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Online Learning Resources

Hannah Rome

Kennesaw State University

Dr. Ingle M. Larkin

Spring 2018
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In the classroom, I have been passionate about implementing personalized learning into

my daily routine and instructional strategies. Designing and preparing a blended course to be

taught online sparked my curiosity of how to take the same personalized strategies and transfer

them into a virtual learning environment. I explored the Southern Regional Education Board

(SREB) as well as International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) to find

suggestions for best practices in organizing content, assessment and differentiating the

experience for learners.

SREB sets educational policies for states. Through my exploration of their

Distance/Online Education section, I found a publication of terms associated with Personalized

Learning. The SREB staff (2017) referenced definitions for Personalized Learning from various

perspectives (pg. 1). I observed many of the same words and phrases used throughout the

definitions such as “students’ needs and interests” and “vary”. These terms summarize

Personalized Learning well for this process is different school-to-school and student-to-student.

However, in all cases the teacher is the guide and will coach students along an individualized

path towards mastery. I also read about strategies, terms, technologies and policies related to

Personalized Learning. Some of the statements I reviewed helped me make connections to how I

have been implementing an online course. Blended and Differentiated Learning are strategies

that I am using to merge online learning with face-to-face instruction that is tailored to individual

needs of students (SREB staff, 2017, pg. 2). The term digital learning defines the technology

resources that can be included in a blended course such as a Learning Management System

(SREB staff, 2017, pg. 3). Overall, this glossary gives explicit information that I can use when

building experiences within my blended online course. I will make sure my activities and

strategies attend to these perspectives.

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iNacol is focused on creating student-centered learning. I browsed the resources online

about blended learning and came across a report about competencies for teachers in a blended

learning environment. The authors, Powell, Rabbitt and Kennedy (2014), explained

competencies, or professional habits, that teachers should have to move toward integrated

learning experiences (pg. 7). The characteristics are divided into four domains: mindsets,

qualities, adaptive skills, and technical skills. Each of these domains has additional competencies

to further explain how to accomplish these patterns of thinking. I related the most to Competency

3 under the domain, Technical Skills, about management of a blended learning experience. This

discusses how to manage lesson planning, reminders to balance online and offline

communication, set expectations for respectful behaviors and show how to troubleshoot if

problems occur. (Powell, Rabbitt and Kennedy, 2014, pg. 12). These styles of blended teaching

and learning are built on the same foundations that teachers use in the traditional brick and

mortar classroom. Teachers in both setting are not that different from one another. There was one

comment that I will remember in any teaching situation that I am involved in that put an,

“…emphasis [on] teacher’s ability to continuously learn and innovate” (Powell, Rabbitt and

Kennedy, 2014, pg. 9). This has been my philosophy regarding professional development; I am

always willing to grow and improve to do what is best for my students.

Blended learning has potential to be an effective teaching style. Student-centered learning

is the way that policies in education are headed, and implementing personalized learning

practices will help continue this shift. No matter the learning environment there are always new

strategies to explore and terms to reference. If teachers believe in continual professional growth,

then they will be ready for new challenges that they face. In my future enactment of a blended

learning course, I will be able to model to the teachers I support how to offer students a choice in
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their learning path. I am confident in my plan, excited about the results and hopeful about digital

learning opportunities.
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References

Powell, A., Rabbitt, B., & Kennedy, K. (2014, October). INACOL Blended Learning Teacher

Competency Framework. Retrieved March 04, 2018, from

https://www.inacol.org/resources/resource-search/?swppg=2&resource_topics=62

Glossary of Personalized Learning. (2017, May). Retrieved March 05, 2018, from

https://www.sreb.org/publication/glossary-personalized-learning