This document summarizes the findings of a survey of K-12 online teachers regarding their professional development needs and experiences. Some key findings include: - Many online teachers have significant teaching experience but little training specific to online instruction. Training is most commonly ongoing workshops and from the workplace. - Topics rated as most important for professional development include learning management system training, communication technologies, and the field of online teaching. Additional topics of interest relate to instructional design, student needs, and online facilitation strategies. - Training needs vary depending on experience. Brand new teachers want more training on supporting students with disabilities and online collaboration, while more experienced teachers are interested in topics like the psychology of online learning and student autonomy.

1. Introductions

2. Going Virtual! 2010The Status of Professional Development and Unique Needs of K-12 Online Teachers Lisa Dawley, Ph.D. Professor and Chair Kerry Rice, Ed.D. Assistant Professor and Associate Chair http://ow.ly/3aHwu

3. Going Virtual! Research Series

4. Poll

5. Going Virtual! Research Series Descriptive Evaluative

6. Demographics Teachers highly experienced 99% credentialed 60% Master’s degree+ 12% of new online teachers have never taught f-2-f Boundaries are blurring

7. PD in Online Instruction 25% of brand new online teachers received no training Most common type: ongoing training (81%) workshops (77%) Who provides? workplace (94%) university (30%) University training 43% of teachers with 6+ years experience 12% of brand new teachers

8. Preferred PD #1 Fully online facilitated (53%) #2 Workshops (49%) Grad courses appeal to teachers with 0-10 years experience (30-39%) Grad courses least appeal to teachers with 10+ years experience (56%).

9. Personal Learning Networks #1 Facebook for personal learning (n=29) 52% received training in use of social networks for PD 25% want additional training in the use of social networks to support personal learning

10. Favorite learning network?

11. Comments?

12. Topics Covered in PD Highest rated, current: 93% LMS training 90% Communication technologies 86% field of online teaching Highest rated, needed: Foundations: Psychology of online learning, 44% Facilitation: Meeting needs of students with disabilities, 64% Design: Design tools, 40% Design: Instructional design, 43%

13. Foundations

14. Facilitation Strategies

15. TechnologyTools

16. Online Design

17. Etiquette, Behavior & Assessment

18. Comments on training topics?

19. Training Needs Brand new online teachers Working with students with disabilities in the online classroom (57%) Managing groups and online collaboration (52%) Instructional design of online learning (53%)

20. Training Needs 1-5 Years Online Teaching Experience The area of design, including instructional design principles (46%) Design tools (41%) Design of syllabi (38%)

21. Training Needs 6+ Years of Online Teaching Experience Psychology of online learning (41%) Promoting student autonomy (35%) Student readiness (34%)

22. Research Issues Perceived researcher conflict of interest – scoping out market opportunities “This survey was annoying--long, unnecessarily vague, complicated and obviously self-serving.” Online teachers are tired of being surveyed? Using data mining to support effectiveness measures

23. Program Evaluation

24. Pass Rate Predictive Model Decision Tree Analysis Improved grades (from 88% to 92%) when participants’ logged into LMS more than 10 times over six weeks. The average is further improved to 98% when frequency of logins increased to 17 times.

26. More time spent online = more time spent offline.

28. Comments?