Research Publications
MVLRI’s research provides a foundation to examine, engage and explore educational practices in the industry.
MVLRI is dedicated to taking education techniques to the next level. We believe that with proper research, the ways we learn can continue to evolve to strengthen our futures.
TRAINING - Publication Training Document
This is a test.
Artificial Intelligence and Student Usage in Online Learning: A Longitudinal Analysis of Usage Patterns, Achievement, and Perceptions in K-12 Virtual Education
This study follows more than 26,000 Michigan students over two years to see how they actually use AI in their online courses—and what happens to their grades when they do. AI adoption nearly doubled, with sophisticated “tool + tutor” use growing fastest, especially among high-achieving students. Early achievement gaps between AI users and non-users almost disappeared, yet teacher responsiveness and course design still mattered far more than any AI tool. The findings offer a grounded look at how AI is reshaping K–12 learning right now, without replacing the humans at the heart of it.
AI in Education: A 2025 Snapshot of Trust, Use, and Emerging Practices
This 2025 Michigan Virtual study of over 500 educators provides an updated look at attitudes toward AI in K-12 education. Use of AI continues to grow rapidly, with teachers increasingly adopting tools for tasks like lesson planning and student support, even as trust levels lag behind administrators. District policies and visions are beginning to take shape, though progress remains uneven and many schools are still in early stages. Educators see strong potential in AI for improving instruction and accessibility, but barriers such as limited time, training, and policy clarity persist. While skepticism remains among a subset of educators, most expect AI to play a significant role in education within the next five years, underscoring the need for ongoing professional development, trust-building, and thoughtful guidance.
Online Courses, Offline Grades: What Some Michigan Schools Are Doing
As online learning becomes a fixture in Michigan’s K–12 landscape, Michigan Virtual was curious about how student scores in online courses are interpreted and applied locally. While state law outlines general requirements for awarding credit, districts retain significant flexibility in how those grades appear on transcripts. This brief explores how eight Michigan districts are navigating those decisions—and why their approaches vary.
Out of Order, Still Out of Reach: Navigating Assignment Sequences for Michigan Virtual World Language Courses
In online asynchronous courses, students can submit assignments anytime during the enrollment window, often in any order they like. While previous research has focused on the timing of assignment submissions, Cuccolo & DeBruler highlighted how the order of assignment submissions is associated with lower course performance in STEM courses. This study expands that research to World Language courses, highlighting that students’ final course scores decreased as deviations from the pacing guide increased.
Michigan's K-12 Virtual Learning Effectiveness Report, 2023-24
Based on pupil completion and performance data reported by public schools to MDE or CEPI, this report highlights 2023-24 enrollment totals, completion rates, and the overall impact of virtual courses on K-12 pupils. Detailed findings are presented in sections on schools, courses, and students, as well as over 90 data tables.
Breaking Barriers: A Meta-Analysis of Educator Acceptance of AI Technology in Education
The integration of technology into education has faced resistance for over a century, with each new innovation—from calculators to artificial intelligence (AI)—meeting skepticism from educators. This meta-analysis examines the predictors of technology adoption among teachers, extending foundational frameworks like the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to include modern AI tools. By analyzing over 60 studies, the research identifies key factors such as self-efficacy, perceived usefulness, technological complexity, and ethical concerns that influence adoption. With a particular focus on AI, the study explores how barriers like cost, time, and required pedagogical shifts amplify resistance, while highlighting the importance of training, institutional support, and transparency in fostering acceptance. These findings aim to equip educators, policymakers, and developers with actionable insights to bridge the gap between innovation and classroom practice, ensuring technology enhances learning while addressing teachers' concerns.
A Look Back At 3 Years of Michigan Virtual Research
This publication synthesizes three years of original research from the Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute to further our collective understanding of topics such as effective practices, mentors, professional learning, and AI.
Starting Strong: Understanding Teacher-Student Communication in Online Courses
This study focused specifically on understanding the relationship between teacher communication and relationship-building practices in the first four weeks of an online course. Pairing communication data pulled from the student learning portal, survey data, data from focus group interviews, and a review of best practices and Michigan Virtual instructional policies gave researchers a holistic view of teacher-student communication patterns and recommendations for relationship-building in an online environment.
Maximizing Professional Learning through Educators' Perceptions of Utility and Self-Efficacy in Pedagogy-Focused Courses
Educators’ perceptions of the utility of information and beliefs about their ability to leverage what they’ve learned are important aspects of their experiences in professional learning (PL) courses, as they are associated with engagement and implementation of course content. A survey sent out to educational professionals who recently completed a pedagogy-focused PL course from Michigan Virtual revealed that just under half of respondents plan to implement what they’ve learned in their classrooms and strongly believe in their ability to be reflective practitioners and implement specific strategies in their teaching pedagogy.
