ATLANTA — Two new, first-of-their-kind publications by the Southern Regional Education Board’s Educational Technology Cooperative give states the essential tools they need to launch — or expand — online education.
Standards for Quality Online Teaching was developed through a collaboration of national and regional K-12 and postsecondary professionals, SREB state departments of education, and colleges and universities. Funded by the BellSouth Foundation, the publication includes 11 standards that states can use to guide academic preparation, content knowledge, online skills and delivery, and other elements of teaching.
By adopting these standards, states will be able to “set the bar” at a high level to ensure quality teaching for all online courses they provide. The Educational Technology Cooperative also is working to set criteria for quality online courses and will release that information later this year.
Cost Guidelines for State Virtual Schools outlines the initial costs that states should consider as they develop and sustain a state virtual school. The report covers establishing procedures and regulations for virtual schools, obtaining courses and technology, and hiring and training teachers and staff. Developed in cooperation with state virtual schools in SREB states, state education leaders and the BellSouth Foundation, it also includes a planning worksheet and budget materials.
In such a relatively new field, obtaining real-world information on the costs of online education is a challenge facing many state education leaders, said Bill Thomas, director of the cooperative. The new cost guidelines report fills that information gap for the first time.
Just 10 years ago, none of the 50 states used the Web to provide academic courses to middle grades and high school students. Today, most states use online learning to help students who need courses their school cannot provide, who need to re-take courses for graduation, who have physical disabilities or scheduling conflicts — or who simply wish to accelerate their academic program.
Some states — including Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and West Virginia — have established and staffed full-time, state-sponsored virtual schools that offer online courses statewide. SREB’s 16 member states lead the nation in the creation of state virtual schools, and “nearly all SREB states will have a state virtual school within the next several years,” Thomas said.
The Educational Technology Cooperative, comprised of state higher education and K-12 coordinating and governing boards, focuses on ways to help state leaders create and expand effective uses of technology in schools and colleges. The cooperative works closely with states as they implement new state virtual schools and convenes leaders of state virtual schools periodically to share information about the expansion of online learning.
More information about online learning and the cooperative is available at www.sreb.org, and SREB staff is available to discuss the new standards and report. Contact SREB Communications.
SREB, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization based in Atlanta, Georgia, advises state education leaders on ways to improve education. SREB was created in 1948 by Southern governors and legislatures to help leaders in education and government work cooperatively to advance education and improve the social and economic life of the region. SREB has 16 member states: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. Each is represented by its governor and four gubernatorial appointees.
