Getting Started with Blended and Online Learning

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Welcome to iLearnNYC!

Getting Started Guide with Blended and Online Learning

iLearnNYC was first introduced in 2010 with 41 schools piloting blended learning models and has

quickly grown to over 250 participating schools in 2014. Through lessons learned and support from

Implementation Managers, iLearnNYC schools developed effective practices and strategies that

worked in their buildings. This “Getting Started Guide with Blended and Online Learning” is a

collection of promising practices, implementation strategies and resources to guide you in planning a

blended learning culture in your school. This guide will provide you with procedures and protocols to

ensure a successful implementation. Our work will continue to grow and evolve as schools begin to

incorporate blended and online learning into their school day. This “Getting Started Guide” will be

updated regularly as we scale. Our current work has also been documented in an iNacol publication: A

Roadmap for Implementation of Blended Learning: A Case Study of iLearnNYC Lab Schools which can

be found

here

What is Blended/Online Learning?

Blended learning, as defined by Horn and Staker, is “a formal education program in which a student

learns at least in part through online learning, with some element of student control over time, place,

path, and/or pace, at least in part in a supervised brick‐and‐mortar location away from home, and the

modalities along each student’s learning path within a course or subject are connected to provide an

integrated learning experience” (Horn and Staker, 2013). Online learning, also known as e‐learning

uses the internet and computer technologies to connect teachers and students to deliver curriculum.

What is ilearnNYC?

iLearnNYC is a community of schools that are implementing blended and online learning to expand

current school boundaries that limit how and when a student can learn. iLearnNYC empowers

teachers, administrators, students and parents with digital resources, including online course content,

real‐time data on student work, ePortfolios , and a suite of robust educational tools. Schools

participating in iLearnNYC classes can provide students with access to courses not currently offered in

their school such as Advanced Placement, core content, world languages, and credit recovery provided

there is a certified teacher in the content area. The boundary of the school day can be expanded so

students can complete their coursework anytime, anywhere from any computer with internet access.

This helps students learn all the time—not just when they are at school.

Introduction

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a.

Leadership

To build an effective blended learning program, strong and consistent leadership must support

implementation of vision and goals. A coordinated, intentional and systemic professional

development plan

based on stated goals needs to be adopted in order for blended learning to

become part of the fabric of the school. School leaders should meet with teachers and be

transparent about their expectations, both in the physical classroom and in the online environment.

Leaders and teachers should have conversations about the blended model they will implement along

with:

 Budget

 Schedule

 Training

 Curriculum Planning

 Compensation

b. Process & Protocol

Having a process as to selecting students and enrolling them in the correct course is imperative.

 Who will review the students’ record to determine courses needed?

 Who will enroll the students in the iLearnNYC system?

 Will there be an orientation process for the student and family?

 What is the passing score or mastery based level for online learning?

 How many times will you allow the student to retake the online assessment before providing

intervention?

 Will the teachers of record be given time to grade and review student work? Will this be during

the school day or per session?

 How will you identify online courses in STARS?

School Leaders are responsible for knowing and enforcing academic policies. To reference see

High

School Academic Policy Reference Guide

and

Middle School Academic Policy Reference Guide.

If you

have any questions that have to do with grading and promotion, go to your network policy liaison.

c. iLearnNYC School Committee

An important factor in the success of any blended learning program is having a team of key players

who immerse themselves in this work and are responsible for the successful implementation. This

team should meet regularly to discuss successes and challenges and continually evaluate the

program.

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The iLearnNYC school committee should consist of a coordinator, programmer, curriculum specialist,

an instructional coach, teacher of record, teachers, technician, and a guidance counselor. Creating a

team to handle the workflow of iLearnNYC is not enough. This team should be meeting regularly,

reflecting on the program, creating goals and making changes as necessary.

Below are some key roles and responsibilities for a successful iLearnNYC program:

Role

Responsibilities

iLearnNYC Coordinator

Manages and monitors the program’s success and has the

power to make decisions for change when needed; turnkey

Professional Development; liaison between iLearnNYC program

and school

Programmer

Manages enrollments and creates iLearnNYC courses

Curriculum Specialist

Reviews content and supports teachers in selecting the

appropriate content for target population

Instructional Coach

Provides guidance for teachers using blended learning

(classroom management, monitoring progress, etc.)

Teacher of Record (TOR)

Content certified teacher that is responsible for monitoring

student progress in a timely fashion and awards credit.

Teacher

May facilitate the course in a lab setting but a content certified

teacher is still required for monitoring progress.

Technician

Maintains equipment and submits helpdesk tickets when

needed.

Guidance Counselor

(Highly recommended for

high school)

Key person to identify and recommend students for online

coursework; also can make recommendations as to student

readiness for virtual environment

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d. Target Population

Identifying your target population is very important to the success of your program. Your vision and

goals for this program should help you identify the population of students that this iLearnNYC will

serve.

Here are some ideas of what the program can assist with:

 Credit Accumulation/Acceleration

 Sharing Instruction across multiple schools

 Infusing technology into the traditional face to face (F2F) classroom

for differentiated instruction and improved engagement

 Supporting Students with Interrupted Education

 Advanced Placement Courses

 Foreign Languages

 Electives

e. Teacher Selection

One of the most important things to consider when planning for blended learning is choosing the

right teachers for this work. This is a crucial element of having success in this program. While each

school may have their own idea of what qualities they are looking for in blended learning teachers,

some of the most common are:

 Interested in blended and online learning

 Comfortable instructing with technology

 Strong time management skills

 Willing to communicate and facilitate beyond the face to face classroom

 Willing to use online data to inform instruction and assignments

 Flexible and open to new ideas

 Online learning experience preferred

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f. Instructional Models

Schools should define which instructional model they would like to follow. Most schools have multiple

models implemented. There are four emerging models that are identified to be successful within

blended learning as defined by

Clayton Christensen Institute

researchers. These four models are:

Rotation, Flex, A La Carte, and Enriched Virtual which are described below. To see the full report,

which discusses blended learning and these models further, see Appendix A.

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Rotation

Flex Model

Rotation model‐ a program in which within a given

course or subject (e.g., math), students rotate on a

fixed schedule or at the teacher’s discretion

between learning modalities, at least one of which

is online learning. Other modalities might include

activities such as small‐group or full‐class

instruction, group projects, individual tutoring, and

pencil and paper assignments.

Flex model‐ a program in which content and

instruction are delivered primarily by the Internet,

students move on an individually customized , fluid

schedule among learning modalities, and the

teacher‐of‐record or other adults provide face‐to‐

face support on a flexible and adaptive as needed

basis through activities such as small group

instruction, group projects , and individual tutoring.

Some of the implementations have substantial face

to face support, and others have minimal ( e.g.,

some flex models may have face‐to‐face certified

teachers who supplement the online learning on a

daily basis, whereas others may provide face‐to‐

face enrichment; others may have different staffing

combinations; these are useful modifiers to

describe a particular Flex Model.)

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A La Carte Model

Enriched Virtual

http://www.christenseninstitute.org/blended‐learning‐model‐definitions

A La Carte‐ A program in which students take

one or more courses entirely online with an

online teacher of record and at the same

time continue to have brick‐and –mortar

educational experiences . Students may take

the online courses either on the brick‐and‐

mortar campus or off site. This differs from

full‐time online learning and the Enriched

Virtual model because it is not a whole –

school experience.

Enriched‐Virtual model‐ a whole‐school

experience in which within each course (e.g.,

math), students divide their time between

attending a brick‐and‐mortar campus and

learning remotely using online delivery of

content and instruction. Many Enriched –Virtual

model differs from the Flipped Classroom

because in Enriched‐Virtual programs, students

seldom attend the brick‐and‐mortar campus

every weekday. It differs from the A La Carte

model because it is a full‐school experience, not

a course‐by course model.

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g. School Readiness

Planning for infrastructure is an integral piece of the preparation process for your school’s

implementation. Once you have your front end team identified, the next step is to make sure you have

the infrastructure and systems in place to ensure that the program runs smoothly from a technical

perspective.

This includes:

 strategies for computer allocation

 computer labs/ printers

 number of laptops carts

 headphones

 any other hardware you plan to utilize

 electrical and wireless capacity for your building

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Co‐located schools need to consider total bandwidth usage as a building, not just a

school.

o

A plan for daily heavy usage times amongst schools is key to uninterrupted student

experiences in the online aspect.

Other thing to consider in preparing your school for Blended and Online Learning:

 Bandwidth

Bandwidth is the amount of data traveling from one point to another within a given time

period. Many of our vendors are interactive and require higher bandwidth. To get a better idea

of your school’s usage as well as specifics as to the average daily highs and lows, check on the

Bandwidth Utilization Tool: https://pcis.nycenet.edu/bandwidth2.php

 Tech Support

While having a full time tech person on staff is highly recommended, you can also hire a CUNY

Technician. They are an affordable means for schools on a tight budget. By hiring a part time

CUNY Tech, schools can still have technical support for their blended learning program which is

integral to the success of the program.

See Appendix B School Readiness Checklist to view the checklist to help you prepare your school’s

infrastructure.

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New educational models such as blended learning and online learning options require the review of

existing teaching and learning policies and potentially the revision of existing policies, or the creation

of new ones to foster innovation. Examples of policies that may need to be addressed but are not

limited to: length of time that a student has to complete the required courses, scheduling availability

of courses, mastery based learning, procedures for enrolling and un‐enrolling students and support.

Refer to the

High School Academic Policy Reference Guide

and

Middle School Academic Policy

Reference Guide

.

The following questions are items to consider before programming any iLearnNYC courses. They will

assist you in identifying needs and support the blended learning and online learning in your school.

1. Who is your target student population?

2. What vendor content and licensing structure best meets the needs of this population?

3. What courses from the iLearnNYC catalogs are you considering?

4. Will these courses be a part of the daily schedule for teachers and students or will they

offered during afterschool hours and require per session?

5. Who are the selected teachers who will:

a. Serve as assigned licensed subject area teachers of record (TOR)?

b. Manage the program?

c. Grade student work

d. Hold office hour for struggling students

Tips from the Field

● Determine your school’s grading policy

● Subject‐certified teacher is responsible for course syllabus, monitoring student progress, and

awarding course grades

● If you have any questions that have to do with grading and promotion, go to your network policy

liaison.

II. Scheduling and Programming

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The iLearnNYC School Committee should plan in late spring and summer for fall implementation. The

team will review and be responsible for the below:

a. Selecting Content

iLearnNYC has a catalog of vendors that offer online and blended learning content. Prior to purchasing,

the iLearnNYC school committee should preview and demo vendor content to ensure that they are

aligned with the school’s vision and goals. See Appendices C and D for more information on NYC

approved vendor content.

b. Purchasing Licenses

All iLearnNYC licenses must be purchased through FAMIS. If you need assistance with this process,

please see Appendix F for the complete Famis Purchasing guide.

c. Programming (Admin Console)

Once you purchase your licenses through FAMIS, teachers and students must be programmed.

Specifically, iLearnNYC has a web based program called the Admin Console, wherein programming of

students for online content happens. To do this successfully, schools must send their programmers,

administrators and an alternative administrative person to be trained on this program. (Programmers

will need to attend Admin Console training)

d. Scheduling

Before students can be programmed for iLearnNYC, decisions have to be made regarding the

scheduling of students. See Appendix E for a checklist of things to think about.

Tips from the field

● Do not begin programming until your school rosters are set. In most cases, once you program

students into a course through the Admin Console, licenses are consumed.

● If you encounter any issues with your FAMIS purchase, reach out to your network liaison.

● Our helpdesk operators are trained in using the Administrative Console. They should be your first

point of contact when issues arise.

Phone: 718‐935‐3075

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iLearnNYC’s online and blended learning model meets the needs of most of our students, but it

requires a high level of independence and self‐awareness. iLearnNYC students who consistently work

in their online courses and produce a steady flow of valid, completed assignments are almost

guaranteed to pass their courses.

Some students are still growing to become self‐reliant learners. For these students, online learning

may not provide an effective path and students who are unable to meet the requirements of their

online learning courses should consider an alternative that can be discussed with the guidance

counselor. It is recommended that students participate in an orientation session before delving into

the content.

a. Getting Started for Teachers

While there is not one formula for supporting a blended learning teacher, we have seen some best

practices wherein teachers are set up for success. In order to begin this innovative practice, teachers

need to have an understanding of common definitions of blended learning and be aware of a variety of

blended learning models and resources. They also need to have a good understanding of how to use

the vendor content the school has selected for the upcoming school year.

School leaders are in the unique position to allow teachers opportunities to attend professional

development workshops, both provided by iLearnNYC and through outside partners and companies.

This is crucial, not only for teachers to be able to use online content and learning management

systems, but also for them to identify colleagues outside your school with whom to collaborate. It is a

best practice to set clear expectations for blended learning teachers and help them understand that

lessons in a blended learning class may look differently than in a traditional brick and mortar

classroom. It is important that school leaders sit down with their teachers and be transparent about

their expectations, both in the physical classroom and in the online learning environment.

III. Setting up for Success

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Below are some examples of guidelines to implement in your classroom:

 Provide clear expectations for students with specific assignments and due dates.

 Actively monitor student progress using data reports.

 Provide students who fall 15% behind any course a progress warning, as well as an opportunity

to catch up with the support of teacher and/or guidance counselor.

 Provide students who fall 25% behind any course the opportunity to meet face to face with

teacher or guidance counselor to evaluate options and provide interventions.

 Proctoring of Tests should occur in the classroom

 Ensure that students who fail a quiz or test more than twice provide evidence of their work.

Provide timely feedback to students. It is best to have online office hours. (Example: You check

your email between 5 pm ‐ 8 pm and answer all emails at that time.)

Two resources that you may find helpful when thinking about the selection of teachers can be found in

Appendices G and H. They are case studies from iLearnNYC schools and Blended Learning in Action.

Tips from the field

● Send your teacher to iLearnNYC and specific vendor professional development.

● Seek out and provide opportunities for ongoing professional development around the topic of

Blended Learning

b. Getting Started for Students

When planning for blended learning, it is important to consider how you set clear expectations in both

the face to face and in the online portion of your class. We suggest spending the first few days to

provide in‐depth orientation and provide continual reinforcement of expectations. See Appendix I for

a complete student agreement.

c. Communication with Parents

Schools should communicate information about the iLearnNYC program to parents. There are

differences between blended/online learning compared to traditional classroom learning. Blended

and Online courses can be a method to expand the boundary of the school day and engage student to

complete their coursework anytime, anywhere from any computer with internet access. Having a set

of documents and/or other informational materials is essential to get parental buy‐in and have them

become advocates for an innovative way that their children are learning.

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While every school has their own way of making parents aware of what is happening in their schools, it

is important to think about using various ways to let parents know about your blended learning

program. Here are a few options:

Individual School Crafted Letter

Some schools like to send a more personalized letter to parents which explains a bit more about the

program. This letter should be linked to important information on your website. See Appendix J for a

sample parent letter.

Parent Intervention Letter

Sometimes it becomes necessary to send parents notifications when students are struggling to meet

deadlines or standards of learning in your course. See Appendix K for a sample intervention letter.

Sample School Brochure

Some schools have created brochures for their iLearnNYC program, which are not only shared with

parents, but are available to any visitors to the school, and come in handy at middle school and high

school fairs. See Appendix L for a sample school brochure.

Tips from the Field

● Be sure to communicate with Parents in a variety of ways; i.e. phone calls, email, social media

and letters sent directly to homes.

● Put an agenda item on your PTO meetings so that parents and the community at large are aware

of what is happening in iLearnNYC.

● Determine your school’s grading policy and communicate to all teachers, students and parents.

● Post your grading policy on your website.

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When and how do I purchase licenses for my school?

You will be able to purchase licenses through FAMIS starting on August 29th. A communication will go

out with the codes and the steps to do this once it is available

Are licenses for students, teachers, or both?

Licenses are for students and are what give them access to any one vendor’s content (so for example if

a student needs access to Compass they will need 1 Compass license, if they need access to the

iLearnNYC platform they will need 1 iLearnNYC platform license.)

Teachers do not require a license to access the system. You can add an unlimited number of teachers

to each iLearnNYC course you create without burning a license.

How can I give my teachers access to their course?

Your school Programmer (i.e. whoever attended Admin Console Training) has access to the Admin

Console, the system where courses are created. In order for you (the teacher) or your students to have

access and be able to login to

www.ilearnnyc.net,

your programmer will first need to create the course

in the Admin Console.

How are iLearnNYC courses created?

Courses are created in a system called the Admin Console. This system has a simple 4 step process in

which you name a course, add teachers, enroll students, add vendor content (Aventa, Discovery etc.)

and click finalize. This then sends the information to the iLearnNYC platform, and allows teachers and

students to login at

www.ilearnnyc.net

and access the course.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

ILearnNYC Courses

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The purpose of this FAQ document is to assist NYCDOE high schools in

understanding and effectively implementing policies regarding blended and online

courses. This FAQ document supplements existing resources on graduation

requirements and policies for awarding high school course credit. Refer to the

High School

Academic Policy Reference Guide

for additional information.

Blended and online courses are among the many delivery mechanisms for high

school courses. Other delivery mechanisms include

internships and

service-learning

. For support implementing alternative course delivery mechanisms,

contact your network’s

academic policy point

.

Click the links below to find answers in the following areas:

Definitions

Policies

Teachers of Blended and Online Courses

Awarding Credit for Blended and Online Courses

Implementation Considerations

Resources

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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DEFINITIONS

1. What is the definition of a credit‐bearing course?

According to New York State Commissioner’s Regulations, all credit‐bearing courses must:

 address high school commencement‐level standards

 meet instructional time requirements (minimum of 180 minutes per week throughout the

semester/school year, or the equivalent of 54 hours per credit),

 be taught by a teacher with a New York State secondary certification in the course’s subject

area.

2. What are commencement‐level learning standards?

The New York State Education Department has

commencement‐level learning standards

in the

following subject areas:



English language arts



Social studies



Mathematics



Science



Technology



The arts (including visual arts, music, dance and theatre)



Languages other than English



Physical education



Health



Family and consumer sciences



Career development and occupational studies

See the

New York State Education Department's website

for specific standards in each

subject area.

The following delivery mechanisms are permitted in addition to traditional classroom courses:



Blended/online learning



Internships



Service‐learning

Refer to the information throughout this document for specific requirements for blended and online

courses. For additional information about credit‐bearing internships and service‐learning courses,

see the

Off‐Site Courses FAQ

.

3. What course components can be included in the 180 minutes per week (54 hours per credit)

of required instruction?

Learning experiences that take place outside the traditional classroom and school day may be

considered as inclusive of the 180 minutes of instruction per week throughout the school year, or the

equivalent of 54 hours per credit, including:

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

online learning experiences; and/or



learning experiences that take place inside and/or outside the classroom or school

building in non‐ virtual settings, such as structured work experiences designed to address

New York State

commencement‐level learning standards

as a component of a course.

For courses incorporating online and/or off‐site components, schools should maintain

documentation that courses provide students with the opportunity for 180 minutes per week

of instruction, or the equivalent of 54 hours per credit. Schools may use and adapt the

Unit of

Study Evaluation Form

.

Provided they meet the criteria for credit‐bearing courses outlined above, the following

delivery mechanisms are permitted in addition to traditional classroom courses:

 Blended/online learning

 Internships

 Service‐learning

Refer to the information throughout this document for specific requirements for blended and

online courses. For additional information about credit‐bearing internships and service‐learning

courses, see the

Off‐Site Courses FAQ

.

4. What is the definition of a blended or online course?

The New York State Education Department defines blended and online courses as follows:

 Blended course: instruction in a specific subject consisting of teacher‐to‐student, student‐to‐

student and/or student‐to‐content interactions that occur through a combination of classroom‐

based and digital and/or internet‐connected media

 Online course: instruction in a specific subject consisting of teacher‐to‐student, student‐to‐

student and/or student‐to‐content interactions that occur solely through digital and/or

internet‐connected media.

POLICIES

5. What are the New York State requirements for blended and online courses?

Credit‐bearing blended and online courses must fulfill the following criteria:

 The course must align with the applicable New York State commencement‐level learning

standards for the subject area and provide documentation of student mastery of the learning

outcomes for the course.

 Instruction must be provided by or under the direction and/or supervision of a subject

certified teacher (i.e., a teacher who holds a New York State teaching certificate in the

subject area in which instruction is provided) from the NYCDOE.

 The course must include regular and substantive interaction between the student and the

teacher providing direction and/or supervision, which may occur in person or virtually.

 The instruction must satisfy the unit of study and credit requirements for instructional time

(i.e.,180 minutes per week throughout the school year or the equivalent of 54 hours per

credit).

 The course must provide for documentation of student mastery of the learning outcomes for

the subject, including passing the Regents exam and/or other assessment in the subject if

required for earning a diploma.

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Teachers of Blended and Online Courses

6. Who can teach blended and online courses? What are the responsibilities of the teacher

overseeing a blended or online course?

A subject‐certified NYCDOE teacher must provide or supervise the instruction of a blended or

online course; see question 5. The subject‐certified teacher is responsible for overseeing the

course syllabus, providing students with opportunities for regular and substantive interaction,

monitoring student progress, and awarding course grades.

7. Many online courses provide their own instruction, tutoring, assessment, or other academic

support. Do courses with these features require supervision by a subject‐certified NYCDOE teacher?

Yes. All blended and online courses must be overseen by a subject‐certified NYCDOE teacher.

While vendors may offer a variety of academic services for students in blended or online

courses, vendor‐ provided instruction and support do not replace the subject‐certified teacher.

The subject‐certified NYCDOE teacher is ultimately responsible for overseeing the course

syllabus, providing students with regular and substantive interaction, monitoring student

progress, and awarding course grades.

8. What constitutes “regular and substantive interaction” between the subject‐certified teacher

and the student?

Certified teachers supervising online instruction should frequently interact with, observe, and measure

their students’ progression through course content and provide meaningful feedback on student work.

This interaction need not be face‐to‐face, but can occur in person and/or virtually through various re

no specific requirements regarding the frequency with which regular and substantive interaction

should occur. As in any course, interaction should be sufficiently frequent as to allow many

opportunities for students to receive meaningful feedback on their progress. A teacher certified in the

subject area should also be consistently available to provide instructional support.

In designing mechanisms for teacher‐student interaction, schools should follow

NYCDOE

guidelines regarding the use of social media

.

9. Can the regular and substantive interaction between the subject‐certified teacher and the

student occur virtually?

Yes. See question 8.

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10. What options are available for schools to implement blended and online courses when

they do not have a subject‐certified teacher in the course subject area?

A subject‐certified NYCDOE teacher employed at another NYCDOE school can oversee the instruction

of a blended or online course. Networks and iLearnNYC can support schools in facilitating these

partnerships with other schools. Courses overseen by NYCDOE teachers at other school buildings must

provide opportunities for regular and substantive teacher‐student interaction as described in question

8. For support in recording such teaching arrangements in STARS, schools may contact their network’s

Data/Applications Specialist

.

11. Who should supervise students who are participating in blended or online course

components in a computer lab when the subject‐certified teacher is not present?

