Educating in a Digital Age

Tablets, iPads, digital textbooks, online learning, blended learning and the list goes on―the explosion in eLearning options and directions can be bewildering to teachers, administrators and students. To help school districts forge a path through the abundance of choices in digital media and curriculum, the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association (CCSESA) recently created the California eLearning Framework.

Online learning refers to teacher-led instruction, delivered primarily via the Internet that includes software to provide a structured learning environment, and where the student and teacher are separated geographically. Blended learning is defined as students learning at least in part at a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from home, and at least in part through online delivery with some element of student control over time, place, path and/or pace.

 “The framework doesn’t tell districts what digital media to buy or what type of program―online or blended learning ―to implement but rather provides questions to ask, and guidance on how to make decisions,” said Lorrie Owens, San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) administrator, Information Technology Services. Both Lorrie Owens and Gary Waddell, Deputy Superintendent, Instructional Services, have been involved on CCESA subcommittees that worked on drafting the framework.

The framework was rolled out in September 2011 at the Sacramento County Office of Education for curriculum and technology administrators and a follow-up symposium to further discuss online and blended learning was held in December at the Santa Cruz County Office of Education. At the San Mateo County Office of Education, Christi Harter, STEM Center Director;  Lorrie Owens; Sandy Somera, Educational Technology Coordinator; and Carol Quigley, Network Services Manager; recently gave presentations on the eLearning Framework to district curriculum leaders,  technology directors and coordinators, as well as district chief business officials and SMCOE managers.

Some questions that districts will need to consider include whether the eLearning program will be self-paced or cohort-based, open entry/open exit; what the goals are for individualizing the program to meet student needs; and whether to buy, build, license or employ a mix for content acquisition.

“Two key principles of the California eLearning Framework are that digital media need to be curriculum based, focusing on the needs of students, and technology staff need to be involved in the decision-making process from the beginning,” said Owens. Schools need to consider their technology infrastructure needs, and what devices will be used. Choices need to be viable and sustainable.

A new statewide subcommittee, the Online Learning Collaborative Subcommittee, is being commissioned by CCSESA to pull together examples of best practices for online and blended learning from districts around the state and from other states as well.

“This could give districts a place to start, to look at products that have worked in other places,” said Owens. The committee will also look at policy issues that affect online and blended learning, and will offer recommendations where warranted.  The subcommittee is being co-chaired by Owens and Dr. Theresa Rouse from the Santa Cruz County Office of Education.

The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Center, under the leadership of Christi Harter, and currently under construction at SMCOE, will be the hub for eLearning in the county. At the STEM Center, SMCOE staff will have the opportunity to do professional development through webinars and video conferencing.

Two professional development sessions at SMCOE― one that took place this week, and another that will take place in March― will delve deeper into eLearning and the California eLearning Framework. On February 28, at “Blended-Learning Curriculum Options,” school district personnel had the opportunity to learn and develop uses of Open Education resources, including Khan Academy, OER Commons, PBS and online textbook resources. On March 23, there will be a CA eLearning Framework District Planning session for district staff to begin development of their district’s/school’s blended and online learning plan.

At SMCOE, staff members are addressing not only school district needs but also considering the eLearning Framework as it affects infrastructure needs and programs at the County Office, including court and community schools, and programs for students with special needs. Creating an eLearning program provides an opportunity to expand the use of adaptive technology and expand individualized learning experiences for all students.

The big question for school districts and County Office programs is the high cost associated with eLearning. “Cost is a huge barrier,” said Owens. “But we know we have to find ways to do it.”

In some areas, a high initial investment in eLearning devices and system upgrades may allow districts to lower some costs down the road. By using electronic textbooks, for example, districts will be able to upload more current editions of a textbook without the cost and the logistics of purchasing new hardcopy textbooks.

 “Using existing dollars to implement eLearning is a challenge in these times of budget cuts but we have to move in that direction,” said Owens. “We owe it to our students to prepare them to function and compete in a digital world in the 21^st century.”

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