Standard 3.

3 Online & Blended Learning

Candidates will develop, model, and facilitate the use of online and blended learning, digital content, and
learning networks to support and extend student learning and expand opportunities and choices for
professional learning for teachers and administrators.

This artifact, a digital tools Lunch N Learn field experience report, was created in coordination
with a professional learning course. The purpose of the Lunch N Learn was to provide quick and efficient
training sessions on two new digital tools to increase student engagement and support effective
teaching practices. This Lunch N Learn was planned and developed with one of the Fulton County
Vanguard team members at Hembree Springs Elementary, and through surveys and data analysis, it was
determined that for this particular Lunch N Learn session, teachers would benefit most from learning
more about the digital tool, Nearpod, and how it support increased engagement, student reflection,
choice and voice in learning, and opportunity for authentic learning environments.

This artifact demonstrates the ability to develop, model, and facilitate online and blended
learning. This field experience was one of many Lunch N Learn professional development sessions
provided during the year at Hembree Springs. Teachers do not have much time to receive professional
development, and using effective tools like Nearpod and Flipgrid to train teachers on the tool proved
very effective. Not only did the Lunch N Learn provide an opportunity for many teachers to see Nearpod
used for the first time, it also provided an opportunity for teachers to see how Nearpod supports online
and blended learning in a face to face environment, as well as a distance learning environment.

One of my favorite ways to work with teachers is through a quick Lunch N Learn opportunity. It
allows me as an instructor to stay focused in my instruction. I have found that if I have longer sessions, I
can sometime overwhelm those with whom I am working! But, when you only have 15-20 minutes with
the teacher, I believe that it improves my instruction because I have to stay focused on the most urgent
needs! This field experience also reminded me of the role of an instructional technology coach in a
school. Just as we expect our teachers to be able to meet their students at their own level, we should
also be capable of providing instruction at the varying levels of our teachers! Working with teachers in a
quick, and fast paced training session allowed me to work with a wide variety of skills levels with regards
to online and blended learning ability.

This artifact has an impact on staff development and student learning. Not every teacher
attended the Lunch N Learn, however, our usage of Nearpod increased by nearly 100% following the
Lunch N Learn sessions. Teachers were effectively using the tool to keep their students engaged.
Nearpod has also been used to provide substitute lesson plans. Teachers are able to create their lesson
in Nearpod like they would don any day of instruction, but now a substitute can share the lesson code
and students can participate and engage in the lesson in much the same way they would if the teacher
were there. Because teachers are finding more effective ways to keep students engaged, students are
actively learning and growing throughout the school.