Intent to Earn the Novice Badge for the Virtual School MOOC

This post is announcing my intent to earn the novice badge for this MOOC. Below you will find the links to my blog activities:

Week 1a-
http://tonyacarlisle.blogspot.com/2012/09/my-case-for-apex-learning.html
http://tonyacarlisle.blogspot.com/2012/09/classifying-k-12-online-learning.html

Week 1b-
http://tonyacarlisle.blogspot.com/2012/09/my-case-for-online-learning-achievement.html
http://tonyacarlisle.blogspot.com/2012/09/summary-of-history-of-k-12-online.html

Week 2a-
http://tonyacarlisle.blogspot.com/2012/09/research-into-k-12-online-learning.html
http://tonyacarlisle.blogspot.com/2012/09/summary-of-research-into-k-12-online.html

Week 2b-
http://tonyacarlisle.blogspot.com/2012/09/inacol-national-standards-for-quality.html
http://tonyacarlisle.blogspot.com/2012/09/summary-of-week-2-research-into-design.html

Week 3a-
http://tonyacarlisle.blogspot.com/2012/09/research-into-teaching-of-k-12-online.html
http://tonyacarlisle.blogspot.com/2012/09/summary-of-week-3-research-into.html

Week 3b-
http://tonyacarlisle.blogspot.com/2012/09/research-into-facilitation-of-k-12.html
http://tonyacarlisle.blogspot.com/2012/09/summary-of-week-3-research-into_29.html

Week 4a-
http://tonyacarlisle.blogspot.com/2012/10/international-research-into-k-12-online.html
http://tonyacarlisle.blogspot.com/2012/10/summary-of-international-research-into.html

Week 4b-
http://tonyacarlisle.blogspot.com/2012/10/concluding-introduction-to-k-12-online.html
http://tonyacarlisle.blogspot.com/2012/10/summary-of-concluding-introduction-to-k.html

Summary of Concluding the Introduction to K-12 Online Learning Research MOOC

This weeks topic discussed the fact that there is not a lot of empirical research available for online learning environments. I feel that even though online learning has been around for a couple of decades, it is just now beginning to come into its own. It has recently started to gain creditability in education. I think that you will soon see more and more research surface that will help with this creditability. I like how the potential benefits and challenges were laid out in this weeks material. The article that I read, showed that students did just as well or better than the traditional face to face class even though the attitudes regarding the new experience wasn't as good. Overall, this MOOC experience has been eye opening for me. I have enjoyed learning about the history and direction of this type of learning environment. Thank you!

Concluding the Introduction to K-12 Online Learning Research MOOC

The comparative literature references above focuses solely on the supplemental K-12 online learning environment. Locate one research article that focuses specifically on comparing student performance in the full-time K-12 online learning environment with student performance in the traditional brick-and-mortar environment and critique that study.

O'Dwyers (2007) conducted a study comparing K-12 online learning versus the traditional face to face classroom in a Louisiana Algebra I course. Her main objective was to find out if the students in the online course were as effective as the face to face class. This was a quasi-experimental design that studied the impact on student outcomes. The online students actually outscored the comparison classrooms on 18 of 25 items on the post test. "Overall, students in the treatment group performed as well as  students in the comparison face-to-face classrooms" (O'Dwyers, 2007).

O'Dwyer, L. (2007). A Study of the Effectiveness of the Louisiana Algebra I Online
     Course. Journal of Research On Technology In Education, 39(3), 289-306.

Summary of International Research into K-12 Online Learning

The question coming out of this part of the MOOC, can schools built on industrial age models change to meet the requirements of the industrial age? I believe the answer to be no, and that is why we are not seeing major improvments in education. More flexibility to would serve to have better outcomes than reigd timetables and fixed locations. We are not meeting the needs of this century in the regular classrooms. I did not realize how many countries have virtual school programs available. The key success factors also provide the help for those wanted to make sure there programs are successful. The guidleines are in place now, and it is up to decision makers to do the right thing!

International Research into K-12 Online Learning

I chose to look at the relevance of the pick & mix criteria for virtual school on the future success of my institutions future success. Listed below are the ones that I thought to be the most important for the future success and why I chose them.

1) e-Learning Strategy- Regularly updated e-Learning Strategy, integrated with Learning and Teaching Strategy and all related strategies
     It is important that programs stay up to date on the strategies.

2) Training- All staff trained in virtual school system use, appropriate to job type - and retrained when needed.
     This one should go without saying, but the last part is the most important. Retraining must be an     ongoing process.

3) Planning Annually- Integrated annual planning process for the virtual school department integrated with overall school and course planning.
     The virtual school should be just like the traditional program. Whether a one teaches online or in the traditional classroom, all schould plan together and evaluate the courses offered.

4) Technical Support to Staff- All staff engaged in the virtual school process have "nearby" fast-response technical support.
     This is critical to the success of a virtual school!

