Going the DistanceVIRTUAL LEARNING: STEPS TO SUCCESSElaine Manicke Principal
Rio Rancho Cyber Academy
Who We Are:About Rio Rancho Public Schools
• Formed in 1994 from portions of two other school districts (one large urban, one small rural)
• Opened with 5,900 students in seven schools (five ES, two MS)
• Today serves 16,653 students in 18 schools (pre-school, ten ES, three MS, Mid-High for grades 8 and 9, comprehensive HS, alternative HS, and Cyber Academy
• Now NM’s third largest district
RRPS Student Enrollment
13,6
11 14,8
15 15,6
53
12,5
42
11,7
76
11,1
38
10,5
66
10,2
19
9,93
0
9,71
9
8,92
0
6,53
6
6,22
2
5,90
5
5,0006,0007,0008,0009,000
10,00011,00012,00013,00014,00015,00016,000
Annual Percentage Growth Rate
3.40
%
8.52
%
8.85
%
5.66
%6.50
%
5.73
%
5.51
%
2.17
%
2.91
%0.00%1.00%2.00%3.00%4.00%5.00%6.00%7.00%8.00%9.00%
10.00%
1999-2000
2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08
Why Start a Cyber Academy?• Provide online delivery of high-quality, non-
remedial educational services for students who may not be well-served in other types of schools, including:
• Full-time program in a non-traditional school setting serving, for example, students who travel, students with socialization challenges, and hospital-bound/homebound students
• Distance education courses taken by students from other campus sites within our system
• Bridging the gap between home schools and public schools
• Bringing home school students back to district
Effective Distance Learning
• Social Presence• Flexibility• Interaction
– Learner/Content– Learner/Learner– Learner/Instructor– Learner/Technology
Activities• Match Objectives
–Build around learning theories–Incorporate technology–Elements of Meaningful Learning
Instructional System Design
Needs Assessment
Learner Characteristics
Environment
Outcomes
Measurement Instruments
Objective Sequence
Evaluation
Instructional Materials
Needs Assessment• What are the issues?• What are the differences between
expected outcomes and actual outcomes?
Learner Characteristics• Who are your students?• What impacts their learning?
–Cultural factors–Special needs
Environment• What are the resources?• What are the conditions in the
environment that can help or hinder the educational process?
Meaningful Learning Environments
ActiveManipulative/Observant
ConstructiveArticulative/Reflective
CooperativeCollaborative/Conversational
AuthenticComplex/Contextualized
IntentionalReflective/Regulatory
Jonassen, Howland, Moore, & Marra (2003)
Learning Outcomes
• State/District Standards and Benchmarks
• Objectives
• Marzano’s Taxonomy
Marzano’s New Taxonomy 2001
• Three Systems and Knowledge
•Self-System•Metacognitive System•Cognitive System•Knowledge Domain
Self-System
• Beliefs about the Importance of Knowledge
• Beliefs about Efficacy• Emotions Associated with Knowledge• Initiator of learning system
Metacognitive System
• Specifies Learning Goals• Monitors Execution of Knowledge• Monitors Clarity• Monitors Accuracy
Cognitive System
• Knowledge Retrieval: Recall; Execution• Comprehension: Synthesis;
Representation• Analysis: Match; Classify: Error Analysis;
Generalize; Specify• Knowledge Utilization: Make Decisions;
Solve Problems; Inquire; Investigate
Knowledge Domain
• Information• Mental Procedures• Physical Procedures
Technology• Which one?
• How often?
• For what purpose?
• Accessibility
Objective Sequence• Order of the objectives to produce
outcome?• Backward Planning
Measurement Instruments• What is the outcome or product?• What measurement instrument will
you use?–Rubric–Test
Assessment of Learning
• Reflects learning goals• Formal/Informal• Formative/Summative• Monitor and Adjust• Authentic tasks• Teacher Effectiveness/Reflection
RRCA Mission Statement
Enhanced learning through effective technology
RRCA Vision StatementCreate a model school for
distance learning
Program vs. School?• Programs are extensions of an
existing school
• Programs in NM do not graduate students
• An independent school must provide all services
• An independent school permits students to take online classes full time leading to graduation
Cyber Academy students package and deliver relief supplies for flood victims in Hatch, NM
High Tech / High Touch?• Question: Is it possible to
be both “high tech” and “high touch”?– Should the program be
designed to mitigate the perceived social isolation of on-line programs?
– How could the Rio Rancho Cyber Academy enhance communication and support for both students and families?
Cyber Academy students package and deliver relief supplies for flood victims in Hatch, NM
Goals• Improve student achievement in a
distance learning environment
• Develop 21st Century skills
• Engage students through a meaningful learning environment, applying technology to demonstrate learning
• Use research to create a foundation for best practices to overcome the challenges of implementing a DL platform
Vendor SelectionDeveloped rubric based on:
– Instructional Delivery:Interactive
Writing across the CurriculumStandards Alignment – Program Reliability– Learning Management System– Support and Training:
Relationship– Cost/licensing – References
E2020 My Skills Tutor
School Leadership and Vendor Collaboration
• Leadership• Vision• Knowledge• Passion for teaching and
learning• Creative • Flexible• Dynamic• Public relations to promote
program and speak to issues with all stakeholders
• Take some heat• Be a change agent• Effective communicator
NM History: RRCA/E2020 Course• ½ credit of NM history
required for graduation
• Course developed by RRCA faculty member Sue Thorstensen
• Produced and edited by E2020
• Course shared with other NM school districts
E2020 Virtual ClassroomSubject Areas and
Structure70% Mastery
Vocabulary
VideoLecture
OnlineContent
JournalActivity
Explore Learning
Practice/Homework
Quiz/Cumulative
Exam
Language Arts
Mathematics
Social Studies
Science
Electives
Student MonitoringLearning Management System
• Provides information from formative assessments: homework/practice , journals, quizzes, lab assessments and unit tests, time on task.
