Going the DistanceVIRTUAL LEARNING: STEPS TO SUCCESSElaine Manicke Principal

Rio Rancho

Cyber Academy

Who We Are:About Rio Rancho Public Schools

• Formed in 1994 from portions of two other school districts (one large urban, one small rural)

• Opened with 5,900 students in seven schools (five ES, two MS)

• Today serves 16,653 students in 18 schools (pre-school, ten ES, three MS, Mid-High for grades 8 and 9, comprehensive HS, alternative HS, and Cyber Academy

• Now NM’s third largest district

RRPS Student Enrollment

13,6

11 14,8

15

15,6

53

12,5

42

11,7

76

11,1

38

10,5

66

10,2

19

9,93

0

9,71

9

8,92

0

6,53

6

6,22

2

5,90

5

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

10,000

11,000

12,000

13,000

14,000

15,000

16,000

Annual Percentage Growth Rate

3.4

0%

8.5

2%

8.8

5%

5.6

6%

6.5

0%

5.7

3%

5.5

1%

2.1

7%

2.9

1%

0.00%

1.00%

2.00%

3.00%

4.00%

5.00%

6.00%

7.00%

8.00%

9.00%

10.00%

1999-2000

2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08

Why Start a Cyber Academy?• Provide online delivery of high-quality, non-

remedial educational services for students who may not be well-served in other types of schools, including:

• Full-time program in a non-traditional school setting serving, for example, students who travel, students with socialization challenges, and hospital-bound/homebound students

• Distance education courses taken by students from other campus sites within our system

• Bridging the gap between home schools and public schools

• Bringing home school students back to district

Effective Distance Learning

• Social Presence• Flexibility• Interaction

– Learner/Content– Learner/Learner– Learner/Instructor– Learner/Technology

Activities

• Match Objectives–Build around learning theories–Incorporate technology–Elements of Meaningful Learning

Instructional System Design

Needs Assessment

Learner Characteristics

Environment

Outcomes

Measurement Instruments

Objective Sequence

Evaluation

Instructional Materials

Needs Assessment

• What are the issues?• What are the differences between

expected outcomes and actual outcomes?

Learner Characteristics

• Who are your students?• What impacts their learning?

–Cultural factors–Special needs

Environment

• What are the resources?• What are the conditions in the

environment that can help or hinder the educational process?

Meaningful Learning Environments

Active

Manipulative/Observant

Constructive

Articulative/Reflective

Cooperative

Collaborative/Conversational

Authentic

Complex/Contextualized

Intentional

Reflective/Regulatory

Jonassen, Howland, Moore, & Marra (2003)

Learning Outcomes

• State/District Standards and Benchmarks

• Objectives

• Marzano’s

Taxonomy

Marzano’s New Taxonomy 2001

• Three Systems and Knowledge

•Self-System•Metacognitive System•Cognitive System•Knowledge Domain

Self-System

• Beliefs about the Importance of Knowledge

• Beliefs about Efficacy• Emotions Associated with Knowledge• Initiator of learning system

Metacognitive System

• Specifies Learning Goals• Monitors Execution of Knowledge• Monitors Clarity• Monitors Accuracy

Cognitive System

• Knowledge Retrieval: Recall; Execution• Comprehension: Synthesis;

Representation• Analysis: Match; Classify: Error Analysis;

Generalize; Specify• Knowledge Utilization: Make Decisions;

Solve Problems; Inquire; Investigate

Knowledge Domain

• Information• Mental Procedures• Physical Procedures

Technology

• Which one?• How often?

• For what purpose?

• Accessibility

Objective Sequence

• Order of the objectives to produce outcome?

• Backward Planning

Measurement Instruments

• What is the outcome or product?• What measurement instrument will

you use?–Rubric–Test

Assessment of Learning

• Reflects learning goals• Formal/Informal• Formative/Summative• Monitor and Adjust• Authentic tasks• Teacher Effectiveness/Reflection

RRCA Mission Statement

Enhanced learning through effective technology

RRCA Vision StatementCreate a model school for

distance learning

Program vs. School?• Programs are extensions of an

existing school

• Programs in NM do not graduate students

• An independent school must provide all services

• An independent school permits students to take online classes full time leading to graduation

Cyber Academy students package and deliver relief supplies for flood victims in Hatch, NM

High Tech / High Touch?• Question: Is it possible to

be both “high tech” and “high touch”?

– Should the program be designed to mitigate the perceived social isolation of on-line programs?

– How could the Rio Rancho Cyber Academy enhance communication and support for both students and families?

Cyber Academy students package and deliver relief supplies for flood victims in Hatch, NM

Goals• Improve student achievement in a

distance learning environment

• Develop 21st Century skills

• Engage students through a meaningful learning environment, applying technology to demonstrate learning

• Use research to create a foundation for best practices to overcome the challenges of implementing a DL platform

Vendor SelectionDeveloped rubric based on:

– Instructional Delivery:

Interactive

Writing across the Curriculum

Standards Alignment – Program Reliability– Learning Management System– Support and Training:

Relationship– Cost/licensing – References

E2020

My Skills Tutor

School Leadership and Vendor Collaboration

• Leadership• Vision• Knowledge• Passion for teaching and

learning• Creative • Flexible• Dynamic• Public relations to promote

program and speak to issues with all stakeholders

• Take some heat• Be a change agent• Effective communicator

NM History: RRCA/E2020 Course

• ½ credit of NM history required for graduation

• Course developed by RRCA faculty member Sue Thorstensen

• Produced and edited by E2020

• Course shared with other NM school districts

E2020 Virtual ClassroomSubject Areas and

Structure70% Mastery

Vocabulary

VideoLecture

OnlineContent

JournalActivity

Explore Learning

Practice/Homework

Quiz/Cumulative

Exam

Language Arts

Mathematics

Social Studies

Science

Electives

Student MonitoringLearning Management System

• Provides information from formative assessments: homework/practice , journals, quizzes, lab assessments and unit tests, time on task.

