VIRTUAL LEARNING COMES TO ALL ALABAMA DISTRICTS IN 2016-17

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When news of the Virtual Learning Option Law was first announced last year, district leaders across the state began searching for information about virtual schools and programs to find out how they operate and deliver high-quality courses. Both a board-approved policy and a program option or actual virtual school must be in place before next year for a school district to be in compliance with this Alabama law. The development of a district policy outlining a virtual learning program option for students in grades 9 through 12 is a key step on the path to successful implementation of this new legislation. Moore and Kearsley (2012) point out the importance of the district’s decision to use or purchase an LMS (Learning Management System) for their virtual option because “the quality of the course delivered at a distance and the quality of the student’s experience will to some extent depend on the particular delivery system used“ (p. 178). Some districts are still making decisions about using ACCESS or another LMS for course content and delivery while others are working out details of their policy before it goes before the board for approval.

Shelby County Schools has a policy for virtual learning options that was board approved in January 2016. That policy and the few courses that will be available for enrollment for next year were publicized to parents of registering students in all seven of our high schools. Next year students can take English 10-12 and social studies courses as their virtual option. The policy includes a plan to gradually offer all courses as virtual options over the next four years and the requirements for eligibility to enroll in the program. Leaders in the district Curriculum and Instruction Department are exploring options for a delivery system, but at this time, no decision has been made public.

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In the fall, a survey was administered to all high school students and their parents to gauge interest in taking one or more courses via the virtual option. Seeking this input from families in the district is a best practice in my opinion because the results showed the level of demand for online learning. Mississippi’s State Department of Education offers a statewide virtual program via Connections Academy which offers many reasons families may choose to try a virtual option. One of the most urgent concerns is how this new law and district offerings will impact student learning and achievement. Too many strict requirements for eligibility will severely limit the number of students who will even look at this as an option. Students who have never taken coursework online will benefit from a face-to-face orientation to prepare them for the challenges that come with virtual learning.  As we move past this initial year of implementation, I believe the number of students who register and succeed in the current options will determine our district’s path and how we adjust our virtual program so that we continue to meet our students’ needs.

References

Moore, M. G., & Kearsley, G. (2012). Distance education: A systems view of online learning. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Realities and Research of Virtual Learning

School districts across the state of Alabama are currently working to develop a virtual school policy all in an effort to meet the state’s requirement for the upcoming school year. A major difference between what many high schools offer in the way of virtual education is that most teachers blend or supplement their in-person coursework with online learning or digital activities. The virtual education policy must include options for high school students to take classes in a fully online learning environment. This leads us to take a closer look at true virtual learning and what it will look like for K-12 education.

My review of virtual learning in high schools brought both awareness and curiosity, but here are three things I found most impressive. Alabama's virtual school, ACCESS, has pre-developed courses in every high school subject area and utilizes certified, highly-qualified teachers in our state. Any system that is unable to offer a virtual program themselves can confidently choose to offer ACCESS classes as their virtual option to high school students. In addition, states across the country have committed to offering virtual options to increase the number of courses their students can take, and this trend is continuing to grow very fast. As access to technology has increased, many more students can take advantage of these virtual courses than have in the past. One last impressive fact is that so much research has been done to not only prove there is a need, but also to show that teacher training and cost are important factors in successful implementation.

One thing that surprised me is that even after several years of offering courses online more students don't sign up to take them. With the number of online colleges and knowing many traditional colleges incorporate online learning into their courses, more students should try out this type of learning before they graduate high school to ensure they are better prepared. Another surprise is that studies in general show that there is no significant difference in student achievement when the traditional face-to-face classroom is compared to online delivery of content (Moore & Kearsley, 2012).

I am curious about how K-12 districts prepare students to take a class like English or Algebra II that is fully online. In Chapter 6, Moore and Kearsley (2012) point out that the instructor needs to understand the different interactions and roles that are necessary in online instruction. Virtual learning that is 100 percent online is still very new to high schools. Students who have never taken an online class would benefit from some type of prerequisite orientation or training prior to taking a course so they can effectively interact and engage in the virtual environment.

Moore, M. G., & Kearsley, G. (2012). Distance education: A systems view of online learning. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.