Learning


By Jamey Fitzpatrick CEO and President


Michigan Virtual University


Teachers are essential for learning, in the classroom and online. MVS employs over 150 teachers who interact with thousands of Michigan students online every year; they are essential to their students’ successful completion of online courses.


To be essential in the face-to-face or virtual classroom, it’s critical that teachers receive professional development. In his November 2010 report, Continuous Quality Improvement Through Professional Development for Online K-12 Instructors, Dr. Richard Ferdig says “Although there has been a tremendous surge of interest in K-12 online learning, preparing instructors for


teaching in electronic environments has not necessarily kept pace.”


“This report highlights the reasons why online teachers need professional development, how to deliver that instruction, and implications for virtual schools, teachers, policy-makers, and researchers.” Dr. Ferdig, Research Professor and Professor of Instructional Technology at Kent State University, said.


Well-trained Teachers are Essentials for 21st


Century


Another report, Closing the talent gap: Attracting and retaining top- third graduates to careers in teaching,” by Byron Auguste, Paul Kihn, and Matt Miller of McKinsey and Co., examines teaching programs and strategies in some of the world’s best-performing nations and seeks to outline how adapting those strategies for practice in the United States might reap enormous benefits for the U.S. economy.


This report shines a light on the single factor that impacts student success in schools the most, and that’s the quality of teachers. It also reveals the “radically different approach” to how teachers are prepared in the highest-performing countries versus how they are prepared in the U.S.


Preparing highly qualified, Michigan certified educators to teach courses in an online environment is essential to the success of the Michigan Virtual School®. Since its inception, MVU has trained over 600 certified Michigan teachers to teach MVS online courses. Currently, MVU offers its traditional Online Instructor Training program, an Online Teaching and Learning Mastery program, which was launched in January 2010, and an Integrating Blended Instruction into Your Classroom course, which is offered through Michigan LearnPort, that serves as an introduction to teaching through blended instruction.


Each year, MVS names an Online Teacher of the Year the day before its annual online learning symposium each fall. Two high-quality Michigan teachers were chosen in November 2010, Molly Bruzewski of Bay City and Andrew Vanden Heuvel of Grand Haven. Both teachers exhibit the qualities that are essential for teaching and learning in the 21st


century.


Bruzewski has been an online instructor for Michigan Virtual School® since 2001, where she teaches in a virtual classroom for all schools across Michigan. The courses she is currently teaching online include Civics, Legal Issues and Advanced Placement


Government & Politics. She also


provides leadership at the Bay-Arenac Intermediate School District as their Curriculum Consultant and Moodle Trainer.


“As I recall my career path, one thing is evident: technology is continually driving what we do and how we accomplish our goals. I have been the beneficiary of several open doors which I have not hesitated to walk through, and have been extremely grateful for,” Bruzewski said. “Those doors led me to avenues that


“Well Trained” continued on page 23 14 | Conference 2011 | MACULJOURNAL


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