Barbour, M. K., & Unger, K. (2009, March). Challenging teachers’ preconceptions, misconceptions, and concerns of virtual schooling. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education, Charleston, SC. This study examined the perceptions of graduate students in an instructional technology course related to K-12 online learning based upon their completion of the Teacher Education Goes into Virtual Schooling (TEGIVS) curriculum. The TEGIVS program was created through a grant funded initiative at Iowa State University. Nine graduate students at a large, state-funded, mid-Western university completed this curriculum as a part of their Internet in the Classroom course. Based upon our initial analysis, the TEGIVS curriculum was effective for providing these graduate students with some experience with how K-12 online learning opportunities are delivered, along with some of the possibilities and challenges associated with these opportunities. The analysis of this data is continuing, and there are plans to continue this line of inquiry with additional students in future offerings of this course.

1. Michael Barbour
Kelly Unger
Wayne State University

2.  Increasing US  To date there has been
enrollment little in the way of
teacher education on
 Michigan, New Mexico, virtual school or online
Alabama requiring teaching and learning
online experience pedagogy (Smith, Clark
& Blomeyer, 2005)
 Florida districts must
provide students online
learning opportunities

3.  Limited Existing Resources through various
universities
 Iowa State University
1. Good Practice to Inform Iowa Online Learning
2. Teacher Education Goes Into Virtual Schools
http://ctlt.iastate.edu/~tegivs/TEGIVS/homepage.html

4.  Fall 2008 – Wayne State University - Internet in the
Classroom.
 Final 5 – 6 Weeks of Course
 Materials:
 5 TEGIVS Scenarios
 K-12 Online Learning Readings
 Reflective Blogging Discussions
 9 Volunteer Graduate Students

5. 1. Affects on K-12 Teachers
2. Affects on K-12 Students
3. Why VS are unsuccessful at the K-12 level
4. Making VS successful at the K-12 level

6.  Benefits
 “online courses would serve as a way of freedom for
teachers…it gives teachers the ability to design and
deliver a course that will fit the students' learning
patterns and interests”
 Drawbacks
 “Training burnt out teachers”
 “there would be a lot more work because of the setup
and keeping track of students,”

7.  Populations
 HS and MS
 Dropouts
 Alternative Education
 Benefits
 Various Entry Points
 More Alternatives
 Drawback
 Interaction

8.  “I never ever hear anything at school about virtual
schooling. It is not mentioned in workshops or at
meetings. I doubt very many teachers are even aware
of its possibilities. Or its existence”

9.  “without well-trained, qualified teachers to facilitate
online instruction, virtual schooling will be ineffective
as an educational model”
 Educate Stakeholders
 Access to Proper Technology
 Train Students
 On-site Coach

10. Research Application
 Lack of Knowledge  Refinement of Current
Materials
 Teachers Perceive Benefit
for Students
 Creation and Evaluation
 Eager for More of MI Based Materials

11. Michael Barbour
mkbarbour@gmail.com
Kelly Unger
kellyunger@wayne.edu