E-Learning Management Choices

When you decide to start offering online classes, you have a lot of choices to make. One of the first is whether to go with a Learning Management System that comes as software that you install on your computer or server, or whether to use a Learning Management System hosted by the provider. To help you make the choice, we've posted an article that describes the features you should consider.

E-Learning Management Systems: Hosted versus Installed

Installing and hosting your own LMS is certainly more work-intensive than choosing a hosted platform like IQity. You'll also want to consider cost and the availability of standards-based content when making your choice.

Web-based Learning Programs Ideal for Teens

Brick and mortar schools are back in full swing now that summer is coming to an end. Do you know a teenager who is having difficulty adjusting to a back-to-school schedule? Teenagers' natural sleep rhythms cause them to fall asleep late and stay asleep for 8 to 9 hours a night, which makes it difficult for them to get up early to go to school. Web-based learning programs allow teens to customize their class time to their sleep schedule, curbing poor performance problems caused by lack of sleep. For more information, we’ve posted an article showing how an asynchronous on-line learning program allows teenagers to attend their class at a time when they are rested and fully able to focus on the material.



IQity makes web-based learning easy



IQity offers a learning platform that makes it easy to offer online classes in which students can communicate with their teacher and other students over the internet. Teachers can post information for the students to access. Other methods of communication available to the students are email, chat rooms, and discussion forums.

Ohio Graduation Test

What is the best way to prepare a student for the Ohio Graduation Test? The answer may very well be, "It depends on the student." Since students taking the test come from different backgrounds and have different learning styles and skill sets, using a differentiation strategy is a great way to meet the learning needs of each individual student.
Teachers interested in learning more about this learner-centered approach can check out the article we've posted on differentiation on ezinearticles.com.

Types of Differentiation
Teachers can use the differentiation method in three different ways. First, they can choose to differentiate content. In other words, they change the material used to deliver course content. For example, a student with strong writing skills may be given materials to complete a writing assignment on the subject while a student with strong research skills may be asked to find the material independently.

Another approach is process differentiation, which means students are allowed different approaches to learn the content. For example, some students may work individually while others work in groups.

Finally, teachers can differentiate the product, or vary the way they measure what the students have learned. In this method, students can use different ways to showcase the information they have learned whether it be by giving a speech or taking a written exam.

IQity Makes It Easy
The flexibility built into the IQity Learning Management Suite makes it easy to customize lessons for individual students through differentiation. And IQity comes with a standards-aligned study guide and practice test that's used widely in Ohio to help students prepare for the Ohio Graduation Test.

Videos by Teachers

YouTube has revolutionized the old notion of home movies and in the process is changing the way people share information and stories. Now that it's easy for just about anyone to make and upload a video to the Internet, teachers and school administrators are finding many uses for video instruction.

Training Videos for Teachers
At ECOT, the first online school to use the IQity learning management platform, administrators have created a video to show teachers how to perform a specific task related to the class roster.

Training Videos by Teachers

The ECOT video is hosted on TeacherTube, a kind of YouTube for educators. Teachers can use the site to upload or download videos for their classes. One downside to using TeacherTube, though, is that the videos are not necessarily aligned with state standards. Using IQity's REACTOR will be a much better option, since teachers will be certain that the videos they download for class use have been reviewed by a panel of educators for alignment purposes.

Teachers will also be able to make their own videos and upload them to REACTOR. Once the video has been confirmed to be aligned with state standards, it will be available for other teachers to download and use. And the teacher who created it will receive a small payment each time that happens. Cool!