Post on 20-Jan-2016
Preparing for the Virtual Lab School
David W. Andrews, Ph.D.Ohio State University
Why Lab Schools?
• Live observation• Hands-0n training• Pilot innovative practice• Conduct research• Demonstrate skills
Lab Schools in History
• Origins in the mid 1920s• WWII & The Kaiser Experiment• Half-day to full-day programs• Restructured Home Economics
Critical Focus Areas
• Safety and hygiene• Standards• Differentiated instruction• Program management• Child guidance• Curriculum development• Professional development• Inclusion
Contemporary Issues in Lab Schools
• Rapidly changing knowledge• Availability of new knowledge• The push for evidence-based practice• Changing assessment expectations• The “spectrum syndrome”• Response to intervention (RTI)
Why DoD Lab Schools?
• Unique training needs Staff turnover patterns Military family focus• Piloting Innovation• Enormous scale• Customization• Rapid response• Enhanced image• Efficient expertise
Patrick Air Force Base
Site-based Lab Schools
Program RequirementsHighly Qaulified StaffWilling ParentsSupportive
Administration
Space RequirementsObservation CapacityTraining RoomsSlightly Larger
ClassroomsDistance Technology
A Peek at the Virtual Lab School
Catalogs and qualify existing learning objects
Creates new learning objects
Establishes online communities of practice for professional development
Mobilizes land-grant univeristy expertise for professional development
Provides the online training platform for pre-service and in-service professional development
Lab Schools of The Future
• Enhanced access (handhelds)
• Providers• Parents
• Credible sources• Virtual databases• Simulated interactions• Networking for scale• Qualified staff source
DoD Can Lead the Way!