Planning for Quality In Online and Blended Learning

Personal Digital

Historic opportunity to boost learning & operating productivity

Age cohorts

SequentialAnnual

testsTetheredTeachers

Place

Individual studentsAdaptiveInstant feedbackMobileTeams Service

Batch-Print

The Shift to Personal Digital Learning

Stats in the States

• State virtual schools exist in 25 states as of fall 2013.

• State virtual schools had about 740,000 course enrollments in 2012-13.

• State-supported virtual learning is giving way to district-driven supplemental programs and full-time online/blended schools

Stats in the States

• 30 states plus Washington DC have at least one full-time online school operating statewide in SY 2013-14.

• About 310,000 students attend full-time online schools in SY 2012-13.

• Fully blended schools are operating in at least 24 states and Washington DC

A Definition of Blended LearningA meaningful online component

A significant, supervised onsite

component

Data capture that allows

personalized instruction

Blended Learning Models

“Nexus Academy” flex model

Sustaining vs. Disruptive Innovation

The Nexus Academy Example

2013-2014

Elements of Planning for Quality

Content Teaching

Technology Operations

Best Practices Blended Model

1. Small schools are better. 2. Students need BOTH the holistic

and affective supports and deep subject matter expertise.

Small schools raise the graduation rate by 8.6 points for their overwhelmingly disadvantaged student population. - From study of NYC’s “Small Schools of Choice” by MDRC (January 2012)

3. Students should have some control over time, place, path and/or pace of their learning.

4. Instruction must be targeted, efficient, data-driven and standards-aligned.

5. Technology can be deployed to accomplish all of the above.

Unique High School Design

• 300: Total student enrollment• 150: Students for each shift• 37: Students per team supervised by a Success

Coach • 5-15: Students in classrooms• 4 hours in the school

each day (plus up to 2 hours at home)

• 4 days a week

Tailoring the Model for Middle School

• College Park Academy (Maryland) and TMCF Collegiate Academy @ SUNO

• 225-300 students each school• Students on site all day, 5 days per week• Half-day in Team Zones doing online

work, supervised by a Success Coach • Half-day in classrooms

(Math, English and Fitness) with face-to-face teachers

Robust, Personalized Curriculum

Differentiated Course Delivery Model

Focus on Excellent Teachers

• Specially trained teachers –face-to-face from your school, online from Connections

• Small group and LiveLesson® teacher-led lessons to review and reinforce objectives

• For online teachers, face-to-face support from Success Coaches

High Impact Staffing Model

• Principal, Guidance Counselor, Administrative Assistant, Success Coaches all “out on the floor” – no offices, all spaces open for full visibility

• Data allows all to tailor interactions to individual student needs

What Students Are Saying

Nexus Academy Is…• Where adults listen to us

with respect• Like I imagine college will be• Peaceful and healthy• Where I can be myself• AWESOME!

Promising Results for Nexus Model

92% of seniors on track to graduate

95% headed to post-secondary ed