Emerging Trends in the Use of Social Media in Commercial Virtual Schools

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Emerging Trends in the Use of Social Media in
Commercial Virtual Schools
Bob Keller Executive Director, Arts and
Sciences Words Numbers June 19, 2009 The 3rd
James F. Ackerman Colloquium on Technology and
Citizenship Education "Citizenship Education
2.0 Digital Media in a Networked World"
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2009 Virtual School Explosion

• Critical mass (culmination of past 11 years)
• Economic factors
• Convenience factors
• Non-school use of Internet

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Todays Virtual School Market (U.S.)

• It is estimated that over 1 million students were
  enrolled in K-12 online courses during the 2007-8
  school year.
• Approximately 75 of school districts report that
  some or all of their K-12 students will take at
  least one online course in the coming school
  year.
• Virtual courseswhich were once strictly static
  experiences allowing only limited connectivity to
  other students and outside resourcesare rapidly
  changing to a more student-controlled,
  interactive, and collaborative model.

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Types of Virtual Schools

• State-Led Programs
• Online Charter Schools
• District Programs
• Consortium Programs
• University Sponsored Schools
• Commercial Schools

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Why integrate social media?

• Analogous to elements of brick and mortar schools
• Free, easy access to multi-media
• User-generated content
• Nearly instantaneous sharing and/or publishing
• Global audience
• New tools for community building and social
  networking
• Learners are already using it
• Learners expect it
• Introduces new level of multi-media

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21st Century Skills Life and Career Skills

• SOCIAL AND CROSS-CULTURAL SKILLS
• Interact Effectively with Others
• Work Effectively in Diverse Teams
• Respect cultural differences and work effectively
  with people from a range of social and cultural
  backgrounds
• Respond open-mindedly to different ideas and
  values
• Leverage social and cultural differences to
  create new ideas and increase both innovation and
  quality of work
• LEADERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY
• Guide and Lead Others
• Use interpersonal and problem-solving skills to
  influence and guide others toward a goal
• Leverage strengths of others to accomplish a
  common goal
• Inspire others to reach their very best via
  example and selflessness
• Demonstrate integrity and ethical behavior in
  using influence and power
• Be Responsible to Others
• Act responsibly with the interests of the larger
  community in mind

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New Instructor/Learner Roles

• Instructor as facilitator
• Provides structure and guidance
• Provides some content resources
• Provides an integrated learning experience

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Common Uses of Social Networking Tools
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Common Uses of Social Networking Tools
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Common Uses of Social Networking Tools
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Common Uses of Social Networking Tools
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Common Uses of Social Networking Tools
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Common Uses of Social Networking Tools
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Common Uses of Social Networking Tools
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FLVS Student Survey

• How do students use mobile devices now?
• Talking, texting, photos
• How do students want to use mobile devices for
  future courses?
• Communicating, reminders, studying, accessing
  content and assignments

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Mobile Content Pilot

• 1. Concept byte
• 2. AP exam multiple choice test prep
• 3. Bedtime 5 review
• 4. AP exam free response
• 5. Mobile phone lab

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Navigating Through Masses of Media
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The Role of Instructional Design

• Traditional instructional design
• Map online tools to learning outcomes
• e-Learning instructional design includes course
  layout and navigation
• Platform dependent

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Current Kaplan Course View
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FLVS Course View
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Virtual (and not-so-virtual) Communities
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Enspire Learnings Fluent in Finance
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The Elluminate Platform
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UCCP Pre-Calculus Students manage their
learning path
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Implications

• Media shape users
• Transition from teaching by telling to
  participatory experience will it foster a
  participatory culture?
• Global collaboration notrestricted by geography
• Broader participation in online/blended
  environments

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