Virtual Learning Academy is a winning solution for many high school students who need to make up a course or who just benefit from a different environment in which to learn.
In eight and a half years of experience with the Virtual Academy at the Great Oaks Institute of Technology and Career Development, more than 8000 students have taken courses in core subjects such as math, science, social studies and English, as well as elective courses such as Art History and Oceanography and even enrichment courses such as SAT prep and Honors Shakespearean Literature through the Aurora Learning platform.
Credit recovery is the most common use we have made so far of the Virtual Academy. This learning tool provides other students with a valuable alternative to traditional classroom instruction. In addition, Co-op students, who are on the job with an employer during at least part of the school day, can work at home, or anywhere else they can get access to the Internet. Students, who are home-bound by illness, injury, or other factors, can keep up with their course work. Students who seek additional original credits have the opportunity to take the advanced courses of their choices on their own time and at their own pace.
The key ingredient in each of these applications is the interaction with a teacher. We have learned that the effectiveness of this tool depends directly on the involvement of a committed teacher. Both regular meetings with the teacher and the teacher's ongoing evaluation of the student's work are indispensable to successful e-learning.
At Great Oaks, a counselor works with each student to determine if he/she would benefit from online learning. If so, a license is requested, and the student is enrolled into Aurora Learning. The student logs on to the Aurora Learning interactive learning environment, with the ID and password given to him/her. The course(s) for which the student is registered appears on the screen.
The student selects a course and a lesson, and begins. An introduction to the lesson is displayed. To assess prior knowledge or interest, there may be a question or two for the student to answer before starting to research lesson material. Links to related sites are embedded in each lesson before each question or set of questions.
The student completes as much research as is necessary to answer the questions, or to satisfy the personal desire for knowledge. The student then returns to the question and the answer box, and types in a response. When the answer is completed, the student clicks on "save" to secure the work. Every twenty questions or so, the student hits the "review" button. This displays each question and the student's answer. It provides an opportunity for self-evaluation before the final submission of the lesson.
When the student is satisfied with the work in the lesson, she/he clicks the "send" button, and all the work goes into the teacher's mailbox. The teacher retrieves the work, grades it, and sends the evaluation and comments back to the student. This process continues until the teacher determines an assessment is required.
The teacher may choose to design the assessment and administer it in person, or have the student take an on-line assessment. At Great Oaks we prefer the teacher be with the student during the assessment. It eliminates concerns about real learning gains, and provides an opportunity for discussion.
We see several benefits in e-learning. One is the flexibility it gives to students with different learning requirements and styles. Another benefit is that the Virtual Academy helps students develop habits and skills for information-age jobs. Above all, it is a useful tool, assisting students in gaining credits they need to be able to graduate on time.
To enroll in the Virtual Learning Academy, please contact your high school counselor or Great Oaks at (513)612-3626.