• Weekly review of all students’ progress in a collaborative setting.
• Communicate at least once a week with each student.
• Teach parents how to monitor student progress online
• Alert parents of inadequate progress and interventions
Quality Assurance• Insuring that the courses
were aligned to the New Mexico Standards and Benchmarks/E2020 on NM Adoption list as Core Basal
• Insuring that the courses meet the rigorous expectations of our district
• Insuring that the courses were equivalent to those offered in a traditional classroom setting
• Insuring that the pedagogy of the courses was sound and intellectually stimulating for students
New Mexico Science Content Standards, Benchmarks,and Performance StandardsApproved 2003New Mexico State Department of Education
“Getting The Right People on the Bus”
• Teaching in a cyber school environment is not for everyone (even some very qualified teachers!)
• Needed to better define program and student populations we should serve (instead of being all things to all people)
--Jim Collins, “Good to Great”
About the Rio Rancho Cyber Academy
• Students enrolled:– 145-160 full time in grades
7-12– 96blended (part-time --
enrolled in other schools and taking one or more courses at Cyber Academy)
• Founded: Fall 2005
• Graduated first 12 students in Spring 2007
Principal: Elaine Manicke
How We Operate• Students come into lab
two days a week for mentoring, tutoring and group workshops
• Students work at home the rest of the time
• Students can come into the lab anytime for additional help
• E2020 software helps teachers monitor students’ time on task and progress
RRCA PLC Expectations
Professional Learning CommunityCollaborativeCoordinated
Data informedStandards-Driven
Focus on instruction, equity and resultsExpand teacher knowledge
Ongoing professional developmentEncourage innovation and excellence
• Four regular ed teachers who have dual certification– One special ed teacher– Program manager/teaqcher – Support staff (secretary,
registrar, part-time nurse, custodian)
• Highly qualified (one Ph.D., nine Masters degrees, five with licensure as “master teachers”)
• And . . . cyber teachers need more than great educational qualifications
Our Staff
• Mentor• Motivate• Monitor• Use technology
effectively• Be creative, flexible,
high tolerance for change, and the love of ambiguity
Cyber Academy Teaching
Who Are Our Students?• Grades 7-12• High-performing students
who want to be challenged• Variety of needs
– Prefer a smaller/more flexible school
– May have obligations outside of school
– Returning from hospitalization and transitioning back into school
– Bored in a regular school setting and want to accelerate their learning
– Credit recovery: currently for our full-time students
More Than Just Online Classes • Student activities
– Collected/delivered supplies for flood relief– “Senior Moments”
• Teaching seniors how to program cell phones• Homecoming Dance at senior center• Homecoming float (Won first for theme award!)
– Students can earn ½ credit for community service
• Parent involvement: – Active parent council – Parents trained to monitor student progress online – At least two parent-teacher conferences annually
How do we know it works?
Rio Rancho Cyber
AcademyReading Math Science*
*New test
SubgroupRRCA% testing
proficient or above
Statewide % testing proficient or above
RankRRCA% testing
proficient or above
Statewide % testing proficient or above
RankRRCA% testing
proficient or above
Statewide % testing proficient or above
Rank
All students 64.9% 50.3% 27 of 186 37.5% 34.5%
Tied 43rd of
18643.8% 43.2% 46th
of 171
Economically disadvantaged 77.8% 41.8% 1 47.4% 26.0% 12 56.3% 35.2% Tied
5th
Hispanic 68.0% 43.9% 3 36.0% 27.6% 34 50.0% 35.8% Tied 9th
NM Standards-Based Assessment (grades 7, 8, 9, 11)Selected subgroups ranked against NM high schools
How do we know it works?
NM High School Competency Exam (first administered in grade 10)
• 31 sophomores took the test
• 28 passed all six sections of the test on the first try (90%, compared to 67% the previous year)
RRCA Grades IssuedFirst Semester 2007-08(% earning A’s and B’s)• 7th grade: 95%• 8th grade: 73%• 9th grade: 68%• 10th grade: 76%• 11th grade: 58%• 12th grade: 78%
50 students currently on waiting list!
Continuous Improvement: Big Plans for Next Year
• Workshop approach:– Project based – Web conferencing– RTI– Writing workshops– E portfolio
• Note-taking, study skills, time management, and 21st Century Skills
• Interactive projects to demonstrate learning and to apply and utilize technology
Going the DistanceRio Rancho Cyber Academy
For further information:
Rio Rancho Cyber Academy1330 Jackie Road SERio Rancho, NM 87124(505) 892-7222
www.rrps.net/CyberAcademy/index.htm
Elaine Manicke: [email protected]