Blogs

NOTICE: These are only early first draft Alpha versions of the highschoolcourseexchange.org courses.

You can go to http://fineartsforall.org/moodle/mymoodle and login as a guest to see the classes I am teaching this year. They are Animation 1, Media Technology 1, Fundamentals of the Internet, and Business Image Management and Multimedia. The other courses listed are free Moodle classes I downloaded from the Internet to use as extra resources.

Recently I was asked to write an article for http:// iteachnet.org. It is a website that focuses on resources for international educators. It is wonderful. Check it out.

The course I am developing for the High School Course Exchange combines vocal pedagogy and choral music with digital audio and video. It is inspired by the song "I'd like to teach the world to sing, in perfect harmony . . . "

With the current push in education to focus on "serious" subjects, many schools have pushed fine arts to the side or out. Vocal music is neglected even more than band. In Texas (where I currently live), this is partly explained by the need for marching bands to play during football games. ;)

This project is actually very personal for me. Both of my children, Hannah -
age 10 and Sam age - age 7, are dyslexic.

Since I teach vocal music, piano, 3D modeling and animation, digital graphics,
audio/video editing and web page design, there are no jobs like these close to home.
Consequently, I have to commute two hours/day. My children need me to be
accessible so I can help them and intervene. Teaching online would make that
possible.

Also, my children will need electives that are dyslexia friendly when they advance to

Good morning!

My children are seven and ten. Our family lives in rural Texas. My husband is
a retired school administrator and I am currently a high school teacher.

Generally we have been very pleased with the local elementary school where our
children attend. However, as we look ahead to the upper grades, we are
concerned. It is true that our children will be able to participate in any
sport, but their opportunities for fine arts courses, career technology, and
upper level sciences will be slim.

We understand that probably the reason for the lack of course variety is

It sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?

Actually, it can be done! There are several free software packages that facilitate multi-track recording. We will be using Audacity and Ardour. You can download them in several places, but I recommend the Musix live DVD. It is a Linux operating system loaded with hundreds of music, audio, video, graphics, office . . . programs. Booting to the Musix DVD for the first time feels like Christmas!

Also, for anyone who can attend, we will get together for a live, in person concert.

The Interim Report on the Electronic Course Pilot Program prepared by TEA is a good source of information. It will help you determine the feasibility of incorporating online courses on your campus.

Historically, one of the problems with teaching an online course has been the inability to earn a wage above the poverty level, even though the work load has been tremendous. I can think of four factors that will impact this scenario.

1. Teachers are their own contractors, thereby eliminating excessive administrative costs and enabling them to contract with as many schools as necessary to gain the required student enrollment.

If you are a teacher, administrator, or student who would like to participate in the highschoolcourseexchange.org project, email your ideas to:

administrator@highschoolcourseexchange.org

This idea could be a sleeping giant, keep up the good work! Is this something I could teach Real Estate or Basic Business classes in?

Jonathan Cromwell