CALL FOR CHAPTERS ANNOUNCEMENT!
I am editing a new book for IGI Global titled "Designing Effective Distance and Blended Learning Environments in K-12." I have most of the chapter authors lined up, but I am still looking for about 4-5 more authors to contribute to the project. I am particularly interested in including more authors that work in urban school environments. Below is the chapter proposal link with more information about the project (also included below in post) as well as next steps. Please consider adding a proposal or sharing with those in your network that you think would be valuable contributors to this project!
Call for Chapters Link
Book Synopsis
As the COVID-19 pandemic completely upended the 2019-2020 school year, it has quickly become apparent that online learning is not only an asset, but critical to the continued education of youth during times of crises. K-12 education thrives on in-classroom teaching methods suited for children and adolescents that are still developing vital social, communication, developmental, and digital competencies. The challenges K-12 teachers have faced during this pandemic— having to transition to complete online learning nearly overnight—have been overwhelming as it was realized that the resources needed to quickly and effectively set-up and implement an online class were for many, very limited. With some questioning the future of education and whether it will return to “normal” (traditional classroom learning), there is an urgent need for research-based resources written by K-12 educators and administrators for their peers in K-12 education, while also providing much-needed context and real-world experiences for the academic community.
It is apparent that districts and schools across the nation are in need of guidance and practical, research-backed approaches to distance and hybrid learning. The current COVID crisis demonstrated that effective learning in K-12 is possible, but many districts struggled in achieving that reality. There is also the growing consensus that even if things “return to normal,” distance and blended learning strategies should continue to be employed in many ways across the K-12 environment. This book will provide key insights into the ways that school districts and educators from across the nation have effectively designed and implemented distance and blended learning approaches to enable and enhance student learning. The diverse collection of authors from various demographics and roles in school systems will benefit readers across a wide spectrum of school community stakeholders. There will also be an emphasis on how research and theory is put into practice, along with an honest discussion of what strategies and actions were successful as well as those there were less so.
Target Audience
The target audience of this book will be composed of professionals and researchers working in the field of K-12 education, particularly superintendents, curriculum developers, professional learning designers, school principals, instructional technology specialists, and educators.
Recommended Chapter Topics
Effective instructional strategies designed and implemented by educators across subject areas and grade levels.
Leadership strategies to design and implement school and district-wide distance and blended learning plans.
Academic research on best practices in distance and blended learning.
Professional learning approaches that effectively prepare educators and administrators for blended and remote learning.
Technology infrastructure and support structures needed to implement blended and distance learning effectively and sustainably at scale.
Important Dates
August 24, 2020: Proposal Submission Deadline
September 7, 2020: Notification of Acceptance
November 6, 2020: Full Chapter Submission
December 20, 2020: Review Results Returned
January 31, 2021: Final Acceptance Notification
February 14, 2021: Final Chapter Submission
Publisher Information
This book is scheduled to be published by IGI Global (formerly Idea Group Inc.), publisher of the "Information Science Reference" (formerly Idea Group Reference), "Medical Information Science Reference," "Business Science Reference," and "Engineering Science Reference" imprints. For additional information regarding the publisher, please visit www.igi-global.com. This publication is anticipated to be released in 2021.