Online Learning

Michigan and Online Learning

• Michigan became the first state in the nation in 2006 to require that all students (beginning with the graduating class of 2011) take an online course or have an online learning experience in order to graduate from high school.
• The Michigan Merit Curiculum Guidelines define the experience as a “structured learning activity that utilizes technology with intranet/internet-based tools and resources as the delivery method for instruction, research, assessment, and communication.”
• Further clarification is provided by an Online Experience Guideline Companion Document (December 2006) and through an Update to Michigan Merit Curriculum High School Graduation Requirements (September 2007).
• See Michigan Online Learning Report (January 2008), Michigan Ranks Second in U.S. for Online Learning (November 2008) and revised Michigan Education Technology Standards(METS, October 2009).
• The Michigan Learns Online portal offers courses, professional development and other resources. See sections on Blended Learning and Free Online Learning Material.

Online Learning Support

• ALA/AASL Best Websites for Teaching and Learning with VoiceThread preview.
• Blackboard Exemplary Course Program (links to award winning sites and rubric to assess online courses)
• Blackboard K12 Resources including user tips
• Blended Learning in K-12 (Wikibook created by Norma Scagnoli at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign)
• Digital Learning Day (Teacher and Librarian resource toolkits)
• International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) provides National Standards for Quality Online Teaching.
• Insidious pedagogy: How course management systems affect teaching by Lisa M. Lane. First Monday, v. 14, n.10 - 5 October 2009.
• Keeping Pace with K-12 Online Learning: Annual Review of State Level Policy and Practice (2011 Report)
• MVU Online Learning Symposium and Michigan Online Learning Report.
• Networked Learners (2009 keynote at MVU Symposium by Lee Rainie, Director of the Pew Internet & American Life Project)
• Virtual High School Blackboard demo courses with guest login. See also Day in the Life scenarios of an online course experience.
• Virtual High School Meanderings (Blog of Dr. Michael Barbour focusing on K-12 distance education)

Michigan Association for Media in Education (MAME) members share examples of online library media courses

• Digital Seminar course proposal at Grosse Pointe North HS
• iLearn course and Capstone Projects from Dearborn Public Schools (login instructions)
• Information Literacy course at Lakeview HS and fall 2009 syllabus
• LMC Assistants Moodle course at Berkley HS (login as guest)