Thursday, March 5, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESULTS THE KEY COMPONENT OF ONLINE EDUCATION
Recently, Florida State Sen. Stephen Wise indicated he plans, during the legislature’s special session, to push for more schools to use Florida’s virtual education programs. Wise believes that online education is “the wave of the future” and can save schools money.
A new survey of public school administrators shows that online learning is increasingly common. More than 1 million U.S. students took online courses during the 2007-2008 school year, a nearly 50 percent jump in 2 years, according to the recent study. And several states now require at least one online course during a student’s high school career.
It’s a fantastic innovation of the 21st century that online education is now available to a great number of middle and high school students. At one time, it was thought that only graduate students could demonstrate the motivation and organizational skills to succeed in an online education. Then the late 1990s presented an explosion of undergraduate online education.
And now we’re finding that many middle and high school students can thrive in an online educational environment. Educators have known for many years that students (both adult and child) learn in different ways. And the century-old format of six-classes-per-day, fifty-minutes-per-class isn’t the optimal solution for everyone.
In fact, a NCREL research report showed that students seem to perform equally well or better academically in online learning compared with traditional classroom education. And 80 percent of teens and parents believe the Internet helps teenagers to do better in school, according to a recent study. So, it’s becoming clear that online education can be an effective option.
Kids come to an online education for many different reasons: to set their own pace; because of attendance or transportation issues; because of disabilities; to avoid damaging peer pressure; because the drop-out wants to catch up; or simply because the traditional brick-and-mortar classroom isn’t always the best place to learn.
Advanced Academics classes have supported at least one child who is autistic and is now considering college; this was never an option when working in the traditional classroom. We’ve also taught students planning on medical school who want to work faster than their peers. And we’ve even had graduates who were bicycle BMX champions and professional level dancers who formerly were missing too much class time but could stay on schedule and succeed with online class work.
So, it’s thrilling to be able to present an option for kids who have struggled for whatever reason but can thrive working independently online from anywhere. Further, how extraordinary it is that this option can be presented at no cost to students and parents. And it looks as if the online education can be delivered less expensively than traditional classroom education, a boon in these budget-crunch times for public school educators.
So how do we ensure this innovation is remains a viable option for more people? It’s vital that we maintain a rigorous dedication to measuring student results and success. We need to be certain that students are indeed thriving in the online world. At Advanced Academics, we diligently study class attendance, the quality of student assignments, are students staying on track, and what their test results are. This is all good but we know we need to get better.
Educators tell us they are excited about the possibilities for online education- particularly in its ability to draw those who have dropped out back into the educational system and moving toward a high school diploma. For online education to maintain its support among educators and legislators, we need to continually increase our ability to understand and quantify student success.
By Andy Scantland
VP Marketing/Research
Advanced Academics, Inc.
A new survey of public school administrators shows that online learning is increasingly common. More than 1 million U.S. students took online courses during the 2007-2008 school year, a nearly 50 percent jump in 2 years, according to the recent study. And several states now require at least one online course during a student’s high school career.
It’s a fantastic innovation of the 21st century that online education is now available to a great number of middle and high school students. At one time, it was thought that only graduate students could demonstrate the motivation and organizational skills to succeed in an online education. Then the late 1990s presented an explosion of undergraduate online education.
And now we’re finding that many middle and high school students can thrive in an online educational environment. Educators have known for many years that students (both adult and child) learn in different ways. And the century-old format of six-classes-per-day, fifty-minutes-per-class isn’t the optimal solution for everyone.
In fact, a NCREL research report showed that students seem to perform equally well or better academically in online learning compared with traditional classroom education. And 80 percent of teens and parents believe the Internet helps teenagers to do better in school, according to a recent study. So, it’s becoming clear that online education can be an effective option.
Kids come to an online education for many different reasons: to set their own pace; because of attendance or transportation issues; because of disabilities; to avoid damaging peer pressure; because the drop-out wants to catch up; or simply because the traditional brick-and-mortar classroom isn’t always the best place to learn.
