Clearing the Path for Colorado: Supporting New Learning Models for Credit Recovery and Drop-out Prevention March 13, 2013 Susan Patrick President & CEO International Association for K-12 Online Learning

International Association for K-12 Online Learning ( i NACOL) i NACOL is the premier K-12 nonprofit in online learning Provides leadership, advocacy, research, training, and networking with experts in K-12 online learning. – members in K-12 online and blended learning in over 50 countries – Annual conference – iNACOL Blended and Online Learning Symposium: Orlando, FL in October 28-30, 2013 “Ensure every student has access a world class education” regardless of geography, income or background. Next Generation Learning Challenges – Gates Foundation CompetencyWorks – Nellie Mae Education Foundation Our strategic areas of focus in online and blended learning: 1.Policy 2.Quality 3.New Learning Models

iNACOL Galaxy of Members 3,361 Teachers & Educators Regional Education Agencies Colleges & Universities Public School Districts Private & Independent Schools Full-time Online Schools Non-profit/ Associate State Virtual Schools Think Tanks Researchers & Evaluators State Departments of Education Philanthropy/ Foundations Tech Tools Providers Blended Schools Part-time Online Programs Next Generation Learning Partners Online Content Providers EMOs International Programs Parents OER Policy Makers Tutoring/S ervices

Introductions Name, organization Do you have online, blended or credit recovery programs? Opening questions on implementation or policy: What would you like to learn at this meeting? We want to create opportunities for collaboration and identify ongoing support needs

National Perspective

New Solutions through Online Learning 40% of US high schools do not offer AP courses –75% of districts use online learning to offer Advanced Placement or college-level courses. Teacher Shortages –40% of public school districts in America today say they need online learning resources because certified teachers are not available for traditional face-to-face instruction. More than 50% need online learning to reduce student scheduling conflicts to graduate on time. 60% of school districts say they need online learning for credit recovery.

U.S. Online Learning Facts K-12 online learning enrollments growing 30% annually (50,000 in 2000; 500,000 enrollments in 2005; 1.8 million in 2010). 82% of school districts had one or more students in a fully- online or blended course More universities are offering K-12 courses online – Indiana U, Univ of Montana, Nebraska; Stanford, JHU, Northwestern programs for gifted 50% of employers use e-learning for training

Equity: Providing Opportunities for All Students Credit Recovery Aspiring athletes and performers Medically Fragile ELL Accelerated Students Need to work and/or support family Traditional Public/Private Special Education Rural Students

Research on Online Learning Benefits of taking a class online? According to students: 51% said it allows them to work at their own pace 49% to earn college credit 44% said it allows them to take a class not offered on campus 35% said it was to get extra help 19% said they took online courses to get more attention from teachers (Project Tomorrow Survey, 2012)

Definitions & New Learning Models Projects Online learning – Education in which instruction and content are delivered primarily over the Internet. (Watson & Kalmon, 2005) Blended learning – When a student learns at least in part at a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from home and at least in part through online delivery with some element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace ; often used synonymously with Hybrid Learning. (Horn and Staker, 2011) Competency-based learning (Patrick & Sturgis, 2011) 1.Students advance upon mastery. 2.Competencies include explicit, measurable, transferable learning objectives that empower students. 3.Assessment is meaningful and a positive learning experience for students. 4.Students receive timely, differentiated support based on their individual learning needs. 5.Learning outcomes emphasize competencies that include application and creation of knowledge, along with the development of important skills and dispositions

Source: Susan Patrick, iNACOL

Blended learning is not…

How Students Learn

Drivers: standards-based learning, connectivity, mobility, digital content, outside experts and resources. Details: Each student has a personalized learning plan: competency education, diagnostics and feedback, delivery of just-in-time interventions, collaboration tools for anytime, anywhere learning, systems of assessments that include performance-based assessments to determine what a “students knows and can do”.

Personalized Learning Design: Student-Centered –Students are empowered to advance at their own pace and path along a trajectory (standards-based), –Student-driven participation in developing the learning process Student agency enables interests/passions to make choices at the lesson level, Student aspirations and goals are part of trajectory of learning –Student supports include real-time, real-people, teacher feedback, –Students are empowered to learn anytime/everywhere (a blended approach to learning that combines the delivery of education both within and beyond the traditional classroom environment) –Technology-enabled; can be traditional, blended or online –Standards-based, clearly articulating expectations for what a student must know and can do to progress to next level.

What is Your Model? How do districts and schools approach different models? –Online, blended, competency, online credit recovery? –Review and selection of digital content Districts build versus buy Providers across Colorado such as Apex, Plato, Odysseyware, NovaNet – is there content aligned to state academic standards? Online course review processes?

Proliferation of content options

21

22 Curricula Digital Texts Tutoring Test Prep Specialized Online Instruction Intervention/ Core Games Courses

What is Your Model? Asynchronous vs. synchronous? Do models use teacher-led instruction or computer based models? Are student supports available? –How personalized?

Research on Influences on Learning Using effect size of interventions at meta level Direct instruction (d=.59), mastery learning (d=.58), and worked examples (d=.57) among most effective (Hattie, 2012)

Competency Education: 5-part Working Definition 1.Students advance upon mastery. 2.Competencies include explicit, measurable, transferable learning objectives that empower students. 3.Assessment is meaningful and a positive learning experience for students. 4.Students receive timely, differentiated support based on their individual learning needs. 5.Learning outcomes emphasize competencies that include application and creation of knowledge, along with the development of important skills and dispositions 25

Competency Education in US

Research on Online Credit Recovery Suggestions for support of students in online credit recovery: –Communicate goals, rules/procedures –Student tracking of learning progress –Monitor student work –Name recognition in learning environment –Offer encouragement and feedback –Provide materials for assignments –Offer platforms for asking questions –Add external resources –Equal access and equity for all students (Marzano Research Laboratory Study, 2012)

Research on Blended Learning Changing roles of educators: –Facilitators of learning –Monitors of progress –Graduation coaches See Keane, Irvin, de la Varre, & Hannum, 2010; Pettyjohn, Kennedy, & LaFrance, 2012; Cavanaugh, Barbour, & Clark, 2009; de la Varre, Keane, and Irvin, 2011; Irvin, Hannum, Farmer, de la Varre, & Keane, 2009

Designing Competency-based Pathways for Next Generation Learning Design learning trajectories of BIG IDEAS and key concepts Focus on each student’s progress through the continuum of learning Use embedded assessment as part of the learning process Student learning plan is based on attainment of mastery/competency through these progressions (and not all students in the same sequences!) Evidence of learning can be varied Move away from content packed into traditional course sequences Leave grade and age level grouping behind Failure is no longer an option

What It Looks Like Every student with a personalized learning plan: “map” –Competencies for each level – academic and complex skills+ Data systems to support teachers and students clearly indicating level of progress on each academic standard (to monitor student progress) Rubrics to help teachers understand what proficiency looks like Students know their targets; collaborate w/each other Adults shifting roles –Personalizing for student interests, differentiating on needs, monitoring, grouping, teacher specialization Classroom, online, blended, expanded learning opportunities –After school, museum, NASA, formal & informal learning Individual growth models for accountability

Online learning inherently modular Image courtesy of Khan Academy

In a proficiency system, failure or poor performance may be part of student’s learning curve, but it is not an outcome Proficiency Based Instruction and Assessment, Oregon Education Roundtable

Trends Change toward New Models of Learning – Online learning – Blended learning – Competency-based approaches – Online credit recovery – Mobile learning National: – CCSSO Innovation Lab Network – Gates Foundation’s Next Generation Learning Challenges – InBloom (Shared Learning Collaborative) Openly architected IT systems - draw in vast online content, learning analytics, personalized learning maps for each student’s own learning trajectory

POLICY IMPLICATIONS

Recommendations for Policy Frameworks Move to competency-based education Accountability, Assessment and Funding Models are Fundamental – Accountability must be student-centered – Assessment should be “systems of assessments” to align student-centered assessment for learning with over-arching assessment regime – Move beyond single count date Multiple count dates Funding models are student-centered

Recommendations for Policy and State Role Ensure digital content is aligned to state academic standards – Review Content for Alignment with Standards Support leadership and professional development Evaluate what works – Measure performance on outcomes, not inputs fixed in time

37 Importance for Students? Kids on their learning edge; within zone of proximal development Time is a resource not a constraint Over-age and under-credited students accelerate credits Ability to build skills through expanded learning opportunities (work, online, volunteering) Advanced students accelerate Environment and instructional model dedicated to students success Explicit, transparent, and rapid interventions High engagement and motivation through multiple ways to demonstrate proficiency Educational continuity for highly mobile students

Stephen Heppel (U.K.) notschool.net Quotes from iScoil in Ireland “Students should advance on stage not age” “Age and time are for adult convenience”. “There’s no limit on how fast and how far students can go.”

Clear the Path for Kids... Thank you! Questions & Answers Discussion Contact information: Susan Patrick:

Applications and Tools within Learning Trajectories

Competency Education Requires New IT Solutions: Problems with Current IT Design 1.Student learning isn’t always linear. 2.SIS and IT systems are designed for accountability compliance. Compliance is school-based, not student learning-based. 3.School factory models of time, bell schedules and school calendars (and batching of students by birthday) constrains innovation and responsiveness.

Competency Education Requires New Student-Centered Learning Designs Competency education requires IT systems to be organized around student-centered learning, competency attainment, multiple pathways, and systems of assessments. With student profiles of standards, competencies, skills and proficiency levels in the center, an IT system can enable schools, districts and states to roll student-level data up to monitor progress and fulfill state, district and school accountability functions.

New IT for Competency Education: 4 Basic Elements 1.Competency Education IT systems are designed with student profiles and standards-based, personalized learning plans at the center. 2.Rich data on student learning enables robust continuous improvement. 3.Student-centered systems require student-centered accountability systems focused on progress in learning. 4.IT enterprise architecture requires interoperability, accessibility and interfaces. Enables data to measure individual student learning, competency- based student profiles! 43

Competency Education Focuses on Student Mastery of Competencies 44

Competency Education Requires Robust Data Systems 45

Susan Patrick