Lawrence M. Paska, Ph.D., Coordinator of Technology Policy Office of Educational Design and Technology New York State Education Department Update from Educational Design and Technology NYSCEA Friday, May 20, 2011

Policies and Regulations: Where Do We Begin? National Education Technology Plan (November 2010) Regents ’ Statewide Learning Technology Plan (February 2010)

Aligning the Plans NETP Learning Assessment Teaching Infrastructure Productivity Board of Regents Digital Content Digital Use Digital Capacity and Access Leadership Accountability Funding

Vision of Technology for Teaching and Learning Multiple environments will exist for teaching and learning, unbound by place, time, income, language or disability. The classroom, gymnasium, laboratory, library, theater, and museum will be a workspace for teachers and learners but will not always be a physical space. Students will access learning resources anywhere, anytime through the use of technology.

Regents ’ Statewide Learning Technology Plan Goal # 4: Provide policies, standards, and guidance on quality digital content development and delivery; accessibility; information literacy; and ongoing, sustained professional development in pre-service and in-service education. Goal # 7: Develop and/or revise Commissioner's Regulations and Department policies to promote sustained support for the delivery of quality instruction for all learners through digital means. Goal # 9: Identify and/or develop incentives for the expansion of digital learning across USNY.

Statewide Survey: Online Learning Needs Assessment

Results of the 2010 Online Learning Needs Assessment The four most common reasons to use online learning: 1. Offer remediation or credit recovery courses 2. Provide expanded curriculum offerings 3. Address needs of homebound instruction 4. Increase graduation rates

Reasons for Student Enrollment For content remediation They were unsuccessful in traditional classroom environments To take courses not offered at their local school To earn college credit in Advanced Placement (AP®) courses Due to course scheduling conflicts

Why Students Do Not Participate in Online Learning State regulations do not address online courses Students are unaware that online learning options exist Lack of funding to cover the cost of online learning

Current Regulations to Support Online Learning A minimum of 10.5 credits (out of 22 required) under Part 100.5(d), each limited in scope: Make Up Course Credit (allows additional credits) Independent Study (3 credits in electives only) X Credit by Examination (6.5 credits where student must score an 85 and complete an associated project) X marks the spot….

Solving for X … Updating the Board of Regents in policy and practice (December 2010 and January 2011) Determining next steps in policy and regulation (December 2010 and February 2011) Engaging the field through regional forums (starting early 2011) and continued communications (ongoing) Leveraging funding (starting with Race to the Top funding)

Awarding Units of Credit for Online and Blended Courses The Commissioner of Education proposes to add a new section 100.5(d)(10) to the Commissioner's Regulations to establish criteria for earning credit for online or a combination of online and classroom-based (blended) coursework. Draft 100.5(d)(10) Regulations

Credit for Online/Blended Courses Part 100.5(d)(10) Proposed regulations discussed by the Board of Regents (and revised for publication in the State Register, March 2, 2011): (a) To receive credit, the student shall successfully complete a unit of study and demonstrate mastery of the learning outcomes for the subject, including passing the Regents examination in the subject or other assessment required for graduation, if applicable.

Credit for Online/Blended Courses Part 100.5(d)(10) (b) The school district, charter school or registered nonpublic school shall ensure that: (1) courses are aligned with the applicable New York State Learning Standards for the subject area; (2) courses provide for documentation of student mastery of the learning outcomes for such subjects, including passing the Regents examination in the subject or other assessment required for graduation, if applicable;

Credit for Online/Blended Courses Part 100.5(d)(10) (3) instruction is provided by or under the direction and/or supervision of: (i) a certified teacher from the school district; or (ii) a certified teacher from a board of cooperative educational services (BOCES) that contracts with the school district to provide instruction in the subject area where authorized pursuant to Education Law §1950; or (iii) a certified teacher from a school district who provides instruction in the subject area under a shared service agreement; or

Credit for Online/Blended Courses Part 100.5(d)(10) (iv) in the case of a registered nonpublic school, a teacher of the subject area from a registered nonpublic school; or (v) in the case of a charter school, a teacher of the subject area from a charter school

Credit for Online/Blended Courses Part 100.5(d)(10) (4) courses include regular and substantive interaction between the student and the teacher providing direction and/or supervision pursuant to subclause (3) of this clause; and (5) instruction satisfies the unit of study and unit of credit requirements in section 100.1(a) and (b) of this Part.

What is a unit of study and a unit of credit? Definitions As used in this Part: a. Unit of study means at least 180 minutes of instruction per week throughout the school year, or the equivalent. b. Unit of credit is earned by: 1. the mastery of the learning outcomes set forth in a New York State- developed or locally developed syllabus for a given high school subject, after a student has had the opportunity to complete a unit of study in the given subject matter area; or 2. pursuant to section 100.5(d)(1) of this Part, a passing score of at least 85 percent or its equivalent on a department-approved examination in a given high school subject without the completion of a unit of study, and the successful completion of either an oral examination or a special project.

