The results of a joint survey conducted by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and U.S. Department of Education (DOE) were released earlier this month and provide more insight into the totally wired world of Gen Y students'.
The survey, "Technology-Based Distance Education Courses for Public Elementary and Secondary School Students: 2004-05, provides policymakers, researchers, and educators with data about web-based education courses in public elementary and secondary schools nationwide.
The data for this report was compared to data gathered in the 2002-2003 report and used as a baseline against the 2004-2005 findings. You can read the full report by clicking here.
Among the key findings:
- 37% of public school districts and 10 % of all public schools nationwide had students enrolled in technology-based distance education courses during 2004-2005;
- 26% of school districts that existed in both 2002-2003 and 2004-2005 had students enrolled in technology-based distance education in both school years;
- The number of enrollments in technology-based distance education courses increased from an estimated 317,070 enrollments in 2002-2003 to 506,950 in 2004-2005; 61% of technology-based distance education enrollments at the high school level;
- 71% of districts with students enrolled in technology-based distance education courses in 2004-2005 planned to expand their distance education courses in the future.
The success of any distance learning program is contingent on the ability of the instructors to utilize a blended approach of face-to-face with social technologies in order to foster social support, provide technical support, and design courses which allow students to explore and develop their intrinsic learning goals.
As online learning continues to expand and new instructors deepen their understanding of the online learning environment they will be able to focus on students learning and supporting their needs in this environment.
In the end, successful web-based learning comes when instructors and designers recognize first the importance of cultivating relationships, and then carefully balance the symbiotic relationship between social technologies, community, and constructivist learning as a means to provide avenues of opportunity for students to achieve their full potential.
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