Excellent Online Resources for Teachers

As KCELT is working to improve its web presence, we have found a few good online resources that inspire us to do better.  And we’d like to share them with you!

The first is Vanderbilt University’s Center for Teaching, which offers research-informed teaching guides currently found in the right column of its webpage.  These teaching guides are divided into five categories:

• Principles & Frameworks – This section is subdivided into 2 parts: understanding learning and course design.  KCELT is currently offering or developing two items featured here: diversity & inclusive teaching and flipping the classroom.
• Pedagogies & Strategies – This section is subdivided into 2 parts as well: interactive lecturing and active learning.  Some aspects of our upcoming Technology Teaching & Learning Initiative are covered here.
• Reflecting & Assessing – This section includes assessing learning and assessing teaching.  Many ideas covered in our Master Teacher Program and the Teacher as Designer Institute can be found here.
• Challenges & Opportunities – This section includes preparing to teach, class management, and integrating technology.  Our courses for new adjuncts, Adjunct Orientation Online and Getting Off to the Right Start cover many of these same ideas.
• Populations & Contexts – This section includes specific audiences, specific contexts, and teaching sustainability.  Many items here are geared more towards a four-year university than a community college.

The second resource is 21 Things 4 the 21st Century Educator from K-12 school districts in Michigan.  According to its site, it has earned the ISTE Seal of Alignment for its efforts to educate teachers in the use of technology.  We have found this site to be helpful in offering teachers a self-paced guide through 21 categories, some of which extend beyond education technology to good teaching practices.  Of these 21 “things,” KCELT has recently offered, is currently offering, or will soon offer series, sessions, and initiatives of the following (using their numbering system)

• 2) Face of Your Classroom – Wilson offers consultation and training with Kirkwood’s learning management system, Angel
• 3) Collaboration Tools – found in the last and next Technology Teaching & Learning Institutes
• 4) Communication Tools – featured in the previous Technology Teaching & Learning Institute
• 7) Digital Citizenship – one of our summer projects
• 11) Presentation Tools – featured in the next Technology Teaching & Learning Institute
• 14) Productivity Tools – covered in our iPad Initiative
• 17) Professional Learning Networks – a session coming soon
• 18) Virtual Classroom – covered in our iPad Initiative and the previous Technology Teaching & Learning Institute
• 20) Online Video and Audio Resources – your looking at it now
• 21) Flipping the Classroom – a series coming soon

Have you found any other blogs or websites that KCELT could emulate?  We’d like to learn how online resources impact your professional development.  Contact me at jeremy.slagoski@kirkwood.edu or leave a comment below.