Online Classes

I know that online classes, are individual learning plan for each student, it requires for cooperation from the parents especially in the lower grades. This program is great, because it teaches students right where they are, in addition the instructor differentiate his instructions to help achieve his students' potential in all of their courses according to their academic levels.  

The trend to of teaching “K-12 online learning” is expanding everywhere. I have heard about virtual and cyber schooling, but I never practice it myself or been exposed to some who is a part of this program. I do not know the exact details about the programs or platforms they are using, I think that these courses might be using the Blackboard, Moodle, Google classrooms or any other program that is designed by the school or district. I know that the online k-12 program is progressing continuously, I think the flexibility of the program allows variety of different kind of students to enroll. 

 I have learned that 53 million students were enrolled in public or private K-12 schools in the U.S in 2004. I never expostulated that the virtual school has begun as an independent-study high-school movement in 1920s. Video based distance education also has a long history. The first education television broadcast in 1933. On-line learning enrollments is a growing part of the K-12 distance education. Virtual schools are a separate delivery system from traditional education. I have learned that Online courses are for gifted and talented students only. I knew that virtual schools are about curriculum and instruction not about using technology, medium is utilized to strengthen instruction. I never heard that online courses represent an “add-on” to already burdened school systems and teachers, but I know that online education does not represent an “add-on.” It does represent an opportunity take advantage of online resources.

It is interesting to know that online charter schools and district-run online schools fall under the state accountability system and receive performance grades based on the state. It make sense that accountability system are not designed to measure online schools, because they have high rates of student mobility, meanwhile state accountability systems are meant to measure and report on how well schools are serving students, in ways that can be understood by policymakers, parents, students, and other stakeholders.

Utilizing Blogs as a Web 2.0 Tool

Using a blog as a web 2.0 tool is very rewarding. Participants in blogs can responds to posts, comments, discuss, and use forums. Blogs can be an ideal example of a collaborative and engaging learning.  After searching blogs I found some good inspiring ones, although Arabic K-12 field is still growing in the U.S.A and needs a lot of attentions and efforts from educators and executives. I usually search other contents and convert or get ideas to build Arabic curricula with perspective of the differences.

These are the blogs that I discovered and subscribed:

First blog:

http://novastartalk2.wikispaces.com/

            This blog has many good resources for the Arabic and chines contents. NOVA STARTALK is a summer institute in its third year designed to help teachers integrate technology tools and 21st century language pedagogy in the Arabic and Chinese curricula. Arabic and Chinese teachers in each language will create a collection of activities to expand the curriculum presently in place.

Second:

http://startalkarabic.blogspot.com/

This blog provides programs and Apps that are used in teaching foreign languages.

Third:

http://spanishforfun101.blogspot.com/

This blog has a flipped classroom method assignment. I can use many of these links in my classroom.

Fourth:

http://tearasarabicteachigexperiences.blogspot.com/ and http://arabic-arlington.blogspot.com/

These blogs are good resources for the Arabic content.

Fifth:
http://www.arabic411blog.blogspot.com/

This blog is a good resource for Arabic and Indian contents.

Sixth:

http://www.al-bab.com/arab/blogs.htm#Kuwait

This blog lists some of the more interesting blogs from or about the Arab countries. This content is for 8-16 age level.

Seventh:

http://www.uni.edu/becker/arabic.html

This blog has games and fun activities for Arabic content. 

Online Learning and Teaching journal for "Faye Deter" is very beneficial in this matter, it provides a wide explanation of a collaborative learning using wiki web 2.0 tool. Defiantly, technology is continuously evolving, which allows users to go beyond reading and doing assignments.
  
The following YouTube presents a great example of utilizing social media tools; wikis, blogs and tweets in a classrooms.