This week one of my assignments from my mentor was to check out the lessons and complete some of the student assignments. I have completed two assignments and I didn't realize that it would immediately provide feedback on the assessment. What a great feature! I also really like the fact that it breaks the course down into three sections in the grade book and that students can see exactly where they stand at all times.
In our last phone conference we talked about integrity being an extremely important aspect of the program. One thing I noticed on the assessments is the warning - "WARNING: You must not leave this exam form! If you try to click back into this exam again prior to submitting, your access to it will be denied!" Just to test the system I wanted to see if in the Mozilla Firefox browser if it would flag something if I opened different tabs with one being the lesson and the other being the assessment. I was surprised that it allowed me to do so and didn't cancel my assessment.
Have any of you tested out features in the virtual school that have caught your attention?
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
It's too soon to tell
In my search for articles on online learning and virtual schools I have had the opportunity to read articles that came out as virtual schooling was on the horizon. "Is Virtual Schooling a Virtual Reality?" from The Educational Technology Journal in March 2001. This article caught my attention because it initially discussed the idea of the unknown "danger" of change that comes with introducing a new technology, but as I kept reading I found that several of the fears mentioned have been alleviated as technology has been used through virtual schools.
The major concerns that the article mentions are below followed by my comments on what I have observed in the virtual school:
The major concerns that the article mentions are below followed by my comments on what I have observed in the virtual school:
- Students will not develop a deep understanding of their own emotions, or that of others. Without the full bandwidth of face-to-face interaction, understanding of reactions are reduced. Students are able to communicate their emotions in a rational and intelligent manner since they have time to think about exactly what they are feeling.
- The opportunity to form patterns of life-long friendship will be reduced. Children often meet others at school who remain important to them for many years. Students who matriculate through face-to-face educational programs often leave to pursue a variety of paths after they have finished their education and then they lose contact with those with whom they have been friends with for 12-13 years. It is through technology such as email, instant messaging and social networks such as facebook and myspace that those face-to-face relationships are continued. Thus, the possibility of life-long relationships being created and continued are not reduced but are potentially enhanced.
- By emphasizing the cognitive domain at the expense of the affective, understanding is reduced. It is much easier to teach facts with the use of a computer than to make people wise. I am not sure the validity of this concern because the school, whether face to face or virtual, is not designed around the goal of making students "wise" but of educating students with knowledge.
- As the face-to-face component of subjects is reduced, the school subjects themselves will change, and become less rich. The teaching method will affect the content. I have gone through many of the lessons in the virtual school that I am observing and have found the content to be extremely rich and more in-depth than the traditional classroom because the students have more time to learn the material than the face-to-face classroom that is confined by bell schedules and administrative functions (such as taking role).
- Differences in learning styles will mean that some students may learn less effectively than before. Conventional schools do not suit everybody, and it would be very surprising if virtual schools would be satisfactory for everyone Obviously this concern is not solved in the traditional school either. The virtual school that I am observing makes this a well known fact and offers the ability for students to work at different paces.
- Virtual schools may be promoted due to the self-interest of the economist, bureaucrat, or on-line entrepreneur, rather than on the evidence of educational research or merit. I have found the business aspect of the virtual school to be interesting but in questioning the teachers about the pressures of the business aspect I have found that the teachers are cognizant of the business pressure but they are not concerned with it. The main focus of the teachers in the virtual school is the student.
- Resentment by those who are unhappy with the virtual approach can lead to disruption. Just as some students disrupt their classes because they dislike conventional schools, it is likely that some virtual students will make life difficult for their parents, or for the community where they study. I have asked my mentor about this aspect and she has informed me that this has never been an issue that she has seen in her 8 years of working in a virtual school. If a student is unhappy with the virtual approach they are able to drop the course.
- The long-term effect on the relationships of future adults and their society is unknown. It is a possibility that poor socialization will lead to problems in the years ahead. While I think this is an interesting concern, I think that my response to this will have to be the same as the Chinese emperor Mao Tse-tung stated when asked about the effects (or success) of the French Revolution on the Revolution's bicentennial, “It’s too soon to tell.”
