K12 Online? New Developments and Issues.
NY Virtual School Plan- More News!
Feb 19th
More news!
In the February 2010 meeting agenda, we see the proposal for the Virtual High School initiative. I am not going to write too much about it at this point because it is important that you browse the plan. Here it is!
We see the initial roll out in social studies, science and languages for all districts. Teachers will need to be trained in their new role of supervising students online, says the plan.
NYSED is planning to address any regulation changes needed for implementation.
Here we go….Are you ready? 
NY Technology Plan–Digital Learning!
Feb 13th
Click here for a copy of the New York Technology Plan which discusses the direction in New York and digital learning. Although no specific mention is made to virtual learning, we see the obvious theme of digital learning beyond the classroom. The surveys attached also include no surprises as our students are totally on board with these new initiatives.
Are you ready for the change? What skills do we as educators need to acquire to be proficient in the new education transformation?
As I have said before– Like it or not, the world has changed. Education will have a new face very soon!
US DOE Online Learning Research Studies
Feb 13th
According to a recent announcement from NYSED, the United States Department of Education is conducting research studies on the effectiveness of online learning programs at the secondary level. As 45 states currently have some type of online learning initiative, USDOE is looking at the impact of these programs.
For more information, visit the wiki here.
New York’s RTTT Application
Feb 6th
I am posting the link to the full application filed by NYSED in case you have not had the opportunity to browse the same.
It is seriously worth browsing the major overhaul proposed by the New York State Education Department.
There is mention of the Virtual School as part of the innovative approaches planned to turn around poorly performing schools. The VHS is also mentioned in the curriculum modification sections. The timeframes are included as well as a clear intention to use the Virtual High School to provide courses in all areas statewide.
Here is a link to the full report. I will also keep it in the links section of the site.
Enjoy!
Race to the Top and Virtual Schools
Jan 24th
Hopefully you are aware of the Race to the Top grant program which the federal government has developed as a carrot to induce states to modify their laws to reform education.
Both states and school districts are being induced to modify legislation and contracts to provide for changes in teacher certification, promotion, pay and termination. I’m not going into details however I have provided a link here to the federal program plan and the goals set forth by NYSED for New York.
Most states have applied for the grant money being offered. They have agreed to take necessary steps to reform their education systems appropriately. Here’s a summary of some of the points and reforms included in the plan.
• New rules for closing nonperforming schools, including terminating principals and 50% of the staff, converting them to charter schools, etc.
• A substantial focus on student improvement as the criteria for teacher certification, promotion, compensation, and termination. Use of merit pay to reward teacher performance, modifying laws relating to termination procedures.
• Modifications to curriculum including more incremental assessments and data being made available at the district and state level. (This data will be the basis for the assessments discussed above.)
See the links above for more of the many aspects of the plan.
There was no specific reference made to the online learning and virtual school initiative in the January 2010 meeting of NYSED, however it is clearly woven into the school reform plan which is also part of the Race to the Top application. In December we see a clear reference to the virtual high school in the discussion of options to improve performance of schools. Take a look here at the report outlining such plans. I am happy to see the virtual high school reference to also include “blended” models which I assume would include a combination of online and classroom instruction.
We also see a reference to the virtual high school in the discussion of curriculum revision. Here we see see the NYSED intention that future curriculum modification be done with the intent that such may incorporated into the virtual high school.
No doubt the Board of Regents is focused on the Race to the Top federal dollars. We see online learning as part of the plan but still await the details!
I have some concerns about some of the other aspects of the Race to the Top reform proposal which you can read on my Blog, www.educationallysound.com. This is another iniative which is very critical for our education system. If you have not read it, I enourage you to look at the links above!
More change on the horizon?
Virtual Schools?
Dec 6th
Click here for a video version of this post.
Shall we tear down the walls of the schoolhouse?
I hope not. As a huge advocate for technology in education, and particularly of late, online learning, I know from my own experience that education and teaching are processes which include many tools. Online learning combined with face-to-face interaction with students is definitely powerful. Recent studies support it and validate the hybrid model. We need the schoolhouse —but the schoolhouse may look very different.
Will school be virtual? Online?
You may ask, “What am I talking about?” Well, if you are not in touch with what’s going on in technology in education today, you may be virtually unaware of recent developments in education generally, and particularly in New York. We all know that there is clamoring for educational reform nationally as well as across our state. While many of us have been focused on our own classrooms, the world of our profession has changed. Is this a good thing, or a bad thing? I don’t think we really know yet, but the fact remains that teachers need to become aware and become part of this reform. Ignoring it will not stop it. My goal is to help provide recent information so that we can engage in the conversation and decision-making.
