Online Learning Programs What Do You Need to Know?

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Online Learning Programs –

What Do You Need to Know?

Presented by:

Heather Masshardt

PSBA Policy Consultant AASPS Conference 2013

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What is Online Learning?

•  Online Learning is a term often applied

broadly to learning that occurs via a computer or other technology with

connectivity (such as access to the Internet and World Wide Web)

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What is Online Learning?

•  iNACOL further defines Online Learning as:

Education in which instruction and content are delivered primarily over the Internet, a form of distance learning. The term does not include print-based correspondence education, broadcast

television or radio, videocassettes, and stand-alone educational software programs that do not have a significant Internet-based instructional component

•  Used interchangeably with Virtual learning, Cyber

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Fast Facts About Online Learning

•  27 States have virtual schools. 31 states and

Washington, D.C. have statewide full-time, online schools

•  The top reasons most school districts make

online learning available are to offer courses not otherwise accessible and provide

opportunities for credit recovery

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Fast Facts About Online Learning

•  Online Learning programs may be operated

by school districts, charter schools,

community colleges or other providers, depending on state guidelines

•  Schools may develop their own content and

use their own teachers or contract with another school entity or private company

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Common Terms and Models

•  iNACOL – the International Association for

K-12 Online learning (www.inacol.org) is a

nonprofit membership organization

representing school entities, charter schools, colleges, research institutions, and others; their website contains helpful tools for

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Common Terms and Models

•  Full-Time Online Learning – (also called

Cyberschools or Virtual Schools) includes programs where students are enrolled

primarily, and often only, in the online program and participate in all courses virtually, either at home, in a monitored school setting or by other means (library, Internet café, etc.)

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Common Terms and Models

Sample model for Full-Time Program

(District cyberschool – Learning On and Off Campus)

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Common Terms and Models

•  Blended Learning - any time a student

learns at least in part at a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from

home and at least in part through online delivery with some element of student

control over time, place, and/or path

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Common Terms and Models

•  Blended Learning Examples:

–  Student takes regular high school schedule,

but includes an Online Learning course in the school library during study hall to take Mandarin Chinese

–  Student takes 3 regular courses at school and

3 Online Learning courses from home based on an IEP

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Common Terms and Models

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Common Terms and Models

Sample model for Blended Learning

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What s Happening In Your

State?

•  Does your state have its own virtual

school or do school entities provide these programs independently?

•  What type of funding is available for

Online Learning?

•  Is Online Learning regulated through

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Policy/Procedural Implications

•  Policy or Administrative Regulation?

–  Depending on your state s legislation, policy

may be required

–  In PA, we have recommended that

district-operated online programs follow the same general policies of the district, with specific administrative regulations or procedures to address program requirements; a general policy may be developed based on programs

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Policy/Procedural Implications

•  What areas should be considered when

drafting policy or administrative

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Student Enrollment and

Participation

•  Enrollment participation/procedures:

–  How will enrollment process change? –  Home School students?

–  Nonresident students?

–  Homebound medical or pregnant students? –  Suspended/Expelled students?

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Extracurricular Activities and

Athletic Eligibility

•  Eligibility for extracurricular activities

and athletics

–  How will academic eligibility be measured? –  How will daily attendance be measured?

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Extracurricular Activities and

Athletic Eligibility

•  NCAA Review of Online Courses

–  Student athletes in Division I and II schools must have

academic credentials certified and earn qualifying core course GPA & test scores

–  Courses must be certified by NCAA Eligibility Center –  FAQ for nontraditional courses:

http://www.eligibilitycenter.org and navigate through

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Student Services

•  Administrative regulations or procedures

should address how student services will be provided to students in online programs:

–  Health services –  Library services

–  Student assistance programs –  Transportation

–  English as a Second Language/Bilingual

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Student Services

•  Special Education – IDEA

–  Procedures should address how supplemental

services and therapies will be provided to online learners

–  Schools must consider how IEP language

should be drafted to accommodate the Online Learning environment

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Student Services

•  Section 504 Students

–  Schools must consider how Online

Learning will be provided to students with Section 504 Service Agreements through equally accessible technology:

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/ letters/colleague-201105-ese.html

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Student Responsibilities

•  Online Learning students should generally

be subject to the same policies as other students and should be notified of such:

–  Discipline

–  Codes of student conduct

–  Student rights and responsibilities –  Drugs and alcohol

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Student Responsibilities

•  Acceptable Use Policies

–  Ensure students are notified and educated –  Education on appropriate online behavior/

cyberbullying, digital citizenship

–  Schools must ensure appropriate safety

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Technology

•  Broadband availability

–  Schools

–  Student homes

•  Online Learning platforms •  Technical support

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Curriculum and Assessments

•  Credit requirements

–  Same credits, different courses?

•  Grading scales, GPA, and class rank •  Graduation requirements

•  Assessments

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Copyright Considerations

•  Monitoring online content

–  Teacher-related content, student-related

content, vendor content

•  Enforcing copyright and Fair Use

–  Educating students on plagiarism

•  TEACH Act/Distance Learning

–  http://www.copyright.com/Services/

copyrightoncampus/basics/teach.html (Copyright Clearance

Center)

–  http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?

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Staffing Issues

•  Create or Contract

–  Staffing implications will vary based on

whether the school is using its own teachers to deliver content or contracting with a vendor

•  Consider Collective Bargaining

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Staffing Issues

•  Compensation provisions •  Professional development

•  Child/Student abuse training and

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Pennsylvania s Collaboration

•  Pennsylvania Department of Education,

PSBA, and Intermediate Unit staff collaborated to develop 3 toolkits for

school entities creating Online Learning programs

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Pennsylvania s Collaboration

•  Technology Toolkit

–  Equipment standards and equitable access –  Broadband access and bandwidth needs

–  Delivery platforms and Student Information

Systems

–  Technical support

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Pennsylvania s Collaboration

•  Policy & Procedures Toolkit

–  Student enrollment and participation –  Extracurricular and athletic eligibility –  Student services

–  Student policies and student responsibilities –  Curriculum, coursework, assessments

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Pennsylvania s Collaboration

•  Program Toolkit

–  Content, Curriculum, Assessments –

developing, acquiring, maintaining

–  Identifying participants

–  Evaluating readiness and support systems –  Implementing professional development –

teaching and technology

–  Implementing student preparation – learning

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Questions

•  What challenges do you see for your

school entities?

•  How can your association

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Credits and Resources

•  Keeping Pace with K-12 Online &

Blended Learning – 2012 Annual Review

http://kpk12.com/

•  iNACOL: http://www.inacol.org/

•  Christensen Institute:

http://www.christenseninstitute.org

•  Pennsylvania Department of Education

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Contact Information

Heather Masshardt

PSBA Policy Consultant

heather.masshardt@psba.org