Summer+2011

Smaller Learning Communities On Track to Graduation Online Summer Credit Recovery Program July 5 – August 8, 2011 FINAL REPORT = Blended Learning Credit Recovery Program = Under the Smaller Learning Communities (SLC) initiative, three of the SLC schools-Crossland, DuVal, and Suitland—offered the “On Track to Graduation Online Summer Credit Recovery Program” using a blended learning model. With this model, students had the support and guidance of an online teacher and a school-based mentor. They used a combination of in-class and out-of-class time to complete the course work. Students completed the course content and assignments in an online environment using APEX LEARNING curricula. They worked at their own pace and had the flexibility to plan their own schedule. Students also had the opportunity to complete the course early if they were willing to commit the time. Blended learning is any place, any time, any pace learning. The program offered the following high-demand credit recovery courses: English 9, English 10, English 11, English 12, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and World History. The courses delivered a full year-s worth of instruction over an intensive five-week session (July 5 – August 8, 2011). Students attended classes Monday – Thursday from 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and were required to work a minimum of 10 hours each week outside of class hours.

** Program Goals **

 * Provide an opportunity for students to earn a credit for a course that was previously failed
 * Enable 9th grade students an opportunity to be promoted to 10th grade
 * Enable seniors to earn a necessary credit to graduate at the end of the summer program
 * Achieve a 70% completion rate for students participating in the online credit recovery program

= Eligibility = In order to be eligible for credit recovery, the student must have previously taken and failed the entire course. In addition, the student must have completed all prerequisite courses necessary for the requested course. Students were required to have access to a computer and Internet outside of class hours to complete assignments. Students were allowed to enroll in only one credit recovery course during the summer program.

= Student Selection = Students were selected to participate in the On Track to Graduation Online Summer Credit Recovery Program based on:
 * Review of student’s transcript by their Professional School Counselor for enrollment approval
 * Professional School Counselor or Principal recommendation to enroll in the online course
 * Completed Online Summer Credit Recovery Program Registration Form with all required signatures
 * Completed Self-Evaluation for Potential Online Students
 * Signed Academic Integrity and Ethics Agreement (both student and parent signatures were required)
 * Student had to attend one of the SLC Schools (Crossland, DuVal, Oxon Hill, Potomac or Suitland)

= Fees =
 * As a student in one of the SLC schools, the course was offered to students free of charge. This same course would have cost $455 had the student attended the district’s traditional Summer School Program.
 * The goal of the blended online course is to provide a student with a learning experience comparable to the traditional model of a student in a classroom. The instructional model links the student to both an online teacher and in-school mentor. This model is specifically designed to foster communication between the teacher and the student, the student and the mentor, and very critically, between the mentor and the online teacher. When the various relations exist, regular, clear and supportive communication, then students will progress in their courses and have the best success possible.

= Program Outcomes = The APEX LEARNING curricula is mastery base. Students were required to achieve a score of at least 70% in order to proceed to the next activity. In a few instances, teachers allowed students to progress without achieving 70%. Because the district accepts 60% or higher as passing, the program was required to give students a passing grade. In future online courses, the program will be set to prevent teachers from overriding this requirement. 89% of students successfully completed their courses.

= = = STAFF END OF COURSE SURVEY = = Successes = = Challenges =
 * Writing skills of students improved throughout course.
 * Students gained new information about English that they did not know.
 * Students learned to become better learners.
 * Watching students grow and progress throughout the course was a highlight of the program.
 * Many students became more computer literate.
 * Many students demonstrated good work ethics and wanted to achieve success.
 * Many students were disciplined enough for on-line coursework.
 * A memorable moment was watching a student cry for joy when she passed an English test with a 100%.
 * The online program forced students to be self-disciplined.
 * Working to motivate and keep students on task
 * Availability of printers
 * Availability of working computers
 * Lessen the weight of due/overdue assignments on overall grade especially when there is high grade on Quality of Work
 * Support for struggling readers
 * Working and remaining positive without AC in 98° temperature
 * Physical Setup
 * Having students work on their own at home
 * Students may need more efforts toward work at home

= Lessons Learned =
 * You have to keep working to motivate the students.
 * There needs to be a program to block access to non-relevant sites (i.e., Vision software).
 * Students really wanted to achieve.
 * Screen student applicants more carefully prior to enrollment.
 * Please check site availability to ensure that the physical site, classrooms, and equipment are optimal for student success.
 * Make sure that the program site is willing to assist, especially with the technology—ensuring that the computer labs are operational, testing all configurations, updating required plug-ins, and providing ongoing troubleshooting/support as needed throughout the program.
 * Have students print out their study sheets, etc., at home.