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
at-risk online students
I spoke with my virtual school host yesterday and we discussed the types of students in her course and why the students were taking the course. One of my questions for my host was how effective is online learning for at-risk students who were unsuccessful in the traditional classroom? While all students are different she said that it really the student's success depended on how the student managed their time and how involved the parents were. She stated that she had at-risk students who were very successful in their completion of the course and others who dropped the course or were unsuccessful. Those at-risk students who were unsuccessful were more often than not those who's parents were seemingly uninvolved.
The eSchool News article "Webcast: Virtual school helps at-risk students succeed" discusses the Illinois Virtual High School (IVHS) that initially created The Graduation Recovery and Aptitude Development (eGRAD) program which helped at-risk students complete their high school education. The students involved in this program were parenting or pregnant teens, students who worked during the school day, those who were in jail, or others who failed courses and needed credit to graduate. While the eGRAD program was canceled due to a lack of funding another program was added to the IVHS to help at-risk students.
At-risk students in programs like the one at IVHS and other virtual schools are able to meet graduation requirements due to the support system that the virtual school system offers. The effort (even if it is a required effort) made by teachers to contact students directly and to be in consistent contact with parents throughout the course provides more support than the traditional classroom teacher often can offer to an at-risk student.
The ability to work at one's own pace is definitely another benefit that the virtual school offers to the at-risk student. Perhaps another aspect of the success of at-risk students is the ability to have a voice in the class after having the opportunity to think about what is being asked whereas the traditional classroom is often rushed by short time limits.
While the virtual school may not work for all students, it definitely sounds like it is worth a try for those students who have not found success in the traditional classroom.
The eSchool News article "Webcast: Virtual school helps at-risk students succeed" discusses the Illinois Virtual High School (IVHS) that initially created The Graduation Recovery and Aptitude Development (eGRAD) program which helped at-risk students complete their high school education. The students involved in this program were parenting or pregnant teens, students who worked during the school day, those who were in jail, or others who failed courses and needed credit to graduate. While the eGRAD program was canceled due to a lack of funding another program was added to the IVHS to help at-risk students.
At-risk students in programs like the one at IVHS and other virtual schools are able to meet graduation requirements due to the support system that the virtual school system offers. The effort (even if it is a required effort) made by teachers to contact students directly and to be in consistent contact with parents throughout the course provides more support than the traditional classroom teacher often can offer to an at-risk student.
The ability to work at one's own pace is definitely another benefit that the virtual school offers to the at-risk student. Perhaps another aspect of the success of at-risk students is the ability to have a voice in the class after having the opportunity to think about what is being asked whereas the traditional classroom is often rushed by short time limits.
While the virtual school may not work for all students, it definitely sounds like it is worth a try for those students who have not found success in the traditional classroom.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
is online learning gender biased?
As I continue to look into virtual education's ability to level the playing field I began to question how gender is affected by online learning. In my searching I came across a paper written by two authors from UNITEC Institute of Technology in New Zealand titled "Does Gender Matter in Online Learning?" which immediately caught my attention.
The research in this paper consider questions regarding student motivation, preferred study methods, personal commitments, access to technology, and support methods where the population of the study were first year students in an internet and web design course. The data for the study was collected in pre and post-course surveys, student assessments, and focus groups.
While this study showed that women appear to do better in the course they authors found that it is the study skills that the women who took the course had that helped them complete the course more successfully than the young males encountering the same materials. The mature women who were successful in this course had time management skills and worked when they could avoid distractions and found online learning to be flexible and convenient.
One of the questions that came out of this study that I found to be interesting is whether a course should be offered or required on "how to learn successfully online." I think this is an important aspect that should be considered. In working with my host teacher and reviewing the information that is given to the students as they begin the virtual course they are given study tips during their introduction to the course. As I spoke with my virtual school host this week she emphasized the need for students to possess time management and study skills, which at the middle grades level often has to be reinforced by a very involved parent, no matter what the student's gender is.
Perhaps there should be a short introductory online course offered in virtual schools that teach study skills and time management.
http://hyperdisc.unitec.ac.nz/research/ALTJpaper_9.pdf
The research in this paper consider questions regarding student motivation, preferred study methods, personal commitments, access to technology, and support methods where the population of the study were first year students in an internet and web design course. The data for the study was collected in pre and post-course surveys, student assessments, and focus groups.
