home

=
 Distance learning is not a recent conception. People have long sought the ability to learn at their convenience. One hundred and twenty years ago, the University of Wisconsin offered agricultural courses to farmers via the mail. Universities in England offered courses through the television in the 1950’s (Silverman). Online advanced placement classes for high school students began appearing in the late 1990’s, and the convenience and diverse opportunities of online learning suggest a bright future in the United States. Virtual schooling will not be accepted without confrontation, however. Advocates for online learning programs face legal, technical, funding, and philosophical obstruction (Silverman). **Despite these theoretical and logistical challenges, online education offers flexible opportunities for all learners.** =====

=
 First, the hurdles to virtual learning must be acknowledged. Many states have legal “seat time” requirements that link credit to actual time in the classroom. Furthermore, online learning leads to problems with state per-pupil funding formulas (Silverman). A student of one district who takes online courses through another district complicates funding methods. Advocates for online learning encounter “traditional measures” (Silverman) such as these that impede progress. Of course the funding of virtual high schools themselves, and the associated technology, is an enormous challenge. Establishing and maintaining technology necessary for online learning is another obstacle, especially in poor districts. Perhaps the greatest barrier to the success and widespread implementation of virtual learning, though, is the trepidation and mistrust felt by teachers, unions, and policy-makers. Jamie Horowitz, a spokesman for the American Federation of Teachers says that a critical part of learning “is interacting with other students in real-world, real-time scenarios" (Silverman). Online learning will not suit every student, and those with motivation and written communication challenges will struggle. The National Education Association published findings showing that “a lack of interaction with both faculty and other students can decrease motivation and responsibility” (“The Promise”) in distance learning environments. Indeed, The Chronicle for Higher Education published a study showing that “only half of the online students used all materials available” and most students “spent zero to three hours a week” (“The Promise”) studying or preparing for class. Finally, there are also questions about the lack of rigor and quality found in some online classes. Educators must certify “that any virtual class material meets that state's curriculum guidelines” (Silverman). Clearly then, the impediments to online learning are significant and many. Nonetheless, the majority of students stand to gain from the inclusion of virtual learning opportunities in their educational program. =====

=
 Indeed, it would be impractical to ignore the convenience and availability of diverse virtual learning opportunities. Interest in virtual learning is gaining traction in even the most elite of schools such as eCornell, Duke University, and the London School of Economics (Neal). Proponents of online learning argue that their programs bring unique offerings to school systems that would not otherwise have access to them. For example, Missouri State University now offers math and science programs to nearly 150 rural high school students, who would otherwise not have the credits needed to gain admittance (Silverman). Florida’s online schools, launched in 1996 with 50 students and three courses, now serve 6,000 students in 60 courses with a budget of $6.2 million (Silverman). Home-schooled students, in increasing numbers, also benefit from the availability of educational opportunities online. In answer to the criticism that virtual learning negatively impacts students’ social development, proponents argue that most students’ social networks exists beyond school, either through extra-curricular activities, church and family traditions, and sports and hobbies. Furthermore, Virtual High School, a nationally accredited non-profit corporation that offers online education and professional development, argues that its students “feel more comfortable expressing themselves in online VHS class discussions where disability, social status, racial and even gender differences are not as evident” (“Why Virtual”) as they would be in traditional classes. It is obvious that online learning opportunities will change the look of public education in the years to come. =====

=
 Today’s classroom is far different than the classroom of our past. Students are no longer confined to the walls of their classroom. Teachers are no longer confined to their local content area networks for knowledge. With one simple tool, and teachers trained with a balance of pedagogical, technological and content knowledge, learning potential seems higher than it has ever been before. This tool is requiring many teachers to refocus. When teachers refocus their roles, responsibilities, and opportunities they acquire new knowledge and skills. These skills give teachers an enriched opportunity to discuss, reflect upon, try out, and hone enhanced instructional practices. (1) So what is this tool and how does it work? =====

