Is successful online teaching determined by which technology tools you're using? Three award-winning educators, Cindy Green, Jason Wells, and Paula McDougald from Virtual Arkansas, talk about effective strategies for teaching online. Drawing from their experience before and during the pandemic, these expert educators offer recommendations for using an LMS, integrating a flipped-classroom approach, facilitating a Socratic seminar, and other high-quality instructional strategies. Ideas for using tech tools like Canva, Padlet, and Cahoot are also discussed. For more on Padlet, watch VESC's webinar, Padlet Possibilities in the "Tools and Tips" section for K-12 educators, or listen to the VESC podcast, Episode 1: Using Padlet in the Online Classroom and Beyond.
Is successful online teaching determined by which technology tools you're using? Three award-winning educators, Cindy Green, Jason Wells, and Paula McDougald from Virtual Arkansas, talk about effective strategies for teaching online. Drawing from their experience before and during the pandemic, these expert educators offer recommendations for using an LMS, integrating a flipped-classroom approach, facilitating a Socratic seminar, and other high-quality instructional strategies. Ideas for using tech tools like Canva, Padlet, and Cahoot are also discussed. For more on Padlet, watch VESC's webinar, Padlet Possibilities in the "Tools and Tips" section for K-12 educators, or listen to the VESC podcast, Episode 1: Using Padlet in the Online Classroom and Beyond.
Dr. Amy Lynn 0:02
This brings you exciting and practical tips for improving your virtual teaching and virtual learning experience. Hello, everyone. Welcome to the vesc podcast. I'm Dr. Amy Lynn, the director of VESC. And I'm here today with three Teacher of the Year from virtual Arkansas, Cindy Green Teacher of the Year in 2019. Jason wells who wanted in 2020. And Paula McDougal, who also won the recognition in 2019. Congratulations to all of you. I'm really excited to be able to speak with you today. Virtual Arkansas offers supplemental online programs to Arkansas school districts. And so we'll start by just asking you each to tell us a little more about your experience. Cindy, would you go first?
Cindy Green 0:54
Sure. My name is Cindy Green, and I teach generally AP lit and ninth grade English. Those are my kind of standard two courses. And I've been doing this for 18 years. And I've only taught via distance learning I haven't been in the traditional face to face or brick and mortar. My first job was in distance learning and I've just stuck with it. Some of the areas I like to work in are making sure even through distance learning that Socratic seminar can still happen in my AP classes and discussions. And I like to integrate music into different subjects and things that we're studying. I did the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame teachers Institute. So I've kind of always done that.
Dr. Amy Lynn 1:36
Wow, that sounds exciting. I'm I'm looking forward to hearing more about that. Cindy, how you do that online? And Jason, what about you?
Jason Wells 1:43
Um, well, I have been a virtual Arkansas for seven years. I did have some prior experience working with brick and mortar schools coming to virtual Arkansas. Not a whole lot. But I have I did have some, my primary subject is AP US history, which kind of ties right along to my interest. Because I do love to travel I do you love going to historical sites. I have been a part of the mountain Vernon teacher Institute. And in 2019, I got to be part of the White House Historical Association teacher Institute. So I love doing things like that I love bringing back those experiences from out around the country back into the classroom. So that's kind of where all my interest and passion laws were traveling and reading about those things.
Dr. Amy Lynn 2:31
Sounds great. I'm eager to hear more. And Paulo, would you tell us about yourself?
Paula McDougald 2:37
Sure. So I am the the guest who is formerly known as teacher actually began my career teaching algebra in a brick and mortar junior high school, took a few years off to focus on being a wife and a mom to small kids, and then returned to teaching as an online high school math teacher, and join the virtual Arkansas staff and 2015 as a high school math teacher, after completing 12 years of online teaching, and a master's degree in instructional technology, moved into the course design specialist role in 2018. So I'm still in this role. Now, I support the management, of course design and development projects by assisting teachers and industry experts in the creation, implementation and revision of online courses. I've also served as a master reviewer on a wide variety of Quality Matters course reviews. So really, I enjoy helping others produce quality online content that functions well. And also looks fantastic.
Dr. Amy Lynn 3:37
Wow, we have a lot of experience here a lot of different experiences as well. I'm again, just so grateful that you're willing to spend this time and share your experience and knowledge. Let's start by talking about some of the lessons you've learned from all that experience. With distance learning?
Cindy Green 3:54
Really, with education, I think any teacher listening will know that change is going to happen. And in distance learning, I think change happens a little bit faster, because technology is constantly evolving. And things just get better and better with time. So if it is one of your first experiences into distance learning understand next year could look very different than your previous year, and then the next year and so on. I mean, when I started, I started on telephone conference lines and we mailed work back and forth to what to students, I would grade it, mail it back.
