4-21+Notes


 * Issue/Process || Expected Outcome || Lead || Time ||
 * **Review of agenda** || **Common understanding, Identification of additional items** || **Evan** || **5** ||
 * • In attendance: Rhonda (1), Brian (267), Sandy & Sue (8), Barb (NWAEA), Andy (10), Evan & Sharon (11), Judy (13), Kathy(14), Arlan Thorson (ILO), Gwen Nagel & Sue Swartz (DE)

• Participants shared upcoming online course offerings. Grant Wood is offering a course on Elementary Science for motion and forces in the fall, and is looking to develop a course on differentiated instruction involving Netrekker. Gwen reported that the DE was looking to roll out courses in special education and early childhood, among other topics (she did not have a full list of offerings). Sharon reported that she had met with a statewide IEP group who was seeking support for online learning. There was discussion about the need for DE - Online Council communication, and Gwen and Sharon agreed to do that in the future. Sue shared that Prairie Lakes was set to have a course on Differentiated Instruction built on PD360 modules, but Rhonda informed the group that the media directors had discontinued the PD360 agreement because it was cost prohibitive. There was discussion about the possibility of using ASCD materials and videos. Evan shared that he had visited with several other AEAs who had interest in developing an online course for online instructional design, and that he was in the process of looking at people in the state who could serve as advisors to that course development. Some people who were mentioned included Jean Cross (Drake), Ann Nicholson (Cedar Rapids CSD), Becky Mather, and Bryan Bauer (IPTV). If anyone is interested in joining this project development and having rights to the content to offer in the course should contact Evan.

• Evan sent via email information on the transfer from the current mandatory training system to the new one. He will give more details via email as we get closer to the date. ||
 * **Online Communities** || **Inform, Discus**s**, Next Steps** || **Evan** || **35** ||
 * • Evan gave an overview of the online communities, including a history of the past discussion and the current proposal. He also gave a suggested timeline for implementation as well as a proposed budget. He mentioned he visited with representatives from the University of Georgia who gave insight to their statewide online communities. He mentioned the key would not be technology, but rather facilitation of the communities.

• The group discussed possible facilitators. Brian suggested that Nancy Lockett would be an interested facilitator for NWEA/MISIC. Other suggestions included looking to professional organizations or statewide committees for posible facilitators, or people from the post-secondary level or National Board Certified teachers. Evan shared with the group that he had visited with the Iowa Core Lead Committee, and there is interest within the committees of using the online communities. One such group is the statewide literacy team, led by Carlene Lodemeier.

• Judy suggested that the council use Ning as a free alternative. Barb suggested using Moodle as a different free alternative. Judy pointed out that Moodle was not as user friendly as Nings were. It was discussed what were some of the different features that Ning wouldn't be able to provide like a home-built option, which included close integration with the Adobe Connect Pro training, more layers of account priveleges, and customization (as well as the possibility of it not being freely available in the future). It was decided that the group should first try using Ning and demonstrate a prototype of the Ning to different audiences, including the Joint Directors in May. Based on that feedback, it would be determined whether the Ning would meet all their needs. Evan, Judy, Deb Henkes (1), and Deb Versteeg (267) would help develop the prototype.

• Each AEA present was asked to weigh in on the project. Each AEA was supportive and wanted to move forward with the measure. ||
 * **Prioritization Survey Results & Planning** || **Discuss, Next Steps** || **Barb** || **35** ||
 * • Barb shared the [|updated information] from the survey. Analyzing the data, Sandy suggested that the top options appeared to be the ICC models, including formative assessment, UDL, teaching for understanding, and IDM. Also suggested was the state special ed manual. The council agreed that those were the top priorities.

• Barb asked the group if the next step would be to send out a survey to LEAs to get feedback on their perspective, which could be quite different than the feedback from the joint directors. Rhonda and Sharon mentioned that there was a statewide meeting on parameters of the stimulus money. Rhonda suggested that the group move forward and make a proposal that they could take to the stimulus money meeting. It was decided that the group would prioritize the Iowa Core modules as the next step, and then develop a survey for other topics to be delivered to LEAs in the fall. ||
 * **Online Teaching & Course Standards, feedback from license renewal coordinators** || **Discuss, Next Steps** || **Evan** || **20** ||
 * • Due to time, discussion was moved to May's meeting ||
 * **Reflection on 2009-09 & Planning for Next Year** || **Discuss** || **Sharon** || **20** ||
 * • Sharon shared with the group that she would be visiting with the Chief Administrators and sharing with them the proposal for online communities and the sharing of financial support and oversight of the statewide mandatory trainings. She also would share with the Chiefs that the council's next priority was Iowa Core modules, and a recommendation for some secretarial support.

• In the meantime, Sharon was having her personal assistant set up some future meetings for 2009-2010. It was suggested by several people that the group should look at some all-day face-to-face meetings in an effort to be more efficient with planning and discussion, interspersing long-distance meetings for updates and smaller items. The council decided to revisit the issue in May. || Future agenda items? Plan to set future dates** || **Evan** || **5** || • Update on Online Communities and feedback from joint directors • Update from meeting with Chief Administrators, Stimulus Money • Discussion of Iowa Core modules • Discussion on the 09-10 schedule • Demonstration of the Iowa Learns database • Online Teaching & Course Standards, feedback from license renewal coordinators ||
 * **Closing** || **What needs to be communicated?
 * Next meeting will include: