Topic One: Challenges
Indeed! Although I briefly touched on the notion of the stigma sometimes attached to virtual schooling in last week's blog, I believe the article from Convergencemag.com really has a bead on this emerging field of education. This weeks reading presented by author Susan Patrick, highlighted many of the challenges that are associated with this fast-growing segment in K-12 education. I will attempt to focus on just two:
Challenge One: One Student, One Computer, One highly qualified and highly motivated teacher?
As is the case for many types of instructional technology before virtual schooling came along, many educators have been too quick to judgement on the this latest trend in educating the nations' students. Fear and loathing on this front is hidden under the guise that online education is inferior to bricks and mortar public schooling. On this issue, Patrick really hones in on the source of this fear by stating, "Online learning is not a technology issue. It is a curriculum and instruction issue." (p. 38). So, overcoming this challenge for some is just part of the culture of the teaching professions general attitude towards change associated with new technology. I believe that from what we've previewed on virtual learning in this class so far, teachers are going to be needed more than ever. While technology is the tool, the instructor must provide the mentorship, knowledge imparting skills, leadership, and guidance in the virtual school environment.
Challenge Two: Cash is King--follow the "Green" brick road.
The article cites some level of complaining from those in the virtual schooling business, that they are held to a higher standard than most traditional schools. I believe this is a good thing. It will allow districts to align their curriculum, bring in highly qualified and technologically savvy instructors, to form a more solid standards-based curriculum that in the end will help students succeed. The article suggests that funding for virtual schooling is one of the major obstacles to its growth and is a primary source of conflict among it's detractors. For me, I believe that it is the obstacle. The tax-based funding pie is only so big, and can barely fund the old model. This problem is well articulated by the author who cites former Iowa State Senator Richard Varn on the current state of affairs for funding issues in virtual education. Both the author and Senator Varn suggest that such conflict over financing of virtual schooling could be best handled by cost capturing. That is, there are many opportunities to redirect state budgets to allow for virtual education. Chiefly among them are, state-to-state and district-to-district credit acceptance of online learning, and dual enrollment or articulation agreements among highschool and post-secondary institutions. Perhaps the Minnesota State solution is best, the dollars follow the student model is argumentitively the most student-centered and cost effective, even if it means more virtual schooling.
Topic Two: Efficacy and Pedagogy-A case for the Virtual Environment
Detroit has a large variety of alternative schools, but they seem doomed to fail from a curriculum and instruction planning perspective due in part to their similar approach to pedagogy from the very institutions these At-Risk student came from. That is, in theory let's say we take 100-200 students who for a variety of reasons (social, economic, etc.) have not succeeded in the traditional high school. Now we concentrate them in an environment where they are now faced with a "last chance" mentality, with the same curriculum and instructional methods, or even "dumbed down" material, and we expect them to succeed? This is where I believe we fail these students.
Brick and mortar type schooling may not be the answer for this group. Perhaps it is time to give this special population a chance at online learning instead of "Last Chance" learning. A place where many of the instructors are not highly qualified, or even certified! Why not instead, allow them the latest technology, a more interactive curriculum, and more importantly, the necessary job-related higher order thinking skills that virtual schooling has to offer.
Brad.
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Hey Brad you said: Perhaps it is time to give this special population a chance at online learning instead of "Last Chance" learning. A place where many of the instructors are not highly qualified, or even certified! Why not instead, allow them the latest technology, a more interactive curriculum, and more importantly, the necessary job-related higher order thinking skills that virtual schooling has to offer.
This really struck a cord with me because so many times teachers complain about their students not achieving. If you look at reasons why it is usually because we as educators have put such a low expectation on these kids that they become uninterested. Children in general want to rise to expectations, but when they are set so low the students quit caring. In a article I found on the web it states research "clearly establishes that teacher expectations do play a significant role in determining how well and how much students learn (Jerry Bamburg 1994). Armed with this information we as educators have to raise our expectations and Virtual Schooling could achieve that.
Great comments!
Taken from: http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content4/student.expectations.html. Bamburg, Jerry. "Raising Expectations To Improve Student Learning." Oak Brook, Illinois: North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, 1994. 33 pages. ED 378 290.
Hey Nicole,
Thanks for the props and the article reference too! I often think back to my students last semester and I realized that the ones I miss the most were the same ones that caused me to work the most. They challenged my teaching limits, sometimes daily, but they really made great strides. For many of them, they were quit on by the system and placed in CTE to "get their credits". I was glad to take every one the home school counselors gave.
For some of them Virtual high school would be very beneficial since attendance and not ability hindered performance.
Thanks for your reply.
Brad.
Michigan’s financial model is the same as Minnesota; the money follows the student. Although it is student-centered and cost effective, I don’t necessarily see that more virtual schooling will be in order, especially at the elementary level. The fact of the matter is that most parents and their children prefer to attend traditional schools because of extracurricular activities (i.e., athletics, clubs, special events, etc.), social interaction with other parents/children, and special programs/services (e.g., preschool, all-day kindergarten, speech pathologist, Teacher Consultant, Reading Recovery, Latchkey, special education, etc.). Furthermore, I’m not exactly sure that virtual schools really have a PTO or a voice for parents? Nevertheless, in traditional “brick-n-mortar” schools they are a vital resource. Personally, I don’t know what we would do without our parent volunteers! Now don’t get me wrong, I really like virtual schooling as a whole, but it is just another option for parents and students to explore and not a “magic bullet” that can fix public education. Why not also create smaller learning communities or schools that comprise of approximately 200 to 300 students, lower student-to-teacher ratios, and afford meaningful professional development to staff? This may just make public education better for everyone so that students won’t have a "last chance" at learning.
An interesting assumption, and one with which I agree,that teachers are going to be needed more than ever in a virtual learning environment. Teachers will be even more important in a virtual school setting because they are still the heart and soul of a course and the "technology" is still only the delivery system. Without well-trained, qualified teachers to facilitate online instruction, virtual schooling will be ineffective as an educational model.
Brad,
Another great and insightful post. I was especially drawn to the last part. I worked for one of those “last chance” school and feel that we relied on brick and mortar techniques too much. I’m not sure if our students would have been successful in a virtual environment (not all of them were independent workers) but I wish they would have had the option.
TTFN
Allison
Shawn,
Who pays for the course in the end is about the only similarity in a direct comparison of how Virtual Schooling is paid for between Michigan and Minnesota. While Michigan may be viewed as a legislative leader in it's state-led support for virtual schooling, it grossly lags behind Minnesota as far as student choice is concerned (NACOL, 2007) pp.103-7. Minnesota allows for full-time enrollment, blended, and spplemental course enrollment. Michigan allows only MVHS supplemental instruction. Minnesota also mandates for one district to accept anothers online course provided it meets MDE content approval.
I am not a fan of homeschooling. I believe that a child who learns to live with his neighbor and interact in a Public school environment, generally receives the required hidden curriculum (social interaction) in the traditional educational delivery model. However, what I do believe in is choice for educators, stakeholders, and students. If my children are in a school district without AP or IB credits, then as a taxpayer and stakeholder in Public education, I want what is best for them. I don't want an arbitrary line on a map dictating the haves and the havenots. This antiquated system of student funding causes much of the current funding disparity and consequently, opportunity and social inequality.
I agree with your assertion that there is no magic bullet that will save public education, but an exposure to virtual schooling may turn enough students away from dropout status and back into the school system. I further believe that overly large schools hurt their own districts and the students within them. Bring on the smaller learning communities.
Very insightful critique,
Brad.
Kristin,
Now, if we can only get district administrators to "go virtual" with their district offices and overhead redirected to technology infused curriculum funding.
On efficacy...Teachers will always teach, regardless of the setting. If one's idea of teaching is reaching into the file cabinet to pull out last semester's work, then maybe its time to move on. Personally, I'd like to try a blended approach to both traditional and virtual learning.
Brad.
Allison,
Today's headlines on Graduation rates for large Urban school districts made me absolutely sick. Detroit led the race to the bottom with 24.9 percent. Nearly three quarters of the population did not graduate! Detroit has some good teachers too. Clearly, some non-traditional approaches are necessary. Dr. Calloway will surely need to wear a Teflon suit on her next visit to Lansing!
Brad.
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