Blended Schools Network, Summer 2013
Online Teaching Basics Mini MOOC
The Challenge
Blended Schools Network (BSN) was quickly growing its clientele in the K-12 online learning solutions market. As more districts joined the network, there was increased demand for some kind of professional development training for K-12 teachers who would be utilizing BSN materials.
The Solution
After conducting a needs analysis and speaking with teachers and district administrators who were already using the products, it was decided that a 7-module “mini MOOC” run three times a year would be a viable solution. I worked with BSN leadership to identify the topics each module would cover and we mapped the progression of the experience. I was given four months to develop the MOOC for a fall 2013 launch.
Modules
Week Turnaround
+ Enrollees
Amazing Result
View A Sample
Preview a stripped-down sample of two course modules from the Mini MOOC that have been reconstructed in Canvas.
The Process
Originally proposed as a standalone, asynchronous experience, we changed directions a few weeks into the design phase and chose to go with a facilitator-guided cohort model. I utilized the e-learning authoring tool SoftChalk to build interactive knowledge checks and the course was delivered in both Canvas and Blackboard.