1-15+Agenda


 * Issue/Process || Expected Outcome || Lead || Time ||
 * **Review of agenda** || **Common understanding, Identification of additional items** || **Evan** || **5** ||
 * Evan reviewed the following items from the material sent out before the meeting:

• The new online trainings website has been developed, and we are now testing it out. The test website is http://205.221.40.15/index.php. We'd like for you to try it out and see how it works before we make the switch. I have some brief training videos at http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us/prodev/online/trainings.html. I'm also looking for someone to look at the OSHA courses for another pair of eyes (I want to make sure Marv and I don't have some typos).

• The Web IEP training has been updated from version 4 to version 5 and is ready for visitors (we have some finishing touches on a couple of portions, which are currently disabled on the website). The website blends the DE's instructional videos with some step-by-step training, examples, and check-your-understanding quizzes to help a teacher write IEPs. The current website is http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us/prodev/iep/iep_toc/index.html (in the future, the website might be moved to the Heartland online trainings website). Please pass this information out to your local AEA and LEA personnel.

• The media service directors and a few ed tech consultants (myself included) attended a webinar featuring Adobe Connect Pro. There seems to be general consensus that the product is very good, and has a lot of uses (not the least of which being online education). Jerry Cochrane and Vic Jaras are trying to work out some of the details with pricing. This product is something we'll want to think about when we plan future items. For those who want to know more about the product's capabilities, feel free to contact me.

Andy Crozier supplied the link to the recorded webinar:      http://my.adobe.acrobat.com/p61359866/ || Next steps** || **Sharon and Rhonda** || **15** ||
 * **Update on Chief Administrator’s Meeting, Joint Director’s Feedback** || **Information,
 * Sharon reported that the Chief Administrators were very supportive of the work of the committee, and desired that the committee would continue to find ways to partner together in order to meet schools' needs and not duplicate services.

The Chief Administrators are also supportive of sharing in the finances and were looking to Sharon to provide guidance on the costs. Sharon reported that there were many other individuals--who were not educators--taking the online trainings, and that this was extra revenue that would reduce the costs for all AEAs.

Rhonda shared with the group the process of discussion with the Joint Directors. The directors showed enthusiasm and interest in our group's work, and generated a list of possible topics they felt were pressing. These topics could be addressed in either a course or a module.

There was discussion about the use of Moodle as a "state-wide" platform for providing courses. One of the questions facing the group is the configuration, whether groups would share one server that would be housed in a central location. Evan shared some information about Moodle, including that it is SCORM compliant, and has the ability to limit courses to certain users, which could include AEAs. Brian and Barb discussed the need to plan the logistics of registration, whether there could be a central point where people came to find courses and register.

Sharon suggested that the group prioritize the list sent out by the directors. She and Rhonda volunteered to create a rubric which would allow us to prioritize on a set of criteria. ||
 * **Iowa Core Discussion** || **Next Steps** || **Evan** || **5** ||
 * Evan shared that he has had conversation with Jim Reese from the Dept. of Education, who has expressed interest in the Iowa Core team working with our group to find ways to support schools. There has not been any recent contact from Jim about the project. ||
 * **Math Course** || **Next Steps** || **Brian** || **5** ||
 * Brian reported to the group that AEA 267 is progressing well. They are testing the course out internally, having their math consultants tweak it and look for ways to improve. He would like to extend the opportunity to have other AEA's math consultants interact with the training next fall. ||
 * **ILO Vendor Meeting** || **Inform, Review and discuss** || **Gwen and Evan** || **15** ||
 * This discussion was postponed until Gwen could be in attendance. ||
 * **Update on BOEE meeting and Standards Task Force** || **Inform, Review and discuss, Next steps** || **Evan** || **20** ||
 * Evan reported on the work of the licensure renewal coordinators at the December BOEE meeting as well as the standards task force committee. The coordinators reviewed the existing guidelines for online courses and made changes to the timesheet instructors used to plan the course. One of the key issues is the topic of 15 hours of instruction. The updated timesheet gives suggestions about what could be used to meet the 15 hours requirement, as well as what could not be used. It also gave some sample quantifying guidelines to help in the planning.

