Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of joining my fellow California K12 High Speed Network Advisory Committee members down at the Capitol for a meeting with our State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson. Our purpose was to talk about ways to promote new learning environments in California.
Ironically, California, the home of Silicon Valley, is hardly a leader in implementing eLearning opportunities in its public schools (yikes, we’re ranked 47th in the nation on technology integration in our classrooms) – until now. The framework, the initiatives, and momentum needed to transform the “No Child Left Off Line” mantra from a vision to a reality are now available:
- California eLearning Framework – The California County Superintendents Educational Services Association (CCSESA) and the Evergreen Education Group have developed and posted this guide to help school districts and schools plan (build, buy, license, or remix?) and implement online and blended learning opportunities for students.
- The California Student Bill of Rights Act– The Riverside Unified School District is leading the charge in California’s “no child left off line” movement, with a commitment to eliminating zip code as a determining factor in the quality of education all California students have access to. The proposed law stems from the vision of two Riverside Unified School District administrators: Superintendent Rick Miller (who also serves on the K12 HSN Advisory Committee) and David Haglund, principal of Riverside Virtual School, the largest district-run online school in the state.
I applaud Riverside USD in their efforts to address what Superintentent Torlakson refers to as “the ground swell of public impatience with the lack of online learning opportunities.” I also very much appreciate having access to their district technology plan: Vision 20/20 Plan, a document (and road map) many districts will find insightful as they update their own tech plans.
- What If the Story Changed? – David Jakes’ recent presentation for the 2011 K12 Online Conference is a wonderful piece “to challenge your thinking about traditional perspectives on education, and offer insights on how we might rethink these.” 32 very worthwhile minutes, I promise!
- Online Education: Is it right for you? How about an infographic to illustrate a few online learning facts and figures:
One of my personal goals for the New Year is to join a cohort of Sacramento colleagues for CTAP3’s Online Learning Teacher Certification Course via Leading Edge. Probably can’t commit to the program till this summer, but I’m already looking forward to being a part of California’s 4 A’s (Any time, Any place, Any path, Any pace) movement .
