Online Learning and Cyber Schools M. Susan Screnci June 11, 2003

Online Schools Adult Degrees  Education, Business, Technology The Virtual High School  Courses not available at high school  AP Courses

Antidote to School Closings IIllness DDisease NNatural Disasters

Crisis Management Tool SARS  American School: Japan  VITLE: Hong Kong “The virtual-classroom brought us to a new horizon of school education. It made us aware that learning can go on effectively and efficiently outside the classroom.” Jonathan Lai, Vice Principal Secondary School, Hong Kong

Online Charter Schools  Publicly Funded/ Privately Managed  Structure & Supervision  Support for Parents  Teacher Contacts for Individualized Instruction

Pros/Cons of Online Learning Pros Access to peers and experts Unlimited resources Convenient Problem solving Inquiry based learning Simulations Virtual trips Publish work Easy access for disabled Cons Insufficient server power Lack of peer interaction Limited opportunities for character development Difficulty synchronizing teacher/ student schedules Non-verbal communication cues Maturity issues for elementary students Limited access to internet

Innovations in Online Learning! Web Quest Bernie Dodge, Developer “an inquiry-oriented activity in which some or all of the information that learners interact with comes from resources on the internet, optionally supplemented with videoconferencing.” You are visitor # since February 28, This site is hosted by the Educational Technology Department at San Diego State University. Updated continuously by Bernie Dodge. Please suggest additions by writing Technology DepartmentSan Diego State UniversityBernie Were you redirected here from a different URL? Please change all old links from edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/blahblah to---> webquest.sdsu.edu/blahblah Information is available about our Masters, Doctorate and Online Certificate Programs.MastersDoctorateOnline Certificate

Building Blocks for Web Quests ∎ An introduction that sets the stage and provides some background information. ∎ A task that is doable and interesting. ∎ A set of information sources needed to complete the task. ∎ A description of the process the learners should go through in accomplishing the task. ∎ Some guidance on how to organize the information acquired. ∎ A conclusion that brings closure to the quest, reminds the learners about what they've learned, and perhaps encourages them to extend the experience into other domains.

Higher Order Thinking Skills Classifying Inferring Comparing Deducing Analyzing Application

Literacy Junction “ Literacy Junction is an interactive website for middle school students and their teachers. It was created to capitalize on adolescents’ increased time on the web and the need to find out who they really are, while connecting young adult literature to young adult audiences.” Hiller & Spires Creators

Impact Zone Engages: Students/ Teachers Featured Novel Site’s Cyber Characters

Steps to Engage WWW For Learning Solomon & Schrum First, recognize that the Web provides ways to address standards and acquire information that students need, and it expands their opportunities to learn. Second, recognize that many free, high- quality resources are available online. Third, to reach true classroom integration, invest in professional development. Fourth, link Web-based activities with standards-based curricula and topics needed for tests. Fifth, prepare future educators to integrate technology as easily as previous generations used textbooks and chalkboards. Sixth, involve parents and community members in understanding the value of using Web-based activities for student learning.