IMPROVING K12 ONLINE STUDENT SUCCESS BY APPLYING COMMUNITY OF INQUIRY MODEL.

Garrison's Community of Inquiry COI model has long been the leading standard in researching efficacy, quality, and practice in online higher education contexts.  Only recently, however have researchers started to explore how k12 virtual learning contexts and practices could be informed. The online k12 landscape has been driven, in large part, by curriculum publishers with courses and programs focused primarily on a content-centric approach.  This is in contrast to what we see across online higher education with a student-centered, facilitated learning community model. This session will explore the efficacy of the COI model applied to a large k12 company that provides online learning opportunities to school districts across the United States.  Specifically, active online learning facilitation will be discussed to promote more successful learning outcomes.

Graduation Alliance is an online high school dropout recovery program that partners with school districts across the nation. The online school provides classes for students that have struggled for a variety of reasons in the traditional education model, and these classes are designed to meet students’ needs, while adhering to standards and deadlines for course completion. The mission of the school is to use innovative education and postsecondary planning solutions to improve the lives of all Americans by preparing them for today's economic opportunities. With a focus on efficacy, students are provided with a support team and resources that promote success in the program and beyond.

    Changes have been made to shift from a curriculum-centered to a more student-centered learning model with teacher facilitation:

• Learning Community Model spread across multiple student learning support team members

• Design teacher-curated curriculum

• Teacher-facilitated discussions

•  Ongoing feedback loops between student and teacher

• Asynchronous, authentic interaction strategies

Participants will:

1. Discuss how best to support learners in virtual k12 contexts and through a student-centered, actively facilitated, learning community approach.  

2. Articulate the challenges and areas of opportunity to design, develop, implement, and measure learning in a true k12 learning community model.  

3. Engage in a discussion on the historically dominant k12 virtual models, structure, staff, support, and efficacy.  

4. Explore emerging models and practices, key differences, and efficacy.  

5. Construct a vision for k12 virtual learning models, specifically building on Garrison's Community of Inquiry COI model as applied to k12 virtual schools and learning models.