OEA offers professional learning in many formats, including but not limited to, virtual learning communities, online courses, in-person workshops and conferences, year-long academies, webinars, affinity spaces, self-paced modules, and a podcast. You might be wondering what a virtual learning community, or VLC for short, is.
OEA Virtual Learning Communities are online communities of learners who come together to collectively learn about a specific topic or issue. The VLC members may choose this topic or issue collectively, or convene together because of the topic. An OEA member facilitates the VLC to coordinate regular meetings, liaise with OEA staff, and offer support, however the facilitator does not act as an instructor, but rather a guide. Learning is a collective responsibility of the VLC members. VLCs can also be used specifically for affinity spaces, for example, for new educators. In many VLCs, participants can earn PDUs. In an OEA VLC, members might do any of the following:
- discuss strategies and best practices
- share resources
- ask questions
- share experiences
- plan for an action or event
- work on a micro-credential
- read a book
- learn together
VLCs meet on a regular basis for either a defined or undefined time period (for example, once a week for six weeks, or once a month indefinitely).
OEA offers both VLCs and online courses. OEA Online Courses are more formal learning opportunities where participants have the option to earn PDUs or academic credit (both graduate and undergraduate credit are available). An OEA member provides regular direct instruction and participants who wish to earn credit must meet minimum course requirements that include readings and other resources; weekly assignments; regular live sessions for instruction and discussion; and asynchronous discussion forums. OEA courses also seek to build communities of learners to collectively support each other and learn from and with each other. In an OEA course, members may do any of the following:
- discuss strategies and best practices
- share resources
- ask questions
- share experiences
- learn together
Online courses may be synchronous or asynchronous or combine elements of both. Online courses are structured for a defined period of time (for example, six weeks).
Registration will open for summer virtual learning communities next month. Stay posted by visiting the Events page. Have questions? Email OEAlearn@oregoned.org