Areas for Improvement

 * Teacher communication with both mentor and students.
 * Buy a program such as Turn It In.com to avoid plagiarism.
 * Clear dates and criteria for program completion – maybe an extra week or two to allow for “online course learning curve” for students.
 * Smaller classes may give us better outcomes.
 * Clarify mentor/teacher roles.
 * Ban the use of cell phones and other devices that are not relevant to the course
 * Include language about students not being able to use cell phones in class and not bringing other devices, such as iPods, to school.
 * Provide graphing calculators.
 * Students should be working in cubicles to avoid exchanging/sharing of information.
 * Math teachers should be onsite more often.
 * Establish a testing area where students go so they cannot communicate with anyone or have anything with them (paper, devices, etc.).
 * Assign students to one computer that they use throughout the course.
 * Be more specific about the consequences of plagiarism and cheating as outlined in the Academic Integrity and Ethical Use Policies.
 * Investigate whether or not the computers could be set up to block access to sites and links that are not relevant to the course (YouTube, music links, etc.).
 * Content Adjustment for English 9: Unit 6.2.8—Seek assistance from C&I to come up with a different writing to cover theme/irony/symbolism. The example that was given was on the actual assignment.

** STUDENT END OF COURSE SURVEY **

List three or more things that you liked about taking an online course.

 * Some parts of the course were easy. I learned a lot of new things and it was much faster taking the course online.
 * My teacher helped me a lot more and I understood the course more. I loved the help from my online teacher.
 * I liked that they gave a lot of reading material that helped students with the tests. Also they gave a quiz after every unit. I learn a lot from the whole course.
 * It was at my own pace.
 * It made me have to discipline myself because no one was telling me to do the work.
 * I was given all the work and the site was open 24/7.
 * The students got to work at their own pace. It broke things down step by step.
 * Checking our deadlines, passing quizzes, and ability to retake quizzes were things I liked about the course.
 * I liked the animations, they helped a lot.
 * The study guides really helped me on tests and quizzes.
 * The essay and journals made me a better writer.
 * It was fun.
 * It was a nice way of learning.
 * It was interesting.
 * It was easy—not a lot of drama. It was also relaxing.
 * One thing I liked about taking an online course was that I was able to work on my own without a teacher. Another thing was being able to do work at home. The other thing was being able to do work on a computer.
 * It was quick.
 * It was easy.
 * It was boring.
 * I liked working on my own time and not having to wait. I also liked that students didn’t get lectured. Students basically taught themselves.
 * I liked the teachers.
 * Online courses were really easy.
 * It helps build your vocabulary.
 * Teachers really help.
 * Comfortable environment.
 * Friendly classmates.
 * I liked being with the mentor
 * The course was helpful, better to comprehend, and I worked at home.
 * I liked interacting with other students.
 * I liked the hours.
 * I finished quick.
 * This program helped me to understand the subject better.
 * It helped me to improve my writing skills. It also helped me to make sure I did everything right.
 * It was easy, fun, and challenging.
 * We had a cool teacher.
 * We learned new things.
 * The fact that we could do the work when we could. I didn't have to worry about missing any notes because we could see what to take down as long as we needed to stay on a subject. The key words were bold and/or different text color.
 * I liked that I did not have to write. I liked typing.
 * It was kind of fun.
 * It was a lot easier using the Internet. Why, because everybody is used to it.
 * It was fast.
 * The course had an online teacher.
 * It taught me about how to make a poetic poem. It also reminded me of the elements of the oral traditions. And last but not least, it taught me about epics and myths.
 * I liked the environment that the class was held. Also I felt more comfortable knowing that I was working at my own pace. Another thing I liked was the grading system.
 * I liked that I was not rushed.
 * I liked that I didn’t have to work with everybody because some people work slow.
 * I liked the fact that you could leave when you finished the course.
 * It’s easier to learn, faster, and it helps me study.
 * Well taught.
 * I liked working with the computers.
 * I learned more than I do in class
 * My teachers were really helpful.
 * It was not all writing work.
 * You have more than one chance to get something right.
 * The study guides they give before the test were helpful.
 * The first thing that I liked was that the course was online. I could work at home during the week and during the weekend. It wasn’t too hard or too easy.

List three or more things that you considered a challenge while taking an online course this summer.