Issues to Consider  Course Alignment to NYS Learning Standards  Broadband Capacity and Access  Standards for Online Courses  iNACOL’s National Standards of Quality for Online Courses Content Instructional Design Student Assessment Technology Course Evaluation and Management 21st Century Skills

Some NYSED Recommendations for Teaching and Learning Online District-level committees to examine online learning policies Ensure adherence to principles of universal design Assess student needs and interests for online courses Assess online program availability compared to student need Create and adopt local district policy for online courses Provide professional development opportunities Develop a district process to evaluate online content Use common evaluation standards, like iNACOL and ISTE Communicate with parents on online learning Evaluate district-created and vendor-purchased content

Contracts for Instruction The Department issued a July 29, 2009July 29, 2009 memorandummemorandum on contracts for instruction in which it stated that school districts cannot contract with private entities to deliver “core educational programming/instructional services” to students.

Contracts for Instruction Q: Can school districts contract with non profit or other entities to provide distance or online learning opportunities for students? A: Yes, provided that the distance or online learning program is used as a supplementary or additional resource to assist a district’s certified teachers in delivering instruction.

What is your relationship to the Internet?

Internet Safety Resource Toolkit Internet Safety Program Evaluation Rubric SafetyProgramEvaluationrubric.html Learning Standards and Internet Safety StandardsandInternetSafety.html Internet Safety Learning Experience "Call for Content" home.html

Internet Safety Program Evaluation Rubric SafetyProgramEvaluationrubric.html

Conduct a Practice Evaluation How does your school or district score? What does that score mean? What are next steps based on that score?

Learning Standards and Internet Safety LearningStandardsandInternetSafety.html

Call for Content: Learning Experiences

Using the Toolkit to grow a virtual learning network... An honest look at current capacities, priorities, and interests. An alignment (a transformation?) of the instructional program to those capacities, priorities, and interests. A sharing of “ promising practices ” to build a statewide professional learning community.

Social Networking: Motivation or Menace? Public records law and educators – or, do Tweets need to be archived? Balance between the personal and professional. (Setting up “ professional ” accounts) Understanding software security settings. Information Literacy: What you post today could come back to harm you tomorrow.

Recent Findings School Principals and Social Networking in Education alNetworkingReport.pdf alNetworkingReport.pdf In-depth survey, online discussion conducted by edWeb.net, IESD, Inc., MMS Education, and MCH Strategic Data.

Research Finding 1 Most principals believe social networking can provide value in education. A way for educators to share information and resources with an extended community of educators. Creates professional learning communities; improves school-wide communications.

Research Finding 2 Most principals think social networking tools make a substantive change in students' educational experience. Increased social/collaborative view of learning. Improved motivation, engagement, and active involvement. Connected to real-life learning.

Research Finding 3 None of the principals had school or district policies in place on social networking that were deemed adequate.

Current Usage Nearly three-quarters of teenage Internet users spend time on social networking websites. 60% of students use social networks to talk about educational topics. 50% of students use the networks to “talk specifically about school-work”.

Conclusion Timely need for conversations and collaboration on establishing policies to facilitate social networking in schools for educational purposes. So…. Is teacher “ friending ” of students on Facebook the solution?

Policy and Program Development Online learning challenges the relevance of traditional classrooms. Rigor: traditional reading and writing literacies are more - not less – necessary. Professional development: teacher modeling of safe, efficient, effective inter-connected technology use is required. Challenge of multiple environments: photos, videos, audio, tags, social-book marking, hyperlinks. Challenge of diversity in online networks: not echo chambers of like-mindedness.

Embracing Educational Networking Coined by Steve Hagardon, the founder of Ning. The use of social networking technologies for educational purposes. Aligns with federal and state goals to promote innovative and collaborative technology.

Benefits BENEFITS Early recognition of student needs and formative assessment Establishment of classroom community Student engagement Sense of student achievement Information management Access to marginalized students

Benefits … and Concerns BENEFITS Early recognition of student needs and formative assessment Establishment of classroom community Student engagement Sense of student achievement Information management Access to marginalized studentsCONCERNS Legality Privacy of educators Equity of access Lack of resources

Implementing Educational Networking in New York State Develop a pilot program. Set a criteria for pilot schools. Develop an agreed-upon Appropriate Use Policy (AUP) for Educational Networking. Deploy pilot with an accompanying evaluation process in place. Develop a network with schools, community-based organizations, and cultural institutions.

THANK YOU! Office of Educational Design and Technology Phone: (518) Fax: (518) Web: