Administrators

This information will get you started as you begin to plan an online learning opportunity for students.

First, be aware that many of the current practices you employ related to policies, procedures, course development, and funding of existing traditional, face-to-face instruction are true for online instruction and program development.

General Information for School Administrators

With the current momentum toward online learning opportunities for all students, all teachers will eventually be storing and making online access to their courses available for their students. If course materials, activities, and assignments were accessible online, in-school teachers could serve a broader student population, and do so more efficiently and probably more effectively. The use of an online instructional component for face-to-face classes is the hybrid model.

Online schools

Schools that are flexible, and can offer online and face-to-face experiences, will best be able to meet the academic, scheduling, and personal needs of today's student. Education is becoming more of a marketplace, resulting in increased competition for students and FTE revenue.

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Courses

Online courses are those that are accessed on the web. Two-way video is another popular form of distance education. Some online schools combine the two to different degrees. In addition, some online programs include home visits. Many online courses include audio and one-way streaming video. Students work on courses at home, at school, or wherever there is Internet access. They log on to their course, read the materials, do the activities, communicate when directed, and complete assignments that they turn in via email. Some online providers pace their students. That is, they require students to register by a specific date and complete lessons during a fixed period of time, perhaps a week. Other providers have a larger registration window and allow more flexibility with completion of assignments.

Courses from accredited online schools use licensed teachers, align their courses to at least state standards, and are as rigorous as face-to-face courses. Online programs may offer courses for special needs students, credit recovery, regular education, electives, AP, and courses that offer college credit. Differentiation is based on reading level of materials, strategies for presenting lessons, scaffolding, assignment expectations, and proctored exams when appropriate. Administrators should request preview rights from online providers.

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Credits

Online schools may be credit or non-credit-granting. In the case where the online program does not grant credit, the home high school provides it. The school that grants the credit has a right to decide whether it provides core or elective credit.

Online schools are accredited similarly to brick and mortar schools through accrediting agencies. Credits from an accredited online program help reassure the receiving school that the online program has high standards and provides rigorous coursework.

A typical semester course is about 18 weeks worth of work or 60-90 hours of seat time (Carnegie units). Quarter credits may be granted. Online programs may have arrangements with community colleges and universities to offer dual credit. State regulations govern who is qualified to teach these courses and what credentials are necessary.

Teacher certification can be an issue. Some states permit online out-of-state teachers to provide instruction to their students. You may check with the online provider about teacher certification. You may also want to check state and district policies regarding teacher certification.

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Operations

Courses can be accessed from any location with Internet connectivity and appropriate firewall access. Students can move at their own pace either within a given window of time for each unit or lesson. or totally at their own pace. Students log on to their course with a password, access and complete lessons as directed, and submit assignments via email.

Student success is a partnership between and collaboration with the student, the school, the parent, and the online program. The successful student must understand what online learning is all about and commit to taking responsibility for doing the work. Students who are naturally motivated learners, enjoy reading, communicate comfortably in writing, can follow written directions, and have a certain level of technological comfort do well. Students who are willing to develop those qualities do well. Schools that can provide a structured environment such as a scheduled period or a time and place for students to report regularly (not necessarily daily), and have a mentor available have greater success. Parents that log on to gradebooks and maintain contact with online teachers improve student success.

Students need high speed access, contemporary computers, appropriate software and plugins on the computer, email for students, firewalls that allow the transfer of audio and video, and a helpful technical staff. Home computers should be contemporary with appropriate software. Dial up connections work, but require greater patience. Someone at home should be willing to help with technical issues. Frustration is one computer seizure away. Online schools often provide 24/7 technical help. Ask about this.

Registration can be online, or on paper. Grade books are available online to students, parents, and schools. Online schools provide grades each quarter with progress reports in between. Non-online, regular classroom teachers should be kept in the loop. If they do not understand how online learning works and what's involved for the student and for the online teachers, resentment might rear its ugly head. Encouraging all teachers to take online professional development courses and learn to teach online or write online courses can be a great benefit both to the teacher and to the school.

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Content Development

Since your school and district already provide classes that are standards-based in every curricular area, the authoring teacher can begin work to develop the content, pacing, expectations, discussions, ongoing assessments, and engaging, interactive Web material for students. This process, including writing answers to anticipated student questions from over the entire length of the course, may take 100 hours, initially. That is prep time that needs to be considered and compensated.

Teachers and curriculum developers will be hired to do this work. It is the most intense part of developing and implementing an online program and set of classes. See the Teacher [link] section for more information.

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Instructional Design and Delivery

Instructional design takes on a whole different emphasis with online course planning. How everything is presented, whether graphics are used and multi-media presentations are developed will all make a difference in what the student learns. Definitely, it will make a difference in the work the teacher has to do to prepare the class.

The extra time to put all of this together is a primary concern of the organizing administrator. Realize that instructional design for online teaching takes on a whole new perspective. Delivery strategies to engage students separated by time and space will take intense work of trial and error.

See the Teacher section for more information.

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Supporting Staff

Bring together the people, the teachers and counselors and curriculum planners who will be the core online development team.

Understand from the beginning that the most intense part of developing online content is before the class ever begins. As one online teacher said,

"In the work for the first year of instruction, I had to think through the whole year. I had two months during the summer to prepare one year, including the curriculum, the 'what-ifs,' and I had to anticipate all the questions students might ask, AND have the answers. It was a very intense time of front-loaded work, and there was a lot of initial frustration."(from an interview with an online teacher in Oregon, 2002)

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Program Evaluation

How will you know if your online program is successful for learners? Early in the development process establish regular and ongoing program evaluation processes and report the findings to the community.

STEPS to Online Education Implementation

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