Making Connections: Preparing Teachers for Online

Environments Through Partnerships between

Virtual Schools and Teacher Education Programs

Leanna Archambault, Ph.D.Arizona State UniversityKathryn Kennedy, Ph.D.

Georgia Southern University

2007

Iowa State - Teacher Education Goes Into Virtual Schooling (TEGIVS)

Boise State - Going Virtual Series

2008

Leanna’s dissertation -- The Characteristics, Knowledge and Preparation Levels of K-12 Online Distance Educators in the United States

2009

FLVS partners with UCF, UF, USF

UF - The Virtual School Practicum

Kathryn’s dissertation – A phenomenological study of pre-service teachers’ experience in a virtual school

Relevant Literature: Preparing teachers to teach online

Purpose

What models of field experience exist to help prepare pre service teachers for K-12 online learning environments?

Methodology

• Two mixed data survey instruments• Teacher education program survey• Virtual school program survey

• Sampling and Participants • Survey methods sources used:

• Dillman (2010). Email and Internet surveys.• Manfreda et al. (2008). Web surveys versus other

survey modes: a Meta-analysis comparing response rate.

• Shih et al. (2008) Comparing response rates from Web and mail surveys: A meta-analysis.

Survey Results

• 242 total, all states except South Dakota• Administrators (24.7%), teachers (72.6%), serving

9-12th (84.2%) grade population• Most from state virtual school (34.1%), cyber

charters (31%) or district-level programs (27.6%)• Majority responding from 100% online programs

(81.2%)• Vast majority said they did not offer field

experiences; 88 said they did (36%)

Models

• 8 distinct models – Florida, Texas, Georgia, Idaho, Utah (2), multi-state (2)

• Some said yes, but did not provide a model or sufficient detail• Arizona, Minnesota, Nevada, Pennsylvania,

Ohio, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, South Carolina, California

• 2 multi-state cyber charter/academy

Florida

• K-12, state-level virtual school, 100% Online• Partner with multiple universities• Have offered field experiences for 1-3 years• Varying lengths of field experiences

• 7 weeks for juniors pre-service teachers• 14 weeks for senior pre-service teachers• Varies for graduate-level pre-service teachers

Idaho

• 6-12th grade, state-level virtual school, 100% online• Hybrid, web facilitated, flexible options on the

way• Partners with two colleges, dual credit, AP• Course instructor at the university• 4-8 weeks long, 4-8 hours per week• Activities include discussion facilitation, grading

student work, creating new course content, communicating with students, holding webinars, learning about the virtual school, understanding academic honesty

K-12 online learning program survey

• For those not offering a field experience…• 76.5% said they should• 23.5% said they should not

• 9% of those are creating a field experience• Pennsylvania, Colorado, Arizona, California, Tennessee,

Nevada, Utah, multi-state cyber charters, Texas• Looking for guidance, formative stage• Shadowing, small group, principals

Coding of Open-Ended Responses

• Rewards• Benefits

to teachers

• Awareness of OL

• New virtual schools

• Existing PD

• Pool of candidates

• Transition is easy

• No time for on-the- job training

• Challenges• Lack of TEP buy-in• Waiting for TEP• Training new teachers not a

focus• Not all teachers should be

online teachers• Requirement for F2F

teaching, then transfer online

• Teachers dispersed• Too complicated• Not enough funds, time,

staff

Implications

• Adoption of new ideas takes time…• Consistency of preparation, reform movements• Training for cooperating teachers• Disseminate and share information/research

concerning K-12 online learning and virtual school field experiences• Showcase models• Share experiences

Trying to Bridge the GapTeacher

Education Program/

Field Experience Department

Virtual School/K-12 Online Learning Program

Information Exchange

Final survey question asked for

contact info

Contacted individuals

who volunteered

Created spreadsheets of VS and TE

contacts

Sent email to each group

with appropriate

file

Since the exchange

• Partnerships between GOAL Academy in Colorado and UC-Boulder have begun

• “Without your work it is highly unlikely that our school would have been able to make this valuable connection.” - Director, Goal Academy

• Partnership between Mount Vernon Nazarene University (Ohio) and TRECA Digital Academy

• Many indicated they have not yet made connections, but are planning to do so in the future.

Maintain mutual respect

Acculturate on an ongoing basis

Lead national reform agenda

Create explicit contracts

Research process and outcomes

Keys to Successful Partnerships

Any questions?

Contact information:

Leanna Archambaultleanna.archambault@asu.edu

Kathryn Kennedykmkennedy@georgiasouthern.edu