 * There were some units that were hard, and were much longer than other units. There were times when we were taking a quiz and a question wasn’t on the study guide.
 * It was hard. It took me some time to understand the online course. The tests were challenging. It wasn’t any time to play around.
 * I think that a challenge was that if you failed a test more than 2 times, you had to go back and read it and take it again. I also didn’t know that it was a lot of units to read.
 * Sometimes there was a lot of tests and reading.
 * Staying home during the weekend to do work online
 * I hated the essays. Nothing else was a problem.
 * I really didn't have a challenge with the online course except in the beginning of the course finding the time after school to complete it by the due date.
 * Finishing the course in five weeks was hard.
 * The unlocking of test and resetting quizzes made it hard to progress through.
 * Honestly, I didn't consider anything a challenge while taking an online course this summer.
 * Packets were thick.
 * Tests were extremely hard.
 * I considered getting the essays turned in on time a challenge. I also considered studying a challenge because I normally don’t. Reading the stories needed for completion of the work was a little bit challenging.
 * Being on task
 * Taking my work home without help
 * Organization, dedication
 * Taking unit exams
 * I was not a fan of the tests.
 * Focusing when you were at home
 * Not being able to eat or drink in the classroom
 * Having to work for three hours straight
 * Time management
 * Staying focused, wanted to go on YouTube
 * Motivating myself
 * Romeo & Juliet, The Odyssey and The Raven
 * Modern myths
 * Waking up early
 * Slow computers
 * Work was kind of hard
 * Having to wait for email responses
 * The Internet connection
 * Taking notes
 * Getting to class on time
 * The writing assignments
 * Trying to remember the information on the tests
 * Vocabulary
 * Having to do the journal assignments and essay practicing

What advice would you give to other students to be able to complete the course?

 * Work hard and do everything you need to do.
 * You should be focused and motivated so you will pass. Try to focus. When in class don’t just sit there and wonder off. You should be doing your work. From being focused I finished early.
 * Read all of the information they give you before you take your quiz. If you don’t you won’t pass the quizzes and might not finish in time.
 * When you begin this course, don’t waste time, if you have free time in the house, don’t waste it watching TV or something, go to do the work. It’s always available.
 * Don't play games and focus on your work, because playing games is how you got here.
 * Stay on track.
 * To work hard and try to finish a packet daily but to take their time as well.
 * Do the work at home.
 * Stay on task and pay attention to everything you learn in each lesson that way the quizzes won’t be challenging.
 * Put in a lot of hours at home.
 * Just focus and do what you have to do by any means.
 * Stay on track and don’t fall behind.
 * Work hard every day no matter what. The more time you take working on the course at home the faster by you will finish.
 * Keep going at the end you will love the progress you have made.
 * Focus and you will achieve anything you strive for.
 * Do your study sheets. They are very useful.
 * Dedicate yourself and try to be very organized.
 * Do your work. Take notes.
 * Do not fail the regular school year and you will not be here. If you do end up here DON’T BE LAZY!!!!!
 * Stay on track and don't wait until the last minute to finish things.
 * Try your best and work towards success.
 * You have to take this course seriously. There are no shortcuts.
 * Focus and steadily read each question to avoid confusion.
 * Just try your best to stay focused. It’s not an easy road. Some even better advice is, just do your work in the year. It’s so hard trying to make it all up.
 * Fill out your study guides fully.
 * Just make sure to pace yourself and don’t fall behind.
 * Make sure you study at home because if you work at home you can finish early and enjoy your summer.
 * Make sure you read all of the stories.
 * When you get home, do some work. When you are at school don’t be playing because you are going to need that time.
 * Take your time.
 * Do all your work.
 * Pay attention.
 * Focus on what you have to do to get out of summer school. Play on your own time not in class. Stay focused.
 * Make sure you score 70% & higher.
 * Don’t fall asleep. Do the study guides. Don’t procrastinate.
 * I would tell them not to joke around and just get it done.
 * I would tell them to work hard and not give up. I would tell them not to worry about others around them.
 * Ask the teacher for help.
 * Contact your teacher if you have any problem or questions.
 * Strive for greatness and high achievements.

If you had a magic wand, what would you change to make the program better?

 * Not too attend the summer program at all.
 * I would make the tests easier.
 * I would have fewer units.
 * We wouldn’t have to come to school. We could do all of our work at home.
 * Get rid of the essays.
 * Make the work easier and the class shorter.
 * I really liked the summer program I feel like I really did learn. So I wouldn't change it. I would keep it just as it is.
 * Shorter
 * I would not change anything. It is perfect as is.
 * Take out some of the practices and journals.