Come along as the journey continues with a focus on Online Learning

The journey unfolds when teachers decide to move away from traditional teaching and toward a new vision of instructional design. It’s a learning journey—for teacher and student alike. The journey focuses on learning, not the technology. Taking the journey is critical in preparing students to live, learn, and work in a technology-rich world. Join us now as we embark on the next step in our journey, taking us along the path of online learning.

Previous steps in the journey are still available: Project Based Learning, Web 2.0, Envisioning the Future of Education and Technology, Innovative Learning Technologies, and Digital Citizenship.

While on Your Learning Journey, be sure to stop by the ISTE bookstore. We've got some great books for you to check out, and ISTE members receive a 30% discount on all titles.

Safe Practices for Life Online
by Doug Fodeman & Marje Monroe

The Internet can be a scary place. Make sure your students know enough to protect themselves from online predators, phishers, scam artists, and aggressive marketers.
$20.95 ($29.95 nonmembers)
Order your copy now.

What Works in K–12 Online Learning
by Robert Blomeyer & Cathy Cavanaugh

What Works in K–12 Online Learning provides a comprehensive overview of effective online teaching and learning practices. Based on extensive experience and research, chapters cover a full spectrum of topics including virtual course development, online learning in elementary classrooms, instructional assessment and differentiating online instruction, professional development for teachers of virtual courses, and the challenges that virtual schools will face in the future.
Order today $26.55 ($37.95 nonmembers).

 Learning & Leading with Technology

The February issue of L&L is chock full of great information. The article "Global Connections: Web Conferencing Tools Allow Educators to Collaborate Anytime, Anywhere," by Dave Forrester offers you methods for learning from all over the world while saving on travel costs.
If you have great lesson plans, but are just not sure how to translate them into digital content for your students to use, authors Donna Dick and Gerry Davis offer suggestions in their article "Making the Switch: Turning Face-to-Face Content into Meaningful Online Courses."
Be sure to read answers to the point/counterpoint question: Should public schools be required to offer online K–12 education?

 Resources and Links

There's so much more to learn. Read past articles about Online Learning culled from ISTE’s world-class publications, L&L, JRTE, and JCTE. Read more.

Browse our annotated links to some great Online Learning Web sites.

 The National Educational Computing Conference (NECC)

NECC 2009—Celebrating 30 years of Ed Tech vision!

NECC 2009 is the place to be! Be on the forefront of improving teaching and learning. Meet, network, and learn at more than 900 sessions and events. There will be multiple sessions and events about online learning, such as "Ready-Made or Homemade? How to Choose Online Professional Development," Effective Teaching Practices for Online Learning" and "Smithsonian Latino Virtual Museum in Second Life: The New Frontier in Online Learning." Learn more and experience a one-of-a-kind opportunity by joining us at NECC 2009 in Washington, DC!

 Further Your Journey with an ISTE Webinar

We have some great webinars prepared for you! In February check out our webinar ePortfolios and Web 2.0.

On Wednesday, February 18, Dr. Helen Barrett will present ePortfolios and Web 2.0. This webinar will focus on using Web 2.0 tools, freely available on the Internet, to create student-centered electronic portfolios. You'll also learn how the use of a portfolio can be a powerful tool to support both learning and assessment, making learning visible across the curriculum, and you'll look at how to use blogs, wikis, and online productivity tools to create interactive portfolios. Sign up today.

For a complete listing of upcoming ISTE webinars, click here.

NETS

NETS•S and Online Learning
Online learning is an important part of "Communication and Collaboration" in the NETS for Students (NETS•S). Learn more.

Refreshing NETS for the Digital Age
ISTE has embarked on a collaborative three-year process to engage educators and stakeholders in updating the NETS for Students, Teachers, and Administrators.
On January 2, ISTE released the Draft NETS•A (2009) after hearing from educators across the United States and from many countries. The final standards will be published in June, and we want to hear from you as we revise the draft. Learn more, and take the online survey.