AEA PD Online - October Update

As you can probably see, the creation of AEA PD Online has been time-consuming (just click on the calendar of 2011 posts to see for yourself).  And though we haven't marketed it well at all, AEA PD Online is off to a great start.

This summer, we offered 72 online courses (with 1109 participants).  That has been with limited number of instructors, as we are currently in a recruiting effort for more instructors to meet demands (those interested can start at our instructor toolbox or contact me).  We should be at about 50 courses offered this fall.  Our goal for 2012 is to offer 300 online courses.

Our online training system underwent many changes this summer as well.  We added several Medication Administration trainings in specific areas:

• Administering Rectal Diazepam for Seizures
• Nebulizer Treatments at School 
• Administering Glucagon to Students with Diabetes
• Medication Administration by Gastrostomy Tube
• Insulin Pumps 
• Giving Insulin Injections

More importantly, our training system now has district administration features.  Districts can access the backend of the system to 1) check employee account information, 2) run reports on completion of trainings, 3) send out notifications to teachers who haven't completed trainings yet, and 4) create their own trainings on the system.  Over time, we will add more administration features based on the feedback that we receive from districts.

With these changes, and the recent $20 million cuts to AEAs, the AEA Chief Administrators have determined AEA PD Online will need to be self-sufficient.  To assure self-sufficiency, there is a new funding structure in place for the online trainings.  Individual participants now need to pay a $25 fee to complete the Mandatory Reporter training, a condition of licensure in Iowa.  Also, districts have a 50 cent per enrolled K-12 student fee for unlimited access to all the other trainings on the system.  Money raised from these ventures will help our instructional design support.  Our plans are to add 5-10 new trainings this year with our instructional design support, for no additional fee to districts.

AEA PD Online's operational council approved the following goals for 2011-12:

• Expand and diversify our current offerings
• Implement quality assurance procedures
• Determine and foster relationship to other groups and initiatives in Iowa
• Continue implementing systemic plan of marketing and communication
• Assure funding self-sufficiency

 More to follow, including the implementation of a mentoring program and a study of online communities in the state of Iowa.