This document summarizes an annual conference on online learning opportunities in K-12 education. It finds that online course enrollment is growing rapidly, with some states now requiring an online course for high school graduation. The conference covered best practices for online course quality, including virtual classrooms, discussion boards, and regular communication between teachers and students. It also outlined different models for implementing online learning, from supplemental web resources to fully online courses. Finally, it provided information on professional development resources to help teachers provide effective online instruction.

1. IASB-IASA-IASBO JOINT ANNUAL CONFERENCE
New Opportunities in Online Learning
November 20, 2010
The Trends:
• Michigan and Alabama are requiring an online
course before high school graduation.
• K-12 online courses growing at 30% a year.
• In 2008, 30% of higher ed students took courses
online.
Learn more about disruptive innovation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=nJ7EG58J5eo
If rate of adoption follows the
classic disruptive innovation
model, by 2018, 50% of all
high school courses will be
online.
--Clayton M. Christensen
Promising Practices In
Course Quality
• Virtual classrooms
• Recorded sessions
• Discussion boards, wikis,
blogs
• Virtual Office hours
• Oral Examinations
• Purposeful weekly
communication from
teacher to student
• Proctored Exams
@IPSD
Types of Courses
• Web-enabled: Traditional course
supported with out-of-school electronic
resources.
• Hybrid (Blended): Learning is split
between traditional classroom and
electronic learning that might be in
school computer lab or outside school.
• Online: All learning activities occur
outside traditional classrooms.
Orientation sessions and exams may
occur at schools.
Schools implement online learning in a
variety of ways. Local implementations
look differently, depending on students
served, local resources, and local policies.
Presenters
• Cindy Hamblin, Director, IVS —
chamblin@ilvirtual.org
• Jeffrey L. Hunt, Director of E-
Learning, IPSD 204 —
jeff_hunt@ipsd.org
• Phil Lacey, Director of Instructional
Technology, Niles Township High
School District — philac@d219.org

2. @IPSD
State-wide Professional
Development
Illinois Virtual School Professional
Development Delivery System
(IVS-PD) has been built to allow
educational partners (state, regional,
and district) to offer professional de-
velopment through the IVS platform.
• IVS-PD’s organizational structure
utilizes the Illinois RCDTS code to
manage user accounts.
• IVS-PD allows the educational
partner to maintain control of
collecting registration fees,
marketing local professional
development, and branding op-
tions in the online course.
• IVS-PD allows program flexibility
(e.g., self-paced courses,
instructor-led courses, a variety
of media choices, discussion
boards, and various assessment
types).
• Current professional development
offerings now available through
IVS-PD include:
• Reading First Academy
• Making the Technology
Connection
Illinois Virtual School (IVS) is
a statewide, online program
supported by the Illinois State
Board of Education (ISBE).
• IVS partners with public and
private schools in an effort to
expand educational opportu-
nities for students. ILS-
aligned, online courses are
available for students in
grades 5-12.
• Illinois-certified teachers
facilitate every course offered
through IVS. Teachers grade
students’ work, provide
feedback, assist the students
with pacing in their courses,
and utilize a synchronous
web conferencing tool when
students need assistance.
• Student progress-to-date and
time-in-the-course
(attendance) is available to
schools and parents through
the IVS student information
system.
• IVS utilizes flexible
enrollment opportunities for
Fall and Spring terms (i.e.,
students have multiple op-
portunities to enroll in a
course with 17 weeks of in-
struction).
• IVS offers two 8-week terms
(winter and summer)

3. Professional Development
Preparing Teachers for Online Learning
Online Learning Opportunities in District 219
BOE Five Year Goal #3: Engaging students in anywhere/anytime
learning by providing laptop computers to expand their learning op-
portunities.
Student’s World: Science Department ran summer hybrid courses
as mandatory for sophomores taking AP courses
Instructional Goal: Use LMS (Moodle) as preparatory instructional
context
Overall success perceived by instructors
• Students handled technology well
• Students seem to be more successful than in past
• one issue where different instructor taught course in Fall than
summer
Faculty World: Professional Development to develop the capacity
for Virtual Instruction
What does it take to prepare instructors to develop / offer hybrid
instruction?
@IPSD
How do I learn more?
Illinois Virtual School — www.ilvirtual.org
Indian Prairie Schoool District 204 — www.tinyurl.com/
ipsdonline
Niles Township High School — https://sites.google.com/a/
d219.org/pdc/courses
Join our online community — ilearnonline.wikispaces.com

4. @IPSD
Remote Education Programs Act (96-0684)
Allows a school district, by resolution of its school board, to establish a
remote educational program. Defines "remote educational program" as an
educational program delivered to students in the home or other location
outside of a school building that meets specified criteria. Provides that days
of attendance by students in a remote educational program may be claimed
by the school district and shall be counted for general State aid purposes in
accordance with the State aid formula provisions of the Code.
The law requires that the district create a Remote Education Plan for each
student. The plan must account for the following components:
Goals
Assessments
Progress Reports
Expectations, processes, and schedules
Family Responsibilities
IEP Requirements
Participation
Responsible Parent
Program Administrator
Term of Participation
Location of Participation
Certification
The Illinois State Board of Education has written rules for tracking
attendance.
For the purposes of determining average daily
attendance for General State Aid under Section
10-29 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/10-29], a
school district operating a remote educational
program shall document, and make available to the
State Superintendent of Education or his designee
upon request, a written or online record of
instructional time for each student enrolled in the
program that provides sufficient evidence of the
student’s active participation in the program
(e.g., log in and log off process, electronic monitor-
ing, adult supervision, two-way interaction between
teacher and student, video cam).