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Planning Locally, Teaching Globally
One Teacher’s Foray Into Online Learning
Afew summers ago I enrolled in an online course with Global Online Academy (GOA), a con- sortium of independent schools around the world that was created to offer courses outside of a school’s typi- cal curriculum. I expected to be somewhat bored, as online classes tend to be fairly non-interactive. In- stead, what I found was a rich and collegial community of educators, dedicated to innovation, creativity, and that the notion of holding stu- dents to the high standard our schools’ demand, is paramount.
My GOA course changed the way I teach in the classroom. It gave me the insight to move beyond just adding links and resources to online platforms, and instead build dynamic pages that students can use to guide themselves through the curriculum, share their knowledge, ask questions, and curate content for their classmates.
FIS is one of 62 member schools in Global Online Academy, and last year, because of my work with the organization, I was asked to join their staff as an instructor of “Genocide and Human Rights.”
As part of my training, I travelled to Washington State where I attended a week-long summer retreat to develop my curriculum. Thirty-five other teachers from around the globe – India, Germany, Mexico, Indonesia, China, Australia, and the United States – joined me.
During the retreat, we had short tech labs to learn skills we might need like “How to conduct meetings when your students are in multiple time zones.“ Throughout the training my Instructional Design coach monitored
Teachers collaborate during GOA’s summer retreat in Washington State
my progress, asked critical questions, and reassured me that I was on the right track. Rather than feeling exhausted from a challenging week of collaboration and curricular design, we new GOA teachers felt revitalized and excited to go back and put our new curriculum into action.
Thanks to that training, I have returned to FIS having honed my teaching skills in a blended classroom. I have learned how to manage a class of students living in multiple times zones, but also have new techniques to use with my students at FIS.
And, so far so good. When I’m not in front of my “Brick and Mortar” students at FIS, I spend a little time online with my other students from Jordan, Mexico, India, Indonesia, and the United States who are learning from each other about Human Rights issues in their own country as well as issues being faced around the world. Their unique local perspectives are helping
us grow closer as a global community, and creating a smaller, more connected world for them as students.
GOA’s catalog includes courses ranging from Multi-variable Calculus, iOS App Creation, Abnormal Psychology, Medical Problem Solving, and Bio-Ethics, to Architecture, Comparative Religions, 9/11 in a Global Context, and Creative Non- Fiction Writing.
FIS offers a wide array of online courses through GOA and similar Pamoja programs. Interested students should contact their FIS counselor. More information about GOA and Pamoja, including course catalogs, can be found at globalonlineacademy.org and pamojaeducation.com/
Kathleen Ralf,
FIS Upper School Teacher
October 2015 FIS World 7