Professional Development: Tools for Flipped or Blended Classrooms

Current Professional Development collaborative work includes:

Tech Academy courses in partnership with IT Services. The online staff has systematically offered beginning, intermediate and advanced classes in using the Moodle framework to present coursework and deliver curriculum over the last five+ years.

We also offer ongoing technical support to teachers working to develop Moodle class sites to be used within the traditional classroom setting. These courses are designed to increase teacher comfort with a learning management system, that is suitable for use in a blended, or flipped classroom. The use of Moodle by district teachers also furthers the development of curriculum cross district, and creates a method of storing and sharing of learning tools.

The Reader Workshop Moodle site was developed by Mary Lillestol, MPS Middle School Reading Specialist.

screenshot of the Middle School Reader Workshop Moodle

Staff at Online have assisted Mary with the the setting the courses up for teachers to use, as well as in the training of teachers in the management and use of the Moodle course with middle school reading students. This course allows district reading teachers to connect individually with students, allows students to experience real life writing activities, and enables the work in the classroom to continue at home.


Science
Because of the new science class sequence, there is a need to increase the number of MPS teachers having a physics license. We have developed an online Moodle course for teachers to study through, who are going to be adding their physics license. This allows them to learn how students use our online and blended material and lets them have exposure to our online science content. We are also meeting with the teachers in person to explain how to use the flipped/blended model as a student would.

This Video explains the PD for teachers getting their Physics license.


Phyiscs Moodle PD movie 

The MPS Online Science Staff are are also planning a blended model Physical Science class that would allow team teaching in a blended / flipped model to best use the resources and staff in the district. This work includes the creation of flipped and blended course materials using Moodle and other online resources. The training is both virtual and face-to-face, with the ultimate goal being the ability of teachers to use the materials in their own classrooms, maximizing the use of instructional time, and capturing student interest.


This image below is our first version of a work flow for the team teaching Physical Science 11-12th grade class. 

Work-flow for blended physical science