December 19, 2011
An English teacher for Jeffco’s 21st Century Virtual Academy in Colorado, Kristin is the 2011 National Online Teacher of the Year, named by the Southern Regional Educational Board (SREB) and the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL). In the past she has taught eighth through twelfth grades, both virtually and in a face to face classroom. She currently teaches 10th and 12th grade English to full and part time students at Jeffco’s Virtual Academy and blogs about her experiences.
Kristin came to town to share her experiences as a full-time online teacher with a group of educational leaders, policy makers and the ODLTF. We had the opportunity to spend some time getting to know Kristin and learning more about her passion for her career. Anyone who thinks teaching online isn’t ‘real teaching’ just needs to meet Kristin.
Lisa: Is there anything about being a full-time online educator that you wish people better understood?
Kristin: I think there are still a lot of myths about online education. When people find out that I’m an online teacher, they usually ask me, “So, do you sit in front of a webcam all day and teach?” We have to help people gain a better understanding of online learning. We’re moving beyond the sit and get lecture style of teaching in every classroom, including online classrooms. I rarely, if ever, lecture and yet my students are learning really valuable content in a deep way using online tools.
The other myth that I think we really have to tackle is that online learning is easier than face to face learning. My students would tell you emphatically that it is not. It’s a different way of learning but the learning is not easier. In many ways, it’s deeper learning. Also, there are a lot of things that students learn in my class that aren’t on the syllabus, things about time management, organization, learning styles, and taking ownership for their own learning experience. That’s something I didn’t learn until I was in college!
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November 15, 2011
As digital learning gets increased attention from educators and policymakers alike, various research organizations have stepped up to offer evaluations of key elements related to online learning. Dating back to 2004, Evergreen Education Group’s Keeping Pace with K-12 Online Learning is now in its eighth year of providing an annual review of online learning availability. John Watson & company’s analysis provides research-based state ratings on the availability of online learning options based on the attributes of programs, policies, and funding of programs. If you’re not reading Keeping Pace, you should be.
KP11 scores are carefully determined based on a mix of objective and subjective measures that consider policy, programs, and funding of online learning options with one central question in mind: If students from anywhere in the state are seeking a publicly-funded online course or full-time online school at a specific grade level, how likely is it that they will have access to these opportunities? When you put it that way, Ohio still misses the mark.
The problem for Ohio remains its “all or nothing” approach to digital learning. H.B. 153 stops short of supporting students’ right to choose online courses or blended options with existing funding.
As Ohio considers the next round of educational policies to support digital learning, Keeping Pace 2011 provides another useful set of metrics and sage advice on many digital learning matters. Ohio, I hope, is listening.
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