It was clarified that activities, such as teacher-made tutorials or sample problems that were used would count toward the 15 hours. It was also discussed that the quantified guidelines at the bottom of the timesheet were meant for planning purposes, not as a requirement for length of actual student work.

Sue Beach talked to the group about AEA 8's use of a log for time spent in the course. It was agreed that the guidelines developed by the committee were not meant to replace other requirements that AEAs might have, and the use of the time log was a fine practice.

The standards committee has been collaborating with representation from each AEA about the course standards and the teaching standards. While the group is still working on the standards, there is currently a working draft. The teaching standards align with the Iowa teaching standards, and the course standards align with the NACOL standards. ||
 * **Proposals for online instructor training** || **Inform** || **Evan** || **40** ||
 * Evan suggested the group should consider ways to train would-be instructors, facilitators, and administrators, on the basis of the standards and criteria determined by the task force. Having training in place would be important to ensure that there is quality online instruction.

Evan mentioned that there were several options for this training in addition to AEAs generating their own training. He mentioned briefly Performance Learning Systems which partners with Drake University, as well as Viterbo University and PBS Teacherline. Evan shared with the group the licensing costs for training through PLS. Kathy L. and Evan both shared their experience with the quality of the PLS program.

Brian mentioned Intel as an alternative option for teacher training, citing as one of its benefits that it provided ISTE courses the instructor could teach once certified. PLS likewise offers ready-made courses the instructor could teach once completing the program. Brian volunteered to gather more information and report back to the group at the next meeting.

Judy shared (via email) that Wisconsin-Stout offers a 5-course training program for online educators.

Evan shared with the group that it was Heartland's intention to eventually develop its own training, which would be available for other AEAs. ||
 * **Offerings from Teacherline** || **Inform, Next steps** || **Tim Taylor (PBS representative)** || **25** ||
 * Tim Taylor, a manager at Public Broadcasting System for Teacherline, shared some basics of what Teacherline can offer, starting with an overview of the program. Teacherline offers a Online Facilitator Program for $525/student. This course is 6 weeks long. The 6 modules for the course include 1) Models of Online Learning, 2) Facilitating a Course Designed by Others, 3) The Facilitator's Many Hats, 4) Communicating and Collaborating Online, 5) Grading and Feedback, and 6) Changing to the Facilitator Teaching Mode.

Teacherline also has 45 courses that are available for licensing. Those courses can be customized by the licenser, such as removing the PBS logo and inserting modules into Moodle. The pricing structure for these courses depended on the size of the agency, but they ran from $3000 per course per year to $15, 000 per course per year.

Tim will send Evan a list of the courses as well as the pricing structure, which will then be distributed. || Future agenda items? Plan to set future dates** || **Evan** || **5** ||
 * **Closing** || **What needs to be communicated?
 * Sue recommended the Iowa Online website as a possible entry point for AEA online course registration. Evan will visit with Brent Siegrist about the possibility. Also, Evan will visit with licensure renewal coordinators about the logistics of having a common entry point.

Barb mentioned the possibility that PD360 would be discontinued by the media service directors due to lack of use. It was recommended that the committee look into the uses PD360 could serve for online courses, and make that information known to the media service directors.

Evan mentioned the online communities that Heartland has been researching. He provided the websites of some examples. Andy, Brian, and Evan will continue to discuss possible timelines for development, and Evan will visit with Vic Jaras about the project. A fuller discussion will occur at the next meeting.

The committee will meet next in February. Sharon and Katie will set up a meeting time. Committee members need to finish their prioritization charts before the next meeting (Sharon and Rhonda will send out further instructions). ||