Distributed Learning Administrators’ Meeting-April 19
Meeting attendees: Jim Burbridge, Dieter Brandt, Jason Drent, Garth Dagg, Dave Elwood, Tom
Christensen, Wayne Pineau, Mark Crawford, Joanna Harvey, George Thomson, Tracy Edwards
Our Goal-to create engaging distributed learning courses for CESD students, providing them with opportunities for greater variety of courses and a more flexible structure than they might have in the traditional setting.
How we plan to achieve this? We will create a Distributed Learning Framework for CESD. The framework will include:
 guiding principles, processes, supports, professional development plans, identification of infrastructure needs (i.e. IT), a troubleshooting flowchart, and a long-term funding solution.
What have we done so far?
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Collected feedback from students, DL teachers, admin, coaches regarding first semester DL courses.
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Collecting information from other districts.
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Creation of support processes and tools.
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Working on a new wiki to support teachers, administrators, and coaches.
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Development of the characteristics needed for DL teachers, students, administrators, coaches.
What are the most immediate benchmarks we need to address at today’s meeting?
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Identification of course needs …what courses are needed and will lend themselves well to a distributed learning environment? Second language courses appropriate-have some teacher expertise there. Difficult to offer second languages at the smaller schools; DL increases the opportunity. Discussed class size, complexity limitations (multiple sites=more challenging).
Doesn’t work well with a full class in host site. Math 31 also a good fit. Second semester might be a better fit in terms of more kids having Pure Math 30 either prior to or at the same time…the more math in the students background the better. Talked about ADLC Team Teaching as another option. Some of the schools are using the team teaching in the Math/Science areas, i.e.
10-3/24 combo. Sundre High has had good success. Need to have a look at what is available on
ADLC site for September (i.e. Math 20-3). Diploma courses more of a risk; not sure if those are the best fit yet; high stakes course. HJ Cody uses ADLC in a couple different ways; Contracted
Services (works with a self-directed student, i.e. French Immersion student) $135.00; Team
Teaching-where teacher and students need support-no fee, course online, site teacher marks.
Keep in mind that students some times change their mind…might think we want the course now, but that can change.
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 Physics 30 next year for Delburne and River Glen(20/30)
 French 20/30, Math 31, Spanish-needed.

 Diploma Exam Prep? Where are we at with that? Didn’t hear any interest last time we canvassed. Students are definitely looking for those opportunities.
Need admin help in the teacher recruitment. Recognition for teacher-possible honoraria? Lissa will look into those logistics. Definitely interest, probably not enough time to get it ready for June. Perhaps Scott from Cremona could open his exam prep up to other students.
o What is not appropriate for DL. If not DL, how else I get a course? o Future ideas: Health Care Aide; So You Love Horses; Cosmetology; Early Learning and
Child Care
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Identify potential DL teachers and discuss support time (i.e. prior to course implementation as opposed to while the course is running?). Build some CESD courses-Math 31, Spanish, French. o HJ Cody
 Meagan Buyks for Spanish;
 possibly French (10-3y). Theresa Schmidt and Melanie Janzen.(HJ) o Bowden-not sure, not likely—Nathan might be interested (Spanish – course development), but timetable an issue. Nathan and Val would help with course creation. o River Glen-Jacqueline -Fern possible for Math 31. o Delburne-Doesn’t have the time for Lisa-but she might be interested in course development. Sandi Berg would be good for math. o Spruce View-No one prepared to teach DL, but might have some interested in development (Sue Provencal). No way to free her up in timetable. o Cremona-Spanish teacher Shawna Rodbourne-not sure if will be on next year. Scott would be willing to do something again, but in the sciences. Has done math in the past.
Would probably be willing to do course development. o Sundre-Chris Mertens would be willing to do Math 31 again. Tyler Jesse (math??), Kevin
Challoner (bio), Ryan Beck (Physics)-might be interested in development.
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Timeline for next year …we’d like to spend the first semester planning for common course development (i.e. a CESD Physics 20 course collaboratively developed in Moodle accessible for all Physics 20 teachers), and look at course delivery in second semester. Timetable constraints, especially at small schools; tough to find the 0.25 FTE with a teacher who carries a full load. We definitely still need time for these teachers; lots of work. Need some level of support-even second time around, or first time teaching with an already developed course; will be dependent on teacher expertise, course availability.
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Common timetable… for 10-12? All day, or one or two common blocks? o Olds High is tied to flexibility project but can be somewhat flexible. Doesn’t really need DL. (maybe last block of the day) o K-12’s except Cremona on common 4 block timetable. Perhaps Cremona can look at shifting to the common timetable for K-12.
o Didsbury, Sundre, Sylvan, Hugh Sutherland, HJ (thinking of changing) -similar 5 block 8 day

o Each school will have some things that will constrain.
o French Immersion is on the horizon – high school FI (Innisfail High/HJ/Olds High) o HJ Cody might go to 85’s—not sure.
o Potential for Olds High and Sundre to support the K-12’s within the 85’s.
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Other Items: o Olds College – noon hour VC of college options (info sessions) – recruitment – is this okay? Yes, that sounds good.
o Other?
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Next steps: o Determine courses and teachers-focused on second semester delivery. o Send out power-point with ideas re: funding (Peace River and Grande Yellowhead).

Characteristics and Commitments for DL Participants
•Ensure adequate supervision is provided, especially at remote site.
•Ensure students are prepared for DL course delivery (see characteristics of a DL student).
•Ensure communication is frequent, open and transparent.
•Regular (at least a couple times a month?) check in with teachers and students.
•Experienced in course content-should not be the first time teaching a course.
•Willingness to learn and take on new challenges.
Teaching in this environment will require additional work.
•Willingness to attend additional PD, including the following:
-half day prior to start-up of semester
-one to two half-days during the semester
•Comfortable using various technology tools; SMART
Board, Video-Conferencing,
Moodle, web tools, etc.
•Able to travel to remote sites two or more times during the semester.
•Self-motivated-and willing to ask questions when unsure.
•Willing to interact with teachers and students who may not be in the same site as you (via the Internet or
VC).
•Comfortable using a computer and the internet.
•Patient-the technology will fail from time to time; you need to be able to roll with it.