5) Decisions on Programs- There is effective decision-making for new virtual school courses across the whole school.
    Any school needs effective decision-making.

6) Leadership in eLearning- The capability of leaders to make decisions regarding virtual schooling is fully developed at departmental and school level.
    The departments and schools know what their needs are, so they should be able to make the decision on the development of the virtual school classes.

7) Reliability- The virtual school e-learning system is as reliable as the main systems students and staff are used to from their wider experience as students and citizens
    The only way you can be successful with a virtual school program, is for the computer system to be reliable.

8) Pupil Help Desk- Help Desk is deemed as best practice.
     To avoid problems and frustration, the students need to have a help desk when problems arise.

Summary of Week 2- Research into the Design of K-12 Online Learning

The second half of week 2 covered the research into the design of K-12 online learning. As this discipline becomes more and more prominent, it is important that there are standards in place that everyone can follow. Good standards of practice will help validate programs . Also, making sure that the terminology is consistent will help validate the programs as well. It is important that everyone be on the same page moving forward.

Summary of Week 3 Research into the Facilitation of K-12 Online Learning

There is not much research into the facilitation of K-12 online learning, but we must remember that we are dealing with kids. They must have someone to keep them in check. They need someone to hold them accountable or they will quickly get lost in the mix. Kids, as we know, do not always have their priorities in line. A good facilitator communicates well with the teacher of the online class, as well as helping the students with any problems that should arise on their end . Of course, you must have a facilitator that is willing to go above and beyond the call of duty. If they are willing to go the extra mile, they have a major impact on the success of the students.

Summary of Week 3 Research into the Teaching of K-12 Online Learning

The research is abundant in the area of K-12 teaching as in applies to online learning. Students today are 21st Century learners, and teachers who did not grow up in this area are finding it hard to adjust their teaching style to accomodate this new style of learning. Professional development for teachers needs to do a better job of getting them the tools necessary to adapt. This lesson has a lot of research to back up the benefits of online instruction. Above everything else, the 2 videos that spoke no words and just held up signs, said it all!

Research into the Facilitation of K-12 Online Learning

The second lesson of week 3 in the Virtual School MOOC, dealt with research into the facilitation of K-12 online learning. The followup activity asked us, do you agree that facilitators play an important role in online learning? Why or why not? I think that facilitators are absolutely important. The reason is that we are still dealing with kids. Like it or not, kids will still try to get out of anything that they can and do as little as possible to get by. They still need someone to keep them in check with the expectations of the online class. Students are still learning the skills necessary to be successful, so a facilitator can aid in this process for the student. If the student isn't already self-motivated, without a facilitator they would fail in most cases.

Research into the Teaching of K-12 Online Learning

Week 3 of the Virtual School MOOC reviewed the research into the teaching of K-12 online learning. I had a hard time choosing which two resources to include in my blog. As I went through several of these, I did find the two that stuck out for me personally. First, I found that the Georgia Virtual School Teacher Education Research and Trends by Dr. Joe Cozart impressed me. The one thing that stood out was that educators can hold the students more accountable. They can see exactly how much time they are spending on the lessons. The correlations with how many discussion responses to the success in the class as it relates to grades. I feel that you can't sit in a class online and not participate. In the classroom, a student can hide in the back and not participate. The other resource that stood out to me was the North Carolina Virtual Public Schools: Transitioning from face-to-face to online instruction by Janice Silver. The three videos are very powerful. Absolutely nobody could watch these videos and not understand that we have to change the way we plan the lessons for our curriculum.

iNACOL National Standards for Quality Online Courses

After reviewing this weeks MOOC lessons, I was given the task to critique the iNACOL National Standards for Quality Online Courses. I'm  a novice in this area, therefore I found this to be a difficult task. These standards give good guidance to programs that offer online courses. It is a good way for others to measure those classes to make sure they are quality programs. I look forward to learning more in this MOOC, so I may be able to offer a better critique of these standards.



International Council for K-12 Online Learning. (2007). National standards for quality online courses. Vienna, VA: Author. Retrieved from http://www.inacol.org/resources/nationalstandards/NACOL%20Standards%20Quality%20Online%20Courses%202007.pdf

Summary of Research into K-12 Online Learning

While answering the blog question at the end of the report on Research into K-12 Online Learning, I covered the summary portion of this topic. In this blog I want to discuss the importance of this topic. The most important thing in this topic is for researchers to understand the direction that needs to be taken in regards to online learning. The fact that most of the past research has been asking is it successful, has only helped the critics case against online learning. We need to focus the research on what makes these programs successful or unsuccesful. We need to make those that fear this type of education understand that it is a means to aid the current way education is presented, as well that it is a way to reach those students that we are losing to things such as dropping out of school, falling behind, etc. In order to make current online programs better, teachers and students alike need to be trained for this type of education!

