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The Digital Backpack
Your resource for online learning
Your trusted source for K-12 online learning insights, teaching strategies, and success stories from Michigan’s leading virtual education provider. Join us as we explore innovative approaches to help students thrive in the digital age.
Episode 19: Competency-based Education
In this episode, we chat with Rose Colby, who is involved in a number of different initiatives at the state and national level concerning competency-based education. We ask Rose exactly what people me
Episode 18: Christine Fox of SETDA Returns
Our guest for this episode is actually a returning guest: Christine Fox, Director of Educational Leadership and Research of the State Educational Technology Directors Association, or SETDA. Christine
The Force Awakens Your Classroom
The blended learning team challenged their colleague, David Young (Instructional Design Manager at Michigan Virtual), to channel his excitement for the release of the new Star Wars film into a guest b
Episode 17: Year-End Review With MyBlend
In this episode, we sit down with Jeff Gerlach of Michigan Virtual's blended learning team to reflect on a year of podcasting, sharing our insights, listening to clips from some previous episodes
Episode 16: Saro Mohammed
Our guest for this episode is Saro Mohammed, a partner at the Learning Accelerator. The Learning Accelerator, or TLA, works directly with school districts and states to develop implementation strategi
Call for Papers – Special Issue of Journal of Online Learning Research
K-12 online learning has grown dramatically the last decade. Despite its popularity among diverse parents and students (Beck, Maranto, & Egalite, 2014; Beck, Maranto, & Lo, 2014), it is becomi
The All Too Often Neglected Teacher Superpower
Throughout my childhood, I had teachers I connected with in a way I will never forget, while others have faded in my memories. What is the extra “something” those teachers possess? I think I’ve finally figured it out.
A comprehensive look at postsecondary distance education enrollment in Michigan
In a previous blog post, we’ve examined online and distance education enrollment rates at postsecondary institutions across the United States. In this post, we’ll provide some local context by examini
Episode 15: Joel Rose
This episode's guest is Joel Rose, the Co-Founder and CEO of New Classrooms Innovation Partners. Joel and his team at New Classrooms are striving to implement personalized learning models in scho
Change, The Monster Lurking Under your Blended Learning Bed
Change is not always easy for me. Ok, it is never easy for me. I dread the unknown, funny since a major part of my job is to support changes in education. Every day I encourage educators to take a lea
Episode 14: Julia Freeland Fisher
Our guest for this episode is Julia Freeland Fisher, Director of Education at the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation. Julia and I discuss some of her recent work focusing on helpi
Episode 13: Beatriz Arnillas
Our guest for this episode is Beatriz Arnillas, the Director of IT and Education Technology at the Houston Independent School District in Houston, Texas. Beatriz provides some insight into what it’s l
OLC addressing K-12 online teaching & learning research
The Online Learning Consortium is launching a new special interest area addressing the research and practice of K-12 online teaching and learning.Twenty-five concurrent sessions at the 21st Annual Onl
Episode 12: Paul Curtis
Our guest for this episode is Paul Curtis, the Director of Curriculum for the New Tech Network. Paul touches on some of the history of the organization, one that has been around for a surprisingly lon
New position to expand research capacity
To help stakeholders meet the educational challenges they face and better support online learners, the search is on for a new full-time quantitative researcher for MVLRI. The person in this position w
Rediscovering Microsoft: Three powerful tools for teachers
Expand your presentations and supercharge your screen captures with these tools.
Episode 11: Sarah Luchs
Our guest for this episode is Sarah Luchs of NGLC, Next Generation Learning Challenges. NGLC is a challenge grant strategy initiative of Educause, dedicated to accelerating educational innovation thro
About 26% of undergraduates at degree-granting postsecondary institutions took a distance education course in 2012-13
For the first time, the recently released Digest of Education Statistics 2013 includes statistics on the percentages of undergraduates and graduates who took distance education and online courses. The
Episode 10: Kate Loughrey
In this episode, we talk with Kate Loughrey, who is the statewide Texas Virtual School Network Coordinator. Kate gives us a very detailed picture of the ins and outs of the Texas course choice program
USDOE report finds 32% of undergraduates took an online course in 2011-2012
For the first time, the recently released Digest of Education Statistics 2013 includes statistics on the percentages of undergraduates and graduates who took distance education and online courses. The
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