While this study showed that women appear to do better in the course they authors found that it is the study skills that the women who took the course had that helped them complete the course more successfully than the young males encountering the same materials. The mature women who were successful in this course had time management skills and worked when they could avoid distractions and found online learning to be flexible and convenient.
One of the questions that came out of this study that I found to be interesting is whether a course should be offered or required on "how to learn successfully online." I think this is an important aspect that should be considered. In working with my host teacher and reviewing the information that is given to the students as they begin the virtual course they are given study tips during their introduction to the course. As I spoke with my virtual school host this week she emphasized the need for students to possess time management and study skills, which at the middle grades level often has to be reinforced by a very involved parent, no matter what the student's gender is.
Perhaps there should be a short introductory online course offered in virtual schools that teach study skills and time management.
http://hyperdisc.unitec.ac.nz/research/ALTJpaper_9.pdf
Saturday, March 22, 2008
customer service is key
This week I had a phone conference with my host teacher and another teacher of the virtual school and they provided me with background information into the virtual school chain of command and set-up. The virtual school is set up more like a corporate intity than a traditional school. Everyone reports ultimately to the CEO but the school is broken up into learning communities (such as humanities, career, math/science, etc) and each learning community has a leader. Under the learning community leader is the instructional leader to whom the teachers directly report to. If a problem or concern arises, the teachers are to talk with an instructional leader and work up the chain of command.
One of the things that I found interesting was the basis for school's funding. The teachers informed me that the virtual school is funded by the state based on the number of students who complete the course. For example, if 200 students start a course and only 125 complete the course then the school is only funded for the 125 students that finished the course. Each of the courses has a goal number of students to complete the course. Thus, the school is funded based on success which causes a "customer service" model where teachers continuation in the position depends both on the number of students to complete their courses and on data from surveys that students complete. Another difference from the traditional classroom is that none of the teachers on continuing contract but everyone is on an annual contract.
As I was searching for information I found that many virtual schools are set up in this fashion which can serve as a benefit to students. Since the traditional public school receives a large portion of funding from property taxes, students in wealthier areas have an advantage over those from poorer areas which leads to the learning gap. A book review of "Costs, Funding and the Provision of Online Education," by Linda Cavalluzzo , states that virtual schooling can benefit students because "the web-based classroom can cross geographic lines, it means a high-quality teacher and curriculum will be available to all students, regardless of their economic status." Yet another win for virtual schools being able to level the playing field!
I am definitely going to order this book and check out what all the author has to say!
http://www.cna.org/news/releases/WebFeature-050629.aspx
One of the things that I found interesting was the basis for school's funding. The teachers informed me that the virtual school is funded by the state based on the number of students who complete the course. For example, if 200 students start a course and only 125 complete the course then the school is only funded for the 125 students that finished the course. Each of the courses has a goal number of students to complete the course. Thus, the school is funded based on success which causes a "customer service" model where teachers continuation in the position depends both on the number of students to complete their courses and on data from surveys that students complete. Another difference from the traditional classroom is that none of the teachers on continuing contract but everyone is on an annual contract.
As I was searching for information I found that many virtual schools are set up in this fashion which can serve as a benefit to students. Since the traditional public school receives a large portion of funding from property taxes, students in wealthier areas have an advantage over those from poorer areas which leads to the learning gap. A book review of "Costs, Funding and the Provision of Online Education," by Linda Cavalluzzo , states that virtual schooling can benefit students because "the web-based classroom can cross geographic lines, it means a high-quality teacher and curriculum will be available to all students, regardless of their economic status." Yet another win for virtual schools being able to level the playing field!
I am definitely going to order this book and check out what all the author has to say!
http://www.cna.org/news/releases/WebFeature-050629.aspx
Friday, March 21, 2008
leveling the playing field
In discussing virtual schooling on a general level with family and friends one of the questions that has come up more than once is how virtual schools effect student relationships. While I have been learning about student relationships in over the course of my study, a more specific question that I have become curious about is whether or not virtual schools have the ability to close the learning gap, so over the course of the class this will be one of the topics that I blog about.
This week as I was searching about ways that online learning compares and contrasts with face to face learning I came across an article that that mentioned one of the ways that online learning surpasses face to face learning: highly interactive discussions. The article mentioned that students who are intimidated to participate in classroom discussion feel open to the idea of discussion when they are able to comment via forums and discussion boards. Many of the ideas that would have been missed from more introverted students in the traditional classroom are heard through the use of asynchronous discussion boards that require students to comment.