And needless to say, we've definitely evolved from that. So change is gonna happen and mistakes are going to happen. And I keep a notebook for every year. And ended I reflect and it's actually handwritten. I don't I don't have it online, where I want to make changes for next year or things that I see. You can always remember that from year to year. So I just keep that and reflect and see where changes can be made.
Dr. Amy Lynn 4:53
I love that idea. That's a great idea of keeping a journal and keeping record of where you want to have changes the following year. Jason, what about you?
Jason Wells 5:03
Well, I'll piggyback off Cindy there for a second because I actually keep a lesson plan book even though we don't do lesson plans. And as I go and follow the pacing guide, I'll write little notes to myself every year. So I'm glad I'm not the only one that does that same day, because I do that too. But one of the biggest lessons I've learned and again, this piggybacks off a little bit what Cindy said, but being flexible and being open to that change, and being willing to try new things.
I was always a little cautious, especially when once we started using zoom, I was a little nervous about it, and trying to incorporate that, but the more I use it, and the more willing willingness I found myself to use it, the more comfortable I got with it. And that's just something I've really learned and kind of adapt to be flexible, be willing to try and fail and make mistakes, and learn from them.
Dr. Amy Lynn 5:58
Sounds like good lessons to learn Impala.
Paula McDougald 6:02
Sure, so I think I can definitely reiterate what Cindy and Jason have both said. Just from my own personal perspective, I would say in addition to their tips, for for keeping notes for yourself, I would say definitely be organized from the beginning. If you think that you might need a folder or place to put something you should create it from the beginning and start putting things in there, it's really hard to go back and an online school year or after several online school years and, and tackle that base after the fact.
So be organized from the beginning. Ask for and accept tips and feedback from others from from others who are well experienced, and others who are brand new, even when you are well experienced because different perspectives from different people can can do nothing but but just help you to help you grow in what you're already doing or see things from a different way and maybe even teach you something new. I would also say continue to learn, learn, learn and embrace the new online learning is something that is ever evolving and is absolutely a rapidly growing situation at this point.
And so they're constantly new things for us to learn and new technologies for us to use new tools for us to learn and to teach our students and so definitely just embrace what's new, understand that not every day is going to be the best, but also very few away the worst. And so just kind of keeping that in perspective that just like being in a brick and mortar school, things don't always go the way you want them to. But sometimes you just need to regroup and you know, take a deep breath and try again the next day. And one final thing as far as being on is concerned, it's important to know it's just never press delete, delete is bad.
Dr. Amy Lynn 8:04
say a little more about that. Why never press Delete?
Paula McDougald 8:08
Well, over the years, I have used a wide variety of learning management systems, a wide variety of classroom host type scenarios similar to zoom or Skype and different things like that. And through that process, I've learned and also now in the role I'm in as a Design Specialist that sometimes when you think you're not going to use something or you think you're not going to need something and you press Delete, you're really going to regret that sometimes it can be really difficult, if not impossible to get back an assignment or a file or folder that you might have press Delete. So just be cautious about the Delete and and just be really, really sure before you press Delete on
Dr. Amy Lynn 8:55
that. So sounds like great advice. You brought up the learning management system. And I know before we had this podcast, and we met to talk a little bit about it, Jason, you've had some thoughts and insights about the learning management system.
Jason Wells 9:08
My original thoughts were just thinking about how when we think of online learning and the online classroom, one thing I have found that most people simply think it's just putting something out there in an email or Google Classroom just uploading it somewhere where the kids can go. And there's really much more to that and the design process that I know Paulo is really into with a virtual Arkansas really stems to that that structure and that organization and I think that's key.
And that's another thing sort of going back to lessons that I've learned, the better the courses are organized and structured in the learning management system, the easier it is for the students to learn and go through the course and be successful in the end and that's what we all want is online teachers or even teachers in general who are working online in our Current COVID times, but we want the students to be successful. And if you don't have that good structure and organization in using the LMS, then that's just gonna cause bigger problems down the road. And that's just one of the lessons that I've kind of learned too. In Montana, virtual Arkansas,
Dr. Amy Lynn 10:17
All great points, does anyone else want to say anything about the learning management system?
Paula McDougald 10:23
Just like he's talking about how it needs to be very organized, you kind of have to have the mindset, your LMS, or learning management system, you need to do a lot of work upfront, to make that go smoothly throughout the year. So it may take a lot of planning at first. But it will help you to be able to really help students meet their learning goals, you can help them better because it's designed very well in the LMS.
