clarkp1

toc //Wednesday Morning Pre-Conference Workshops 8:00AM – 12:00PM//
 * Evaluation in K-12 Online Learning**
 * //Tom Clark, TA Consulting, & Elizabeth Oyer, EvalSolutions Inc.//**

**Session Information**

 * **Location:** 308 //(Click Here to View the Session Map)//

**Session Description**
//This session is designed for those undertaking or planning to undertake evaluation activities in online learning programs for improvement or accountability purposes. Participants will learn from each other and from experienced administrators and evaluators. The morning will be structured around a series of small-group round tables led by evaluators and administrators on topics of interest to the participants in their virtual school roles.// //Co-Facilitators Tom Clark (TA Consulting) and Elizabeth Oyer (EvalSolutions Inc) are joined by Mary Brabson (Indiana Online Academy), Ron Cozart (Georgia Virtual School), Ronda Eshleman (Indiana Online Academy) and Liz Pape (VHS Inc).//
 * //During the first round table session, participants will identify evaluation needs and formulate questions for their online learning program or that of a colleague.//
 * //In the second, they will define outcomes and discuss how to measure results.//
 * //In the third, they will discuss major unanswered questions about evaluation and engage in a question and answer session on them, and then will discuss barriers to implementation of evaluation in their own organizations. A summary of barriers identified will be shared with the iNACOL Research SIG at its Satursday Nov. 12 meeting.//

Session Blog (presenter and participant interaction):
[|http://vss2011eval.wordpress.com]

Session Twitter Hashtag: //**#vss308p1**//
rss url="http://search.twitter.com/search.rss?q=%23vss308p1" link="true" number="10" date="true" author="true"

Presentation Materials and Contributions
A compiled Presentation Slides.pdf and Handouts.pdf will be posted here soon. In the meantime, a few of the materials are posted below.

Evaluation Pre-Conference Handouts (all) Pre-Conference Presenter Slides (all)

=__Pre-Conference on Evaluation in K-12 Online Learning__=

Organizational Mission:
//Shared elements of mission:// quality education; online; offer alternatives for students //Differences in mission:// Differences in program type and purpose result in difference in missions - for example, full time vs part time program; charter vs noncharter, state virtual school, mission of the parent organiation, key student audiences that the school is intended to serve.

//Examples of questions raised about the missions and goals of online learning programs:// Is there a separate mission for the virtual learning program in a public school district? How much attention do mission and goals need in an existing virtual school?

Formulating evaluation questions:
//Cathy Cavanaugh - table summary:// 3 main areas that virtual schools need to look at in their evaluation questions --access to appropriate, quality instruction --Quallity courses and,instruction --fit with student needs

Are students learning better than in the traditional model? What are student, parent and staff attitudes that need to be addressed?

=Name a key goal of your program:=

Cost effective alternative course options for students ensure curriculum quality Ensure student progress toward graduation Strengthen core academic learning Understanding student outcomes

=Write one Outcome Indicator for your program:=

Who: Minority students in ourPre-AP program What: will increase enrollment in AP classes Target: 10% each year, with target of 80% of minority students taking at least one AP class

//Comment - Elizabeth: can also look at it as closing the gap between the target population and the general population//

Who: At risk students (not passing state tests will take universal screening and intervention program) What: will close the existiing skill gap in reading and math compared to all students Target: 10% on state testing [is this reasonable - yes]

Who: The program (a supplemental K-12 district program) What: will decrease student attrition by withdrawal or transfer Target: by 20% over two years

Who: Students in our online learning program What:will increase their course completion rate Target: so that 50% of students are at or ahead of their time elapsed //Comment - Elizabeth:: are there specific student populations of interest or concern, that would help you narrow down your outcome indicator?// //Comment -Tom://

[From the pre-conference Blog]

who: School administration what: willingness to experiment will increase target: 15% over prior year

//Participant comment about this outcome indicator:// we'd like to see greater adoption of online learning, renewal of courses. The data needed would be enrollments, adoption patterns across field, attitudinal data, and more.

__Barriers to Implementation of evaluation in our online learning program__
Small staff - finding the time to do it. Staff - need feedback from others, access to a professional community to discuss Staff time or money - limited Our LMS does not generate all the data we wish it Lack of clear understaniding in formative evaluation; people jump to summative stakeholders unfamiliar with terminology, dif between formative and summative A process or vehicle for using formative evlauation for improvement Lack of broad consensus on evaluation standards Turnover - loss of organizational knowledge Political will to hear the truth Constantly changeing and evolving field