What is contained in the Educational Impact (“EI”) Online Academy of professional development programs?
How do I preview the EI online programs?
How are school systems using EI’s online programs?
What is contained in a typical EI online program?
How does EI create its online programs?
How do the EI programs allow administrators to hold teachers accountable for their own professional development?
How do the multiple choice assessments in EI’s programs work?
What makes EI programs different from other online professional development programs?
Can a teacher get graduate credit for successfully completing an EI online program?
How does the EI 360o online assessment work?
What is the cost of the EI programs and/or 360o assessment?
Is it possible to obtain a demonstration of the EI programs and/or 360o assessment and talk with an EI representative?
How does my school system gain access to the EI programs and/or 360o assessment?
Q: What is contained in the Educational Impact (“EI”) Online Academy of professional development programs?
A: The EI Online Academy includes 39 online professional development programs and over 370 hours of online streaming video. The programs were developed and produced exclusively for the professional development needs of teachers and administrators. The primary instruction is delivered through streaming video. The video features most of today’s big names in education including: Charlotte Danielson, Allan November, Doug Reeves, Michael Fullan, Jay McTigue, Phil Schlechty, Bob Marzano, Rick Stiggins, Mike Schmoker, Roland Barth, Vicki Bernhardt and many, many more. In addition to these national experts, the video in EI’s programs includes hundreds of real classroom observations - allowing users to watch master teachers implement the recommended strategies and techniques suggested by the experts. For a complete list of the programs in the EI Online Academy, including a list of the presenters in each video module and the number of hours in each program, please view the EI program catalog.
Q: How do I preview the EI online programs?
A: There are two ways to preview the programs. You can view a short 2-5 minute highlight video of each program that does NOT require you to log on with an ID and password. Or, you can call Educational Impact and request a trial ID and password to all 39 of EI’s online programs (email or call Lu Mack at lmack@educationalimpact.com or 610-921-9005).
Q: How are school systems using EI’s online programs?
A: EI’s online programs are being used in a variety of ways. They can be used by teachers seeking continuing education credit or by school administrators looking to add a “self directed” learning” component to their in-service agenda. Staff development directors frequently use EI programs that feature video of real classroom observations to create “blended learning opportunities”. These opportunities require that teachers view online segments PRIOR to a scheduled face-to-face workshop (just like doing your homework before class). Other uses of EI programs include teacher induction, the creation of prescriptive personal learning plans, and the implementation of differentiated professional development.
Q: What is contained in a typical EI online program?
A: An example of a typical EI program is the recently released program titled “Charlotte Danielson’s Teaching Framework: Looking at Real Classrooms”. This online program was two years in the making and is based on Charlotte Danielson’s best selling book. The program is designed to show teachers and administrators what the framework components actually look like in real classrooms.
The program contains three learning modules and approximately 7.5 hours of streaming video. The first module includes a brief introduction followed by a one hour seminar that features Charlotte Danielson discussing the teaching framework. You will learn how the framework was created, how it is organized and how to use it to enhance teaching performance. The second and third modules contain the real classroom examples. Each example is broken down by domain, grade level and subject. Each movie shows classroom examples of different framework components. After each example, Charlotte provides in-depth commentary on what is observed in the video.
A typical EI program also includes a corresponding “power point presentation” to highlight the important points made in the video. Each video segment has text based handouts and a full transcript that is searchable by key word. A multiple choice assessment follows each module. Each EI program also includes a resource bank, an interactive bulletin board for user postings, and a chat room that can be scheduled by user groups.
Q: How does EI create its online programs?
A: EI creates online programs in partnership with prominent educational organizations. EI chooses its content partners based on their proven reputation and track record of delivering research based teacher and administrator training programs. EI’s content partners include professional organizations, state departments of education, colleges of education and educational service centers. A list of some of the organizations which EI has partnered with to create its online academy is available here.
Q: How do the EI programs allow administrators to hold teachers accountable for their own professional development?
