Companion Bill: SB 1298 by Senator Hegar Summary HB 1926 (Open States or Texas Legislature) enacts an online course access program for Texas, heavily utilizing the state virtual school network, which will act as a marketplace for high-quality online courses that have gone through an approval process. It expands student eligibility from only high school…
RAND Study: Blended Learning Works
By Nathan Martin August 16, 2013 The promise of digital learning is getting a bit more concrete. According to a new study from the Rand Corporation, blended learning helps students make significant gains in math scores. Financed by the Department of Education, the two year study looked at over 18,000 students from 147 schools and…
16 Aug 2013
In Plain English: FL HB 7029
Summary HB 7029 (Open States or Florida Legislature) expands the market of online courses in Florida, including Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and removes limits on which students can register for online classes The legislation requires the Florida Department of Education to create an online course catalog for digital learning courses. This catalog must provide…
14 Aug 2013
Blended Learning Goes Mainstream
By Nathan Martin August 13, 2013 For classrooms in the not too distant future, “Blended Learning” will be a term relegated to Wikipedia pages on the history of education and the vernacular of those people who still reference 8-track players and “the World Wide Web.” Students and parents will expect that schools will be defined…
13 Aug 2013
Genachowski “New Innovation Battlegrounds”
By John Bailey August 7, 2013 Over at Forbes, Julius Genachowski, former FCC Chairman (and member of the Aspen Taskforce on the Internet and Learning), points out how state and local governments are the new battleground for innovation: What’s going on here? In cities and states across the country, two forces are engaged in battles…
7 Aug 2013
Flipped Learning Resources
By Nathan Martin July 15, 2013 As digital learning continues to spread and grow, Flipped Learning.org offers useful resources for teachers and schools seeking to “flip the classroom.” Flipping the classroom is a form of “Blended Learning” and occurs when the main instruction moves from the group to the individual. Students might watch lectures at…
15 Jul 2013
DLN State Report 7.12.13
Top Highlights Maine Bill: LD 1533 Status: 07/08/2013 – Vetoed by the Governor Relevant Elements: 1, 2, 7 Maine LD 1533, as amended by Committee Amendment A, passed the Senate on June 27 and was vetoed by Republican Gov. Paul LePage on July 9. The veto was later sustained. The bill would have established the…
12 Jul 2013
Digital Learning Now! Releases White Paper on Myths, Reality & Promise of Online Learning
WASHINGTON – Digital Learning Now! (DLN), a national campaign under the Foundation for Excellence in Education (ExcelinEd), today released the eighth white paper in the DLN Smart Series. “Online Learning: Myths, Reality & Promise” explores the current trends, myths and realities of online learning. From state legislatures to classrooms across the country, a revolution of…
11 Jul 2013