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.

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.

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.

Global Kids, Inc. has received a grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to accelerate the exploration of virtual worlds. Global Kids will use the funding to spark discussion about the use of virtual worlds for the public good.

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.

In addition, virtual school enrollment is also exploding most often in virtual charter schools sometimes as programs by school districts or for-profit organizations according to The North American Council for Online Learning.

Also, some 2.5 million students in higher education take a course or entire programs online.

School districts have challenged Hope about establishing “centers” within their district as a violation of Colorado school statutes and a legislator introduced a bill to prevent this approach. So far, Hope is charging ahead. Stay tuned about this unique development in the world of choice.

Such schools typically serve students in their homes via the Internet, sometimes providing the computer, but always providing licensed teachers who assign and check lessons.

Online schools are operated by school districts, state agencies, universities and charter schools. Most states have worked out funding mechanisms, not based on “seat time” which was an initial stumbling block and still is in some locales

• Requirements for teacher contact
• Amount of funding and fiscal impact
• Record keeping
• Public policy and support
• Defining online learning
• Homeschooling impact

This carefully conducted and well-written report found that both “high” and “low” achieving students use online courses and programs and makes recommendations for their continuance.

Strategy: Devise new institutional forms for secondary education: “Early college” high schools, small high schools, schools-within-schools, charter schools, “KIPP” high schools, virtual high schools. Much has been said and done on this front, and the innovations take many shapes, as do the choice schemes whereby young people and their parents can access the version that works best for them.

Problem definition: The circa-1950s, one-size-fits-all, “comprehensive high school” is dysfunctional and off-putting for many, besides being an inefficient, out-moded vehicle for teaching them what they need to learn.

Theory of action: Create new options for delivering and receiving secondary education, using technology, modern organizational theory, out-sourcing and the like, then give young people choices.

Another school, Hudson High School offers 150 courses worldwide to its 5,000 students.

Virtual schools represent the fastest growing alternatives and serve students across the entire grade range K-16 plus graduate courses. The article, “Forum addresses virtual schooling myths” based on a meeting sponsored by the U.S. Dept. of Education answers many questions on this hot topic.