=
 Schools all over the United States have said farewell to textbooks and backpacks; they've gone completely electronic, using modern devices such as laptops, netbooks, or e-books instead. With these devices, teachers have the ability to communicate and collaborate with other professionals from various ends of the world. The number of tools and resources available for teachers to collaborate and communicate with these devices is increasing almost exponentially! Software such as Blackboard and Moodle were predominantly used in the college setting. These software tools enhance the way students and professors communicate and collaborate. College courses began to be offered online instead of the traditional on campus. The online communication and collaboration tools are growing and enhancing so fast it is hard to keep up with them. For example, just when you thought Blackboard and Moodle were going to be courseware platforms of online classrooms, teachers tend to now be moving to other platforms such as Wikispaces and Ning which resemble the interaction found in social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace. =====

=
 This brings me to the term Web 2.0. “The term Web 2.0 is commonly associated with web applications that facilitate interactive information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design, and collaboration on the World Wide Web.” (2) These tools allow students, teachers, and individuals with similar interests all over the world to connect. This connection adds a greater depth of diversity of ideas, experience, and perspective because the mode for this information exchange is global and virtually instantaneous. Another great tool allowing classrooms to connect to classrooms is video conferencing hardware. Tandberg is one of the leading companies in the world for video communications. Maranacook Community School just received a grant for the purchase of 6 mobile video conferencing units. These units can be wheeled into a classroom and can be connected and controlled remotely with the proper credentials. The software and hardware tools present in today’s classroom provide potential for learning. If tools, such as the ones mentioned above, are used by teachers that have a proper balance of pedagogical, technological, and content knowledge, student learning is at peak potential. =====

 **What Works, and What Doesn't**  Accessibility and accountability continue to shape communication and collaboration online. Some schools have the financial means to provide this tool to their students and some schools do not. So as it currently stands as a high school student, your access to this tool largely depends on which city or town you live in. This discrepancy is an injustice to our future. Having discussed earlier that technology is a tool, this tool is only as useful as the individual responsible for it. Administrators and educators need to teach accountability and responsibility for this tool. Simply having the tool is not enough. Without proper integration, students potential learning is at bare minimum. Teachers who continue to think technology is a trend doesn’t work. Teachers that do not see the benefit of technology in their classroom doesn’t work. Technology has and is changing society and we need to adapt. Teachers won't be replaced by technology, but teachers who don't use technology will be replaced by teachers who do.

With the use of technology in schools and classrooms on the rise, there is no doubt that students, teachers and administrators will need to considered some of the ways that technology will change how we teach and learn. In 1996, the US Department of Education reported that, “Networked schools…are a very new phenomena. In 1996 only 9% of schools in the United States were connected to the Internet, and of those schools that were connected, only a handful offered more than minimal access (Wasser, 1). While “digital educational technology (has) been entering the scene gradually,” schools are rethinking what it means to teach using technology. Students are adapting to the new ways in which they are being asked, and offered, to learn (Wasser, 1).
 * Technology on the Rise**

One of the biggest shifts in thinking about what and how we teach and learn, focuses around the development and accessibility of the Internet. The content of this class, blogging and using Wikis, is just a small part of how using the Internet in the classroom can transform the way that education looks. The Internet is the connection between teachers and learners that is often missing when we think about school; “With the Internet...students have access to a richer set of resources than ever before” (Feldman, 45). This availability of the Internet allows teachers to ask “questions [that] are broader in scope, deeper, and more reflective. This change [occurs] because of evolving skill(s) in using the numerous resources available to the students (Feldman, 45).

Students are not the only ones benefitting from the increases used and availability of technology. Today, “58% of all U.S. schools reported that 90% of their teachers use a computer every day for teaching or planning” (Hollands, 5). Teachers are able to share resources more easily than before. In this way, how we teach and what we teach is constantly changing as educators develop new and better ways to teach content to their students. While “Few schools as a whole have embraced technology and used it to transform the content and mode of instruction,” technology is ever-changing the way that we think about teaching and learning today (Wasser, 1-2).

There are, of course, certain changes that could occur in schools in order to help teachers and administrators to more effectively use technology in teaching and as a tool for transforming instruction – among these, the most significant being availability of technology, professional development, and changes in policy around technology.
 * Shifts in School Policy**

First, technology must be available to teachers and students, reliably. Historically, it has been that perhaps only the most ambitious teachers have ventured in the world of technology and brought it back to their classrooms. Today, however, all teachers need to be venturing out in to the world of technology because, “Changing the expectations of teachers and students require(s) changing certain assumptions about technology…Rather than technology being employed by a few ‘gung-ho’ teachers and students, school and district administrators now view it as integral to teaching and learning in all grades and subjects” (Feldman 1, 46). In order for this change to happen, technology must be readily available to teachers and students, and it must be reliable. This means investing in technology as a school district. Without proper support, hesitancy to use technology will only be validated.

