Research

The reading from this week's MOOC passages makes me think back to all of my psychology classes. I find myself trying to psychoanalyze myself in an effort to prevent myself from transferring my past experiences and personal desires into my analysis of how online learning may help prevent high school dropout.

The rational side of me understands the difficulty of finding and creating research that may be used to determine if an to what degree online learning may benefit students. Currently online learning is a very diverse subject. Some data suggests the benefits of online learning, however there has not been sufficient time to accumulate vast qualities of data to prove the question to whether or not online learning is superior, inferior, or equal to what has been taught in traditional settings. More research needs to be done in order to determine "best practices" of online teaching.

What surprised me about this section was how empathetic I was to the various factors that were discussed as potential reasons why students dropped out of school. I truly believe these reasons are very plausible. In fact, for many of the reasons I could see a particular student's face who had experienced a similar situation.

These reasons confirmed for me that online schooling has merit. There are many students who need it deliberately. Their lives and situations are not conducive to traditional schooling. I feel these students are not opposed to learning but traditional avenues make obtaining instruction painful or impossible. Online learning creates a new pathway for students to receive what they need.

I find two questions left unanswered in my mind at this time.  The first is how long will it take in order for online learning to stabilize, in that I mean for online learning to be socially accepted and promoted to the extent the general public knows an excepts it as an alternative to traditional schooling. The second question in my mind is who will be the future gatekeeper of online learning. Will online learning become highly commercialized? It seems to me the lion's share of available options at this time seem to have some sort of commercial base.

I never dropped out of high school. I did, however, hate going most days. It is odd that I teach and love to do so now because I was quite the rebel in my teenage years. I wish I had had the opportunity of online learning during that time. I do feel research will eventually show, and prove, online learning to be a reliable alternative for students. I cannot help but feel excitement at the prospect.

Barbour, M, (2012). "Research into the design of K-12 online learning." Virtual School MOOC. Retrieved from http://virtualschoolmooc.wikispaces.com/design. 21 September 2012

A Summary of the History of Online Learning

Tom Clark's MOOC module was interesting to me because I found myself thinking about how educators throughout history have made use of any tools and technology available in order to reach students. I found myself analyzing each era thinking about the inventions of the time, the political climate, and the economic needs of the country at each particular year.

I have often remarked I feel technology should have standards and a set curriculum just as math and reading. In today's job market, one may be able to get along without knowing how to solve algebraic equations, but it is difficult to find a job in which some sort of computer skill is not necessary. This is why, I feel, online learning is just another step in the history of education.

Clark describes how distance education first began as students received lessons by mail. This type of distance learning has declined in the last few decades as advances in technology have made it obsolete. As communication has evolved throughout history educational desires have followed. Lessons have been delivered via radio, film, television, satellite, and now computers. Distance learning has also, presently, began filtering down from career and college courses to curriculum designed for learners of all ages.

Looking over this evolution, I cannot help but find myself thinking about what new inventions lie just on the horizon. How will future educators communicate lessons to their students? As much as the technology has changed, the drive to teach and learn has remained the same.

Clark, T. (2012). History of K-12 Online Learning. Retrieved from http://virtualschoolmooc.wikispaces.com/history

The Next New Thing

"Sunny day, sweepin' the clouds away. . .," the song plays as I sit and try to see the images through a hazy television screen. Get up. Move the antenna a little. A slightly clearer picture emerges. I analyze the pictures and words on the screen. I feel proud that I know a little more this week than the week before.

When I was younger, we had a total of three television stations on a good day, but watching "Sesame Street" took patience and determination. There was great manipulation of both the television and the aerial antenna connected to it in order for one to even see recognizable blobs. In the rural area I grew up, "Sesame Street" was the only kindergarten available, and it didn't come in most days. I suppose despite all that, one could say that public broadcasting, at least for me, was a great success. I started school as a reader. Curriculum came to me, when I could not come to it.

Distance learning historically has tried to meet this same need. Taking curriculum and learning to those who cannot otherwise receive it. Throughout the years this drive has been met with whatever tools worked at the time, the mail service, radio, television, circuit teachers, satellites, and now, computers. I do not feel that online learning must do a better job than "traditional" or face-to-face teaching, it just has to do at least the same job, but in a more diverse manner. It must reach those who otherwise might be left behind. We live in a very diverse world. Online learning has the capability to allow students educational access despite geographical and physical considerations. It can allow students more choice, such as advanced placement classes to students whose school systems do not have the funding to provide them. Students, and parents, could have choice beyond what is offered in a particular geographic region.

I am proud to see the growth of online learning. Right now, I feel, it is still a little fuzzy, sort of like my television in the 1970's. Only an outline of what is emerging may be seen, however it offers much to those who are persistent in their pursuit.

A Georgia Perspective on Clarks' Seven Categories for Virtual Schools

 For this posting I tried to find as many examples from Georgia and / or the surrounding region as I could that seemed to fit Clark’s Categories for Virtual Schools. The list below shows an example of each.

