may not have discovered them yet.
In April, 2006, Educator added a feature that allows users to record audio or video, and create a podcast of those files. No special equipment is needed other than ordinary sound input and a web cam. The directions are clear, making the process a snap even for new users. This feature could be used by virtual school teachers to help struggling readers by providing oral interpretations of text or directions. Students with writing disabilities could create podcasts as assessment options. Gifted students can view supplementary, enriching podcasts related to traditional topics. They can also create podcasts as enrichment projects.
Educator study aids help students review vocabulary through the creation of a glossary, quizzes, and games. Matching games and hangman are fun ways for all students to review material. Struggling learners are able to uses these tools, over and over if necessary, to prepare for real tests. Gifted learners can explore higher level concepts with these tools too.
Teachers have access to a wide variety of tools to evaluate learners. This allows them to find a way to evaluate learners in ways that access strengths. Quizzes, multiple format exams, worksheets, surveys, practice tests, and rubrics are available to teachers to customize tests and reviews.
Most of all, however, the communication tools on Educator are the keys to differentiation. Educator's email, instant messaging, teacher-led and student-led grouping options, chatrooms, discussion boards, and whiteboard features give virtual teachers a variety of tools in their toolbox to meet special needs.
This course management system seems easy to use and flexible enough to allow teachers to meet the special needs of many special learners.
3 comments:
Jeanne,
Thank you for sharing information about the UCompass Educator management system. I have not looked at the added features. You mention the ability to record audio and video. Do you know of any teachers who are actually using this feature to help struggling readers? Are there any teachers using it at all? I'm really looking for teachers who are using the discussion boards. Have you seen much of that? If so, would you mind messaging me in Moodle or responding on my blog?
Thanks so much,
Wendy
Jeanne-
I think one of the keys to the success of virtual learning is definitely the digital tools like Educator that teachers have for their use. In many ways it is only limited by their imagination and I am always amazed at how different people find new uses for this kind of technology that weren’t immediately apparent. One thing I keep coming back to, and that fascinates me, is how manageable these tools are. I just think about traditional school teachers and their filing cabinets and bins, and stacks of folders and papers, it is extremely inefficient by comparison. I mean, how many teachers have had that moment where they are searching for that “great resource” they had used a year or two ago and have to go to their filing cabinet and look for it? Further, I think as far as managing and organizing student work, it is far easier with tools like Educator than it is to do with hard copies. And, as you note, offering differentiation also would seem less tedious and potentially more effective.
- Justin
I noticed a video option in the voice discussion board, but I didn't investigate it yet (at the time I was watching the teacher explain about the voice message boards in Illuminate). At least I think that is where I saw the video recording option. I wonder if students use it.
Where is that feature located in the course you are following? Just wondering...
Thanks for investigating more about Educator. I haven't explored the creation of glossaries, quizzes, games, etc. Those are some useful features--and certainly in my content area of Spanish for the unavoidable necessity of drilling exercises from time to time.
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