INACOL2014

This webinar focused on the recently released iNACOL report “A K-12 Policy Framework for Competency Education: Building Capacity for Systems Change” . As lawmakers in Washington, DC craft a next generation Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), this report encourages them to take bold steps forward to allow students to advance upon demonstrated mastery and receive the personalized support they need, when they need it. Participants in this webinar will learn about the importance of this federal policy issue as well as how the U.S. education system can evolve to ensure all students succeed and graduate from high school college and career ready. The report’s co-authors will provide a comprehensive vision for supporting state and local efforts to implement student-centered learning. Their presentation will describe the barriers and opportunities within federal education policy frameworks and identify how the federal government is in a unique position to catalyze and scale student-centered learning approaches. To download a copy of “A K-12 Federal Policy Framework for Competency Education: Building Capacity for Systems Change”, please visit http://bit.ly/cwk12fedpolicy. Presenters: Maria Worthen, Vice President for Federal and State Policy, iNACOL Lillian Pace, Senior Director of National Policy, KnowledgeWorks

(This Teacher Talk webinar took place on Thursday, May 15, 2014) “How Do Teachers Implement Blended Learning in the Classroom?” This webinar will feature how teachers design and create successful blended learning environments. Participants will learn best practices for implementing and supporting blended learning and the steps to apply blended learning methodologies for educators in their practice. Learn how teachers are transforming pedagogical practices using technology and data to personalize learning within blended learning delivery models. Washington, DC educators Tenesha Dixon of Wheatley Education Campus and Shane Donovan of E.L. Haynes Public Charter School will share their insights and experiences implementing a blended learning model into their classrooms and schools. Both Tanesha and Shane were 2013 CityBridge Foundation Education Innovation Fellows and will offer their perspective on the schools and resources that informed their journey to blended learning implementation. Speakers – Tanesha Dixon, Social Studies Teacher & Technology Integration Coach, Wheatley Education Campus – Shane Donovan, Physics Teacher, E.L. Haynes Public Charter School

(This Leadership Webinar took place on Wednesday, May 14, 2014) “Closing the ‘Advanced Achievement Gap’: How Educators Can Help High-Achieving Low-Income and Minority Youth Stay On Track” Nationally, many students of color and students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds perform among the top 25 percent of all students in reading and math at the beginning of high school. Many of them, however, leave high school with lower college success predictors than their high-achieving white and more advantaged peers. Schools can take action to better serve these students. To prepare students for college and career, high schools must balance their attention carefully, ensuring that low-achievers catch up and high-achievers don’t lose ground. In this webinar, Christina Theokas and Marni Bromberg of the Education Trust will share research and insight into how to better serve this group. Personalized blended and online courses can provide powerful delivery systems to increase access and equity for underserved students. Educators and school leaders need to ensure students have access to high-quality new learning opportunities. The Education Trust’s research has major implications for how to increase educational opportunities and provide equity. This webinar will include a real world example of how to use blended and online learning to close the achievement gap for high-achieving poor and minority students. Speakers – Christina Theokas, Director of Research, Education Trust – Marni Bromberg, Research Associate, Education Trust – Debbie Vincent, Instructional Technology Curriculum Specialist, Alief ISD (Houston, TX)

iNACOL Teacher Talk Webinar Thursday, June 19, 2014 “Educator Competencies for the Blended Learning Classroom” Blended learning allows educators to personalize instruction – targeting each individual student’s needs for learning more rapidly; providing immediate responses to intervention; offering targeted support when needed; and allowing students to demonstrate deeper learning competencies and advance based on competency. As blended learning models become more prevalent, the need to identify and foster core educator competencies for strong blended learning instructional practice becomes greater. A working group of educators, administrators, professional developers and researchers from a range schools, models and regions are developing a framework of competencies necessary for the blended learning teacher, building from the understanding that much of what makes a great traditional classroom teacher translates into a blended environment. This webinar will share the working group’s process and findings. Please join us to participate in this ongoing conversation and to provide your feedback. Speakers: Kathryn Kennedy, Senior Researcher, Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute Allison Powell, Vice President, New Learning Models, iNACOL Kerry Rice, Professor, Department of Educational Technology, Boise State University Barbara Treacy, Director, ETLO, Education Development Center

November 5, 2014 iNACOL Blended and Online Learning Symposium Palm Springs, CA http://inacol.org Regarded the world over as an edtech pioneer, Sal Khan has harnessed the power of Internet connectivity and access to provide video lessons to individuals, as well as content and embedded formative assessments to schools through the Khan Academy (http://khanacademy.org). With over 6,000 instructional videos, 100,000 practice problems, and 10,000,000 unique visitors per month Khan Academy is rethinking the world of education. Sal will share insights from his journey to deliver personalized learning to millions around the globe through online learning and to reimagine “school” for a new generation of educators and learners. His message will highlight the importance of a shift to opening access to a world-class education built on mastery and competency-based learning. He will share his vision for how online learning can transform education systems toward realizing this ultimate goal of a high-quality education for every student, every day and power personalized learning.

November 7, 2014 iNACOL Blended and Online Learning Symposium Palm Springs, CA http://inacol.org

November 6, 2014 iNACOL Blended and Online Learning Symposium Palm Springs, CA http://inacol.org

November 5, 2014 iNACOL Blended and Online Learning Symposium Palm Springs, CA http://inacol.org