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Virtual school provides new learning experience

May 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Created by state law in 2000, Michigan Virtual University now offers 150 classes, is one of the largest virtual schools in the United States, and helped make the state a pioneer in online education. Since 2000, more than 100,000 students have taken virtual classes in Michigan. Making online classes more available is a priority of Gov. Rick Snyder, who has recommended expanding access to give students 21st century skills.

For students such as Gilson, online learning has been a valuable resource.

“It shows me what my strengths are and what’s to come in college: I need to form better study habits, but also that I am able to work on my own. It is a good eye-opener for the future,” said Gilson, 17.

Not all Michigan schools participate in the virtual university, and some parents and teachers are skeptical.

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More Michigan Students Enrolling In Virtual Schools

April 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Michigan reaches a major milestone in online learning this month — Michigan Virtual Schools has enrolled 100,000 students for the current spring semester. Michigan Virtual Schools partners with K-12 schools to provide online courses, but the program isn’t the only cyber learning option in the state.

Two cyber charter schools operate as full-time, K-12 virtual public schools. With one based out of Grand Rapids and one based out of Okemos, the schools enroll students across the state. The programs teach curriculum mandated by the state, and follow all the laws and guidelines like any regular public school. The difference — their students take all their classes online.

About 20 teachers based in Okemos for the Michigan Connections Academy engage with students in virtual classrooms. Administrators say the program gives students and parents the flexibility to create a unique learning experience, and to set up a schedule that best fits their needs. They say the virtual model does take time and commitment from parents.

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Brighton Schools Will Launch Virtual Academy This Fall

March 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Brighton Area Schools will launch its Virtual Academy starting this September.

Board of Education members voted unanimously to create the online learning program that will provide Michigan Merit Curriculum (MME) online courses to resident and non-resident home schooled students in grades 9 through 12 through the use of Michigan Virtual High School and GenNet.

Laura Surrey, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction, said the program would aim to develop strong college and career readiness skills in the home schooled student population.

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Can States and School Districts Cut Costs Through Digital Learning?

January 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Digital learning represents wide-open terrain for K-12 education reform. Several states — Alabama, Arizona, Idaho, Michigan and Minnesota — require students to take an online course to receive a high school degree. Twenty-seven states have established statewide full-time virtual schools since the first opened in 1997 in Florida, according to a report by the International Association for K-12 Online Learning, an indication of virtual education’s growing appeal.

As with all innovations, though, there is always a question of cost for providing such new technologies, especially when states are providing less per-pupil funding.

A study released last week by the Education Center of Excellence at the Parthenon Group (commissioned by the conservative education think tank, the Fordham Institute) suggested that the costs of digital learning could be significantly less than more traditional modes. The authors cautioned that its findings must be interpreted with some caveats: costs vary across digital education platforms and different entities pursue online learning for different reasons (cost-savings versus enhanced offerings, for example).

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Editorial: Student performance won’t soar until schools are run efficiently and for the children

April 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Move beyond the traditional K-12 model. In his State of the State address, Snyder suggested the state move toward a “P-20″ lifelong learning approach, rather than a traditional K-12 view of education. It’s one of the reasons he wants to use the School Aid Fund, currently enjoying a surplus, to fund both pre-school programs and community colleges.

But to do that, more efficient educational approaches must be adopted. For example, with more options in online and virtual learning, schools can share top-notch teachers with other districts and save money at the same time.

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Lansing Expands Virtual Academy

February 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

LANSING, Mich. — An online learning academy has expanded to three Lansing high schools in an effort to increase graduation rates and reach out to dropouts, according to the Lansing State Journal. The Lansing School District is working with contractors AdvancePath and American Academy on the programs, which began last fall at Sexton High School and expanded last week to two more schools, the Journal reported.

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Diploma likely out of reach for some Michigan students

January 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A push to boost academic achievement for students in the state could rob kids with disabilities of the chance for a diploma.

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The Michigan Merit Curriculum, which took effect in 2006 for the 2011 graduating class, requires four years of math, including geometry and algebra, four years of English and three science classes as well as one online learning experience. A foreign language requirement is being phased in.

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School District Working On Program For At-Risk Students

August 9, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The Lansing school district is gearing up to provide some of its most at-risk students a new high-tech education with the new school in September. A new online learning lab may help turn dropouts into graduates. New heating and cooling equipment and a server room, Lansing’s Sexton High School is undergoing a major technological facelift.

Cathy Deshambo, Lansing Schools Project Coordinator: “Against the walls we’ll have brand new computer stations. There’ll be floating stations in the middle of the room.”

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Sexton online learning lab will be up for fall classes, Lansing officials say

August 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Walls came down the week after the Lansing Board of Education voted to provide online learning for up to 180 students at Sexton High School this fall.

The labor has barely paused since mid-July as the district’s high-skilled maintenance workers erect drywall and turn four traditional classrooms into a 3,000-square-foot online learning lab with 60 computers.

The online learning lab is replacing the Education Options program, an alternative high school for failing high school students based in the Hill Center.

On Aug. 18, workers will install carpeting, and the $30,000 renovation – with air conditioning, computers on the perimeter and power stations in the middle – should be complete 10 days later.

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Michigan’s first virtual charter school selects downtown Grand Rapids site, accepting applications

July 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment

A virtual charter school sponsored by Grand Valley State University will welcome its first students on September 7 at what school leaders say is its first Michigan location – a former office space at 678 Front Ave. NW.

Michigan Virtual Charter Academy, operated by Herndon, Va.-based K12, Inc., will launch with a curriculum geared for high school dropouts ages 17 to 21, offering onsite and online learning in half-day formats.

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