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S. Carolina considers virtual world charter school
June 2, 2013 By admin Leave a Comment
oon such a school might exist in South Carolina if the proposed NOBLE Virtual School, based upon interactive 3D technology, is successful with its charter application. As a charter public school, students in South Carolina would pay no tuition to attend and there would be no special requirements for admissions. Like other virtual schools, students would study from home but there the similarity to other online educational programs ends.
Rather than “read the material, make a post in the discussion board and take the multiple choice test,” students at NOBLE Virtual School will spend most of their time interacting with teachers and other students in a virtual world. The ability to communicate with one another simultaneously and to build and manipulate 3D objects provides students the opportunity to learn concepts not easily learned from a textbook or lecture.
For the rest of the article, go to S. Carolina considers virtual world charter school
Letter: National School Choice Week Spotlight Need for Effective Education Options
January 29, 2013 By admin Leave a Comment
National School Choice Week (January 27 to February 2, 2013) and Digital Learning Day (February 6, 2013) have both gained momentum the last few years to shine a spotlight on the need for effective education options for all children. As the names imply, School Choice Week celebrates school options and Digital Learning Day recognizes how technology is transforming education. As the executive director of South Carolina Connections Academy, a full-time virtual public charter school, I celebrate both proudly as I see, first hand, the benefits of choice and technology everyday.
I see it in the way our students, for whom the traditional classroom may not have been the best fit, are flourishing in their online learning environment. I see kids learning, with the help of technology, at a pace that meets their individual needs; connecting with teachers one-on-one. I hear from parents who tell me that their child “loves school!”
For the rest of the article, go to Letter: National School Choice Week Spotlight Need for Effective Education Options
Letter: National School Choice Week Spotlight Need for Effective Education Options
January 27, 2013 By admin Leave a Comment
I see it in the way our students, for whom the traditional classroom may not have been the best fit, are flourishing in their online learning environment. I see kids learning, with the help of technology, at a pace that meets their individual needs; connecting with teachers one-on-one. I hear from parents who tell me that their child “loves school!”
But just as the traditional classroom is not the best fit for every child, our online school is not the best fit for every child either. This is about what works for the individual student and offering choices to best meet his or her needs.
This year, National School Choice Week will feature 3,500 independently-planned special events across all 50 states. Participants are families, educators and others who support access to high-quality public schools, public charter schools, magnet schools, virtual schools and homeschooling. Last year, tens of thousands of teachers participated in the inaugural Digital Learning Day and represented nearly 2 million students. The event promoted successful instructional practice and effective use of technology in classrooms across the country. The recent Keeping Pace with K-12 Online Learning report, estimates that 275,000 students nationwide attended fully-online schools in the 2011-2012 school year while millions participated in other technology-enhanced learning—like online classes and blended learning. More than ever, people want educational choices, and people want technology.
For the rest of the article, go to Letter: National School Choice Week Spotlight Need for Effective Education Options
