Running Head: EXPLORING THE INACOL 1

Exploring the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL)

Janee Glover

Kennesaw State University

EXPLORING THE INACOL 2

Exploring the iNACOL: Online Resources

Professional development (PD) is an extremely important aspect that must be considered

when addressing questions and concerns about facilitating online learning. How often should

teachers receive PD? Should all teachers who facilitate online learning receive the same levels of

PD?? What resources should be implemented into online learning experiences that are beneficial

to all students’ diverse learning styles? These are just a few questions to consider, and after given

some further thought to these questions and concerns, I decided to explore some of the resources

on the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) website. This allowed me

to further investigate how some of these concerns have been addressed.

Often, educators are required to partake in PD to obtain knowledge on various subjects,

but they lack engagement, they overload teachers with information and resources, they are very

limited, and they often result in teachers leaving feeling as though it was a waste of time. For this

reason, the article “Better PD through design thinking” provides details on a method that allows

educators to successfully craft lesson plans that integrate tech as a means to an end rather than a

core component (Riddell, 2020). Katie Bond, a Martin County Schools (Florida) Digital

Specialist, was inspired by a Florida Council of Instructional Technology Leaders session in a

2019 conference, to make PD a more high-quality experience for teachers by implementing a

design thinking model.

The result of their research is called CampTeach, for Technology Empowering Academic

Change. CampTeach is a conference-style PD program with workshops, field trips, and hands-on

learning sessions that help teachers who strive to be the best. The digital learning training

sessions take place on Saturdays during the school year and in two-day installments during the

summer. “Where does effective tech integration in the classroom begin?” is the core question
EXPLORING THE INACOL 3

that provides the foundation for lesson planning. Sessions require groups of four educators to

sign up at a time because planning is collaborative, and specific standards and lessons must be

identified prior to beginning. This eliminates the possibility of teachers from various subject

areas, schools, and grade levels from attending sessions alone or trying to force fit themselves

into what should be collaborative sessions.

Before teachers attend the first session, they are asked to watch a specific TEDTalk video

that provides them with background information on the design thinking process- broken down

into empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test. The training sessions are organized into three

components: an introduction to concepts such as substitution, augmentation, modification and

redefinition model, and the four C’s of 21st century skills (critical thinking, communication,

collaboration, and creativity), a design thinking process walkthrough and open collaboration

groups (Riddell, 2020). This article discussed a very important aspect of facilitating online

learning, effectively integrating PD, because educators need to ensure that tech integration is

thoroughly planned and implemented in lesson plans, beneficial, engaging for students.

Student-centric learning is another extremely important aspect of facilitating online

learning. Using technology to assign various activities and assignments, giving all students the

same assessment, and providing instruction in one way are all strategies that will hinder the

transformation of using technology to change the current educational system. The idea of

technology integration in school should be to further provide each student a unique and

personalized learning experience. Therefore, it is necessary that educators learn about various

resources and tools to use that will allow a more student-centered learning environment. For that

reason, I decided to further explore a resource from the iNACOL titled, “Equity Resources for

Student-Centered Teaching & Learning.” This resource provides a list of various resources that
EXPLORING THE INACOL 4

support educators to better serve students equitable access to high-quality learning opportunities

and who are traditionally marginalized. In order to create this list, Student-Centered Learning

Research Collaborative staff considered two things: four principles of student-centered learning

from the SATC framework and the strategies outlined in Critical Practices for Anti-Bias

Education, a guide authored by Perspectives for a Diverse America and Teaching Tolerance

(“Equity Resources for Student-Centered Teaching & Learning”). The four principles of student-

centered learning are personalized learning, competency-based learning, student-owned learning,

and anytime, anywhere learning. These characteristics are important to consider when facilitating

online learning because if educators use these principles as guides to consider the resources and

tools they integrate into instruction, they will ensure that students learning experiences are

important, unique, and guarantee their success. The tools provided are organized into four

categories: instruction, classroom culture, family and community engagement, and teacher

leadership. Each category has resources and articles linked based on each topic and exploring

some of these resources provided beneficial information pertaining to facilitating online learning.

There are so many supportive resources available to address any questions and concerns

that educators may have regarding facilitating online learning. It is imperative that teachers

continue to use these resources to educate themselves and further their knowledge about various

challenges in education. Teachers may not have all the answers to various challenges that present

themselves, but research presents the opportunity to access and analyze findings that are

scholarly and that have been tested and proven to be accurate. Exploring these two resources not

only allowed me to consider questions and concerns that I have about facilitating online learning,

but it also allowed me to consider ways in which I can currently make some shifts with

technology in my classroom. I enjoy integrating resources and tools in my classroom that can be
EXPLORING THE INACOL 5

used to provide more student-centered, unique learning experiences for my students, and I look

forward to using these resources when needed once I become an Instructional Coach.
EXPLORING THE INACOL 6

References

Equity Resources for Student-Centered Teaching & Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved March 1, 2020,

from https://studentsatthecenterhub.org/resource/equity-resource-bundle/

Riddell, R. (2020). FETC 2020: Better PD through design thinking. Education Drive. Retrieved

from https://www.educationdive.com/news/fetc-2020-better-pd-through-design-

thinking/570541/