One of the most interesting statements in this article was "many online instructors have also observed that the relative 'anonymity' of online discussions helps create a level playing field for women, homosexuals, students with physical handicaps, and members of other potentially marginalized groups, as they can participate in class activities without being stigmatized." As the NCLB Act has brought great attention to the learning gap and the need to bridge the gap. I think for this reason alone, the idea of online learning being able to help students learn on a level playing field has become a topic of educational policy makers and leaders alike.
I also came across the Virtual School Symposium that will be taking place in Phoenix, AZ in October where the topic is "Bridging the Gap through Online Learning." Have any of you attended the Virtual School Symposium before? Sounds interesting!
http://www.virtualschoolsymposium.org/
Ten Ways Online Education Matches, or Surpasses, Face-to-Face Learning
This week as I was searching about ways that online learning compares and contrasts with face to face learning I came across an article that that mentioned one of the ways that online learning surpasses face to face learning: highly interactive discussions. The article mentioned that students who are intimidated to participate in classroom discussion feel open to the idea of discussion when they are able to comment via forums and discussion boards. Many of the ideas that would have been missed from more introverted students in the traditional classroom are heard through the use of asynchronous discussion boards that require students to comment.
One of the most interesting statements in this article was "many online instructors have also observed that the relative 'anonymity' of online discussions helps create a level playing field for women, homosexuals, students with physical handicaps, and members of other potentially marginalized groups, as they can participate in class activities without being stigmatized." As the NCLB Act has brought great attention to the learning gap and the need to bridge the gap. I think for this reason alone, the idea of online learning being able to help students learn on a level playing field has become a topic of educational policy makers and leaders alike.
I also came across the Virtual School Symposium that will be taking place in Phoenix, AZ in October where the topic is "Bridging the Gap through Online Learning." Have any of you attended the Virtual School Symposium before? Sounds interesting!
http://www.virtualschoolsymposium.org/
Ten Ways Online Education Matches, or Surpasses, Face-to-Face Learning
Saturday, March 15, 2008
what an opportunity
I had the opportunity to speak with the virtual school teacher that I will be interning with in our program. She gave me an overview of how her day works and her needs with working from home. While everyone she meets tells her how lucky she is to work from home she said that they are fooled because there are many difficulties associated. Originally desiring to work from home when children were born, the hope to be able to stay home and work with the kids isn't entirely possible. As noted in an article by the New York Times on January 3, 2008, the distractions of working at home can be countless. The teacher I'm working with takes her children to daycare in order to have a quiet time to work.
The other great difficulty she mentioned was that it is hard to step away from work when it is looming on the other side of the room. The NY Times article states "One of the hardest adjustments for those working from home is deciding when to take a break, and when to quit for the day. With the computer always beckoning and the commute measured in the time it takes to cross the living room, there’s always a reason to go back to work — or an excuse to avoid it." I am interested in seeing how the teacher I am observing juggles all of her students and her family life.
While I have spent countless classroom hours learning how to incorporate technology into my curriculum, I am looking forward to this experience where I observe how fully deliver content through technology online.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/03/garden/03nooffice.html?scp=3&sq=working+from+home&st=nyt
The other great difficulty she mentioned was that it is hard to step away from work when it is looming on the other side of the room. The NY Times article states "One of the hardest adjustments for those working from home is deciding when to take a break, and when to quit for the day. With the computer always beckoning and the commute measured in the time it takes to cross the living room, there’s always a reason to go back to work — or an excuse to avoid it." I am interested in seeing how the teacher I am observing juggles all of her students and her family life.
While I have spent countless classroom hours learning how to incorporate technology into my curriculum, I am looking forward to this experience where I observe how fully deliver content through technology online.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/03/garden/03nooffice.html?scp=3&sq=working+from+home&st=nyt
Friday, March 14, 2008
the desire to get involved and to learn at the tips of your fingers....