Here is what you may have missed…
In July of this year, (2009), US Department of Education issued a study combining results from literature and studies from roughly 1996 through 2008 which showed that hybrid learning, (i.e. face-to-face instruction combined with online learning) was more effective than instruction via solely lecture or online learning. Unbelievable? Here is a link to the complete report. I personally am not surprised as I teach this way and have experienced it myself. (I will post more on this in the future — for now, let’s just look at the other developments.)
What has been happening around us?
My guess is, if you are a New York teacher there is a good chance that you may not even realize that this has been happening across the country. Well, here are the statistics. According to a recent report published by the Center for Digital Education , 26 states currently have statewide online learning programs. These programs are state funded and reimbursed in various ways. Enrollment in these programs is increasing dramatically. What types of courses are offered? It depends on the state and type of program, however it can vary from core subjects to electives or both. Some states have totally virtual schools where students can get diplomas online. Some allow students to choose electives to supplement those courses offered in the districts, eliminating the need for districts to offer electives where they cannot substantiate the enrollment. There is also a movement toward focusing on K-20 programs, allowing colleges to partner with high school programs to provide advanced placement credit students. Although 16 states do not currently have statewide online schools in place, seven of these states are in the planning stages, and all remaining states allow for online programs but are not currently funding them.
But you may say, that this will not really impact us in New York, right? If you’re following the federal stimulus story, you may be aware that New York is one of a handful of states that may unable to access all federal dollars available because of a few things, one of which is our status with regard to online learning. Not surprisingly, in the November meeting of the New York State Board of Regents, NYSED approved a proposal to further examine a virtual high school concept in New York, beginning 2011 — 2012. Here it is– read it for yourself! Click here for the dates.
If you combine the research supporting online instruction with the fiscal realities we face, there is no question in my mind that we will see some type of online learning, perhaps virtual high school in New York soon. We already have some BOCES offering classes online regionally. In October NYSED approved a policy to look at credit recovery options. We know they are rethinking seat time requirements which will open the doors to credit without classroom time as we currently have it. Yes…This is really happening now!
When you browse the vendors at educational conferences such NYSCATE, you see a growing percentage of online programs offered by book publishers as they see the textbook industry fading in the distance. In my view, the question for us really is, what will it look like? Who will run it? Who will pay for it? Unless you are retiring in the next two years, this will directly impact you.
So here is our task…
1. Get and stay informed–Take a look at all of the links in this post. Print the links and give them to your fellow teachers and explain to them the issue. We need to become aware of what is going on and start talking about it in a productive way.
2. Get and stay involved–Bookmark this link to NYSED, and pay attention to what is happening there. E-mail your comments to posts and regulations as they are posted for comment. ( I will try to help provide info on that as it becomes available). NYSED wants to hear from us and needs our help! Have a meeting about this in your school and talk about it. Contact your NYSUT or union representative and ask what is being explored what info do they have available. What are they saying and doing on the issue?
3. Think about it and help create a model that is educationally sound!– We need to have an open mind about using technology in instruction, learn how to do it, and be part of the transformation of education. I really believe that teachers need to be part of the process of creating this. If we don’t participate, I fear policymakers will create it without us. What other choice do they have? We are the “instructors” and can best help shape educational reform. We need to think about how we can do so. I don’t think we can stop the train but we must help determine the course and be part of it! They have already started…Are we involved?
What are some of the issues that online learning in a virtual high school will raise for teachers? Many, many, for sure! Issues such as seat time (which we already know states are rethinking) and school structure are obvious. What role will the virtual school play? Will it be totally virtual or a hybrid model? What courses will be offered? Will teachers from other states be able to teach these courses? Who will provide the teacher training for online teaching? How will teacher prep be modified?
The list goes on and on. What we must do now is to become aware and begin the discussion.
For me, however, the most important question is this… Is it good for kids to bring the school walls down? If education reform is good for students, I am all for it. I personally believe hybrid teaching can be better for students as I have seen in my classroom but also know that it is not an easy process. We need a school classroom for a hybrid model. We can really mess this up and it is for that reason I ask all of us to start working on it so we get it right!
Bookmark this, and pass it on…What are your thoughts and suggestions? If you hear of anything new, please post here in comments or email me at masterymaze@gmail.com. Thanks!
Sue Palmer
Coming next time….I will look at some of the particular issues like teacher certification. I will always provide an update on what I have found as news.
Credit Recovery-Be careful!
Dec 6th
Credit Recovery-Be careful!
Remember the old saying, “If it looks too good to be true, it probably is?” I think we have to be careful when it comes to credit recovery policy.
