Research Webinar
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presenter’s or an attendee’s personal views,
opinions, conclusions and other information which
do not necessarily reflect those of MVU and/or the
Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute and
are not given nor endorsed by MVU/MVLRI unless
otherwise specified.
K-12 Virtual Schools and Their Research Needs (Part 3 of 4)
www.virtualschoolalliance.org
Presenters:
Kathryn Kennedy
John Englander
Eliz Colbert
Michigan Virtual School’s Research Needs
Presented by: Kathryn Kennedy, Senior Researcher
• Created in 2000
• Accredited by AdvanceED
• Large state virtual school
• Supplemental online learning
• 21,253 course enrollments (2013-14)
• Work with close to 500 Michigan schools
About Michigan Virtual School
• Highly effective instructional strategies for online learning
• Effective instructional intervention practices for online learners
• Effective formative assessment strategies for online learning
• How to provide effective remedial and credit recovery courses
Potential Research Topics
• Highly effective student engagement strategies
• Best practice strategies for instructor-student communication
• Parental involvement in online learning
• Effectiveness of open-entry/open-exit delivery models
Potential Research Topics
• Dissertation
• Kristen DeBruler (Kereluik) – self-regulated online learning principles in math courses
• University faculty
• Chin-Hsi Lin – motivation, self-efficacy, perceived progress in online learning
• Susan Lowes – learning trajectory paths, how students progress in their coursework and what are the early warning signs for students who are not successful
Examples of past MVS research
• University faculty (cont.)
• Jered Borup – Mentoring models, what student supports are needed, what are the characteristics of effective mentors
• Organizations
• SRI International – Algebra I study
• Virtual School Leadership Alliance
Examples of past MVS research
• Scope of project statement (R)
• MVU Confidentiality & Non-disclosure Agreement (R)
• MVU Research Support Letter to Parent (M)
• MVU Research Support Letter to Course Instructor (M)
• Teacher and Parent Consent Forms (R)
• IRB training and approval processes (R & M)
• Data gathering tools that will be used (R)
MVS research project protocolResearcher (R)/MVU (M)
• Test, evaluate, and recommend new technology-based instructional tools and resources;
• Research, design, and recommend digital education delivery models;
• Research, develop, and recommend quality assurance for online learning;
• Publish state-level effectiveness report for K-12 online learning; etc
MVLRI’s legislative directives
• Apply for the MVLRI Fellows Program
• Co-apply for grants and foundation funding with MVS and/or MVLRI
• Propose to do research with the Virtual School Leadership Alliance
Help MVS
Kathryn Kennedy, Senior Researcher –[email protected]
Tamara Bashore-Berg, Executive Director of Educational Programs – [email protected]
Kristin Flynn, Director of Curriculum & Instruction –[email protected]
Contact us
OVERVIEW OF THE VIRTUAL HIGH SCHOOL
The Virtual High School©2014
THE VIRTUAL HIGH SCHOOL OVERVIEW
General Overview
o 18 Years as non-profit leader
o 1996 U.S. Department of Education grant – $7.8 Million
o Partner with 700+ schools, including 200+ Massachusetts schools and districts
o 20,000 enrollments annually
o Over the past 5 years have served diverse students in 47 states/territories and 34 countries
o Accredited by MSA-CESS and AdvancED
o Strong research focus throughout our existence
© 2000-2014 by The Virtual High School. All rights reserved.
Courses, Teachers, Platform
o 200 unique courses, including 22 AP® courses
o Infrastructure: Genius and D2L
o 500+ online teachers
o Each teacher completes graduate-level training program
o Explicit faculty standards and strong mentoring program for new and veteran teachers
o Working with schools on a variety of blended initiatives
© 2000-2014 by The Virtual High School. All rights reserved.
Philosophy / Instructional model
o Scheduled, asynchronous courses
o Cohort based, 25 students max
o Teacher led courses
o Content-based discussion activities
o Collaborative projects
o College and career preparedness
o Performance based, rubric-graded assessments
o Student gains in time management, critical thinking, communication
© 2000-2014 by The Virtual High School. All rights reserved.
Select Quality Indicators
o 93% school retention rate
o AP® exam pass rate – 10 points above national average
o 2013-14 student survey: 69% response rate
o 85% of student respondents indicated that they were satisfied with their VHS course
o Post-secondary programs
o 92% of respondents indicated that they will be attending a four-year college after graduation
o An additional 2% indicated that they will be attending a two-year college
© 2000-2014 by The Virtual High School. All rights reserved.
VHS RESEARCH PRIORITIES
Online learning implementation strategies
oBest practices for providing support in the school environment
o Site Coordinator program efficacy
o Validation of specific support elements to ensure consistent student outcomes
o Quantify how site support impacts student achievement –investigate various implementation strategies and track student performance
© 2000-2014 by The Virtual High School. All rights reserved.
Collaboration and synchronous communication
oStudy collaboration in online courses compared to projects in similar brick and mortar courses
o Impact of required synchronous elements in VHS classes on:o Student learning outcomes
o Student and teacher satisfaction
o Quality and perception of group work
o Development of 21st century competencies in cohort-based, online courses
o Communication
o Collaboration
o Self-regulation and independence
© 2000-2014 by The Virtual High School. All rights reserved.
Blended learning
oEfficacy of various implementation strategies
oProfessional development needs for teachers
oStudy of a specific course currently being offered in partnership with MI district using VHS courses for blended program
© 2000-2014 by The Virtual High School. All rights reserved.
NCVPS
RESEARCH NEEDSPRESENTED BY:
ELIZABETH COLBERT, Ed.D
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
NCVPS Enrollment History
17,326 16,943
37,105
44,731
49,198 47,715
52,839
-
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14
Course Enrollment by Type
2013-2014
12,600
3,337
3,386
7,381
26,135
Occupational Course ofStudyAdvanced Placement
Credit Recovery
Honors
Who does NCVPS serve?
Public Schools
Charter Schools
Special Schools
Department of Defense
Schools
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Schools
Home Schools
Private Schools
2014-2016 RESEARCH NEEDS
Student Achievement: A Comparative Analysis
• Analysis of overall student achievement data among all NCVPS courses as compared to similar data in traditional school settings. This study will focus on standard state assessments and Advanced Placement exams. How does NCVPS compare?
Inputs, Outputs and Outcomes
• Measure the quality of NCVPS courses through inputs, outputs and outcomes as outlined in the iNACOL report, Measuring Quality from Inputs to Outcomes: Creating Student Learning Performance Metrics and Quality Assurance for Online Schools. How does NCVPS compare?
2014-2016 RESEARCH NEEDS
Occupational Course of Study: Which Strategies Work Best?
• OCS is our fastest growing program. What are the key strategies that are being deployed by the teacher partnerships that are most impactful on student achievement?
NCVPS Instructional Pillars
• NCVPS teachers use four instructional practices that contribute to student success. Are the teachers using these strategies with fidelity? What is the value-add from these strategies?
2014-2016 RESEARCH NEEDS
Online Teacher Evaluation
• NC has a required statewide teacher evaluation rubric
designed for the traditional classroom teacher with six
standards and numerous indicators. NCVPS has a
formative feedback process for online teachers. After
analyzing these two tools, interviewing stakeholders for
feedback, and analyzing existing research on teacher
evaluation processes, what type of evaluation process is
ideal for the online teachers? Are the standards
designed for the required NC tool applicable to the
online classroom?
Questions/Comments
Upcoming Webinar:
Date & Time:
Friday, 12/19, 1pm Eastern Time
Topic:
K-12 Virtual Schools and Their Research Needs
(Part 4 of 4)
Presenters:
Amy Jaramillo, IDEAL-NM
Bob Currie, Montana Digital Academy
Dawn Nordine, Wisconsin Virtual School
Ongoing Programs:
MVLRI Guest Blogger Program
http://mvlri.org/Blog/MVLRI-Guest-Blogger-Program
MVLRI Research Fellows Program
http://mvlri.org/About-Us/Fellows/MVLRI-Fellows-
Program
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: /mvlrinstitute
Twitter: @MVLRI_MVU
LinkedIn: michigan-virtual-learning-research-institute
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/mvlri1
Contact us!