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Full-Text Articles in Education
Primary And Secondary Virtual Learning In New Zealand: Examining Barriers To Achieving Maturity, Michael K. Barbour, Niki Davis, Derek Wenmoth
Primary And Secondary Virtual Learning In New Zealand: Examining Barriers To Achieving Maturity, Michael K. Barbour, Niki Davis, Derek Wenmoth
Education Faculty Publications
This paper describes the organisational development of virtual learning in networked rural schools in New Zealand, specifically the obstacles that e-learning clusters of rural schools face in their journey to sustainability and maturity through the lens of the Ministry’s Learning Communities Online Handbook. Analysis of a nationwide purposeful sample identified three common barriers: a lack of a coherent vision; difficulty in sustaining necessary funding and resources; and of the need for more collaboration within and between clusters. Based on these findings, it is recommended that VLN e-learning clusters develop specific strategies to encourage greater collaboration between schools and work towards …
The Disconnect Between Policy And Research: Examining The Research Into Full-Time K-12 Online Learning, Michael K. Barbour
The Disconnect Between Policy And Research: Examining The Research Into Full-Time K-12 Online Learning, Michael K. Barbour
Education Faculty Publications
While there has been some improvement in what is known about supplemental K-12 online learning, there continues to be a lack of evidence to guide the practice of full-time K-12 online learning. This paper concludes that despite considerable enthusiasm for full-time virtual education in some quarters, there is little high quality research to support the practice or call for expanding this form of virtual schools.
Strategies For Overcoming Common Obstacles In The Online Environment: Issues In Virtual School Teaching, Michael K. Barbour, Kelly L. Unger
Strategies For Overcoming Common Obstacles In The Online Environment: Issues In Virtual School Teaching, Michael K. Barbour, Kelly L. Unger
Education Faculty Publications
K-12 online learning or virtual schooling has seen substantial growth in the United States over the past two decades. While the practice of virtual schooling has exploded, the availability of research-based best practices to guide teachers working in these environments is lacking. This chapter presents four cases from Michigan Virtual School (MVS) teachers that examine a variety of issues that virtual school teachers face when facilitating K-12 student learning in the online environment, including strategies to provide substantive feedback in English Language Arts, methods for addressing the demonstration of mathematical computations, using Web 2.0 tools to increase interaction in an …
Evaluation And Approval Constructs For Online And Blended Courses And Providers, Michael K. Barbour, Tom Clark, Kristen Debruler, Justin Bruno
Evaluation And Approval Constructs For Online And Blended Courses And Providers, Michael K. Barbour, Tom Clark, Kristen Debruler, Justin Bruno
Education Faculty Publications
The report released by the Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute™ at MVU examines existing policies and practices related to the evaluation and approval of online and blended learning in the 50 states as well as relevant international examples, such as those arising from Canada’s province-based K-12 education systems.
Asynchronous And Synchronous Teaching And Learning In High-School Distance Education, Elizabeth Murphy, Maria A. Rodríguez-Manzanares, Michael K. Barbour
Asynchronous And Synchronous Teaching And Learning In High-School Distance Education, Elizabeth Murphy, Maria A. Rodríguez-Manzanares, Michael K. Barbour
Education Faculty Publications
This paper presents the results of an inductive, interpretive analysis of the perspectives of 42 Canadian high school distance education (DE) teachers on asynchronous and synchronous online teaching. The paper includes a conceptual overview of the affordances and constraints of each form of teaching. Findings provided insight into the following aspects of asynchronous and synchronous online teaching: degree of use; the tools used; the contexts in which each occur; students’ preferences; and limitations. Pedagogy emerged as more important than media for both asynchronous and synchronous online teaching. Synchronous online teaching relied on teacher- rather than student-centred approaches. Asynchronous online teaching …
U.S. Virtual School Trial Period And Course Completion Policy Study, Abigail Hawkins, Michael K. Barbour
U.S. Virtual School Trial Period And Course Completion Policy Study, Abigail Hawkins, Michael K. Barbour
Education Faculty Publications
Variation in policies virtual schools use to calculate course completion and retention rates impacts the comparability of these quality metrics. This study surveyed 159 U.S. virtual schools examining the variability in trial period and course completion policies--two policies that affect course completion rates. Of the 86 respondents, almost 70% had trial periods that varied from 1 day to 185 days. Course completion definitions varied from remaining in the course irrespective of the final grade to receiving an A- in the course. Such wide variation renders the completion and retention rate metrics useless. We recommend virtual schools adopt consistent measures for …
How Are They Doing?: Examining Student Achievement In Virtual Schooling, Michael K. Barbour, Dennis Mulcahy
How Are They Doing?: Examining Student Achievement In Virtual Schooling, Michael K. Barbour, Dennis Mulcahy
Education Faculty Publications
Six years ago the Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation began a virtual high school within the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Designed primarily to provide courses in specialized areas to students in rural areas, where schools have difficulty in attracting second language, mathematics and science teachers. However, there has been some concern that the opportunities provided by this virtual high school are "second rate" or only able to cater to independent, self-motivated students. The purpose of the study is to examine the student achievement in standardized public exams and final course scores in the province between different delivery …
Who’S Researching Virtual Schools?: A Case For Instructional Technologists, Michael K. Barbour
Who’S Researching Virtual Schools?: A Case For Instructional Technologists, Michael K. Barbour
Education Faculty Publications
Over the past 11 years, virtual schooling has gone from isolated experiments to a reliable alternative to a brick and mortar education. However, during this time, little research has been conducted into how these learning opportunities are and should be provided to their adolescent audiences. Even more troubling is that very few of these researchers are from the field of instructional technology. In this article, I discuss those who have been involved in this early research and then make a case for the value that instructional technologists can bring to this emerging field.