NCVPS Evaluation

Kevin Oliver, Assistant Professor of Instructional Technology

NC State University

Overview

• Friday Institute has received annual contracts from DPI to assist with the evaluation of the North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS)

• recurring surveys of stakeholder groups (i.e., students, teachers, distance learning advisors, and high school principals)

• also, focused studies of NCVPS pilot initiatives:– efforts to design and develop course modules for

elementary-middle school

– student success courses to transition 8th graders

Focus of Recommendations

• while some recommendations from the evaluation are tied to NCVPS-directed activities (i.e., improving course content, offering new professional development), many recommendations are tied to activities needed at the district and school level:– promoting NCVPS, setting e-learning goals,

ensuring appropriate technology is available, screening and orienting students, ensuring security without barriers to innovation, etc.

NCVPS Work with Pilot Districts

• since the success of virtual schooling is largely dependent on the leadership and support of districts and schools, NCVPS has a program in place to prepare pilot districts to successfully implement virtual schooling

• currently working with its second wave of pilot districts (Jan 09-Dec 09); first wave of pilot districts complete (Jan 08-Dec 08)

Pilot Districts to Date

Jan 08 - Dec 08 Jan 09 - Dec 09

Catawba CountyCumberland CountyDuplin CountyIredell-Statesville CountyLincoln CountyOnslow CountyPender CountyVance County Wake CountyWatauga County

Alamance-Burlington CountyColumbus CountyEdgecombe CountyFranklin CountyGuilford-CountyMitchell CountyMontgomery CountyScotland County

Overview: Five Purposes for Pilots

• leverage strategic district and school teams for strategic planning

• plan student support services• plan registration and enrollment strategies• plan promotion and marketing strategies• leverage statewide e-professional learning

communities (eLC) for building e-learning best practices

Pilot Activity: Teaming

• districts create strategic teams for planning, including superintendents, principals, technology directors, and a designated distance learning advisor for the district

• schools create strategic teams for planning, including principals, counselors, computer lab facilitators, media coordinators, testing coordinators, and a designated distance learning advisor for the school

Pilot Activity: Strategic Planning

• districts and schools create strategic plans embedded in improvement plans

• define instructional needs and barriers• set e-learning goals• define plans for marketing NCVPS/LEO• define strategies for student support• define technology solutions

Pilot Activity: Marketing, Enrollment

• plan strategies to ensure students and parents are aware of NCVPS opportunities: virtual open houses, student orientations, Web sites, phone messages

• link Web sites to NCVPS• set enrollment targets

by mutual definition with NCVPSfor credit recovery, Learn andEarn Online (LEO), AP/Honors

Pilot Activity: Resourcing

• helping districts and schools plan their budgets to accommodate textbooks, materials, and technology (labs/laptops) students will need in order to access NCVPS courses

• helping schools plan to ensure students with individualized education plans (IEPs) have the software or technology needed to access NCVPS courses

Pilot Activity: Infrastructure

• meeting network requirements• ensuring security, while

minimizing problems createdby firewalls in terms of blockingcourse material

Pilot Activity: Coordinating

• school-level distance learning advisors advisors (DLAs) and counselors screening students for academic qualifications

• school-level DLAs scheduling students for courses, providing for orientation to tools

• DLAs and counselors learning to support student needs, regularly checking progress

• coordinating AP exams

NCVPS Support for Pilot Activities

• provide leadership training around strategic planning through Blackboard course

• provide DLA training in supporting students through Blackboard course

• provide pilot districts with 3-4 person regional response team to facilitate the development of a student support model

NCVPS Support for Pilot Activities

• use of synchronous collaboration tools such as Wimba and Pronto for bi-monthly e-learning collaboration– sharing what works and what

doesn't work– progress reporting– book studies– Web 2.0 modeling

Your Turn: Other Barriers

• in your break out groups, take a few minutes to discuss the pilot work shared here

• which of the pilot activities are most critical to support virtual schooling at the district and school levels?

• have you experienced or heard of other barriers to virtual schooling that a pilot initiative might help to offset?

Resources

• see session wiki for the following resources:• presentation on NCVPS pilot initiative

http://tinyurl.com/mdgo3c• copy of the memorandum of agreement

between pilots and NCVPS, defining roles• pilot application information from fall '08 and

contact information for Don Lourcey, Pilot Initiative Director