Teachers take part in summer Distance Education Program

eTeachers have been training at the BOE conference room to be exemplar online eTeachers and Instructional Technology cohort instructors for the upcoming school year 2014-2015. (Contributed Photo)

“All summer we’ve been gearing up on superdrive for the upcoming Sept. 2 start [of classes],” said PSS instructional technologist Jeaniffer Cubangbang.

Thursday was the last week that eTeachers have been training at the BOE conference room to be exemplar online eTeachers and Instructional Technology cohort instructors for the upcoming school year 2014-2015.

Along with Cubangbang, eTeachers Karen Echon and Anita Sablan have been instrumental in building capacity within PSS and in sharing their successes in developing and teaching online courses with current and interested eTeachers and Instructional Technology cohort instructors.

The PSS Distance Education program has been recognized by Blackboard in its latest July conference in Las Vegas for its exemplary role in technology and distance learning. The 2-year-old program started from scratch upon Cubangbang’s hiring in late 2011 and was approved by the CNMI Board of Education to start in January 2012.

All-star DE student trainers are Cubangbang’s latest initiative to involve students into a student-centered learning and digital learning approach.

For the past three weeks, 18 students from three islands of the CNMI from six private and public schools have been training with Cubangbang and her eTeacher exemplar team and working through the summer online to develop a Student Success 101 course for students wanting to take online courses this upcoming semester or in the future.

These All-star DE student trainers will receive digital literacy credit, cooperative education work training, and fulfill their school’s required community service hours. It is also their goal to get parent-involvement into student’s success and achievement to increase.

“We’ll be leading the country someday, and more important to take our future into account,” said Neri Jingco, lead student trainer of the CNMI All-star DE student trainers and Blackboard Project Tomorrow participant panelist.

Last Aug. 15, the Summer Online Courses ended with 481 enrolled online students earning credit toward promotion and graduation requirements from among the 10 different online courses in core contents and electives. Its latest perception data collection reflects that there are more and more students who are self-directing their education by taking online courses to graduate early (43 percent), graduate on time (24 percent), and enrich themselves (34 percent).

This upcoming school year, Cubangbang plans to recruit at least 45 eTeachers for 1,500 students from an offering of 49 various online courses that are aligned to iNACOL national online quality standards, PSS and ISTE technology standards, and Blackboard’s exemplary course rubrics, in addition to PSS-adopted state standards, Common Core State Standards for ELA & Math and NGSS for Science.

Students are encouraged to meet with their respective school counselor or the PSS summer counselor Janice Muna at the MHS counseling office before Sept. 2 to get academic evaluations done so they can register at www.goo.gl/4wS51n for the upcoming online fall semester. Students, private and public school, grades 6-12 are encouraged to go online to www. cnmipss.org for more information about the Distance Education program and view the 49 course offerings.

Fall 2014 online course registration & placement (www.goo.gl/4wS51n). Seats are limited. Register today! (PR)