Science Net

A university-science center partnership called Science Net has been functioning as a virtual school for the extension (science) education of the global public in general and the Singapore public in particular. This chapter describes the design, implementation mechanics and learning potential of this online school for non-formal science education, and suggests that it is an innovative experiment to expand the communicative space of learning in society.

The Collaborative Critical Incident Tool

We describe an evaluation tool used by teachers and researchers to study the impact of computer-mediated collaborative and communication technologies used in K-12 education. Standard usability engineering methods and tools focus on individual users at a single workstation. Networked collaborative systems, however, present the challenge of multiple users interacting at a variety of times and places. We developed a Web forum tool to capture and display user critical incident reports and threaded discussions of these reports by users, evaluators and system developers. Our Collaborative Critical Incident Tool (CCIT) is effective at evoking detailed usability evaluation information, as well as reflective analysis of usability issues from diverse points of view among stakeholders in the system.

Virtual Vignettes and Pedagogical Potentials

In 2002 a review of the educational and technical performance of the Virtual Schooling Service being tested in Queensland, Australia, was conducted. The service utilised synchronous and asynchronous online delivery strategies and a range of learning technologies to support students at a distance, who may otherwise have restricted choices in their selection of subjects to study in Years 11 and 12—the final and non-compulsory years of schooling where students are typically aged 16 to 17. An account of how Activity Theory was used to conceptualise the evaluation is provided. A focus on one element of the evaluation—pedagogical effectiveness—with case studies of actual delivery and receiving classes is incorporated to highlight the pedagogical limitations and potentials of the service. The “productive pedagogies” schema is introduced as a framework for the evaluation of pedagogical effectiveness of the virtual classes. Critical success factors for pedagogical effectiveness are documented, along with a reflection on these elements using Activity Theory. The chapter concludes with an update of the current initiatives being undertaken to enhance the pedagogical effectiveness of the Virtual Schooling Service.

The Management of Virtual Classes in School District Digital Intranets

As rural communities and schools decline in size educational policy makers often question their viability. In the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador and in New Zealand, new educational structures based on digital networking, using the Internet, have been developed for the delivery of education to rural schools. Within these electronic educational structures senior students in rural high schools have been provided with extended curriculum choice through a combination of on-site and online instruction. This has led to three challenges: the administration of electronically inter-connected rural schools, the integration of physical and virtual classes, and the need to find pedagogy that is appropriate for e-teaching and e-learning. The new educational structures in rural Newfoundland and New Zealand have extended traditional classrooms in terms of time, space, organisation and capacity.

Administering a Virtual School

Why build a Virtual School? The rationale for the virtual school project arose from the need to address the shortage of teachers, especially in the area of advanced placement (AP) classes that school districts experience from time to time. Houston Independent School District was interested in providing a cost-effective model of instructional delivery that would positively affect student transportation issues and related expenses. In addition, there was a need to improve middle school students’ academic skills in preparation for high school and college. Reclaiming the home school market in the greater Houston area was another benefit that was anticipated. In addition, a virtual school would prepare students for a 21st century learning environment.

Virtual Schools

This chapter investigates some of the critical issues associated with virtual schools. It reviews historical forms of school education and the different types of virtual schools that are currently emerging. The educational value of virtual schooling is considered in terms of cognitive and affective outcomes, and some of the factors that promote the rise of virtual schools are outlined. The implications of related philosophical viewpoints and communication theory are explored, together with the benefits and disadvantages of virtual schools for society. A number of problems associated with virtual schools are identified and some possible solutions are outlined. Future trends in the growth of virtual schooling and the characteristics of the next generation of virtual schools are discussed in terms of their implications for school education.

Professional Development Recommendations for Online Courses

The Internet is redesigning the delivery of instruction, and, consequently, time, space and distance are no longer constraints to teachers and students. Harrison and Berge (2000) state that “Internet access is becoming more widespread and its capabilities for delivering multimedia lessons are improving daily; the Internet is becoming the vehicle of choice for distributing learning across distances” (p. 57). However, teaching online is a relatively new concept and effective professional development is needed to help educators learn to organize content for online delivery, convert instructional materials to online formats, use advanced multimedia tools, and integrate technology resources in online learning environments. This chapter addresses standards for technology-supported instruction and staff development; models of effective face-to-face professional development, along with adaptations for online educators; and professional development programs currently available to online educators. Recommendations for effective professional development have also been provided.

Distance Learning as a Form of Accommodation

Over the recent past, the population in schools and the options for education have changed. Recently, the number of students identified as special needs has increased, as has the number of special needs students included in “regular” classrooms. Specific laws pertain to their education, including the U.S. Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), which requires that students with disabilities each have Individual Education Plans (IEP). An aspect of the IEP is the possibility of using assistive technology to assist in the student’s education or in accommodation or modifications needed for disabled access. The web-based learning environment itself can be considered an accommodation or modification of instruction to meet the needs of special needs students. Opportunities are increasing in the online distance learning environment for colleges and universities, and the increase is expanding to the high school and middle school programs. When creating online instruction, it is important to follow the accessibility standards such as the Section 508 and W3C accessibility standards to enable persons with disabilities access to the educational material. Within the U.S., more than 26,000 K-12 students classified as IDEA hospital/homebound, received education through some form of “distance education” as of 1999. While the methods of instruction do not commonly include online delivery, it is an option that should be investigated. In-depth examples of a school system’s hospital/homebound program, online programs being used by a school for students with disabilities, and a state public online school and its interactions with students with disabilities are presented. The results of a survey of online schools and their services for students with disabilities are also reported.

Distance Learning Success Factors in the Resources-Processes-Results Cycle and Virtual School Accreditation

Virtual school administrators and course designers can address the needs of virtual school students using established quality guidelines and standards. The development and implementation of effective distance education happens in an iterative cycle. The three stages in the cycle are: (1) procurement and preparation of the resources necessary to meet the distance education goals; (2) delivery of instruction using the best practices from education, business and research; and (3) analysis of the results of distance education to gauge achievement of the goals. Each stage of the Resources - Practices - Results (RPR) cycle continually revisits lessons learned in the other stages and builds upon the successes realized in the other stages. The success of a web-based virtual school program in part relies on the program’s adherence to quality benchmarks. This chapter explores the interconnect among the established success factors incorporated into the RPR cycle and standards published by agencies accrediting virtual schools. A survey of 67 virtual schools in the United States in the spring of 2003 resulted in identification of accrediting standards applied at national, regional and state levels. The standards of seven accrediting bodies are examined, and three are compared to the RPR success factors. Because of the differing foci of the agencies producing the standards, there is variation in the degree to which the standards correspond to the RPR success factors.

Teaching Any Time, Any Place, Any Pace

With the launch of six courses in January 1997, Florida Virtual School (FLVS) became a new resource for all students in Florida. FLVS teachers, developers of the online curriculum, experimented with innovative ways of encouraging students to be responsible learners. In the virtual classroom, teachers soon discovered that frequent communication with students and parents reaped tremendous rewards. In this chapter, the reader will see inside the teaching process at Florida Virtual School as the following essential characteristics of online teaching are highlighted: communication, teamwork, flexibility, student-centered learning, and love of students. Using technology as a tool to design and deliver curriculum and instruction, the virtual learning environment mirrors the technological world that students live in today and will work in tomorrow. Virtual education changes the way teachers teach and interact with each other, with students and with parents. Virtual educators are reshaping the routine learning modes of the traditional school day to a dynamic, interactive real-world learning environment that presents choices to parents and students and requires students to take ownership of the learning process.