Arizona State University has expanded its online degree and certification programs for PK-12 teachers, including the addition of a new credential for online teaching. Tuition will be the same whether the student is in state or out of state.

Beginning with the fall 2010 semester, six new programs in the education area will be available completely online. Arizona preschool and kindergarten teachers will also have the opportunity to fulfill their early childhood education certification requirement online in order to meet a state department of education July 2012 deadline.

“We have expanded opportunities for elementary and secondary teachers with our online programs,” said Mari Koerner, dean of ASU’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College. “Teachers deserve the same exceptional learning experiences that they give their students each day. Our programs make that opportunity realistic and affordable for teachers, whatever the time of day or wherever they call home.”

For the rest of the article, go to Arizona State Launching Online Credential for Online Teaching

The group wasn’t striking, nor was it seeking raises and better benefits. Instead, the members of the first cyber charter school union in the nation were looking for some face time with the board of the Pennsylvania Learners Online school, or PALO.

“We can’t get anything solved if they won’t talk to us,” said Carol Mintus, an English teacher for the school and president of the union. “It’s disheartening and frustrating.”

More than one-fourth of the PALO Education Association’s 58 members picketed for 50 minutes in the parking lot of the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, which provides administrative services to the school. The picketers passed out flyers to employees reporting to work while several Port Authority buses stopped outside the lot, honking their support. Picketers chanted “We know you’re able to come to the table” as cars pulled into the parking lot.

No one on the PALO board could be reached for comment. Sarah McCluan, spokeswoman for the intermediate unit, confirmed the board canceled one meeting with the union because of difficulties in getting staff together to attend.

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http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_667866.html

With partnerships with several companies and organizations prolific in producing educational video content, including PBS, Pearson Education, and BBC Worldwide, Discovery Education streaming offers a topic- and keyword- searchable library of more than 9,000 video titles and 70,000 clips.

“NCVPS is committed to raising achievement and closing learning gaps for all North Carolina students by leveraging the power of world class e-learning opportunities,” said Bryan Setser, executive director of NCVPS.  “Allowing our educators and students to access digital content from Discovery Education is yet another way in which we are working toward producing successful 21st century learners, professionals and leaders.”

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http://thejournal.com/articles/2010/02/16/nc-virtual-school-offers-statewide-access-to-streaming-digital-content.aspx

During the 2009-2010 school year, Laber, a Hartland Middle School at Ore Creek math teacher, teaches six seventh-grade classes.

Because of her full load, Laber doesn’t even have a prep hour, but teaching middle school math is only part of her work day.

The rest of her time she spends teaching trigonometry and geometry to students across the state online through Michigan Virtual School.

For her efforts, Laber was recognized this month as Michigan Virtual School’s 2009 Online Teacher of the Year. She accepted the award two weeks ago at a ceremony in Lansing.

“It’s an incredible honor to be selected for the iNACOL Best and Most Innovative Online Learning Practice award,” said Stace Wills, Elluminate’s Fire and Ice Global Coordinator. “It validates the tremendous impact that collaboration technologies (such as Elluminate Live!) and school-to-school collaboration projects (like Fire and Ice) can have on development, particularly in rural and remote areas restricted by bandwidth limitations and unstable internet connections.”

For the rest of the article, click here.

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Elluminate’s Fire and Ice Project Recognized as First-Ever iNACOL Award Winner for Best and Most Innovative Online Learning Practice

From Businesswire.com

High school students can stop the evil plans — and earn an American history credit — in Conspiracy Code, a new online course that takes place as a game.

The course is available through Florida Virtual School, an Internet-based public school that offers more than 90 courses.

Teacher David Wilson, who describes his role as “an underground handler,” said the game appeals to many students who wouldn’t normally enjoy the subject.

The course, new this year, is project-based instead of test-heavy, although there are mid-term and final exams.

Students start off with an introduction to a woman at Collusion Café. She’s a persuasive conspiracy theorist who enlists help to stop the bad guys.

The characters representing the student — Eddie Flash and Libby Whitetree — go through missions in which they gain powers and collect clues. Students keep notes in a “conspiracy log” and play mini games to reinforce what they’ve learned. The clues contain the lessons in the form of videos, maps, interactive timelines and personal stories from history.

Wilson said students tend to be drawn to ideas of conspiracy, codes and secrecy, especially in an era of Dan Brown thrillers and movies like National Treasure.

For the rest of the article, click here.

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Like a game, but worth high school credits by Hannah Sampson

From the Miami Herald

A systematic search of the research literature from 1996 through July 2008 identified over 1,000 empirical studies of online learning. Of these, 46 met the high bar for quality that was required for the studies to be included in the analysis. The meta analysis showed that “blended” instruction – combining elements of online and face-to-face instruction – had a larger advantage relative to purely face to face instruction or instruction conducted wholly online. The analysis also showed that the instruction conducted wholly on line was more effective in improving student achievement than the purely face to face instruction. In addition, the report noted that the blended conditions often included additional learning time and instructional elements not received by students in control conditions.

“This new report reinforces that effective teachers need to incorporate digital content into everyday classes and consider open-source learning management systems, which have proven cost effective in school districts and colleges nationwide,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “We must take advantage of this historic opportunity to use American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to bring broadband access and online learning to more communities.

For the rest of the article, click here.

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U.S. Department of Education Study Finds that Good Teaching can be Enhanced with New Technology

From Ed.gov

Six University of Central Florida (UCF) education majors are in the middle of a seven-week internship where they are working hand-in-hand with FLVS teachers. Interns were chosen because they expressed an interest in teaching online.

UCF student Katelyn Richardson, who is majoring in English language arts education, was chosen to participate in the internship program, but has not yet begun the virtual portion of the program at FLVS. She will begin her virtual internship in the second week of March.

“Being able to have this chance to intern with the Florida Virtual School opens a world of possibilities for the University of Central Florida, and me, personally,” she said. “It is truly encouraging to know that there is an organization that truly believes, and lives out, the philosophy of student-centered education. The Florida Virtual School not only puts forth these ideals, but supports and enables the teachers to give 100 percent of themselves to the students and their education.”

FLVS, founded in 1997, provides virtual K-12 education solutions to students throughout the country, offering more than 80 courses for middle and high school students.

After spending seven weeks at FLVS, interns will spend seven weeks in traditional classrooms in central Florida, said Brian Marchman, instructional leader with FLVS.

“I think that it’s the first of its kind of … internship to prepare students to teach not only online, but in the traditional classroom as well,” he said.

For the rest of the article, click here.

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Internships help prepare future online teachers by Maya T. Prabhu

From eSchoolNews