Category: Research

Supports associated with teacher retention in Michigan

There is a teacher recruitment and retention crisis in Michigan and across the country. Why is there a crisis? What can be done? This third post in a blog series on teacher recruitment and retention summarizes an important recent study on factors that help teacher retention in Michigan.

Reviewing Michigan's K-12 Virtual Learning Effectiveness Report

Joseph Freidhoff

The author of Michigan’s K-12 Virtual Learning Effectiveness Report shares a few highlights from the 2020-21 school year to encourage a deeper dive into the full report.

Integrating STEM in your classroom using the “Grand Challenges for Engineering”

Time for Teachers: Importance of Distinguishing Systemic from Individual Barriers and Solutions

Educators often cite a lack of time as one of their most significant stressors. How can we help teachers find the balance necessary to feel satisfied in their jobs and meet their social and emotional needs? This first post in the Time for Teachers blog series will distinguish systemic from individual barriers, which is essential to ensure that finding time for themselves is not an undue burden on individual teachers. Some challenges require state-, district-, and school-wide solutions.

Teacher recruitment and retention in Michigan - Challenges and potential solutions

There is a teacher shortage in Michigan and across the country. Why is there a crisis? What can be done? This second post in a blog series on teacher recruitment and retention focuses on challenges and potential solutions in Michigan.

Enter the matrix of competency-based education tools

How School Leaders Can Support Teachers in Making the Shift Toward Student-Centered Learning

Christa Green

Common themes emerged around the supports that school leaders have put in place as their district makes the shift toward student-centered learning. We hope their insights and advice provide some guidance for other school leaders who may be just getting started.

Challenges (and Opportunities) When Implementing Student-Centered Learning Models

Christa Green

Shifting to a more student-centered learning model can and will present many challenges, but it’s also an opportunity to design learning differently.

School Leader Insights: Leading Toward Success

The School Leader Insights blog series provides school leaders with practical guidance and advice on how to develop and support digital learning programs within their schools and districts. Based on research and on-the-ground experiences working with school leaders, Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute aims to identify and share effective practices with these school leaders to support their work and encourage their success. In this final blog post of the series, we discuss how to lead a new digital learning program toward success in the long term.

School Leader Insights: Shifting School Operations to Support Digital Learning

The School Leader Insights blog series provides school leaders with practical guidance and advice on how to develop and support digital learning programs within their schools and districts. Based on research and on-the-ground experiences working with school leaders, Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute aims to identify and share effective practices with these school leaders to support their work and encourage their success. In this blog post, we discuss the importance of shifting school operations to support digital learning. Significant implementation challenges arise without staying in touch and coordinating with a variety of stakeholders responsible for school operations.

Monitoring Student Needs and Progress in a Student-Centered Classroom

Christa Green

In a truly student-centered learning environment, it really goes beyond just data. Teachers and administrators should look at the whole child, considering both their academic and non-academic needs.

School Leader Insights: Professional Learning as a Catalyst for Change

The School Leader Insights blog series provides school leaders with practical guidance and advice on how to develop and support digital learning programs within their schools and districts. Based on research and on-the-ground experiences working with school leaders, Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute aims to identify and share effective practices with these school leaders to support their work and encourage their success. In this blog post, we discuss how professional learning programs for teachers can provide job satisfaction, improve digital learning outcomes for students, and serve as a catalyst for change.

School Leader Insights: Technology as a Foundation

The School Leader Insights blog series provides school leaders with practical guidance and advice on how to develop and support digital learning programs within their schools and districts. Based on research and on-the-ground experiences working with school leaders, Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute aims to identify and share effective practices with these school leaders to support their work and encourage their success. In this blog post, we discuss the importance of thinking deliberately about technology. Some might think that a digital learning initiative should start with technology. However, to leverage technology effectively to reach certain digital learning goals, leaders need to execute a project vision based on a clear understanding of the interplay between curriculum, instruction, and assessment and the needs of all members of a school community.

A Competency-Based Approach to Student-Centered Learning

Christa Green

Creating competencies and designing flexible learning opportunities that allow students to demonstrate mastery of these competencies on their own pathway and at their own pace is one piece of designing a learning environment that is student-centered.

Competency-based education in science

School Leader Insights: The Interplay Between Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

The School Leader Insights blog series provides school leaders with practical guidance and advice on how to develop and support digital learning programs within their schools and districts. Based on research and on-the-ground experiences working with school leaders, Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute aims to identify and share effective practices with these school leaders to support their work and encourage their success. In this blog post, we discuss the importance of understanding the relationship between curriculum, instruction, and assessment in designing digital learning experiences that align with the underlying purposes for why a digital learning initiative is pursued in the first place.

School Leader Insights: Institutionalizing a Vision for Digital Learning

The School Leader Insights blog series provides school leaders with practical guidance and advice on how to develop and support digital learning programs within their schools and districts. Based on research and on-the-ground experiences working with school leaders, Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute aims to identify and share effective practices with these school leaders to support their work and encourage their success. In this blog post, we discuss the process of developing a shared vision among school and district stakeholders and the process by which school leaders may institutionalize the vision for continued growth and sustainability.

Making Learning Student-Centered: Providing Voice and Choice

Christa Green

We know that not all students learn in the same way. Why is it then that in the traditional model of education, we expect students to learn along the same pathway at the same time?

Michigan Virtual Research on Online Learning in Higher Education

Kristen DeBruler

Research at the higher education level is well established and can provide valuable insights into online learning overall. It is important, however, to consider the unique needs of K-12 online learners as compared to adults when determining which research findings to apply.

Michigan Virtual Research on K-12 Online Teacher Preparation, Professional Development, & On-Site Mentoring

Kristen DeBruler

Teachers play a critical role in instruction regardless of if the instruction is face-to-face, fully online, or somewhere in between. Training for working effectively with remote students is critical now more than ever and should, at the very least in a small way, be part of traditional teacher preparation programs.