Next Generation Virtual Learning at the District Level: Whats Hot

1
Next Generation Virtual Learning at the District
Level Whats Hot

• Accessing Quality Online Courses to Meet Student
  Academic Needs
• Bill Thomas
• Director, Educational Technology
• Southern Regional Education Board
• bthomas_at_sreb.org
• 404.875.9211

2
Why does SREB support Online Learning and State
Virtual Schools?

• Student access to quality teachers and quality
  courses (Filling the gaps)
• Responsive to state academic goals including
  improving ninth grade success rates and high
  school graduation rates (Credit Recovery)
• Accountability (Student success rates,
  transparency of operation)
• Cost efficiencies (Reducing redundancy, focusing
  expenditures)
• Increased recognition of the potential of online
  learning to meet state academic and economic
  goals.

3
SREB State Virtual SchoolsMarch 2008

• Alabama Virtual School
• Arkansas Virtual High School
• Delaware Virtual School (Initial legislation,
  Implementation plan completed and pilot underway)
• Florida Virtual School
• Georgia Virtual School
• Kentucky Virtual High School
• Louisiana Virtual School
• Maryland Virtual Learning Opportunities Program
• Mississippi Virtual School
• North Carolina Virtual Public School
• Oklahoma Virtual High School (Provided by the
  University of Oklahoma)
• South Carolina Virtual School
• Tennessee (Courses developed and pilots underway)
• Texas (Initial legislation passed in 2007 RFI
  posted recently)
• Virtual Virginia School
• West Virginia Virtual School

4
Can State Virtual Schools provide quality
teachers and courses cost efficiently?

• It is hard to argue with better results for less
  money. Education via Florida Virtual School is a
  bargain for Florida Taxpayers.
• In return for these decreased expenditures, FLVS
  produced students who earned higher grades and
  made higher test scores than their public school
  counterparts.
• Florida TaxWatch Final Report
• A Comprehensive Assessment of Florida Virtual
  School
• www.floridataxwatch.org

5
Can/Should local schools provide Web-based
courses for their own students?

• Yes! It is doubtful that there is even one middle
  or high school that can meet all of their
  students academic needs or requests.
• Maybe It depends on whether the schools have
  the ability and resources to provide full
  Web-based quality courses and quality teachers.
• Definitely - Make maximum use of the state
  virtual school.
• Possibility - Use of third-party provider, but be
  sure to evaluate and monitor them closely for
  cost and quality.
• Definitely Make use of hybrid courses
  (Web-based enhanced) should be used in most
  classrooms.

6
Online LearningAn excellent start, but now

• Overcome resistance attitudes, understanding
  and policies
• Establish funding approach to sustain and grow
• Need for more evidence research and best
  practices

7
Southern Regional Education Board Educational
Technology Cooperative Initiatives Publications

• Initiatives
• SREB/ATT Foundation Quality Online Teacher
  Initiative
• SREB-SCORE Initiative
• SREB Multi-State Online Professional Development
  Initiative
• http//www.sreb.org/programs/EdTech/edtechindex.as
  p
• Publications
• http//www.sreb.org/programs/EdTech/pubs/pubsindex
  .asp