AI in Education: Student Usage in Online Learning
The integration of AI in education has the potential to revolutionize the learning experience for students. AI-powered tools and platforms can provide personalized learning experiences tailored to individual students' needs, learning styles, and abilities.
AI in Education: Exploring Trust, Challenges, and the Push for Implementation
This 2024 Michigan Virtual study of over 1,000 educators reveals varying attitudes toward AI in K-12 education. While administrators showed higher trust and prioritization of AI (trust levels ~58/100), teachers demonstrated lower trust (43.7/100). About 50% of educators already use AI professionally, despite only 30% of districts having AI policies. Main concerns included student misuse, privacy, and ethics, while opportunities were seen in content creation and personalized learning. With 80% of educators expecting AI to significantly impact education within 5 years, the study emphasizes the need for professional development and clear implementation guidelines.
Key Strategies for Supporting Disengaged and Struggling Students in Virtual Learning Environments
This study delves into effective strategies used by virtual programs and teachers to support disengaged and struggling students, noting significant overlap with strategies for all students and highlighting the critical roles of parental and mentor support, intervention, and communication. The report covers strategies employed by experienced virtual teachers, programmatic supports, professional development sources, and considerations for supporting virtual learners.
Out of Order, Out of Reach: Navigating Assignment Sequences for STEM Success
Pacing, or the timing of students’ assignment submissions, has been shown to have an important relationship to course performance. Less is known about how the submission order or sequencing of assignment submissions relates to course performance. This study found that the order in which students submitted assignments in their online STEM courses is related to their final grades, with students who submitted all assignments in line with pacing guide recommendations outperforming peers who did not. Indeed, students’ final grades decreased as deviations from the pacing guide increased.
Michigan's K-12 Virtual Learning Effectiveness Report, 2022-23
Based on pupil completion and performance data reported by public schools to MDE or CEPI, this report highlights 2022-23 enrollment totals, completion rates, and the overall impact of virtual courses on K-12 pupils. Detailed findings are presented in sections on schools, courses, and students, as well as over 80 data tables.
Balancing the Risks and Rewards of AI Integration for Michigan Teachers
This groundbreaking study examines how Michigan educators view artificial intelligence in the classroom, revealing that while K-12 teachers tend to be more hesitant about AI compared to administrators and curriculum designers, those who regularly use AI technologies generally hold more positive attitudes. The research highlights AI's potential for personalizing learning and empowering teachers as facilitators, while acknowledging concerns about equity, academic dishonesty, and the need for clear implementation guidelines. These insights suggest that increasing K-12 teacher familiarity with AI through training and establishing protocols for responsible use could be key to successful integration.
Evaluating Professional Learning Course Offerings and Educator Engagement
Professional learning (PL) for educators is essential for promoting connections, pedagogical growth, and fulfilling recertification requirements. Investigating educators’ engagement with PL courses is crucial for ensuring its effectiveness. This study showed that most educators were satisfied with their PL courses and found audio/visual course elements particularly engaging and helpful for learning.
Innovative Approaches to Online CTE: Lessons from Missouri, Idaho, and Arkansas
This report offers a detailed analysis of online Career and Technical Education programs in Idaho, Missouri, and Arkansas, shedding light on their goals, curriculum, instruction, and alignment with industry standards. It also highlights essential strategies to enhance success in online CTE programs, emphasizing the critical role of these programs in providing flexible learning opportunities and preparing students for the evolving job market, thus contributing to workforce development and education.
Shared Space and Time: Learning from Others on the Synchronous Virtual Courses Journey
This study explores synchronous online learning in five U.S. states (K-12, enrollments 20 to 14,000+). Key considerations include relationships, scheduling, supports, infrastructure, and data. Synchronous learning enhances structured scheduling, supports real-time interactions, streamlines infrastructure, and facilitates data-informed decision-making. Understanding these factors is critical for effective implementation in virtual education.
Tailoring Learning for Teachers: The Power of Personalized Professional Development
Through the strategic implementation of personalized professional learning, Plymouth-Canton Community Schools (P-CCS) has successfully transformed its approach to educator professional development. Through a blend of in-house curriculum creation, external resources and partnerships, technology utilization, and opportunities for educator choice based on feedback as well as their unique needs and aspirations, they've cultivated a culture of enthusiastic engagement and reflective growth.
Categories
- Ai (4)
- Blended Teaching & Learning (14)
- Effective Practices in Online Learning (22)
- Effectiveness Reports (12)
- Mentoring (7)
- Michigan (44)
- Motivation & Social Emotional Learning (6)
- Online Teaching and Professional Development (21)
- Program Evaluation / Quality / Policy (27)
- Research in Review (11)
- Special Populations (13)
- Student Centered Learning (10)
- Student Pacing (10)