State of Wisconsin

Department of Public Instruction

Elizabeth Burmaster, State Superintendent

 

Virtual Classes and Schools

 

What do virtual classes typically look like?

·         Content and course organization delivered over the Internet

·         Contact with remote teacher largely via e-mail and/or telephone

·         Usually has some local mentor or liaison teacher

·         Collaborative tools such as discussion boards provided on the Internet

·         Computer based tutorials, applets, sound, video are often provided

·         Quality varies widely

·         Class size and development of online community needed for acceptable retention rates

·         Not to be confused with video interactive distance education

·         Distinction between virtual classes and virtual schools

National Perspective:

·         Many states have chosen to have state-sanctioned, state-level virtual schools.  Florida Virtual School, started in 1997, is a good example.  (http://www.flvs.net)

·         One of the pioneers is the nonprofit VHS, Inc (formerly the Concord VHS).  This is a consortium in which schools that have teachers teach virtual classes get a certain number of student “seats” in other classes.

·         The University of Nebraska developed online courses with federal money that later spun off into CLASS.com which markets courses to other virtual schools.  APEX is another example of this.

Wisconsin Perspective:

·         APEX Classes used as a part of AP grants.  (http://www.cesa12.k12.wi.us/ap/)

·         Wisconsin Virtual High School started at CESA 9 (http://www.wisconsinvirtualschool.org)

·         DPI Policy Advisory (http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dfm/pb/pdf/advis1_1.pdf) developed after Virtual Schools Symposium (http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dlsis/onlinevir.html)

·         Online facilitator training courses sponsored by ECB; BlackBoard initiative by WiscNet

·         Virtual Charter High Schools (2002) (Charter schools provide some added flexibility)

o        Kiel’s Integrated Electronic Learning Charter School (http://www.kiel.k12.wi.us/CharterSchoolPages/CharterIndex.htm)

o        Appleton eSchool (http://www.aasd.k12.wi.us/eSchool/)

·         Wisconsin Connections Academy (2002) – Appleton.  Virtual Charter Elementary School based on national model and using he open enrollment process.(http://www.aasd.k12.wi.us/wca)

·         Litigation

·         Dane Districts Online work on developing courses collaboratively (http://www.danedistricts.org)

·         Other schools based on above models.  Feb. 4, 2004 Milwaukee Journal article on Virtual Schools (http://www.jsonline.com/news/state/feb04/204381.asp)

·         Wisconsin Collaborative Online Network TEACH grant in progress to create portal, set standards, and examine policy.

A few plusses:

·         Virtual classes allow schools to offer more classes to meet students’ needs where lack of sufficient enrollment previously prevented this.

·         Allows flexible schedule and individual pacing for students

·         Preferred learning style for some students

·         Virtual schools can address niche populations like expelled students, homebound students, etc.

·         Allows student that move frequently a consistent education

·         Good experience for future career training.  (Many companies using online training)

 

A few minuses:

·         Concerns about socialization and personal interaction

·         Some students do not do well in this environment

·         Requires effort to maintain acceptable retention rates

·         Out-of-the-box courses may not meet local standards, needs

·         Money rather than educational value may drive some decisions

·         Quality varies widely

 

Studies and Reports on Virtual Schools:

 

·         Keeping Pace With K–12 Online Learning: A Snapshot of State-Level Policy and Practice.  John F. Watson, Evergreen Consulting Associates; Kathy Winograd, University College, University of Denver; Stevan Kalmon, Colorado Department of Education. May 2004.  http://www.ncrel.org/tech/pace/

 

·         e-Learning Frameworks for NCLB. Susan R. Collins, KCH Strategies  http://www.nclbtechsummits.org/summit2/presentations/Collins-e-LearningFramework.pdf  

·         The Role of Educational Technology in Meeting the Promise of Supplemental Educational Services.  Steve Fleischman, Principal Research Scientist, American Institutes for Research, Director,  Supplemental Educational Services Quality (SESQ) Center, www.tutorsforkids.org  http://www.nclbtechsummits.org/summit2/presentations/Fleischman-RoleofEducationalTechnology.pdf
 

·          How Can Virtual Schools Be a Vibrant Part of Meeting the Choice Provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act? Bryan C. Hassel, Michelle Godard Terrell, Public Impact http://www.nclbtechsummits.org/summit2/presentations/Hassel-Terrell-VirtualSchools.pdf  

·         Meeting the Need for High Quality Teachers: e-Learning Solutions. Glenn M. Kleiman, Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) http://www.nclbtechsummits.org/summit2/presentations/Kleiman-MeetingtheNeed.pdf

 

·         Virtual Schools: Trends and Issues A Study of Virtual Schools in the United States.  Tom Clark, October 2001. http://www.wested.org/online_pubs/virtualschools.pdf

 

·         Any Time, Any Place, Any Path, Any Pace: Taking the Lead on e-Learning Policy.  NASBE (National Association of State Boards of Education) , October 2001.   http://www.nasbe.org/Educational_Issues/Reports/e_learning.pdf

 

·         The Power of the Internet for Learning: Moving from Promise to Practice.  Report of the Web-based Education Commission to the President and Congress of the United States, December 2000.   http://www.ed.gov/offices/AC/WBEC/FinalReport/WBECReport.pdf

 

·         California Virtual School Report: A National Survey of Virtual Education Practice and Policy with Recommendations for the State of California. 2002.   http://www.uccp.org/docs/VHS_Report_lowres.pdf

 

·         A Report on the Virtual Schools – A Policy Forum.  October 2002.   http://www.centerdigitalgov.com/center/media/DenverVSF_FINAL.doc 

 

·         Final Report: Colorado Online Education Programs Study Committee.  May 2003. http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdetech/et_onlinecommittee.htm

 

·         E-Learning Knowledge Base.  Learning Point Associates (NCREL). (continuously updated).  http://www.ncrel.org/tech/elearn/index.html 

 

·         Guide to Online High School Courses.  National Education Association and others. http://www.nea.org/technology/onlinecourseguide.html  

  

Web Sites:

• Meeting NCLB Requirements through eLearning. Presentations from the USDoE's Summit on eLearning. July 2004. http://www.nclbtechsummits.org/summit2/s2-presentations.asp  (Includes links to 4 White Papers on eLearning)
  
• SETDA National Leadership Institute Toolkit on Virtual Schools and Distance Learning. March 2004.  http://www.setda.org/Toolkit2003/vsdl
  
• Distance Learning (DL) Guidelines, Advanced Distributive Learning Academic Co-Lab. 2004.
  http://www.adlnet.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=DLGuid
  
• Distance Learning Resource Network (DLRN)
  http://www.dlrn.org

 

DPI Links

 

·         POLICY AND INFORMATION ADVISORY 01.1 ♦ February 2001Subject: Virtual Education—New Opportunities, New Challenges Program Area: Academic Excellence.  http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dfm/pb/pdf/advis1_1.pdf  (Currently under revision) 

·         Virtual Schools and Programs Online:  http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dlsis/onlinevir.html  

·         Public School Open Enrollment:  http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dfm/sms/psctoc.html  

·         Charter Schools:  http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dfm/sms/csindex.html

In the news..

·         New school of thought Some students get back to the books online at charter schools throughout county. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,  Sept. 1, 2004.  http://www.jsonline.com/news/wauk/sep04/255743.asp

·         Grants to Bennett's K12 Inc. challenged. eSchool News, August 16, 2004. http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStoryts.cfm?ArticleID=5220

·         Online schools clicking with students:  Flexibility, technology key to e-learning.  CNN.com, August 14, 2004.                                  http://www.cnn.com/2004/EDUCATION/08/13/b2s.elearning/index.html

·       Moving out of the traditional classroom Alternatives emerge on the education scene.  CNN.com, August 13, 2004.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/EDUCATION/08/13/b2s.overview/index.html

·         District enters unchartered territory Waukesha’s virtual high school set to open Sept. 1.   Waukesha Freeman, August 5, 2004   http://www.gmtoday.com/news/local_stories/2004/August_04/08052004_02.asp

·         For some students, a virtual school seems virtually perfect...  But teachers, home schooling advocates express concerns.  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,  July 31, 2004.  http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/jul04/247986.asp

·         Schools form online education consortium.   Minnetonka Sun Sailor.  July 21, 2004. http://www.mnsun.com/story.asp?city=Minnetonka&story=140234

·         Nearly 100 Utah High Schools Deploy LearnKey Online Courses and Web Delivery System for Classroom Instruction.  PRNewswire,  May 6, 2004.  http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040506/lath113_1.html

·         Virtual schools, real concerns. The Christian Science Monitor, May 4, 2004.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0504/p11s02-legn.html

·         Virtual-School Costs Under Siege, Wired, April 1, 2004.
http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,62890,00.html  

·         'E-Learning' Costs Debated in S.D.  BizReport,  April 14, 2004.
http://www.bizreport.com/article.php?art_id=6871

·         'Virtual schools turn up volume on marketing.  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Feb 1, 2004.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/state/feb04/204381.asp

 

 

Contact: Steve Sanders (stephen.sanders@dpi.state.wi.us or 608 266-7112)                             Revised 9/9/2004