Teacher Education Goes Into Virtual Schooling (TEGIVS)

TEGIVS Retreats Focus Goals, Celebrates Achievements

 

TEGIVS project's three retreats, in October 2006, April 2006, and in October 2005, at Iowa State University's Center for Technology in Learning and Teaching, provided excellent opportunities for a detailed focus on project goals as we learned more about our four preservice programs and the fast developing phenomenon of VS. In addition, participants agreed to split 3 roles that TEGIVS aims to prepare preservice students for: (1) role of VS facilitator to support each student’s learning and may proctor assessment in his or her K-12 school, (2) role of teacher at a distance to manage the curriculum including day-to-day pedagogy and grading, and (3) role of designer to create the course publishing it in a virtual learning environment. Each retreat included a public keynote to raise awareness of VS in K-12. In October 2006, Peggy Roblyer gave a public lecture “Do you see what I see? Distance learning and the changing landscape of K-12 education.” In the lecture, she provided in-depth reflection on changes of VS in K-12 and stimulated participants to think of the impact on incidental learning with the use of technology.

TEGIVS also had its first the Advisory Board chaired by Eldon Uhlenhopp with additional members from Virtual Schooling organizations, including NACOL director Susan Patrick via Skype and Teleconference.