In the October meeting of the Board of Regents a policy was approved to move forward with new options for credit recovery in New York. Credit recovery is generally a program to award credit for students who have taken (completed the seat time) and failed to receive credit for a course. Of late, some schools have begun to use online programs such as Nova Net for credit recovery. Nova Net is an online program with programmed modules which students complete at their own pace. In many states, these programs are NOT supervised by a certified teacher; “Facilitators’ (sometimes aides) are used to supervise the students.
Why do districts like these programs?
First, they allow for a few students to work on one or more subjects at the same time without the need for a class or specific teacher instructing them—They just work through the program. Second, they are generally aidable and are significantly less expensive than summer school. They are also run during the school year if needed.
As of this writing, these programs still fall under the rules for awarding course credit in NY. (seat time—certified teachers, etc.) They may be used by a teacher as a tool or part of a course. I have seen nothing to date to indicate that they may be run by someone other than a certified teacher in the same manner as courses. Seat time requirements for students who have already completed the course are more flexible. We know NYSED is looking at new regs specifically to deal with credit recovery per se—these current rules may change. Click here for a look at the October meeting policy proposal which was approved.
We need to be careful here…
Although I understand the concept of credit recovery, and believe it makes sense in certain instances, to roll credit recovery out as an alternative to summer school may create some new problems. If NYSED goes the way of other states allows these programs to be “facilitated” by folks other than teachers in the subject area, we run the risk that students will get credit for completing tasks (i.e. completing the program) versus actual learning. In some courses it is a huge mistake in my opinion to give credit without satisfactory mastery of content. For example, students who fail Global 9, and are awarded credit via credit recovery instead of more meaningful instruction in summer school, (because it is cheaper), and move into Global 10 may not have mastered sufficient material to pass the Global 10 regents exam. We award them credit but then they drop out possibly because they can’t pass the state assessments.
Case in point–I currently have two students who were passed into my US History class via credit recovery over the summer (in lieu of summer school), failed the Global 10 exam, and now are in a US class with no additional instruction to help them get through the Global 10 exam. If those students were put back in a Global 10 class, (which would’ve been easier for them as it is the second time around), they would have a real chance at passing the Global 10 exam and could move confidently into US History. Instead, they now face two regents exams with no support for one.
Students need to learn something to graduate!
We must be careful that we are not tempted to award credit based on task completion in online credit recovery . These programs generally provide one lesson on any given topic. If a student fails to master that lesson their option is to repeat it again, or the “facilitator” may give them “hints” or pass them through. (I have completed NovaNet training and the trainer gave us three options for students—do it again, give them info to help them pass the test or just push them through.) Those of us who teach know that we must present material in many different ways in the course of instruction for learning to occur. Simply placing students in front of programs such as NovNet, with no meaningful instruction by a certified teacher in the content area will result in task completion but not necessarily sufficient learning for the next phase of the system. We solve one problem, and create another.
In my book, anything that runs “automatically”, is not instruction. (Remember—differentiation—all that stuff?) We need to be careful. We need to think about where these programs fit, (and I do believe they fit in some instances), and where they don’t.
The same things must be kept in mind when we are talking about online learning generally. Any virtual education must include direct instruction by a certified teacher, differentiation—etc! I support what I do with my students– a hybrid model! Students need to learn what they need to move forward.
If I just show videos all day long in my class with a short mastery quiz following each, moving students through the program, I would be deemed a bad teacher. Look at these programs carefully- they are tempting, for sure. In some cases they may be too good to be true!
Be careful. We solve one problem and create another.
Our Purpose…
Nov 12th
This site is designed to provide information and facilitate discussion of the issue of online learning k12. As a teacher in New York who uses online learning and has created a bit of a “hybrid” class, I am in favor of using these tools to facilitate learning. In my view, however, there are many issues and risks if we do not do this correctly. We need thoughtful discussion and information. We as teachers also need to be part of the process and discussion!
I ask that you give the issue some thought, become educated on the issue and express your views here and to the policy makers who are making these decisions locally and otherwise. On this site, I expect the dialogue to be open while professional and meaningful.
As I am also an attorney. I plan to do what I can here to provide information and facilitate this dialogue. I think I can be helpful as I am in the classroom, use online learning daily, but also am aware of the legal as well as professional concerns.
I believe in HYBRID learning and teaching. I have posted a little video I made last summer which supports my basic view. (I apologize for the typo in the video– I cannot recreate the video but think it is still worthwhile…). Hopefully you will get the idea.
We can really mess things up if we are not careful on this issue! Let’s start the conversation, shall we?
My next post will highlight what is new at NYSED onthis issue and some of the risks I see. Please post your comments and thoughts!
Let us begin tackling this important issue!
Sue Palmer
Recent Comments