Digital Learning in reality for K-8: fighting to live the dream #k12online #edtech #digitallearing

This morning Digital Learning: Glimpse of the Future popped into a newsletter I read. Since I have been a virtual teaching for four year as part of the team that started one of the first K-5 100% online programs in Michigan, I can tell you I have been living "the dream" for years now. And it's not what you think.

Digital learning has a future in k-12 education, but we are shackled by the constraints of funding and software that handicap our ability to fully embrace this ( I was going to say future but it's really the reality of the present) reality.
We still must follow the pupil accounting rules of Count Day for STW ( seat time waiver) programs. Which I am not really sure MDE has figured out. It's really just forces the brick and mortar rules into something that is doable in the click world.
We are defined as a traditional school year program and the LMS shuts down to do a roll over in the summer so our calendar is locked in.
In our LMS course must have a start date so it's not on demand for the student.
I would love to just start students where ever they are in Math regardless of grade level. But for those that are behind, we don't have a path to catch up. And for those that go ahead, it cost money to get the next grade level. It's money well spend but there is a reality of the budget.

So we hold to the principals of digital learning. We fight against the ignorance and constraints. We look for innovations to make what should be a reality happen now. The world is changing. We have to change with it so better serve our students.

That's my big thought for the day. Now back to the daily todo list battle and boredom of operational duties.

Here's a link to the blog that started this musing:
Digital Learning: Glimpse of the Future - soloprenaut.com https://soloprenaut.com/teaching-online/digital-learning-glimpse-of-the-future/ via @thesoloprenaut

Writing an Awesome Application @edutopia #michEd #teachersspendtheirownmonytoomuch

Writing grants is something I have always wanted to learn more about. It's a great way to get funding for all those projects you know will impact your students but your district cannot fund. And lord knows we pay enough out of our pockets. There's a free online course that's on my summer list.

Below is pasted  part of a post from Edutopia. This will be on my summer do to reading list.

Writing an Awesome Application

• Grant Space Classroom From Foundation Center: Foundation Center's training center features tons of useful online grant-writing courses. Many of the courses are free and self-paced, and they're designed to help anyone write more effective proposals. Great, free courses for beginners include Introduction to Proposal Writing and Proposal Budgeting Basics.
• How to Write a Winning Grant Proposal: This GuideStar resource offers concrete tips for writing the best applications. From ideas for what to include, as well as formatting and style tips, there's a lot here to help you get started.
• 10 Key Ingredients of Winning Proposals: Looking for ways to make your application stand out? Author Mathilda Harris, the director of the Grant Training Center, provides tips and ideas of what to include in your grant proposal.

source:http://www.edutopia.org/blog/teacher-travel-grants-resources-matt-davis?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialflow