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Creating Multimodal Thinking Notebooks

Invite learners to share their thinking and process work, using the modes of expression that best serve this kind of writing.

Writing isn’t the production of alphabetic text and print alone.

Writing is multimodal.

Learning isn’t the production of text or print, either.

Learning is a process, and when we’re able to share our thinking as we move through it, the resulting products are usually better for it.

Thoughtful learners use multimodal notebooks to make their learning visible. They share their reflections, discoveries, and the solutions they’re creating…bit by bit…using the modes of expression that allow them to express the full complexity of their thinking, learning, and evolving work.

This course, comprised of three modules, prepares teachers to serve K-12 learners well as they create and share multimodal thinking notebooks.

What are multimodal thinking notebooks? You’ll find a growing list of examples, which I’m displaying in the video above, here.

Here’s what you need to know:

  • This three-module course will help you develop the knowledge and skills necessary for supporting multimodal notebook keeping across K-12 content area classrooms. Regardless of your students’ ages or experience levels, this course will offer relevant content and active learning challenges that may be offered face-to-face, remotely, or in a hybrid environment.
  • Once you register, you will have access to all three sessions, and you can move through them at your own pace. Whenever you are signed in, you will be able to access each lesson from the course home page (<–click that link right there). You will also maintain full access to this course, all of its materials, and its upgrades for the lifetime of the course.
  • Each lesson will invite you to do a bit of learning and a bit of creating.
  • By the end of this course, you will be ready to invite your students to become multimodal notebook keepers.
  • If you choose to upgrade to optional live sessions, plan to meet weekly for an hour via Zoom at a mutually agreed-upon time. The first global cohort will begin meeting the week of November 2nd. Once registered, you will be asked to share your availability one week ahead of our start. If you’re participating in a cohort sponsored by your school or organization, we’ll be meeting at a time selected by those leaders.

DO YOU STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?

Check out the answers to those that are most frequently asked, below. If I can help you more, please contact me. I’ll be happy to answer any question that isn’t addressed here.

This course is comprised of three learning modules which may be completed in a self-paced, asynchronous fashion. Each module attends to the following outcomes:

Module 1: Using Multimodal Expression to Document Our Thinking, Learning, and Work

  • Define specific approaches that learners use to document their thinking, learning, and work.
  • Distinguish each mode of expression from the others and prepare to help your students do the same.
  • Determine how you will support learners as they choose the best modes of expression and tools for their own documentation work.
  • Adopt, adapt, or create a tangible process that your students will use to document, reflect upon, and share their own learning, using multimodal tools.

Module 2: Multimodal Thinking Notebooks and Assessment Congruence

  • Align your most meaningful learning targets to the assessment opportunities and types offered in students’ thinking notebooks.
  • Prepare to honor student voice and choice while pursuing standards based learning and assessment.
  • Determine how you will use notebooks to make a richer and a more targeted assessment of student thinking, learning, and work.

Module 3: Elevating the Quality of Students’ Thinking, Learning, and Work

  • Plan to teach, assess, and elevate the quality of students’ thinking, learning, and work bit by bit.
  • Prepare to leverage multimodal expression in order to improve students’ use of the written word.
  • Determine which authentic learning experiences will be supported by students’ use of multimodal thinking notebooks.

You may also choose to wrap live, instructor-led sessions around any or all of these modules. Contact Angela to customize these sessions and schedule them at a time that is most convenient for you and/or your staff. Purchase orders are accepted, and off-site registration and invoicing are available as well.

Module 1: Using Multimodal Expression to Share Our Thinking

This module will prepare participants to address the following questions in the context of their own environment:

  • How might we invite learners to document the best of their thinking, learning, and work?
  • How might we encourage learners choose the modes of expression that best enable this?
  • How might we invite them to make their thinking notebooks, logs, and journals multimodal?
Module 2: Considering Assessment Congruence

This module will prepare participants to address the following questions in the context of their own environment:

  • How do multimodal thinking journals enable better assessment?
  • How might create meaningful alignment between our standards, learning targets, and the challenges we offer to multimodal notebook keepers?
  • Which tools and assessment approaches serve multimodal notebook keepers best?
Module 3: Leveraging Multimodal Expression in Service to the Written Word

This module will prepare participants to address the following questions in the context of their own environment:

  • How might we teach, assess, and empower learners to elevate the quality of their multimodal thinking notebooks bit by bit?
  • How might we leverage multimodal expression to improve the quality of the written words that learners produce?
  • How might we make the work of multimodal notebook keeping far more authentic?

Register Here
*Be sure to use your coupon code when prompted, if your organization provided one.

Single Self-Paced Course

$20

For individuals who register independent of their school system.

  • Unlimited access to three course modules.
  • Unlimited access to all resources and materials, which may be used, adapted, and shared for non-commercial purposes.
  • Lifetime access to this course and all updates.
Register
Single with Live Sessions

$50

Three live sessions hosted weekly, beginning the week of November 2, 2020

  • Unlimited access to three course modules.
  • Unlimited access to all resources and materials, which may be used, adapted, and shared for non-commercial purposes.
  • Three weekly live sessions, facilitated by Angela and beginning the week of November 2, 2020 at a mutually agreed-upon time.
  • Lifetime access to this course and all updates.
Register
Site License: Self-Paced Course

$1000

Open the course to your entire faculty and staff, so they may complete it asynchronously

  • All participants will have unlimited access to three course modules.
  • All participants will have unlimited access to all resources and materials, which may be used, adapted, and shared for non-commercial purposes.
  • All participants will have lifetime access to this course and all updates.
Register
Site License: Add Live Sessions

$2000

Add three live instructor-led sessions with Angela, and invite staff to debrief their learning.

  • All participants will have unlimited access to three course modules.
  • All participants will have unlimited access to all resources and materials, which may be used, adapted, and shared for non-commercial purposes.
  • All participants will join three live sessions, facilitated by Angela and scheduled at a mutually agreed-upon time.
  • All participants will have lifetime access to this course and all updates.
Register

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions: 

 

When Does This Course Begin?

If you are registering independently, all three course modules will become available on September 11, 2020. Live meetups for individuals not participating with a district will begin the week of November 2, 2020. You will receive an email survey one week prior, asking you to share your availability. We will meet at a mutually agreed-upon time.

If you are participating with other members of your organization, check with your administrators or contact Angela to clarify your schedule. This will also be shared at your welcome meeting.

May I earn professional development credit for this course?

May I earn professional development credit for completing this course?

Yes, with the approval of your administrator. This course requires ten clock hours. Contact Angela to learn more and arrange to obtain a certificate of completion. In most cases, evidence of knowledge application will be necessary to verify that learning was completed.

Do you accept purchase orders?

Yes. Please contact Angela to arrange for this.

What is the difference between an individual registration and a site license?

A site license provides access to an entire building staff, while an individual registration is for one person.

What is the difference between the self-paced option and the upgraded option?

The self-paced option includes three learning sessions that may be completed anytime and anywhere. They do not require any level of interactivity, and Angela does not engage with users.

The upgraded course option includes the three self-paced learning sessions as well as additional live, interactive discussions facilitated by Angela. Here, users may debrief their thinking and learning and seek feedback on their work. Schools and other organizations may schedule these for individuals or an entire staff.

If you are registering independently of your school system, our first round of live sessions begins the week of November 2nd. Invite to follow, one week prior to our start. You may begin the course at any time prior to our first meetup. Please try to complete the first session by then.

What if I'm unhappy with this course?

You have fifteen days from the point of purchase to request a full refund.

Will you share my contact information?

Never.

How am I expected to engage in this space?

If you are participating in the self-paced course, there is no option or expectation for engagement.

If you are participating in facilitated sessions, please arrive on time for our scheduled meetings, contribute to our learning, and support other group members by pushing their thinking in ways that encourage and elevate our conversations.

What are the technology requirements for this course?

You must have a device that allows you to consume digital course content, and if you intend to participate in our interactive meetings, you must have a device with a camera and microphone in order to fully participate.

What technical skills must I have in order to complete this course?

You must be able to:

  • use a browser to find the course;
  • establish a username and password upon registration;
  • navigate through and between web pages;
  • play YouTube videos;
  • open links to access documents;
  • have a basic understanding of Zoom, the teleconferencing tool we will use for live meetings.

Should I have read Angela's books in order to participate?

This isn’t necessary.

What prerequisite knowledge should I have prior to beginning this course?

An awareness of best practices for writing instruction is useful.

Where may I find an overview of the course?

The full course overview can be found in the blue box on this page.

Know that if you are enrolling as a district or school participant, the content for the course remains the same, but your pacing and live session options will be customized, based on the needs and interests of your staff.