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Full-Text Articles in Education

Continuing Change In A Virtual World: Training And Recruiting Instructors, Michael K. Barbour, Jim Kinsella, Matthew Wicks, Sacip Toker Oct 2009

Continuing Change In A Virtual World: Training And Recruiting Instructors, Michael K. Barbour, Jim Kinsella, Matthew Wicks, Sacip Toker

Education Faculty Publications

The process of teacher identification, selection, initial training, and on-going professional development that has developed at the Illinois Virtual High School (IVHS) over the past seven years is described and discussed in this article. Validation was based upon existing practices and research. To provide background the creation and initial development of the IVHS is described. Some of the issues within the hiring process and professional development that the IVHS continues to struggle are examined including teacher certification and the changing nature of technology. The paper concludes with a recommendation that teacher education programs assist in addressing these challenges to support …


Student Performance In Virtual Schooling: Looking Beyond The Numbers, Michael Barbour, Dennis Mulcahy Jan 2009

Student Performance In Virtual Schooling: Looking Beyond The Numbers, Michael Barbour, Dennis Mulcahy

Education Faculty Publications

Seven 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 these teachers, there is concern that the opportunities provided by this virtual school are “second rate.” 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 models, geographic location and subject area to determine whether or not students are succeeding in the virtual …