A teacher or administrator at the school may perform non‐teaching duties such as supervising

students in a computer lab and managing equipment and access to technology. This teacher or

administrator does not need to be the subject‐certified teacher overseeing the course as described

in questions 6 through 8, but he or she cannot replace the subject‐certified teacher.

Awarding Credit for Blended and Online Courses

12. Which components of blended and online courses may be included in the 180 minutes per

week (54 hours per credit) of required instruction? How much time should be spent on each

component?

Course components completed virtually and/or off‐site may be included in the required 180

minutes per week (54 hours per credit) of required instruction. For example, in a 1‐credit blended

course, the required 54 hours of instructional time might be distributed among traditional

classroom instruction, online course modules completed by students outside of school, in‐class

assessments, and other course activities. There are no specific requirements regarding the

proportion of instructional time devoted to various course components.

Schools should ensure that students have access to the necessary tools, technology, and support

during all components of the course. Additionally, schools should establish protocols for

monitoring student attendance for all off‐site course activities; see question 23.

13. Can students participate in blended or online courses from home or other off‐site locations?

Yes. Students can participate in blended and online courses remotely, provided that such courses

fulfill the requirements outlined in question 5 and throughout this document. Course components

completed remotely may be included in the 180 minutes per week (54 hours per credit) of required

instruction. Schools should establish protocols for documenting the amount of time per week that

students complete course components remotely; see question 23. Schools should ensure that

students have access to the tools and technology required to participate in courses remotely. As in

any course, schools should thoughtfully consider the extent to which various course components

constitute instruction or homework.

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23

14. Do students need to pass the Regents exam to earn credit for a blended or online course?

If the blended or online course culminates in a Regents exam required for graduation, students must

pass the exam at the end of the course in order to receive credit. For courses which are part of a

sequence,

this requirement applies for terminal courses corresponding to the last semester (18 weeks) of

instruction in the sequence. The following are illustrative examples of the Regents exam requirement

for online courses which are part of sequences:

● A four‐credit, four‐semester, online global history course sequence culminates in the Global

History Regents exam, an exam required for graduation. Students must pass the Global History

Regents exam in order to receive credit for the fourth semester of this online course sequence. The

Regents exam does not affect students’ ability to earn credit for the first, second, or third

semesters of the sequence.

● A two‐credit, online Algebra 2/Trigonometry course culminates in the Algebra 2/Trigonometry

Regents exam. For students who have already passed a math Regents exam, the

Algebra2/Trigonometry exam is not required for graduation. Therefore, students taking this course

do not need to pass the Regents exam at the end of the blended/online course in order to receive

credit. Nonetheless, the Regents exam may be factored into the final course grade as outlined in

the course grading policy.

● A student who failed the second semester of a U.S. History course but passed the U.S. History

Regents exam is repeating the failed course online. Since this student already passed the required

Regents exam, he or she does not need to retake it in order to receive credit for the online course.

In all scenarios, the extent to which the Regents exam factors in the final course grade should be

clearly outlined in the grading policy. For additional information on incorporating Regents exam

scores into course grades, see question 16. For additional information on Regents exams and credit

recovery, see the

Credit Recovery FAQ

.

15. How should student learning be assessed in blended and online courses?

The subject‐certified teacher overseeing the blended or online course should design or select

assessments which align with the standards and learning outcomes outlined in the syllabus. As in

other courses, assessments may include projects, exams, portfolios, and other measures of student

mastery.

16. How should blended and online courses be graded?

As in any course, schools may establish grading policies at the school, department, grade, or course

level. Determinations of passing or failing should be based on student mastery of the learning

standards and competencies addressed in the course. Grading policies should be documented prior

to the commencement of a course and be clear to students, families, and staff.

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24

In any course, the extent to which the Regents exam factors into final course grades should be

specified in the grading policy. The Regents exam should be weighted no more than 33% of the

terminal course leading to the exam. For additional information on grading policies, see

this

document

.

17. How do laboratory requirements apply for blended and online science courses?

For science courses designed to culminate in a Regents exam, students must also successfully

complete an additional required hands‐on (not virtual) laboratory component of 1,200 minutes with

satisfactory documented lab reports. The lab may not be credit‐bearing. This policy applies to all

science courses designed to culminate in a Regents exam, including blended/online courses. All other

high school science courses must incorporate laboratory activities.

Schools offering blended or online science courses designed to culminate in a Regents exam should

arrange for students to complete the 1,200‐minute, hands‐on laboratory component in addition to

the completing the blended or online course. In any science course, schools can arrange for

students to complete the laboratory component at off‐site laboratory facilities if necessary.

Contact your network’s

academic policy point

for additional support.

18. Do online programs or vendors need to be approved for use in credit‐bearing courses?

For credit recovery programs, school must use NYCDOE‐approved programs from

this list

. For

additional information on credit recovery, see the

Credit Recovery FAQ

.

