ERIC Number: ED509625
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2008-Jun
Pages: 18
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Using Online Learning for At-Risk Students and Credit Recovery. Promising Practices in Online Learning
Watson, John; Gemin, Butch
North American Council for Online Learning
Online learning programs are designed to expand high-quality educational opportunities and to meet the needs of diverse students. While the primary reason online courses are offered in school districts is to expand offerings to courses that would otherwise be unavailable, the second most commonly cited reason for offering online learning is to meet individual student needs, according to a survey done by the National Center for Education Statistics. Today's online programs and schools offer a broad range of online courses and services to reach a variety of students, from struggling to gifted, who seek personalized pathways to learning opportunities. Many educators are finding that online and blended learning are effective ways to reach students who fail one or more courses, become disengaged, or who seek an alternative to traditional education. Some of the early online programs that initially focused on high-achieving students, such as the Kentucky Virtual High School, have expanded offerings, and are finding success with a much broader range of students. As online learning moves past the early adopter phase, the growth of online programs focused on at-risk students or credit recovery has redefined how educational technology can be used to address the needs of all students, from advanced students in search of Advanced Placement or dual-credit courses, to at-risk students trying to find the right instructional mix to it their learning styles. As online programs increasingly focus on at-risk students and credit recovery, educators are finding that reaching these students presents a specific set of issues that are explored in this paper. (Contains 12 footnotes.)
Descriptors: Electronic Learning, Student Needs, Advanced Students, Advanced Placement, Online Courses, At Risk Students, Educational Technology, Educational Opportunities, Asynchronous Communication, Distance Education, Student Diversity, Instructional Effectiveness, Individualized Instruction, Nontraditional Education, Surveys, Credits, Virtual Classrooms, Dropouts, Elementary Secondary Education, Technology Uses in Education, Repetition, Required Courses
North American Council for Online Learning. Available from: International Association for K-12 Online Learning. 1934 Old Gallows Road Suite 350, Vienna, VA 22182. Tel: 888-956-2265; Tel: 703-752-6216; Fax: 703-752-6201; e-mail: info@inacol.org; Web site: http://www.inacol.org
Publication Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Elementary Education; Elementary Secondary Education; High Schools; Middle Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: North American Council for Online Learning
Identifiers - Location: California; Florida; Kentucky; Michigan; Oregon; Texas; Wisconsin
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A