A:EI’s online staff development programs provide school systems with an optional method of awarding continuing education credit. Traditionally, credits or other forms of recognition for staff development have been based on seat time rather than demonstrated knowledge or gains in student learning. EI has assessments embedded throughout each one of its online programs which allows districts to award credit based on performance and learning (passing assessments) rather than seat time. An administrative accountability web page can be accessed through a special pass code which is provided to the designated school administrator. Through the use of this web page a school administrator can monitor the progress of every teacher in his/her school or school system - including whether each teacher/administrator has viewed specific video segments and successfully passed each assessment.
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Q: How do the multiple choice assessments in EI’s programs work?
A: Each assessment includes 20 questions that relate to the video and handouts in each learning module. A user needs to answer 16 out of 20 questions correctly to pass. Users receive their results immediately upon submitting answers to all 20 questions. Each time a user takes the assessment the questions are chosen randomly from a question bank that includes 40 total questions. Teachers are typically required to pass the assessment to obtain their continuing education credit. The amount of continuing education credit is based on the estimated completion time for each program. The completion times is based on 140% of the video hours in the program. This includes time allocated to viewing the video, reading the handouts, completing the activities and completing each module assessment.
Q: What makes EI programs different from other online professional development programs?
A: EI has been filming national educational experts and classroom observations for almost nine years. No other online academy contains close to 370 hours of steaming video - or covers the breadth of topics included in the EI programs. No other online academy features the number of “big name” national experts or variety of classroom observation video. No other company offers users the ability to personalize their professional development through the use of a 360 degree “front end” assessment. Lastly, over 30% of the content in EI’s Online Academy was developed exclusively for school administrators. No other company has such a broad array of PD options devoted to improving school leaders. Feature for feature, EI stands above all other online providers.
Q: Can a teacher get graduate credit for successfully completing an EI online program?
A: Yes. Any teacher successfully completing an EI online program has the option of earning graduate credits from any of EI’s university partners. The number of graduate credits depends on the length of the EI program. The cost and requirements per credit hour varies depending on the university. The cost to obtain the graduate credit is the responsibility of the user and is paid directly to the University. More information is available on the EI web site at http://www.educationalimpact.com/graduate-credits.html
Q: How does the EI 360o online assessment work?
A: EI’s 360o assessment allows user to rate themselves in areas that are critical to their success as teachers or school leaders. Users also solicit input and feedback from their staff and superior. The results from the 360o assessment provide the user with a complete picture of his/her strengths and weaknesses - accurately revealing areas for improvement. The results allow users to generate professional development plans that prescribe specific EI online content that directly addresses “areas of need”. In addition, there are also written assignments that allow users to reflect on what they have learned and to make connections to challenges they may face within their own school.
The 360o school leadership assessment has been very popular with state departments of education. Several states now require all new principals in the state to go through the 360o process.
More information on the 360o school leadership assessment is available on the EI web site at http://www.educationalimpact.com/pdfs/360_leadership_overview.pdf
More information on the 360o teacher assessment is available on the EI web site at http://www.educationalimpact.com/pdfs/360_teacher_overview.pdf.
Q: What is the cost of the EI programs and/or 360o assessment?
A: EI prices its program subscriptions based on the number of IDs purchased and the number of programs accessed by each ID. The greater the volume of IDs purchased, the cheaper the individual cost per ID. Each user is required to have his/her own ID and password. Each subscription is good for 1 full year from the activation date. EI will send you a free price quote upon request.
Q: Is it possible to obtain a demonstration of the EI programs and/or 360o assessment - and talk with an EI representative?
A: EI welcomes the opportunity to provide your school system or organization with a demonstration of any or all of the programs in the EI Online Academy. This can be accomplished through a phone demonstration, or face-to-face meeting.
Q: How does my school system gain access to the EI programs and/or 360o assessment?
A: Once a school system commits to purchase a specific number of subscriptions, EI will fulfill the order and provide the IDs and passwords per the direction of the school system.