Abstract
Over the past decade online learning initiatives have shown tremendous potential for broadening educational opportunities and for addressing local and regional shortages of highly qualified K–12 teachers. The Louisiana Algebra I Online initiative represents one type of online model than can address both the need for improving course offerings and for addressing teacher shortages. The goal of the model is to improve educational opportunities for students by providing them with a high-quality, standards-based curriculum delivered online by a certified mathematics teacher and to support the professional development of teachers in hard-to-staff schools by partnering them with a highly qualified teachermentor who is available online. The innovation of this model for online learning is that it integrates classroom-based learning with virtual learning thereby providing students with the structure andopportunities afforded by regular class meetings and supports the professional development of uncertified teachers through ongoing and embedded professional development opportunities.This research suggests that the Louisiana Algebra I Online model is a viable online model for providing teachers with an effective model for authentic and embedded professional development that is relevant to their classroom experiences.
Highlights
Online learning initiatives have shown tremendous potential for changing how teachers teach and how students learn and over the past decade, we have seen an enormous increase in the use of online teaching and learning environments at the K–12 level
Researchers estimate that student enrollment in K–12 online learning programs increased tenfold between 2002 and 2006; more than 600,000 students were enrolled in K–12 online learning programs during the 2005–2006 school year compared to only 40,000–50,000 students during the 2001–2002 school year [1]
Using a hierarchical linear regression modeling approach in which 463 treatment and comparison group students were nested within 33 classrooms, examination of student achievement from the Louisiana Algebra I Online initiative found that after controlling for initial pre-intervention measures of mathematics ability, students who participated in the initiative scored as well on the posttest as students in traditional face-to-face Algebra I courses [31]
Summary
Online learning initiatives have shown tremendous potential for changing how teachers teach and how students learn and over the past decade, we have seen an enormous increase in the use of online teaching and learning environments at the K–12 level. Researchers estimate that student enrollment in K–12 online learning programs increased tenfold between 2002 and 2006; more than 600,000 students were enrolled in K–12 online learning programs during the 2005–2006 school year compared to only 40,000–50,000 students during the 2001–2002 school year [1] In many cases, these online distance learning initiatives have been implemented to address critical local needs for (1) broadening the educational opportunities that are available for students by providing courses online that are not available locally and (2) addressing severe local and regional shortages of qualified teachers [2]. Other online models include pre-recorded video instruction, synchronous computer-based courses delivered via the Internet, or using other technologies such as teleconferencing or CD-ROM to provide instruction to students
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