1.)  Georgia Virtual School can be categorized as a “state sanctioned” / “state based” school as it is a program operated by the Georgia Department of Education’s Office of Technology Services. This program has course offerings in not only core areas but also includes AP classes as well.
http://www.gavirtualschool.org/

2.)  Stanford University offers high school students an opportunity to receive a diploma from their online high school. The instruction offered “combines seminar-style and directed-study courses on a flexible college-style class schedule, both encourages independence, discipline, and strong time-management skills and allows our students to pursue their diverse interests and exceptional talents,” ("An overview of," ). This school would fall under the category of a “college and university based” virtual school.
http://epgy.stanford.edu/ohs/

3.)  Although Spartanburg County Public Virtual School uses curriculum designed by K12, I feel a case may be made this system falls under the category of consortium and regionally-based school. It is apparent from the Spartenburg County website much collaboration is being done within the seven county districts.
http://www.spartanburg6.k12.sc.us/parentsandstudents/onlineresources/spartanburgcountypublicvirtualschool.aspx

4.)  Metropolitan Nashville Public School Virtual School is an example of a “local education agency-based” school. According to their website students enrolled in this school are taught by Metropolitan Nashville Public School teachers.
http://vlearn.mnps.org/site240.aspx

5.)  An example of a “virtual charter school” in Georgia would be Georgia Connections Academy which serves students K-12.
http://www.connectionsacademy.com/georgia-school/home.aspx

6.)  Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy is a “private virtual school” which offers both credit recovery, enrichment and college-prep programs.
http://www.elcaonline.org/801047

7.)   In the county where I work our high school students use Apex Learning for credit recovery. Apex Learning may be classified as “for-profit providers of curricula, content, tools.” We pay Apex for each “seat” to allow our students to use their curriculum.
http://www.apexlearning.com/

An overview of the online high school. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://epgy.stanford.edu/ohs/overview.html

What is . . . . ???

The reading of this week first MOOC topic, classifying, I find myself thinking strange zen like thoughts such as, "If a tree falls in the forrest and no one is around to hear it, what sound does it make?" Online learning, at first blush seems like an easy concept to get one's head around. It should, basically, be learning online. However, when one begins to analyze the terminology things get a little off track.

How much time one spends online matters, funding matters, the governing body overseeing the curriculum matters. I think iNACOL is on the right track in trying to establish some consistency in the vocabulary that could be used. Their attempt reminds me of Intermath, which our school has used to help us standardize the vocabulary we teachers use in the area of mathematics,  (http://intermath.coe.uga.edu/). Intermath has helped us pull together as a professional community, and I think that is what will be necessary to help maximize the potential of online learning. iNACOL's work is especially important because without some consistency in terminology it will be difficult to analyze data in an attempt to establish how learning online effects students. It will also be difficult to establish "research based" "best practices" that are common phrases used to make curriculum decisions.

As I read through the various models presented, I found myself thinking what is online learning? What is learning? How can it be assessed online? Although I have a hard time deciding on exactly what my personal definition is, the classifications in the MOOC helped me become better informed about the various ways online learning is presently taking place. To me, that is much more important than the vocabulary. Thinking too much about definitions can be a bad thing. It reminds me of President Clinton wanting to know what the definition of is, is.

A little about me . . .

Hello all! And thank you for visiting my blog.

My name is Jennifer Jackson. I am currently pursuing my Master’s degree in Media and Instructional Technology at the University of West Georgia. This is my last semester so I am excited to be thinking of graduation. Upon graduating, I am planning on obtaining my Ed. S. in Leadership.

I teach at Chattanooga Valley Elementary, in Flintstone, Georgia. My job description reads “teacher of the gifted,” but I also spend a couple of days each week troubleshooting technology issues, conducting professional development for our teachers, and providing support in a variety of ways. I suppose that phrase on my contract that reads, “other duties as needed” comes into play there. I love my job because the students, staff, and equipment challenge me on a regular basis.

A few years ago, I had an opportunity to attend a conference at Kennesaw State titled “Technology and Tools to Promote Teaching and Learning.” At this conference I was introduced to several people who were teachers from Georgia Virtual School, which I knew very little about. The workshops at the conference along with the great people I met, made me begin to see how online learning was being utilized for middle and high school students. I came away asking myself why more people didn’t know about this wonderful resource.

All of my work for my Master’s degree has been online and it has helped me realize the power of online learning. It has changed the way I think about teaching and learning. For me, I find myself connecting Bloom’s Taxonomy to the different tasks we are asked to do as graduate students. This thinking has filtered down to my classroom as I begin to use the same guidelines to teach in new, more diverse, and innovative ways.

I feel a great pull toward online learning, and feel it can benefit all students. I especially believe it has a place with gifted students. Many gifted students are at risk of dropping out of school. In fact, the rate of dropping out is the same for gifted students as it is for special education students, (Bainbridge, 2007).

Online learning, I feel, could help students self select content and individualize pacing. For example, in the small rural county in which I live, very few advanced placement classes are offered at our (one) high school. There isn’t enough demand to fund a teacher when remedial classes are needed to help the school meet AYP. Online learning is a way for students to take classes beyond what their school system can offer. I remember especially, my very gifted sister, who dropped out of high school around Christmas of her senior year. The high school environment was extremely painful for her and she really felt that she did not fit in. Although it shook our family to go outside the norm, she quickly took her GED, and enrolled in college where she did very well. She is now a teacher and has raised three highly gifted children.

For me, this MOOC experience will help be better understand the new frontier of online learning and how to help my students navigate. I remember back to that Kennesaw conference, looking at all online learning had to, (currently), offer, and being amazed and frustrated that more of our students were not informed. I want to be informed. I want to seek out new ways of learning, for the students I teach as well as for myself. I just hope I don’t MOOC it up too much!

Bainbridge, C. (2007, 08 22). Are schools failing our gifted children?. Retrieved from http://giftedkids.about.com/b/2007/08/22/are-schools-failing-our-gifted-children.htm

Watch out, it's moocy out there . . . .

In the mountains where I live, we get very thick fog fairly often. It is extremely difficult to see and at night can be a little scary. "Smookey" is the term coined by my son when he was small, indicating it was dark, smokey (foggy), and scary. As much as I love learning and discovering new things, I feel a little like I am lost in mountain fog. I know that all of the familiar landscape is actually there, but the path just isn't visible at present. In this blog I hope to record my path as I become a virtual traveler.