Advanced Academics classes have supported at least one child who is autistic and is now considering college; this was never an option when working in the traditional classroom. We’ve also taught students planning on medical school who want to work faster than their peers. And we’ve even had graduates who were bicycle BMX champions and professional level dancers who formerly were missing too much class time but could stay on schedule and succeed with online class work.
So, it’s thrilling to be able to present an option for kids who have struggled for whatever reason but can thrive working independently online from anywhere. Further, how extraordinary it is that this option can be presented at no cost to students and parents. And it looks as if the online education can be delivered less expensively than traditional classroom education, a boon in these budget-crunch times for public school educators.
So how do we ensure this innovation is remains a viable option for more people? It’s vital that we maintain a rigorous dedication to measuring student results and success. We need to be certain that students are indeed thriving in the online world. At Advanced Academics, we diligently study class attendance, the quality of student assignments, are students staying on track, and what their test results are. This is all good but we know we need to get better.
Educators tell us they are excited about the possibilities for online education- particularly in its ability to draw those who have dropped out back into the educational system and moving toward a high school diploma. For online education to maintain its support among educators and legislators, we need to continually increase our ability to understand and quantify student success.
By Andy Scantland
VP Marketing/Research
Advanced Academics, Inc.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
No Child Left Behind….How would you change it?
U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings recently announced new proposed regulations to the NCLB act. Speaking from Detroit, Michigan, on April 22, 2008 Secretary Spellings outlined some of the new regulations proposed to help strengthen and clarify the act authorized by President Bush in 2002. Some proposed regulations include:
Uniform methods to calculate graduation rates Currently states use their own methods, many of which are based on unreliable data and often lead to overestimates. With the new regulation, all schools will use the same formulas to calculate how many students graduate from high school and how many drop out.
Proper and timely notification to parents of their public school choice and supplemental education options The regulation will ensure states make information regarding free tutoring; its availability and efficacy, are made available to the public. Schools failing to demonstrate proper notification to parents risk the ability to spend federal funds.
States will also be required to publicize vacancies in high performing schools at least 14 days prior to the start of school. This ensures that students allowed to transfer to the higher performing school can make the switch in a timely manner.
Federal review of state policy regarding assessments There is a call to review state policies regarding the exclusion of test scores of students in racial groups that are deemed too small to be statistically significant. These policies may set aside too many students test scores.
For a complete summary of all proposed regulations to the NCLB act go to, www.ed.gov. After reviewing the proposed regulations, do you think they are enough? How you change NCLB if you could?
Uniform methods to calculate graduation rates Currently states use their own methods, many of which are based on unreliable data and often lead to overestimates. With the new regulation, all schools will use the same formulas to calculate how many students graduate from high school and how many drop out.
Proper and timely notification to parents of their public school choice and supplemental education options The regulation will ensure states make information regarding free tutoring; its availability and efficacy, are made available to the public. Schools failing to demonstrate proper notification to parents risk the ability to spend federal funds.
States will also be required to publicize vacancies in high performing schools at least 14 days prior to the start of school. This ensures that students allowed to transfer to the higher performing school can make the switch in a timely manner.
Federal review of state policy regarding assessments There is a call to review state policies regarding the exclusion of test scores of students in racial groups that are deemed too small to be statistically significant. These policies may set aside too many students test scores.
For a complete summary of all proposed regulations to the NCLB act go to, www.ed.gov. After reviewing the proposed regulations, do you think they are enough? How you change NCLB if you could?
Friday, October 19, 2007
DeVry Inc. Acquires Advanced Academics Inc.
Continues Diversification with Investment in Growing Online High School Market
OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 17, 2007--DeVry Inc. (NYSE: DV), a global provider of educational services, announced today that it has signed an agreement to acquire Advanced Academics Inc. (AAI), a leading provider of online secondary education, for $27.5 million in cash. Closing is expected to occur by October 31, 2007.
Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Oklahoma City, Okla., AAI partners with school districts to help high school students graduate and succeed. AAI supplements traditional classroom programs through online course instruction using highly qualified teachers and a proprietary technology platform specifically designed for secondary education. AAI also operates virtual high schools in partnership with school districts and charter schools in 6 states. Since its inception, AAI has delivered online learning programs to more than 20,000 students in more than 200 school districts.
"The acquisition of Advanced Academics is an investment in a high-growth market, and consistent with our strategy of aggressive growth in online education," said Daniel Hamburger, president and CEO of DeVry Inc. "We also see opportunities to articulate high school graduates to our postsecondary offerings, and to enhance our existing relationships with high schools."
The existing AAI management team and employees will remain in place in Oklahoma City, and will report to Steven Riehs, vice president and general manager of DeVry Online. Jeffrey A. Elliott, president and CEO of AAI, will continue to serve as president. The financial results of AAI will be reported as part of the DeVry University segment.
"DeVry Inc. is a true pioneer and leader in career-focused education," said Elliott. "We are extremely pleased to be joining an organization that has a proven track record of helping students achieve their educational and career goals. We believe we can grow AAI faster, with quality, by leveraging the resources, relationships and reputation of DeVry."
According to the U.S. Department of Education, enrollment in online high school programs grew by 73 percent annually from 2000 to 2006. Eduventures, Inc., a leading provider of higher education research and consulting services, projects that revenue in this market will be $2 billion by 2011, compared to $325 million in 2006. Eighteen states currently allow online charter schools and 25 states have state-sponsored online school programs. Additionally, 36 percent of school districts offer some online learning programs, while 72 percent of school districts intend to increase online learning in the near future.
"The online high school market is poised for significant growth," said Adam Newman, managing vice president at Eduventures. "This emergent market will have a significant impact on the future of K-12 education, as has been the case with online initiatives in the postsecondary market during the past decade."
AAI is accredited by the North Central Association (NCA) and the Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA). All AAI faculty hold bachelor's or master's degrees in their subject area, are multi-state certified and have significant traditional classroom experience.
About DeVry Inc.
DeVry Inc. (NYSE: DV) is the parent organization of DeVry University, Ross University, Chamberlain College of Nursing and Becker Professional Review. DeVry University, which includes Keller Graduate School of Management, offers associate, bachelor's and master's degree programs in technology, healthcare technology, business and management. Ross University offers doctoral degree programs through its schools of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. Chamberlain College of Nursing offers associate and bachelor's degree programs in nursing. Becker Professional Review, which includes Becker CPA Review and Stalla Review for the CFA Exams, provides professional education and exam review for accounting and finance professionals. For more information, visit http://www.devryinc.com.
OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 17, 2007--DeVry Inc. (NYSE: DV), a global provider of educational services, announced today that it has signed an agreement to acquire Advanced Academics Inc. (AAI), a leading provider of online secondary education, for $27.5 million in cash. Closing is expected to occur by October 31, 2007.
Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Oklahoma City, Okla., AAI partners with school districts to help high school students graduate and succeed. AAI supplements traditional classroom programs through online course instruction using highly qualified teachers and a proprietary technology platform specifically designed for secondary education. AAI also operates virtual high schools in partnership with school districts and charter schools in 6 states. Since its inception, AAI has delivered online learning programs to more than 20,000 students in more than 200 school districts.
"The acquisition of Advanced Academics is an investment in a high-growth market, and consistent with our strategy of aggressive growth in online education," said Daniel Hamburger, president and CEO of DeVry Inc. "We also see opportunities to articulate high school graduates to our postsecondary offerings, and to enhance our existing relationships with high schools."
The existing AAI management team and employees will remain in place in Oklahoma City, and will report to Steven Riehs, vice president and general manager of DeVry Online. Jeffrey A. Elliott, president and CEO of AAI, will continue to serve as president. The financial results of AAI will be reported as part of the DeVry University segment.
"DeVry Inc. is a true pioneer and leader in career-focused education," said Elliott. "We are extremely pleased to be joining an organization that has a proven track record of helping students achieve their educational and career goals. We believe we can grow AAI faster, with quality, by leveraging the resources, relationships and reputation of DeVry."
