curries2

= An Approach to K-20 Online Learning: Mining for Access, Opportunity, and Acceptance in the Treasure State = toc //Session 2: Thursday November 10 from 10:45 - 11:45am//
 * //Robert Currie,Executive Director,Montana Digital Academy// **
 * //Roberta Evans,The University of Montana// **

**Session Information**

 * **Location:** 205 //(Click Here to View the Session Map)//
 * **Track:** Advocacy
 * **Grade Level Focus:** K-5|6-8|9-12|High school to college transition
 * **Experience Level:** Level 101 - For beginners new to the field (0-1 years experience in K-12 Online Learning)|Level 201 - For intermediate level participants (2-4 years experience in K-12 Online Learning)|Level 301 - For advanced participants (5+ years of experience in K-12 Online Learning)
 * **Exhibitor:** No
 * **Requires Purchase of Product to Implement:** No

**Session Description**
//The Montana Digital Academy(MTDA),the College of Education at The University of Montana and the Montana Office of Public Instruction are partnering to develop a continuum of K-20 online programming designed to serve the unique educational student needs in this large, geographically diverse frontier state. MTDA has rapidly become one of the fastest growing online schools in the U.S. Join the UM-MTDA-OPI team for an engaging look at the challenges of constructing a K-20 online learning program.//

Session Twitter Hashtag: // #vss205s2 //
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Presentation Materials and Contributions
Notes from Marcel Kielkucki, Director of HS Completion Programs, Kirkwood Community College Session 2—K-20 Approach in Montana The Montana Digital Academy had 2500 enrollments in the fall of 2011. 2nd year of existence. Impacting over 200 schools in the state. The partnership consists of the teachers unions, school board association, school administrators of Montana, Montana Rural Education Association, and the Montana University System. So the approach brought many of the stakeholders to the table. If your campus burned down today, what would you rebuild and how would it look? A good question to consider. A question to ask yourself—do students have access to technology and tech tools in your schools? If not, create the opportunity and work to move for acceptance. One big challenge in Montana has been fear with some teachers that programs like this will take away their jobs. Shared a great flow chart of what this looks like. At the secondary level, they are looking at dual credit, credit recovery options, that are leading to career pathways for teaching that includes cadet teaching, and intro to online teaching courses. Goal is to hopefully recruit new teachers. Also has the postsecondary institutions working to offer dual credit options, as well as online teaching degrees. In the middle school, working with world language pilots (exploratory type approach) and online advanced courses. Still working down for the elementary. This also surrounded by professional development opportunities. Right now offering 80 online college courses. Used to be offered in a regional center format. With this K-20 route, brings up issues of licensure if you’re having college faculty involved that lack K-12 teaching licenses. Have created alternative licensure models, and is hopefully leading college instructors to incorporate digital elements into their teaching. This will lead to a field experience to be added at the two major universities in online teaching and looking at the early college model—AA degree in hand potentially upon high school graduation.