1. Developing and Presenting Lab Activities in an Online Environment

2. University of Nebraska High School
Opened in 1929 to serve rural Nebraska students
Presently serving students in 50 states and over 100 countries
We currently offer over 100 courses in all subject areas.
Leaders in Distance Education
1st distance education school to receive regional accreditation
9 years of UCEA Awards for curriculum design
2011 and 2012 Best Practice Awards from US Distance Learning Assoc.
Tier 1 U.S. Military status
Recommended by US Dept. of State for overseas schools
Accredited
The Nebraska Department of Education
AdvancED (parent organization of The North Central Association)
NCAA has approved ALL our core courses

3. Benefits of Online Labs
Promote 21st Century skills
Critical thinking, communication, data collection and evaluation, media, information and technology skills, research methodologies and problem solving.
Engage students in quality laboratory experiences
Online labs
Hands-on “wet” labs
Written lab Reports
Incorporate key curriculum elements
Research, data recording and analysis, synthesis and evaluation of results
Communication of the those results that is essential in a distance or blended environment.

4. Options for Online Labs
Students work in online laboratories
Teachers save preparation and cleanup time
Saves use of on-site lab facilities and hours
Virtual labs require no supervision
Students complete online laboratory reports
Easy to share
Promotes peer review
Provides teachers with more efficient grading opportunities
Students upload videos of lab work with report
Facilitates peer review
Saves class time typically spent organizing verbal reports

5. Benefits of Using Online Labs
For the students….
Allows students to personalize their experience
Includes a choice of materials to use to complete the activities and a choice of methods to present findings
Students relate lab activities to their own life.
Challenges students to use a progression of skills
Research
Data recording and analysis
Synthesis and evaluation of results.

6. Benefits of Online Labs cont….
For the instructors….
Lowers costs for lab materials
“Kitchen” labs use mostly household items
More effective peer review of student work
Easier to share findings with other students.
Engages multiple modalities
Incorporates physical "hands-on" components
Addresses varying learning styles
More efficient teacher assessment of student work
No papers to carry around
Work can be graded and immediately returned to students from anywhere with an Internet connection

7. Samples of Online Projects and Labs
Biology Lab Project
Flexible formats that include the options of graphics, web resource URL’s, videos, pictures, and text to present research on a ecosystem of student’s choice
Informational Brochure
Website
Presentation
Lab Reports

8. Samples of Online Projects and Labs
Pre-Engineering Lab Project
Flexible formats that include the use of graphics, web resource URL’s, videos, pictures, and text to present research, findings, and document the building of a working projectile launcher
No lab kit needed – materials obtained locally
Video of working launcher
Drawings or sketches of launcher
PowerPoint Presentation

9. Samples of Online Projects and Labs
Physics Lab Project
Students use information learned about phase changes to run lab experiment and calculate the energy each step takes.
Students use step-by-step instructions to perform measurements and make calculations
Provides for research and writing in sciences
Provides analysis, evaluation, and drawing conclusions

10. Thank You! Questions? Judy Montgomery, UNHS Curriculum
Tricia Kehn, UNHS Curriculum
Website: