Distance Learning in Shelby County Joan Greene and Faith Pack Technology Resource Teachers Shelby County Schools

What is Distance Learning? Distance Learning is instructional delivery that does not constrain the student to be physically present in the same location as the instructor.

Types of Distance Learning Collaboration Curriculum Enhancement Courses

Collaboration Between classes within the same county Between classes in two different counties Between classes in: –Another city –Another state –Another country

Curriculum Enhancement Virtual fieldtrips –Renowned speakers –Visits to real places –Talking to real people

Courses Advanced Placement Foreign Language College courses –Teachers –Students

Other Uses Professional Development Video Meetings Activities –Spelling Bees –School to School competitions –Joint projects –Math Competitions

Benefits Reduced Travel Cost and time savings Increased opportunities Increased collaboration

How We Made It Work Focused on promoting Distance Learning with teachers Wrote it into the Formula Grant Included week long training for teachers in the grant, along with one free DL connection. Created video and showed it at a Principal’s meeting and a County Tech Meeting

Solving the Cost Problem Money put into tech budget each year to cover connections. School tech money is used Some schools choose to charge a small fee as if the connection was a field trip.

Daily Connection Setup Daily Connections: Science, Math, German Teachers + facilitator Equipment provided each teacher: –Printer/Fax machine –Phone line –DL Equipment –Laptop

Requirements to Connect The connection must apply to the curriculum that the teacher is teaching. Teachers must complete a form on the Shelby County website.form

Witness to History (Pearl Harbor) Arizona Memorial Museum Association

The Underground Railroad Ward Melville Heritage Organization

Meeting Sen. Richard Shelby

Gravity - Roller Coasters Louisville Science Center

Shakespeare Indiana Repertory Theatre

Collaborations Plays Experiments Spanish lessons

Other Connections Transmission Tracker – Louisville Science Center The Rain Forest – Center for Puppetry Arts Storytelling – Huntsville’s Early Works Museum Egyptian Mummies – Cleveland Museum of Art Baseball Hall of Fame - NY

Distance Learning Connects Your Students With the World