According to the U.S. Department of Education, enrollment in online high school programs grew by 73 percent annually from 2000 to 2006. Eduventures, Inc., a leading provider of higher education research and consulting services, projects that revenue in this market will be $2 billion by 2011, compared to $325 million in 2006. Eighteen states currently allow online charter schools and 25 states have state-sponsored online school programs. Additionally, 36 percent of school districts offer some online learning programs, while 72 percent of school districts intend to increase online learning in the near future.
"The online high school market is poised for significant growth," said Adam Newman, managing vice president at Eduventures. "This emergent market will have a significant impact on the future of K-12 education, as has been the case with online initiatives in the postsecondary market during the past decade."
AAI is accredited by the North Central Association (NCA) and the Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA). All AAI faculty hold bachelor's or master's degrees in their subject area, are multi-state certified and have significant traditional classroom experience.
About DeVry Inc.
DeVry Inc. (NYSE: DV) is the parent organization of DeVry University, Ross University, Chamberlain College of Nursing and Becker Professional Review. DeVry University, which includes Keller Graduate School of Management, offers associate, bachelor's and master's degree programs in technology, healthcare technology, business and management. Ross University offers doctoral degree programs through its schools of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. Chamberlain College of Nursing offers associate and bachelor's degree programs in nursing. Becker Professional Review, which includes Becker CPA Review and Stalla Review for the CFA Exams, provides professional education and exam review for accounting and finance professionals. For more information, visit http://www.devryinc.com.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
NCLB, Scrap it, Revise it, Leave it Alone?
During the CNN/YouTube Democratic Presidential Candidate debate, a question was asked about the No Child Left Behind law. Specifically, if given the opportunity, would the candidates “scrap it, or revise it?” Of the two candidates asked the question, Governor Bill Richardson and Senator Joe Biden, both answered that they would scrap it.
There is no question that since its inception NCLB has been a very controversial topic in education. With it being up for reauthorization this year, what do you think? Would you scrap it, revise it, or leave it alone?
Leave us your thoughts in the comments section.
Posted By:
Som Carman
Advanced Academics, Inc.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Single sex classrooms, do they work?
According to the National Association for Single Sex Public Education, as of March 2007, there were at least 262 public schools across the nation that offer single sex classes and more than 50 schools that are entirely single sex. The number of same sex classes is sure to rise in part due to this amendment to Title IX regulation implemented in October 2006 which clears the way for public schools to implement their own single sex classes.
Proponents of single sex schools say dividing students by sex encourages students to explore subjects they may not otherwise take by breaking down gender stereotypes. Girls may be more inclined to undertake coursework in math, science, and technology. Conversely, boys may pursue interests in arts, music, drama, and language. It is also argued that teachers can adapt their teaching methods to fit the differences in learning styles that may exist between boys and girls.
Critics of same sex schools contend that rather than breaking down gender stereotypes that they actually propagate them by creating “separate by equal”- type learning environments reminiscent of segregation-era classrooms. Opponents also argue that proven methods of improving education should be pursued rather than those that divide the classroom.
What do you think, should classes be divided by sex? What are the pros and cons?
Leave your thoughts in the comments section.
Posted By:
Som Carman
Advanced Academics
Proponents of single sex schools say dividing students by sex encourages students to explore subjects they may not otherwise take by breaking down gender stereotypes. Girls may be more inclined to undertake coursework in math, science, and technology. Conversely, boys may pursue interests in arts, music, drama, and language. It is also argued that teachers can adapt their teaching methods to fit the differences in learning styles that may exist between boys and girls.
Critics of same sex schools contend that rather than breaking down gender stereotypes that they actually propagate them by creating “separate by equal”- type learning environments reminiscent of segregation-era classrooms. Opponents also argue that proven methods of improving education should be pursued rather than those that divide the classroom.
What do you think, should classes be divided by sex? What are the pros and cons?
Leave your thoughts in the comments section.
Posted By:
Som Carman
Advanced Academics
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