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!