• Weekly review of all students’ progress in a collaborative setting.

• Communicate at least once a week with each student.

• Teach parents how to monitor student progress online

• Alert parents of inadequate progress and interventions

Quality Assurance• Insuring that the courses

were aligned to the New Mexico Standards and Benchmarks/E2020 on NM Adoption list as Core Basal

• Insuring that the courses meet the rigorous expectations of our district

• Insuring that the courses were equivalent to those offered in a traditional classroom setting

• Insuring that the pedagogy of the courses was sound and intellectually stimulating for students

New Mexico Science Content Standards, Benchmarks,and Performance StandardsApproved 2003New Mexico State Department of Education

“Getting The Right People on the Bus”

• Teaching in a cyber school environment is not for everyone (even some very qualified teachers!)

• Needed to better define program and student populations we should serve (instead of being all things to all people)

--Jim Collins, “Good to Great”

About the Rio Rancho Cyber Academy

• Students enrolled:– 145-160 full time in grades

7-12– 96blended (part-time --

enrolled in other schools and taking one or more courses at Cyber Academy)

• Founded: Fall 2005

• Graduated first 12 students in Spring 2007

Principal: Elaine Manicke

How We Operate• Students come into lab

two days a week for mentoring, tutoring and group workshops

• Students work at home the rest of the time

• Students can come into the lab anytime for additional help

• E2020 software helps teachers monitor students’ time on task and progress

RRCA PLC Expectations

Professional Learning Community

Collaborative

Coordinated

Data informed

Standards-Driven

Focus on instruction, equity and results

Expand teacher knowledge

Ongoing professional development

Encourage innovation and excellence

• Four regular ed teachers who have dual certification– One special ed teacher– Program manager/teaqcher – Support staff (secretary,

registrar, part-time nurse, custodian)

• Highly qualified (one Ph.D., nine Masters degrees, five with licensure as “master teachers”)

• And . . . cyber teachers need more than great educational qualifications

Our Staff

• Mentor• Motivate• Monitor• Use technology

effectively• Be creative, flexible,

high tolerance for change, and the love of ambiguity

Cyber Academy Teaching

Who Are Our Students?• Grades 7-12

• High-performing students who want to be challenged

• Variety of needs

– Prefer a smaller/more flexible school

– May have obligations outside of school

– Returning from hospitalization and transitioning back into school

– Bored in a regular school setting and want to accelerate their learning

– Credit recovery: currently for our full-time students

More Than Just Online Classes • Student activities

– Collected/delivered supplies for flood relief– “Senior Moments”

• Teaching seniors how to program cell phones• Homecoming Dance at senior center• Homecoming float (Won first for theme award!)

– Students can earn ½ credit for community service

• Parent involvement: – Active parent council – Parents trained to monitor student progress online – At least two parent-teacher conferences annually

How do we know it works?

Rio Rancho Cyber

AcademyReading Math

Science**New test

Subgroup

RRCA% testing

proficient or above

Statewide % testing proficient or above

Rank

RRCA% testing

proficient or above

Statewide % testing proficient or above

Rank

RRCA% testing

proficient or above

Statewide % testing proficient or above

Rank

All students 64.9% 50.3% 27 of 186 37.5% 34.5%

Tied 43rd of

186

43.8% 43.2% 46th of 171

Economically disadvantaged 77.8% 41.8% 1 47.4% 26.0% 12 56.3% 35.2% Tied

5th

Hispanic 68.0% 43.9% 3 36.0% 27.6% 34 50.0% 35.8% Tied 9th

NM Standards-Based Assessment (grades 7, 8, 9, 11)Selected subgroups ranked against NM high schools

How do we know it works?

NM High School Competency Exam (first administered in grade 10)

• 31 sophomores took the test

• 28 passed all six sections of the test on the first try (90%, compared to 67% the previous year)

RRCA Grades Issued

First Semester 2007-08

(% earning A’s and B’s)• 7th grade: 95%• 8th grade: 73%• 9th grade: 68%• 10th grade: 76%• 11th grade: 58%• 12th grade: 78%

50 students currently on waiting list!

Continuous Improvement: Big Plans for Next Year

• Workshop approach:– Project based – Web conferencing– RTI– Writing workshops– E portfolio

• Note-taking, study skills, time management, and 21st Century Skills

• Interactive projects to demonstrate learning and to apply and utilize technology

Going the DistanceRio Rancho Cyber Academy

For further information:

Rio Rancho Cyber Academy

1330 Jackie Road SERio Rancho, NM 87124(505) 892-7222

www.rrps.net/CyberAcademy/index.htm

Elaine Manicke: emanicke@rca.rrps.k12.nm.us