Second, if teachers are to use technology to transform teaching in their classrooms, they must feel confident in doing so. This means adequate training. Teachers must be offered and encouraged to partake in professional development around the use of technology in developing and implementing instruction in the classroom. Alan Feldmen, et al suggest that learning together is the best way for professionals to explore technology. They have seen a connection between “professional learning community of highly motivated teachers committed to linking technology and improved teaching and learning practices” (Feldman, 47). Essentially, the teachers that learn together, can explore together, and feel more confident in branching out to explore additional pieces of technology. The sense of camaraderie in technological exploration has great benefits. However, to best encourage this exploration, policy will also need to change to enforce this development.

As technology becomes an embedded part of our culture, it becomes more and more critical that teachers work with their students to develop skills and habits that will serve them in this technological age. To ensure that our students are being served in these ways, schools may consider “…updating the district’s curriculum and student learning goals to reflect technology’s new role” (Feldman 1, 46). Additionally, to encourage all educators to implement technology in their instruction, some schools have “…updated teacher evaluation and student assessment procedures that would give clear recognition to the importance of technology integration in all subjects” (Feldman 1, 46). While some such changes may be drastic for some schools, ensuring that teachers can keep a finger on the pulse of technology is critical to serving their students.

There are ways to ensure that teachers feel confident using technology in their classroom, but they are dependent on support from administration, stakeholders and policymakers. Teacher training, for example, requires money and outside resources. Nonetheless, “states should develop a range of incentives to encourage teacher participation… providing release time from classes, recertification credits, and additional resources (Hollands, 13). This type of support requires policymakers to see technology as a priority in school systems. Additionally, policymakers need to consider the availability of resources in the classrooms. Without proper funding and investment, the changes that need to take place in our classrooms, cannot.

Furthermore, potential changes in educational policy around the use of technology will likely lead to a shift in best practices, however, these best practices are still largely in development, because technology in the classroom is still an emerging concept. There is a balance between urgency and effectiveness when it comes to the formation of best practices. In order to offer students exposure to cutting edge technology, “teaching practices need to change to take advantage of rapidly emerging technologies” (Feldman, 43). However, “The addition of the technology [does] not [drive] these changes in teaching and learning but rather [it will] [support] them” (Feldman, 45). In other words, what is done with technology needs to be meaningful to the content being taught; it needs to enhance what teachers already do. Best practice will require individuals to consider ways to, “embed[ed] professional development – focusing on the teachers’ own curriculum through coaching, co-planning, and co-teaching” (Feldman, 45). Through a network of small learning communities, various professional development opportunities, and support from a technology integrationist, these individuals might seek ways to create “consistent introduction and use of technology from grade to grade…[where] Students…expect to use and enhance the software skills they developed each year” (Feldman, 46).

As best practices in technology begin to emerge, a reoccurring theme rears its head: we need find a way to include technology in our classrooms, and we need to explore the ways in which we can teach students to use technology effectively and responsibly. In The Virtual Geography of Networked Schools, Judith Davidson Wasser, et al states: “//As new technologies came in to school, we accommodated: to understanding software, to learning about email, and to beginning to use the web. Now we have to assimilate those possibilities into a wider framework of educational purposes and practices – shifting our thinking so that we no longer see various technologies and their functions as separate items, but rather as part of a larger networked whole (a cohesive virtual geography) that has complimentary parts//” (3-4).
 * Best Practices Emerge**

The practice of including technology in our teaching and learning is one that we have only begun to try to define. Policymakers are attempting to determine how much money to spend on technology and what form it should take. Administrators are seeking opportunities to offer professional develop to staff members. Teachers are seeking ways to use technology in meaningful ways to support content, and students are looking to understand the role that technology plays in their futures. The ultimate goal at hand is to “infuse technology throughout…schools so that learning with technology becomes a deeply accepted part of daily school life for all member of the school community” (Hollands 6). Once we have a better of understanding of how to do this, best practices will begin to define themselves.