Research into K-12 Online Learning

This weeks topic in the Virtual School MOOC, is on reasearch into K-12 online learning. I gathered from this report, that much more research is needed in this area. However, the the current research has been asking the wrong question. The research moving forward needs to be what makes online learning successful or not successful. Also, educators look at online learning as a threat. They think that online learning is trying to replace teachers. This is simply not true. Online learning is a new means to the same outcome everyone is striving for--student success. These teachers need to be worried about getting the appropriate professional development in order to join the fight. We can reach a whole new group of learners in this format that were lost in their current style of education. It does not surprise me that it takes more skills to be an instructor in an online or blended environment. The one thing that this report confirmed for me was that there are successful online programs and unsuccessful programs, just as in the traditional brick and mortar environments. This will never change just as in won't in a face to face classroom. The thing that surprised me was the lack of research in the propler direction!

Summary of the History of K-12 Online Learning

The main thing that I take away from reading about the history of K-12 online learning, is that it's going to take time to get it where we want it. I didn't realize how far distance education dated back. I know that we are moving in the right direction for students, but we must stick it out in order to change education the way we know it. We are on the right path, but there are still several obstacles to overcome. Clark (2006, Clark, in press) described a number of these issues that we must overcome. The three big ones he discussed are policymakers, public attitude, and local schools. The fact that colleges and universities have embraced distance education, will force the hands of those people. Students must gain experience in this avenue before moving on to college.

Clark, T. (in press). The evolution of distance and online education in American schools. In M. G. Moore, (ed.), Handbook of Distance Education, 3rd ed. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

My Case for Online Learning Achievement

I think that K-12 online learning must improve student outcomes to justify its use in expanding access to curricula or providing educational choices. If online learning is going to take the place of the current cookie cutter classes in schools today, then it has to be better than this current model. There has to be justification, due to the expense it requires to have access to the technology. Sure there will still be a need for online learning for those playing catch up or that need a class that is not available to them at there current school. In that aspect, online learning isn't going away. I'm talking about a complete make over. In order for schools to spend the extra money on technology, they must see the improvement in student learning. Otherwise, they will just continue to conduct business the way they always have. Why would they put the extra money toward something that is equal to what they already do to get equal results, especially in today's economy?

One of the things that I continue to think about is the governments role in education. As I study about the advantages of online learning, one of the positives is that students move at their own pace. The government will have to change their way of thinking for this to ever be implemented in schools. They expect everyone to be the same, no matter what these students "intangibles" are that they come to school with. Students have different backgrounds, socioeconomic status', IQ's, etc. The No Child Left Behind Act is an example of these people sitting in offices who do not acknowledge that students learn at different paces. I wonder if we will ever be able to allow one student to move forward while the other student stays back to master the material needed to move on. What do you think?

My Case for APEX Learning

At the school where I work, we use APEX Learning to help students catch up in order to graduate on time, as well as to take a class for the first time. Without this program, students would be limited in there option. If students can work on self guided lessons, then why should anyone hold them back? I feel that the students taking these courses must be self motivated, and this is a great way to foster student-centered learning. Students will be better prepared to take responsibility for projects in the workplace because of their ability to complete these self-paced learning oportunities. APEX is helping our students have more successful futures in the real world.

Summary of Classifying K-12 Online Learning

I found the first lesson this week in the Virtual School MOOC to be quite the educational experience for me. Before studying this weeks topic on Classifying K-12 Online Learning, I didn't realize there were so many different ways of defining this category. The last slide in the second video, The Defining Dimensions of Online Learning, was a true eye opener for me. I see why this can be such a controverial topic, due to the fact that most people aren't aware of all the different ways online learning can take place. Also, the only way to find out which ones truly work for students is trial and error. Most people are closed minded when it comes to anything that is "different" anyway. They tend to shy away from things they don't understand. It's human nature afterall. I beleive one of the things that poeple in public education are scared of, is that virtual online learning will take away from the funding of a district or decrease the amount of teacher needed in a school. If the school systems would get onboard and initiate this kind of classroom, like the one in Gwinnett County in Georgia, then they could keep these students within their schools. Teachers need to understand that this is not going away. They need to get the training they need to be competitive in the workforce. Instead, they just continue to down play the way of the future.

I guess I got off on a soapbox.

Looking at Clark's Seven Categories for Virtual Schools and Watson, Winograd, and Kalmon's Five Categories of Virtual School, there are amny avenues available to students today. It is important to note that there many different categories of offerings of virtual schools. Based on these charts, the method in which they implement the classes varies as well.

I look forward to woking through all of the material in this MOOC over the next 4 weeks. I know there is lots of information to be learned!

Blog Post Intro for VSMOOC12

Good afternoon,
My name is Tonya Carlisle. I'm participating in the Virtual School MOOC 2012 as a part of my Distance Education class. I'm working toward my Ed.S. in Instructional Technology at the University of West Georgia. I look forward to participating in this MOOC over the next 4 weeks.
Tonya