An important part of the classroom education is not just the cognitive growth that a student experiences but also the emotional and social development that occurs in the life of a student. One concern of those who are not supportive of the digital learning environment is that students will not be able to grow in these areas. This week USA Today online published an article regarding the rise of youth volunteerism which is due to the use of the Internet. Through sites such as Myspace and Facebook, students are able to rally support for causes and create bonds with other students having the same concerns. Social networking has not only allowed students to connect with others, but has created an arena for political activism and citizenship action.
As a social studies teacher who longs for students to understand the past in the present, I think such an increase in activism and volunteerism is an excellent method for students to learn about history. Students who are taking a stand are having to learn about the political arena in which they are standing. They have to research the global situation and they learn the global players. They are not only able to identify representatives, but they are contacting political leaders. Students are learning geography of other nations and areas as they are taking a stand. "Robert Rhoads, who teaches a class on the history of student activism at the University of California, Los Angeles. "There's a greater political consciousness among students," he says. "The Internet has played a role in that."'(Koch, 2008) Unlike the 1960s when American students would take protests to the streets the students of today are taken protesting through the written word as was done in the 1770s when the colonies stood against Britain. Volunteering to make a change has been sparked through internet interest groups as students take what they have learned and put it in action. Jeff Berman, Myspace's executive vice president for marketing states that this change that is being seen as volunteerism and activism rises amongst the youth of the country "is all part of the democratization of the world that the Internet offers."(Koch, 2008)
As virtual schooling increases, I truly believe that the connection to student activism will increase student interest in the subject area of social studies and will benefit both our students and our nation. While students are becoming involved in volunteer projects, fundraising, and lobbying they are also growing emotionally and socially as they connect with others who have the same concerns. Chat rooms and forums are filled by students who are discussing how they can change the world. Those who are nonsupporting of the online educational process should review the conversations that are taking place amongst online students that are student lead and examine the rise in youth activism as students are seeking change and realize the benefit of the Internet in the educational process for social networking and growth.
Koch, W (2008, March, 12). Internet spurs upswing in volunteerism. USA Today, Retrieved March 14, 2008, from http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2008-03-12-youthactivism_N.htm
As a social studies teacher who longs for students to understand the past in the present, I think such an increase in activism and volunteerism is an excellent method for students to learn about history. Students who are taking a stand are having to learn about the political arena in which they are standing. They have to research the global situation and they learn the global players. They are not only able to identify representatives, but they are contacting political leaders. Students are learning geography of other nations and areas as they are taking a stand. "Robert Rhoads, who teaches a class on the history of student activism at the University of California, Los Angeles. "There's a greater political consciousness among students," he says. "The Internet has played a role in that."'(Koch, 2008) Unlike the 1960s when American students would take protests to the streets the students of today are taken protesting through the written word as was done in the 1770s when the colonies stood against Britain. Volunteering to make a change has been sparked through internet interest groups as students take what they have learned and put it in action. Jeff Berman, Myspace's executive vice president for marketing states that this change that is being seen as volunteerism and activism rises amongst the youth of the country "is all part of the democratization of the world that the Internet offers."(Koch, 2008)
As virtual schooling increases, I truly believe that the connection to student activism will increase student interest in the subject area of social studies and will benefit both our students and our nation. While students are becoming involved in volunteer projects, fundraising, and lobbying they are also growing emotionally and socially as they connect with others who have the same concerns. Chat rooms and forums are filled by students who are discussing how they can change the world. Those who are nonsupporting of the online educational process should review the conversations that are taking place amongst online students that are student lead and examine the rise in youth activism as students are seeking change and realize the benefit of the Internet in the educational process for social networking and growth.
Koch, W (2008, March, 12). Internet spurs upswing in volunteerism. USA Today, Retrieved March 14, 2008, from http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2008-03-12-youthactivism_N.htm
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
bringing the past to present students...
I am interested in K-12 virtual schooling within the content area of Social Science. As students are growing up in a technology-driven society I think that virtual schooling is the future that is being realized in the present.
I think that the integration and/or the full use of technology to deliver historical content provides a way to engage students with the past through the vast resources that are now available to them.
My goal is to learn how to better use technology to engage and educate students through observation of a virtual classroom. I am very excited about this opportunity!
I think that the integration and/or the full use of technology to deliver historical content provides a way to engage students with the past through the vast resources that are now available to them.
My goal is to learn how to better use technology to engage and educate students through observation of a virtual classroom. I am very excited about this opportunity!
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