Plea for Online Learning at the K-12 Level

Megan Taylor

EL7010-8 Dr. Linda Collins

Online Learning for the K-12 Students

Introduction

For this assignment, I have been asked to speak to the board of education to promote the benefit of online learning in my organization, Sumter Christian School. I will utilize all previous information up until this point in time, in order to persuade the board of education to allow me to do a re-launch of the current online program for the previously identified grade levels.

Ideas for the Program

• The re-launch of the program will focus on grades 9-12 first, and then trickle down into the middle school, and eventually the elementary level.

• The idea and hope for the program is to utilize a blended strategy to cost down on costs

• To help prepare students for their lives beyond high school

• New Technologies

Evaluating Students

• Students• Grades on• Assignments

• Discussions

• Tests

• Evaluations• Communication with teachers

Plan for Execution

• Identify successful students

• Identify teachers needs so they are

• Successful teachers

• Excel professionally

• Excel personally

Plan for Execution

• Mentor Students• Comfortable communication

• Encompass onsite activities• Clinical experience is fundamental • Explore options

Staffing Needs and Successful Implementation

• Technical Support Staff• Program Coordinator• Instructional Designer• Trainers

Staff Requirements

• Teacher has educational background in subject being taught

• Teacher has certification to teach area

• Teacher possess technology skills

• Guides and facilitates individualized learning

• Has the want to continue professional development

Staff Training and Development

• Importance of recognizing the critical role of professional development

• Expand teacher knowledge

• Impact on student success

• Strategies for design and delivery

Plan for Funding

• In-house as much work as possible

• This will keep many expenses low such as

• Designing

• Developing

• Specific Instructional Philosophies

Plan for Running the Program

• School Principal

• Online Director

• Head of Online Functions

• Mainly me

•Designer

•Facilitator

•Teacher

Student Support Services

• Students will have access to

• Their teacher

• Their peers• The course materials

• Their parents

• Their principle

Using E-PortfoliosAdvantages

• Used for

• assessments

• Team work

• Presentations

• CV

• Recording personal growth

Disadvantages• Complicated

• Need knowledge of how to set up and work properly with

• Synchronous technologies

• Asynchronous technologies

• Time consuming

• Unnecessary at current time

Proposed Activities for Students

• Activities will include

• Discussions

• Written Assignments

• Collaborations

• Presentations

Example Activity for Students

Unit in American History ~ A Nation Divided and United ~ Slavery Issues

• Complete

• Weekly written assignments on assigned materials

• Participate in discussions with peers

• One initial post

• Two response posts to classmates

• Participate in collaborative assignments

Example Activity for Students

This activity will require you to research information about Internet safety and security issues. You will be reading, learning, researching, and reporting on information that you found. It is very important that you find, research and report on credible sources. Credible academic resources would include, .gov, .edu, .org, and peer reviewed article resources. You will be required to present the information that you have found in a PowerPoint Presentation, or any other Presentation software that you may feel comfortable with. Find definitions for spam and phishing. Identify why passwords, and having antivirus protection is important. Identify what is meant by "the internet is forever". Identify a minimum of three issues with cyberbullying.

Evaluation of Program Success

• Program

• Technical difficulties?

• Student Success

• How do the student do?

• Expansion of the program into the middle and elementary levels

• Is this likely?

Conclusion

Overall, if I put in enough time, and effort into this relaunch of the program, I really think that not only can we pull it off, but in the long run it will promote the Christian school. I also believe that with the extra effort, that eventually all classes could become blended, which would take a lot of stress, time, and financial burden off of the teachers.

Please take into consideration all that had been presented here. I know that this program can and will work, and will be beneficial to all who are involved.

References• Archambault, L., & Larson, J. (2015). Pioneering the digital age of instruction: Learning

from and about k-12 online teachers [PDF]. Journal of Online Learning Research, 1(1), 49-83. Retrieved from https://www-editlib-org.proxy1.ncu.edu/p/149852/

• Baggio, B., & Belderrain, Y. (2011). Authentic learning [PDF]. Global Learn, pp. 976-980. Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org.proxy1.ncu.edu/p/37286/

• Barrett, H. (2007). Researching electronic portfolios and learner engagement: The reflect initiative [PDF]. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 50(6), 436-449. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.proxy1.ncu.edu/eds/detail/detail?sid=ac0eade1-4187-428db8221343d5346408%40sessionmgr111&vid=0&hid=126&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpd mU%3d&preview=false#AN=24253507&db=ehh

References• Brunette, L. (2013). Embracing technology with e-portfolios [PDF]. Exchange, (209), 26-29. Retrieved

from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.proxy1.ncu.edu/eds/detail/detail?sid=f4310992-89044270be6df94b0d4a3ebe%40sessionmgr102&vid=0&hid=126&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d&preview=false#AN=84731838&db=ehh

• Curtis, H., & Werth, L. (2015). Fostering student success and engagement in a k-12 online school [PDF]. Journal of Online Learning Research, 1(2), 163-190. Retrieved from https://www-editlib-org.proxy1.ncu.edu/p/150962/

• DiPietro, M., & Sivy, M. (2011). Virtual school teaching: Establishing a framework for k-12 virtual school professional development programs [PDF]. Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference, pp. 3447-3453. Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org.proxy1.ncu.edu/p/36854/

References• Hassel, B., & Hassel, E. (2012). Teachers in the age of digital instruction. In B. Hassel,

E. Hassel, F. Hess, T. Battaglino, M. Battaglino, E. Laurans, . . . J. Chubb (Authors) & C. Finn, Jr & D. Fairchild (Eds.), Education reform for the digital era (pp. 11-33) [e-book]. Retrieved from http://www.edexcellencemedia.net/publications/2012/20120425-education-reform-for-the-digital-era/20120425-Education-Reform-for-the-Digital-Era-FINAL.pdf

• Heafner, T. L. (2012). Windows into teaching and learning [WiTL]: Exploring online clinicals for a distance education social studies methods course [PDF]. Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference, pp. 4594-4615. Retrieved from https://www-editlib-org.proxy1.ncu.edu/p/40335/

• Mayes, R., Luebeck, J., Ku, H., Akarasriworn, C., & Korkmaz, O. (2011). Themes and strategies for transformative online instruction: A review of literature [PDF]. Global Learn, pp. 2121-2130. Retrieved from https://www-editlib-org.proxy1.ncu.edu/p/37455/

References• Morrison, J., Adelstein, D., & Barbour, B. (2013). K-12 online course development:

Examining developer perceptions [PDF]. Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference, pp. 4133-4139. Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org.proxy1.ncu.edu/p/48769/

• Natale, C. F. (2011, July). Teaching in the world of virtual k–12 learning: Challenges to ensure educator quality [PDF]. Retrieved from https://www.ets.org/s/educator_licensure/ets_online_teaching_policy_final_report.pdf

• Norfleet, W., & Walker, K. (2010). Becoming an effective virtual professor [PDF]. E-Learn: World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education, pp. 279-282. Retrieved from https://www-editlib-org.proxy1.ncu.edu/p/35552/

References

• Pan, S., & Franklin, T. (2010). Teacher’s self-efficacy and the integration of web 2.0 tool/applications in k-12 schools [PDF]. Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference, pp. 2830-2837. Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org.proxy1.ncu.edu/p/33798/

• Peterson, M., Hittie, M., & Tamor, L. (2002, June 25). Authentic, multi-level teaching: Teaching children with diverse academic abilities together well. Retrieved February 17, 2016, from http://www.wholeschooling.net/WS/WSPress/Authentic%20MultiLvl%206-25-02.pdf

• Tucker, M. (2012). The effect of an orientation program on retention of an online learning educational program (Doctoral dissertation, Walden University, United States). Retrieved from https://www-editlib-org.proxy1.ncu.edu/p/123584/

• Watson, J., & Gemin, B. (2009). Management and operations of online programs: Ensuring quality and accountability. [PDF]. International Association for K-12 Online Learning. Promising Practicing Series. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED509622.pdf