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Case Study: Haines High School Independent Learning Center; Meeting Individual Student Need via Online Learning Nevada Benton Special Programs Teacher

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Whats My Story Interned at CSU, Chico Taught 14 years of experiential education English at Pueblo Community College Fourth Grade in Metlakatla Haines High School

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Independent Learning Center History Independent courses Staff created & online Consolidate Creation Striving to offer more courses, the I.L.C. was created offering a full-inclusion environment to meet students graduation needs extending from dual college/HS credit to retrieval/RTI courses. In this presentation: Learn how the program is set up, its strengths, weaknesses, cost, course offerings and tips on setting one up of your own.

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Set Up Why create an ILC? Equipment Staffing Criteria for enrollment Grading Communications District emails Surveys Google forms Edmodo

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Creation of the ILC Offer more courses Differentiate instruction to meet student need Consolidate independent study activities

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Equipment Needed Computers Room Online programing

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Staffing: ILC Teachers & Monitors Para-educators provide tech support, tutoring, classroom management Teacher of record is Highly Qualified and is either a person on our staff or a person from an online provider

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Criteria for Enrollment Dual Credit All pre-requisite courses completed Not offered through AKLN or by the attending school First come basis, completion of application and decision by a committee comprised of teacher/counselor/administration Student will be required to pay the total amount of the course. At course completion, student will be reimbursed that amount

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Criteria for Enrollment Advanced Placement All pre-requisites met Completion of application Decision by content specialist/counselor/administration

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Criteria for Enrollment Credit Retrieval Not offered in course schedule or scheduling conflict Not offered by AKLN Decision by teacher/counselor/administration *if the class will be offered in future semester or in following year students that are in the junior class and below may not be allowed to enroll. Students in grade 12 will be given priority to complete graduation requirements

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Criteria for Enrollment Intervention Courses Not offered in current course schedule Recommendation of teacher

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Grading Two PowerTeacher accounts Regular classes Streamline independent studies into one account Participation & Course Grades Weighted

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Attendance / Work Ethic Rubrics RULES:Student follows school and class codes of conduct. MATERIALS:Student is prepared with all materials including a planner complete with tests and assignments due. REQUESTS:Student respectfully complies with requests. WORK:Student tries their best (works continuously throughout class period). QUIET:Student works quietly throughout class period.

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Classroom Expectations Haines Borough School Districts code of conduct reflects common expectations of any work place or college classroom. The Independent Learning Center is designed to be a quiet study space similar to a tutoring room that may be found at a university.

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CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS Entering Class Lecture/ Presentation Work TimeElectronicsLeaving Class Respectful of Others Calmly enter. Be seated before the bell rings. Hands off other peoples property. Listen attentively. Wait for your turn. Have a positive attitude. Work quietly. Do your share in group projects. Be cooperative. Off until allowed. Stay in your seat. Responsible Have books and material out and ready to go. Take notes. Meet deadlines. Focus on learning. Follow directions. Get help when needed. Do your own work. On task usage. Return supplies. Safe Walk Be thoughtful, polite, and considerate of others. Mind your own work. Model digital citizenship. Leave calmly when dismissed. Respectful of Property Leave desks and chairs in place. Feet on the floor. Write only on what belongs to you. Keep area clean. Be careful with all electronics. Clean up and push chairs in. Prepared Bring all materials. Remain in your seat. Use time wisely. Have computer charged. Know expectations for next class.

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Expectations Accountability Edmodo PowerPoint & Quiz Participation points

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As long as they are not a distraction to the learning environment they are fine. Not in the lunch room or during the flag salute please. HATS

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Edmodo

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Tips on Set Up Look at what you already have and start there Equipment Tech savvy staff Match staff talent with student need Choose appropriate course placements Start small Do what you can with what you have, and grow the program from there.

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Set Up: Action Area of NeedWhat your district already has What your district needs Space / Room Staff Equipment /Computers Online Coursework Brainstorm ideas for how to initially set up an ILC for your district or how to improve upon what you already have in place.

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Cost Staffing Computers Curriculum Tuition

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Staffing Costs ILC Para General Education Para approved by the board Entry level yearly wage: $23,101 With benefits: $40,000 Highly Qualified Teacher SPED Regular Ed Online provider

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Computers Technology, SPED, General Budget 6 computers $6,000 Individual lap top program Students personal computers

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SPED Funding The percentage of students served in SPED determines some of the funding of the ILC VIB Grant

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Good Value Courses Staff created independent courses No additional cost to district Career Ready / Key Train coursework No additional cost to district AKLN Teachers on our staff create & teach courses and earn seats for our district $150 250 per course Aventa Credit recovery courses: block of 10 for $2,000 Regular and AP courses $319

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Costs: Action Identify what your school already has Identify what would be needed next to expand or better the program Rank these items from most to least important and then again from most to least expensive. This will assist in prioritizing on either what to ask for first or if you are an admin, what is the best way to spend the funds available to you. Brainstorm what you already have. List needs. Think about funding sources.

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Strengths Demographics: Number and diversity of students served Appeals to students Student survey results Skills for the worldwide job market Multiple Course Offerings & Minimal Costs

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FALL 2012 Demographics Total number of students enrolled33 Number of different courses offered this semester 19 Number of students taking college preparation courses 12

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FALL 2012 Demographics Number of students served who receive services in Special Education 7 Number of students undertaking credit retrieval *Students who have failed a class or transferred into district with inadequate credits 4 Students mentioned in child study teams as having behavior which affects his/her ability to succeed 8

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Current Demographics SPRING 2013 Total number of students who planned on ILC enrollment 26 Total number of classes requested38 Total number of students enrolled35 Total number of classes enrolled in25

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Student Survey Results Fall 2012 33% of the students chose to take their class in the ILC 50% of the students were required to take their class in the ILC but would have chosen it anyway 17% of the students were required to take an ILC class and would not have chosen to otherwise

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Student Survey Results 69% of the students replied that they were happy with their overall ILC experience 26% were neither happy nor unhappy with their overall ILC experience 5% unhappy

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Student Survey Results 71% of the students would recommend the class that they enrolled in 7% would not 41% of the students enjoyed working in the ILC because the work could be completed at their own pace 29% because they found the course interesting 7% stated their course was too hard 10% stated that their course was too easy

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Tech Problems, Stuck on Content : What then? Ask the ILC Monitor or Highly Qualified Teacher 80% of the ILC students replied that the tech issues they had were resolved quickly. 17% didnt have any tech problems 3% indicated that they had a tech problem which was not quickly resolved 84% of the ILC students replied that the content questions they had were answered promptly. 12% stated they didnt have content questions 4% indicated that they had content questions which were not answered promptly

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Learning Modality Survey Identify how students learn best Provide specific study strategies which use their strengths

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Gardners Eight Intelligences Survey Results

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Tips on Creating a Strong Program Keep it a full inclusion environment Get frequent student and staff input Ensure that the online programing is appropriate & reaches different types of learners

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Strengths: Action Student / District Needs How could an Independent Learning Center meet these needs? Brainstorm some of the problems your district has in terms of meeting student need. List ways in which an ILC could help meet the student need.

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Course Offerings Online Providers Career Ready Alaska Learning Network Aventa K12 Learning More course offerings Governors Scholarship Differentiated instruction Full inclusion environment Consolidating staff effort / minimize over extension

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Current Online Providers University of Nebraska BYU Career Ready Key Train Teacher Designed Individualized Courses AKLN / e2020 Money Skill Stanford Gifted & Talented courses Aventa / K12

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Alaska Learning Network http://www.aklearn.net/ Teachers on our staff create & teach courses and earn seats for our district Alaskas Learning Network (AKLN) improves student achievement through online learning and professional development opportunities by providing: Distance courses for students that are taught and supported by highly qualified Alaska teachers Distance courses Professional development coaching including on-site and off site support and training. Professional development Resources for Alaskan educators Resources Coalition of all 54 Alaska School Districts managed by the AKLN Advisory Board

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Career Ready http://education.alaska.gov/EL earning/ http://education.alaska.gov/EL earning/ You can find a training on this free curriculum at the link above. Reading, Writing and Math Remediation Life Skills Courses

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Aventa http://aventalearning.com/ Credit Recovery Courses Alg I, II, Geometry Engl. I, II, III, IV Spanish, Health, PE Physical Science, Earth Science, Biology Regular and AP Course List Extensive

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Tips on Course Offerings Appropriately place students Assist them with learning how to operate in online learning Schedule Demo it before you buy it Training

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Course Offerings: Action Online Programing in Place What courses or online programs would you like to see used? Think of what courses you would like to see offered at your school. Make a list of online course providers to investigate.

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Weaknesses Online learning isnt for everyone Detail HBSD ILC shortcomings and plans for improvement

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Action List: Goal to meet individual student needs ProblemPlanned Solution Course too hard/ too easy Provide a wider selection of course offerings and spend extra time correctly placing students in courses Low Linguistic Intelligence Results Provide course offerings which allow students to show what they know using talents from a wide variety modalities Keeping Costs Reasonable Use AKLN slots first Free material when appropriate Benton teach an AKLN course = more free student slots Purchase courses with good value

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Action List: Goal to meet individual student needs ProblemPlanned Solution Adjustment to Online Learning Require Computer I as pre-requisite Handed out study strategies aligned to students own preferred learning styles Require students to plan out what they will do each week accounting for travel & other planned absences / course start dates Interesting Course Work Switch some of the courses offered to a more engaging and rich offering

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Tips on Minimizing Weaknesses Do staff and student surveys Continually identify & take action to solve problems

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Weaknesses: Action ProblemPlanned Solution For districts with an Independent Learning Center in place, gather information that will result the creation of a more fine tuned learning experience for your students. For those of you just starting out, remember that it is an ongoing reflective process.

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LOOK FORWARD TO IMPROVING UPON OR CREATING YOUR OWN ILC, OFFERING EVEN MORE COURSES TO YOUR STUDENTS Thank you. Questions?

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Contribute Your Opinion: Special Education Burn-Out Prevention Survey Additional resources & the survey link: nevadabenton.com nevadabenton.com Email me: nbenton@hbsd.net Take the survey to help pinpoint some of the burn out factors specific to Alaskan Special Education Teachers and, most importantly, collect great ideas which are already in place in some of our districts. The focus of the survey is to collect problem solving ideas to recruit and retain the best and the brightest teachers in SPED. The results will be posted on my blog by March 1, 2013. http://transitions.nevadabenton.c om/ http://transitions.nevadabenton.c om/

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References Northey, S., & Waterman, S. N. (2005). Handbook on differentiated instruction for middle and high schools. Eye on Education.