And you need to think of it if you weren't there to whether being video and give them instruction, can they go from beginning to the end of the course, with the instructions that you have in that LMS? You have to kind of think of removing yourself? Would they be able to go through there? So do you have every bit of directions? Do you have the rubrics in there, everything to support those students. So we do a lot of work prior to the school year starting? That's kind of where we are now. And that's been one of the best things, you know, get all of that at the beginning of the year setting up, you know, pacing calendars and things like that. So that, you know, all the instructions are in there for the students.
Dr. Amy Lynn 11:31
That's a great point. Do you find at all that it's a trade off between? You know, when you're on site, maybe you're spending more time, you know, after evaluating students, or is there a trade off? If you're putting in all that extra time in the beginning? What are your thoughts about that,
Paula McDougald 11:50
if you had that planning up front, then that's when I can do all the fun things in class, like adding the music, when I'm in zoom, instead of going over directions that I would have already had in the LMS, I can really be assisting students on those assignments, whether it's writing, or a discussion about a piece of literature, we can do you know, tik toks during our zoom or something engaging and fun with them, instead of just going over directions that are missed in my LMS or in my course.
Dr. Amy Lynn 12:19
I love that Sunday. That is a great point. So as we're talking about instruction, I know you've already mentioned a couple of different strategies. And I will remind you that you mentioned Socratic seminar, because I would love to hear more about how you're doing that. But what are some instructional strategies you have found to be really helpful in the online teaching and learning that you're participating in?
Jason Wells 12:41
Well, I'll jump out there. One thing that I have started doing in the last couple years, and trying to use utilize that more is the flipped classroom. I know that's become kind of very popular in the brick and mortar realm. And that's just something that I've tried to incorporate slowly. I don't do it every week, because it does get a little tiring on the student side. But I do try to incorporate it every so many weeks, just to let the students have more time on their own to work through something to prepare for our discussion come our main zoom session time later in the week.
And I found that give students like for example, if they're having to read through a document, or they want to watch a video, I send them a five minute video and they watch that prior to our discussion that gives them more time on their own to go through the document to look for the information that they need to take away, or the same thing with the video. And so they're not sitting in a 1520 minute class session with me. And they feel rushed to get through it or they feel bombarded and uncomfortable going through that with us. They already have that time three or four days out, where they have that time just to go through it on their own, ask questions that they need to and be prepared for our discussion. And that's something that's kind of worked for me and my students a little bit.
Dr. Amy Lynn 13:59
Yeah, I hear what you're saying when I was a curriculum director during when COVID first happened. That was a big part of our discussion was how do we move to a flipped classroom approach? I heard you say that it can be tiring on students, can you just share a little insight about why or what people might do to alleviate that?
Jason Wells 14:19
Well, one thing that I always try to remember is, especially in AP, you have a lot of work, and a lot of reading and a lot of writing practices. And I just tried to remember not to keep it that big of a preset to our discussion. Like I said, if I'm doing a video I don't do over five minutes or even just a short document of a couple paragraphs because one thing and I'm sure Cindy and Pollock can attest to this that, you know, there are some schools in Arkansas that don't have access to internet or some students outside of the school building. And so they're limited on that and I've tried to remember that Cuz, you know, they can be tiring on the students that they have to do all of their reading and writing everything.
And then here I am giving them this big assignment to prepare for a 20 minute discussion. And so I've just tried to remember that and kind of balance out their schedules a little bit. And another thing that I personally have done, and I don't know, any, anyone else that murtra, Arkansas does that. But I'm always willing to sit down with the students at the beginning of the week, to plan out their week and look at their schedules and say, Well, you've got this going on Wednesday, what can we do? How can we plan your assignments, and kind of teach them how to do that on the front end of things, so that it does alleviate that stress for them, because I do out of kintail. At times, I do get a little stressed by doing that, especially if I give them so much. But the biggest key is keep remembering them, their schedules, what they have to do, and where they're coming from their access, and keeping it short.
Dr. Amy Lynn 16:01
That's excellent advice. I'm taking copious notes right now. Because that advice is great. Any other thoughts about instructional strategies?
Cindy Green 16:11
Like I said, before, I've always taught the distance learning. And so from the beginning of my career, you know, I started as a new teacher, we have all I want to do all these exciting things in the cloud. And I thought, How can I do it? So from the beginning, I've had to always think of it as How can I take this instructional strategy and make it work in distance learning, so I've never let it limit me, including Socratic seminar like I mentioned before, you know, that seemed really difficult. And now, after so many years, it's kind of been perfected, I mean, I had different years where it didn't work. But you have to, don't let the fact that its distance learning limit you to think you can't do it in a zoom classroom with your students in some way, you can figure it out, it may look a little different and take some planning, more planning on the front end, but you can get there. So I would just say never let it limit you.
