Besides full time programs, blended learning programs are increasingly found in almost all high schools in the nation and now spreading to middle and elementary schools. This describes students taking regular courses along with one or more online courses for credit endorsed by their school. A new 178 page report “The Rise of Blended Learning: Profiles of Emerging Models” by the Innosight Institute describes 40 blended learning organizations and 48 different models.

“Online learning is sweeping across America. In the year 2000, roughly 45,000 K–12 students took an online course. In 2009, more than 3 million K–12 students did. What was originally a distance learning phenomenon no longer is. Most of the growth is occurring in blended-learning environments, in which students learn online in an adult-supervised environment at least part of the time. As this happens, online learning has the potential to transform America’s education system by serving as the backbone of a system that offers more personalized learning approaches for all students.”

The foundation has invested substantially ($50 million since 2006) researching digital learning and gaming with positive results and continues with a variety of media projects including astonishing findings of the positive impact on youth in the three year research report, Living and Learning with New Media.

The first article deals with the effects of technology on students throughout their education. Lenovo to Research Tech’s Effect on Learning: Global Education Research project will study how technology affects education in and after school, from kindergarten through higher education.

Another article Google Wave has Great Potential for Education, a new online collaborative tool combines eMail, instant messaging, and file sharing in a dynamic environment and outlines how Google is moving further into communicating and collaborating on the web.

A recent US Dept. of Education report, Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning finds that students learn more with online learning and even more with blended programs (both classroom and online) in elementary, secondary and higher education. The differences are not great but consistent and promising.

Cell phones appear to have considerable potential for learning. Early adopters combine the power of cell phones, social networks, websites and software. Student engagement and motivation increased. This early in the movement approach is generating excitment over the possiblities. Lift the Cell Phone Ban describes dealing with both the distraction factor and the interest.

We’ve addressed online learning as the fastest growing section for education change in past entries. You can access this topic by searching our previous entries.

The U.S. Dept. of Education produced Evaluating Online Learning: Challenges and Strategies for Success to address the challenge of meeting diverse needs of online learners and how to assess their learning. This 80 page guide (free online) delves into the technical aspects of data gathering and organizing information for arriving at both formative and summative conclusions about program effectiveness using real school examples.

This amazing little 3 pound rugged computer comes with a huge array of hardwired software including: word processing, browsing, subject matter learning programs, art programs, music programs, memory programs, chat programs, automatic wireless connections, camera (video also), games, calculator, and more. It has no hard drive but does have USB interfaces, Linux operating system, open source software (which means many developers around the world working on additional programs and enhancements) and a rubberized keyboard. It uses 1/10 the power of a normal laptop which yields long battery life.

Several countries have ordered hundreds of thousands of the laptops to revolutionize their technology in education initiatives.

A second resource is a paper, “Why Virtual Worlds Can Matter” by University of Southern California authors. It lays out important and explicit learnings from student experiences in digital worlds. You will gain valuable insights from this 17 pager about this new world for learning.

Charter laws: 40 states have adopted the charter concept. These vary from strong laws with a high degree of program autonomy to weak laws where the charter school has almost no power to decide anything.

Open enrollment: 42 states give some form of a choice for which school or school district to attend. Some of the statutes provide for voluntary participation by districts and some give the decision totally to the parent.

Vouchers: 6 states have voucher laws usually for a city within the state to have a student

An excellent 11 minute video segment from Edutopia provides a look at how it works in various settings.

Several of us are thinking of establishing a futuristic learning system for a virtual world. It would bypass resistance to systemic change in current schools. Imagine total freedom creating lifelong education programs using the best that is known about human learning and extracting existing best practices.

There have been exciting designs for new forms of education in the past. One, the education program for Minnesota Experimental City (MXC), envisioned immersion learning without schools.

Let us know if you would like to be a participant–use Contact Us button. The group, just forming, is at the very earliest stage of exploration.

Leaning in MXC as described from Don Glines in “Future Learning Environments:”

Ronald Barnes, MXC Director for Educational Planning explained the system was based upon almost reverse principles when contrasted with conventional systems. In the MXC, learning was conceived of as life itself; it was never to stop. Learning was to occur everywhere, for people could learn on their own. Everyone was important regardless of how much he or she knew. Learning was a life-long process tailored to individuals. People could make their own decisions regarding what and how to learn, and could form positive social networks on their own without schooling.

Although there were to be no school buildings, the system did involve places for people to come together and share. Existing facilities such as homes, businesses, and public places were to be used. Beginning Life Centers were to offer a creative environment for very young children. Stimulus Centers were to offer films, tapes, sounds, smells. Gaming Centers were to allow for the study of complex realities in a simple fashion. Project Centers were to provide persons with opportunities to work on experiential outcomes. Learner Banks would store tools, equipment, non-print, and print materials. Family Life Centers were to encourage the family to learn together, and to communicate openly. Learners would use these sites whenever they needed or desired, not because they were required, especially on a daily scheduled basis. The learning and every other system in the MXC were to remain experimental, fluid, and open to change.

Education Week has an informative article regarding state efforts at regulation of online learning.