Virtual Shift
E-learning turns toward district-level approaches and a focus on accountability
March 15, 2012
- Classroom Technology Examining the Florida Virtual SchoolThe largest state-sponsored online school is held up as a model to follow, but some are questioning its effectiveness.School & District Management E-Learning Providers Adjust to Market, Policy ForcesShifts in the virtual education market are creating opportunities and challenges for companies selling online learning services.States States Take Legislative Actions to Expand Virtual Ed.Measures have been passed to require online courses for graduation, to remove enrollment caps on virtual charter schools, and to create state online schools.
Student Well-Being Students Critique Blended Learning ExperiencesLearning partly online and partly face-to-face helps students move at their own pace, but requires them to take more responsibility for learning, students say.States States Face Virtual School Financing ChallengesFunding models for state-sponsored virtual schools vary widely, but e-learning experts are trying to identify what works best.
Classroom Technology Blended Learning Sports Variety of ApproachesEducators are identifying promising models for mixing online learning and face-to-face instruction that emphasize a more personalized approach to education.Classroom Technology Statistical Snapshots: Technology and K-12 LearningSpeak Up, a national initiative of Project Tomorrow, an education nonprofit organization working to raise the profile of student voices in education, surveyed 294,399 students, 35,525 teachers, 42,267 parents, and others in fall 2010 to determine the benefits of certain types and uses of technology for teaching and learning.Standards & Accountability E-Schools Put Specific Measures for Success in PlaceThe devil is in the details when evaluating the educational effectiveness of virtual education.
Standards & Accountability Single-District Virtual Ed. Seen Growing FastestAs districts move in this direction, they are taking a harder look at how they will evaluate their local models of virtual education.Standards & Accountability School Districts Team Up on Virtual Ed. InitiativesMultidistrict collaborations help schools save money and share best practices about online teaching and learning.Standards & Accountability Virtual Education Companies Face Increasing ScrutinyAs online learning expands to more schools, educators and policymakers are emphasizing the importance of holding those companies accountable.Standards & Accountability Spotlight Turns Toward Virtual Ed. AccountabilityAs e-learning moves further into the K-12 mainstream, it is attracting greater scrutiny from educators, policymakers, researchers, and the news media.