Dr. Amy Lynn 17:01
That sounds that sounds very hopeful, what might be a tip that you would give someone who, in addition to Don't let online limit you. But if I wanted to do a Socratic seminar, I wanted to facilitate that, or is there any tips or things that you would say, oh, be careful of this or watch out for that.
Cindy Green 17:21
Um, so the way that I did mine in the pandemic kind of changed it as well. Prior to the pandemic, the way I would do it in zoom was, well, Socratic seminar, one of the ways you can do it is inner circle, an outer circle. So the inner circle is talking the outer circle, maybe having their own like back channel discussion. So the way I did that in zoom, if I had 20 kids, I would put six kids in the inner circle, so their cameras are on, and they know that their inner circle, and so I'd always pre prep questions for them, so they know what to expect. And one of them might choose to start, the outer circle would have their cameras off. And they will be discussing with the inner circle is discussing in the chat.
And then I monitor all of this, I kind of turned my camera off and mute and step back and let them take control. And I also, if you're going to try seminar, have a certain amount of time that they need to speak up and document that. And then when they meet that I rotate them out of the inner and outer circle using the chat. So I would private chat to students to say okay, camera on, you're in the inner circle, the student that's met their requirement camera off your back to the outer circle. And that worked really well. pandemic changed it a little bit because prior everyone was in school. So 2020 students went home somewhere in school, if they were in school, then they had a mask on, which would muffle the microphone. If they were at home, I didn't want to force kids to reveal their home to a bunch of strangers if they didn't want to because seminar is already scary.
So putting them in that vulnerable position. I didn't want to do that. So we did a lot more of the discussion in chat. And that kind of frustrated students a little bit because the chat can go really fast and they're not reading each other's So this year, I am looking at changing that a little bit because I'm still going to have some at home summit school mask on. And we're still going to have that microphone issues. So it's getting kids to kind of slow down and make sure they're reading what each kid is using because I'm going to have to use the chat again this year I would think
Dr. Amy Lynn 19:34
I there are so many points to what you just shared Sunday that stand out to me and resonate with, you know what's important to me about education. You know, when you're talking about giving them the option when they're at home of not having the camera on. Some people might disagree with that. I tend to really think that's important what you just shared about safety and feeling comfortable and I know with my own adolescent, that means a lot And then I'm hearing other ideas about it. So thank you, you know so much for walking that through and also walking us through how you've changed and adapted your practice as the as the, you know, different challenges have unfolded. It's really thoughtful. Paula, do you want to add anything to this?
Paula McDougald 20:19
Sure. So both in regard to instructional strategy, and really in regard to utilizing a learning management system at the same time, Jason and Cindy have both pointed out multiple times, that it's important to plan ahead or to do things on the front end, so that you're able to do things with students. And so something that we do as an organization is we really plan from the beginning with the end in mind. So we use a lot of backwards on and our courses on process, we have a pretty streamlined template, if you would prefer to use that terminology for our courses.
So that students have a lot of consistency and in their courses. That's not to say that courses can't be personalized to a degree, but my teachers and teacher personalities come out and in their students get to know their individual instructors. But we want all students regardless of whether they're in a brick and mortar classroom in a distance learning lab or they're at home, or regardless of the type of computer they have that just the device, they're using the environment around them, we want them to have the same experience with our content. So equality is something that's really important to us, we have a lot of kiddos who are in very low socio economic areas, and in very, very small rural schools where they may not necessarily have the same opportunities as far as activities and things like that, as students and really large urban environments may have.
And so we really put a lot of emphasis on our curriculum being equitable for our students, regardless of where they are in the state. And part of that is considering accessibility for students that may have learning difficulties or might have visual or hearing difficulties. And so we really designed with accessibility in mind. So all those things come together basically to, like Cindy said, produce a course that can be used without a teacher if if they had to be used without a teacher. And so we want students to be able to function on their own if they had to, with a complete course.
So I think of it sometimes like providing a textbook in a much better form than you know, the old school stinky textbooks we used to have, we want to provide interactivity, we want to provide things that really engage our students with their their basic course content, and then our teachers take ownership of that content and really make it come to life with additional opportunities and activities that I can do in zoom sessions with students. So yes, there's a there's a lot of work put in on the front end, but it produces something that is a very equitable experience for all of our students across the state. And you know, across different platforms across different teachers, that kind of thing. That you know, they may not have if they weren't actually enrolled with us and using our courses online.
Dr. Amy Lynn 23:47
I could understand listening to the three of you speak Thank you so much, Paula. Also, why you've all won Teacher of the Year I your expertise is, is really clear. And I hope that this podcast will be helpful to people who are out there listening and wanting to, you know, improve their own work teaching online. If you were building a toolbox for educators, what would be two tech tools you'd put inside?
Cindy Green 24:17
I thought about this question a lot because technology changes so much. As long as you have the internet and a place to meet your students. You can work with anything and the tech tools are going to change from year to year. So I would say embrace change. Have the internet and a place to see their their face for them to see your face or hear your voice. That That seems critical to me.
Jason Wells 24:43
Well, I've thought about this too, and I thought I think I may have thought about this in a different direction than Sandy but I do like Sydney's point. I was thinking about tools that I used the most with the students are tried tried to utilize And one of them was Padlet. And I really love that for quick reflections, I don't want to do a major exit ticket for the end of a zoom session. Or if I just want to say, hey, how's your week going, give us an update in the class and just let them fill it all in on the Padlet. In my students, also, I found love to do Jeopardy top reviews.
And so one of them that I use as a tool is Kahoot. And it's another one of those things that I have to choose when to use it, and when not to use it, because it as soon as can get a little tired of it, if you use it every week, but I try to use that just something different fun, and even switch it up with a little bit of Jeopardy game. But I'm liking Sandy too. You know, there's so many different tools out there, it's hard to really name just a couple of tools.
Dr. Amy Lynn 25:51
I will I'm glad you named Padlet. Because on vesc, we do have a webinar for teachers on how to use Padlet created by two of our faculty members. And they also did a podcast early on when ves first launched. So that's That's great to hear that that's a useful tool that you use. What about you, Paula?
Paula McDougald 26:11
Sure. So I mentioned early on in our discussion that I'll love to help people produce quality online content that functions well, but also looks fantastic. And so in that regard, I would encourage anyone to learn to use Canva. Canva actually has a free educator account. So it's kind of their top tier service that's free for educators, you have to provide a bit of documentation to show that you are actually an educator.
But utilizing Canva can give you the power to create all kinds of beautiful engaging media to use with your students, whether it's in a brick and mortar classroom, or it's online, whether it's using a fancy learning management system with all kinds of bells and whistles, or it's using Google Classroom. It can be used across platforms and really produce some some brilliant graphics.
You can produce videos you can produce, you name it, you can do it with Canva. The other thing really isn't a tool per se, but I think it's just having a willing spirit. And so whether that's a willingness to help someone else learn a new tool, or a willingness to take on a new responsibility or a challenge, a willingness for yourself to learn some new tool let's just come out, or even to be willing to maybe take a step back and let someone else Sean, just being willing, is it huge? That's just a huge tool to have in your toolbox to be successful on.
Dr. Amy Lynn 27:49
That it makes a lot of sense, Paula, I agree. And I think especially with technology, really keeping an open mind and persevering just makes a lot of sense. So that's a good place for us to wrap up actually, at the end of every podcast, I always ask my guests, I used to think virtual teaching and learning was, and now I think virtual teaching and learning is just to fill in the blank there.
Paula McDougald 28:18
I used to think virtual teaching and learning was limited. Now I think virtual teaching and learning is limitless.
Jason Wells 28:24
Well, I will I'll go next. And I used to think virtual teaching and learning was impersonal. And now I think virtual teaching and learning is personal. And that really does come as I get to know the students more. There are many opportunities to make Virtual Learning and Teaching personal till the kids.
Dr. Amy Lynn 28:44
These are great answers. Those are going to be hard to beat.
Cindy Green 28:51
My answers are actually pretty similar. I used to think virtual teaching and learning was impossible. Now I think virtual teaching and learning is essential.
Dr. Amy Lynn 29:00
I could not agree more. I am so thankful that you spent this time with us. I could talk with you for days about the work that you do. I'm fascinated about how successful you've been in bringing these programs and Arkansas to students. You've touched upon equity, which I think I just think that's, you know, has so much potential. Online Learning has so much potential to make things more equitable. Thank you so much for joining us. I'm just really grateful that you were here today.
Jason Wells 29:30
Thank you.
Paula McDougald 29:31
Thank you.
Cindy Green 29:31
Thank you Amy.
Dr. Amy Lynn 29:33
Thanks for joining us on VESC. This is Dr. Amy Lin. Remember, learning is right at your fingertips.