16 Holiday Gift Ideas for the Online Teachers in Your Life

Sarah Pazur

A list of 16 gift ideas to make the online teaching experience easier, better, and, yes, more fun!

Guest Perspective: The Menagerie, Myths, and Merits of the Bitmoji Classroom

Sarah Pazur

Bitmoji classrooms exploded during emergency remote instruction in Spring 2020. Bitmoji classrooms are two-dimensional scenes depicting a teacher-created avatar in a drawn classroom environment; the scenes feature a variety of imaginary objects.

Podcast: Design Thinking in Schools with Ariel Raz

Michigan Virtual

Looking Ahead: How to Thrive in (and Beyond) the 2020-21 School Year

Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute

What steps can you be taking now to better prepare your students, yourself, and your school district for the future? When you think about the learning environment that your students will need, does it encompass any of the principles of student-centered learning?

Podcast: Why the Same Learning Model Won't Work for Every School with Adam Rubin

Michigan Virtual

Increasing Learner Agency Through Continuous Monitoring of Student Needs

Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute

Student-centered learning is about more than just putting students at the center of education. It is about giving each student the opportunity for success. It is about designing learning to be flexible and adaptable for each learner, not just the average student. It is about understanding the whole child—what they need both academically and non-academically—and giving students the skills they need for success within and beyond the classroom.

Tips and Tricks for Communicating with Parents and Students

Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute

During this time of remote learning, what are some best practices in the ways you communicate with your students and their parents? In this webinar, we’ll explore examples and tips for communication, specific tools and resources to aid this process, and lessons learned from applying these practices.

Taking a moment to dream: How can we reimagine what ‘school’ looks like?

Michigan Virtual

It might as well be the motto of 2020: Things aren’t going quite the way that we had hoped. . . Alright. Now, what can we learn from it? How can we do better in the future?

Competency-Based Progression: Designed for Student Success

Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute

As we transition into another school year faced with many uncertainties, maybe it doesn’t make sense to try and get back to “normal.” Maybe the need for learning continuity and remote learning actually provides us with an opportunity to look at teaching and learning differently. Maybe this is an opportunity to rethink what we know and believe education to be. Maybe this is an opportunity to make learning more student-centered.

You Can Do This! Transitioning to Remote Teaching & Learning

Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute

Are you feeling overwhelmed about transitioning your classroom into a remote learning environment? In this webinar, we share simple strategies for getting started, communicating with students and parents, finding and delivering content, building relationships, and designing assessments. You can do this!

Podcast: Diversity — Understanding self and embracing the conflict with Dr. Jay Marks

Michigan Virtual

How Implementing Voice & Choice Can Improve Student Engagement

Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute

Schools will look different this fall, there’s no doubt. However, the need to rapidly adopt virtual learning is no longer an emergency. We knew it was coming. So what can we do differently this time?

District Plans for Shifting to Remote Instruction in Spring 2020

Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute

Should we go fully digital, use paper copies, or use a hybrid model? How will we assess the technology needs of our students? Should we arrange for meal pick up, delivery, or some combination? How will we manage and monitor student learning? How will we continue to meet the social-emotional needs of our students? These are just some of the questions that school leaders faced as they developed their plans for continued learning after school doors were shuttered for the year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Student-Centered Learning at Fraser Public Schools

Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute

Competency-based learning. Asking kids to do things rather than know things. Designing learning for all. Just some of the ways in which at Fraser, learning drives innovation.

Student-Centered Learning at FlexTech High Schools

Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute

Student-centered by design. Meeting kids where they are. Competency-based learning. Project-based curriculum. Just some of the ways FlexTech is giving students permission to choose rather than deciding for them.

Creating a Supportive Learning Environment for Online Students: Communication is Key

Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute

What does a supportive online learning environment look like? Administrators, parents, mentors, and teachers must work together and communicate effectively. While overlap in responsibilities is inevitable, each has a defined role in shaping an online learning environment conducive to student success.

Student-Centered Learning at Hamilton Community Schools

Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute

Flexible learning options. Standards-based grading. Blended learning, teaching, and coaching. Just some of the ways in which “Each Will Thrive” at Hamilton Community Schools.

LMS Selection and Implementation: Best Practices

Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute

What factors should schools and districts consider when selecting a learning management system (LMS)? What are the key processes that you should follow? What challenges and opportunities exist within the process? Where should you start?

Do Orientation Modules Contribute To Student Success In The Online Classroom?

Dr. Chris Harrington has a conversation with three accomplished researchers (Erin Stafford and Jacqueline Zweig of the Education Development Center, Joe Freidhoff of Michigan Virtual) to discuss the details of their recent study focused on the impact of an orientation on the success of online learners.

Connecting Teachers: A Community of Practice

Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute

True collegial groups among teachers, in any context, still remain the exception and not the norm in many schools — especially for online teachers.