For blended and online courses offered as a part of a school’s academic program (i.e., not for

credit recovery), program approval is not required. Schools should ensure that all online programs

used in credit‐bearing courses align with commencement‐level standards and are implemented

according to the policies outlined in question 5 and throughout this document.

19. How should a school determine whether an online course provided by a vendor aligns with

high school commencement‐level standards?

The subject‐certified teacher overseeing the course should examine the curriculum and

assessments of the online course to ensure that the content aligns with commencement‐level

standards. The alignment of the course components to commencement‐level standards should be

clearly outlined in the syllabus, scope and sequence, curriculum map, or similar documentation.

The teacher may adapt or supplement the course content as needed to ensure that the course

adequately addresses the learning standards.

Schools should maintain systems and structures, such as accreditation committees, for regularly

evaluating all new and existing courses, including blended and online courses; see question 21.

20. Where can schools find examples of blended and online learning models?

Schools may contact their networks or the

iLearnNYC

for more information about the

implementation of blended and online learning models in NYCDOE schools. The

International

Association for K‐12 Online Learning (iNACOL)

provides additional information, including resources

on

Promising Practices in Online Learning

.

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25

21. What documentation should schools maintain while designing and evaluating blended

and online courses?

Schools should maintain systems and structures, such as accreditation committees, for regularly

evaluating all new and existing courses, including blended and online courses. Schools may use and

adapt the Accreditation Committee Course Proposal/Review Form and Unit of Study Evaluation Form

provided

here

to document the alignment of blended and online courses to the policies described

above, including the required 180 minutes per week (54 hours per credit) of instruction.

22. Can a student receive credit for independently participating in an online program initiated by the

student’s family?

The principal may evaluate work completed through independent educational activities and award

transfer credit if the work is consistent with New York State

commencement‐level learning standards

and is of comparable scope and quality to that which would have been done in the school awarding

the credit.

IMPLEMENTATION CONSIDERATIONS

23. How should schools monitor attendance for blended and online courses?

Beginning in the 2012‐13 school year, schools adopting learning models that include off‐site and/or

virtual components during the school day must:

 Establish protocols for teachers to document student attendance during off‐site and/or virtual

coursework.

 Record student attendance in ATS. When a student is present at an off‐site location, schools enter

reason code 72 in ATS in CIND for daily or AM or PM attendance or in PACH for period attendance,

as appropriate.

 Document the school’s protocols for tracking and documenting student attendance at off‐site

and/or virtual locations in the school’s Attendance Plan (as part of the Consolidated Plan).

24. How many students can a teacher oversee in a blended or online course?

The contractual class size limits that apply to traditional courses also apply to blended and online

courses. The subject‐certified teacher of a blended or online course should oversee the instruction of

no more than 34 students per class, subject to the exceptions set forth in the collective bargaining

agreement. This includes students overseen by the teacher who are participating in the course from

other locations.

For example, a certified NYCDOE teacher oversees a blended/online course where 20 students

participate in the class in‐person and 10 students participate virtually. The total class size for the

course is 30 students, which is within the 34‐student limit.

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26

25. What considerations apply regarding the cost of blended and online courses?

Schools must pay for any costs associated with credit‐bearing instruction or programs, including

blended and online courses. As in any other course, the school must provide students with the

needed materials to complete the course, including computer hardware and student access to the

internet.

26. How should schools determine student readiness to participate in blended and online courses?

In determining whether to approve a student to participate in a course, the principal should

consider whether that particular student would benefit from such a program and could

successfully perform the required tasks of a particular online course. For example, schools may

wish to consider the extent to which the students in the program have developed the necessary

skills and knowledge regarding time management, the use of technology, and internet safety.

27. What considerations apply for the participation of students with disabilities in blended

and online courses?

Students with disabilities should have full access to blended and online learning experiences to the

maximum extent appropriate. The school’s IEP team should ensure that all relevant sections of the

student’s IEP (e.g., transition activities and goals, annual goals) reflect such participation and include

the necessary goals and supports to be provided in order to maximize the student’s success. Please

note that the student’s IEP recommendations, including related services and transportation, must

continue to be implemented.

28. How should blended and online courses be coded in STARS?

Blended and online courses should be coded in the same way as traditional classroom courses.

Beginning with the 2012‐13 school year, school should use new STARS standardized course codes for

all courses. For support, schools may contact their network’s

Data/Applications Specialist

.

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V. APPENDICES

(29)

May 2012

Classifying K–12

Blended learning

By Heather Staker and Michael B. Horn

VISIT WWW.INNOSIGHTINSTITUTE.ORG TO ADD YOUR PROFILE

Appendix A : Classifying K-12 Blended Learning

(30)

introduCtion

t

he growth of online learning in the K–12 sector is occurring both remotely through virtual schools and on campuses through blended learning. In emerging fields, definitions are important because they create a shared language that enables people to talk about the new phenomena. The following blended-learning taxonomy and definitions expand upon and refine our previous work in helping to create a shared language for the K–12 blended-learning sector.

In our report titled, “The rise of K–12 blended learning,” we observed that there were six main blended-learning models emerging in the sector from the perspective of the student. This paper introduces a number of changes to that taxonomy based on feedback from the field and the need to update the research to keep pace with new innovations that are occurring in blended learning. Most importantly, the paper eliminates two of the six blended-learning models—Face-to-Face Driver and Online Lab—because they appear to duplicate other models and make the categorization scheme too rigid to accommodate the diversity of blended-learning models in practice. By moving from six to four overarching models, we have created more breathing room in the definitions. We hope these new models will better describe the majority of programs so that nearly all blended-learning programs will fit comfortably within one of the four. Appendix

A explains the differences between the new four-model taxonomy and the old six-model taxonomy in greater detail.

Two design principles governed the process of updating and expanding upon the blended-learning definitions:

1. Develop flexible definitions so that they can still be useful even as the field continues to innovate. The definitions are intentionally broad and open, rather than specific. They set forth basic patterns that are emerging, but avoid setting tight parameters about how a model “has to be.”

2. Exclude normative qualifiers. This principle is a holdover from the last report. Some blended programs are high in quality and some are not. Some use dynamic content, whereas others have more static content. Some are more expensive than the traditional schooling model; others are less costly. The definitions in this taxonomy leave out such appraisals. Just as a hybrid car can be either efficient or a clunker and still be a hybrid car, blended learning can be both good and bad.

In defining blended learning and identifying its emerging models, we looked at examples of over 80 programs in the K–12 sector. 1_{In addition, in November 2011 roughly 100 educators met}

during a pre-conference at the International Association for K–12 Online Learning’s (iNACOL) Virtual School Symposium2_{and critiqued the taxonomy.}3

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The taxonomy in Figure 1 depicts a preliminary categorization scheme for the blended-learning landscape as it currently exists based upon an analysis of programs that either are preparing to launch or are already in existence. It is important to note that many school operators have implemented more than one blended-learning model for their students. Accordingly, the models represent particular programs within a school, not a typology for whole-school design.

Figure 1. Blended-learning taxonomy

BLENDED LEARNING

1

Rotation model

2

Flex model

3

Self-Blend model

4

Enriched-Virtual model Online learning Brick-and-mortar Station-Rotation model Lab-Rotation model Flipped-Classroom model Individual-Rotation model

Later sections of this paper define each of the elements in Figure 1 and provide examples. As stated in the first report, we continue to believe that these categories will evolve and expand. We invite others to contribute to this research by offering improvements and additions.

Getting Started with Blended and Online Learning

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Welcome to iLearnNYC!

Getting Started Guide with Blended and Online Learning

iLearnNYC was first introduced in 2010 with 41 schools piloting blended learning models and has

quickly grown to over 250 participating schools in 2014. Through lessons learned and support from

Implementation Managers, iLearnNYC schools developed effective practices and strategies that

worked in their buildings. This “Getting Started Guide with Blended and Online Learning” is a

collection of promising practices, implementation strategies and resources to guide you in planning a

blended learning culture in your school. This guide will provide you with procedures and protocols to

ensure a successful implementation. Our work will continue to grow and evolve as schools begin to

incorporate blended and online learning into their school day. This “Getting Started Guide” will be

updated regularly as we scale. Our current work has also been documented in an iNacol publication: A

Roadmap for Implementation of Blended Learning: A Case Study of iLearnNYC Lab Schools which can

be found

here

What is Blended/Online Learning?

Blended learning, as defined by Horn and Staker, is “a formal education program in which a student

learns at least in part through online learning, with some element of student control over time, place,

path, and/or pace, at least in part in a supervised brick‐and‐mortar location away from home, and the

modalities along each student’s learning path within a course or subject are connected to provide an

integrated learning experience” (Horn and Staker, 2013). Online learning, also known as e‐learning

uses the internet and computer technologies to connect teachers and students to deliver curriculum.

What is ilearnNYC?

iLearnNYC is a community of schools that are implementing blended and online learning to expand

current school boundaries that limit how and when a student can learn. iLearnNYC empowers

teachers, administrators, students and parents with digital resources, including online course content,

real‐time data on student work, ePortfolios , and a suite of robust educational tools. Schools

participating in iLearnNYC classes can provide students with access to courses not currently offered in

their school such as Advanced Placement, core content, world languages, and credit recovery provided

there is a certified teacher in the content area. The boundary of the school day can be expanded so

students can complete their coursework anytime, anywhere from any computer with internet access.

This helps students learn all the time—not just when they are at school.

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