Optimizing K 12 Education Through Online And Blended Learning

The integration of information and communication technologies in education is unavoidable, as an increasing percentage of educators embrace modern technology, others are faced with the decision to reevaluate their own pedagogical practices or become obsolete. To meet the needs of students, one must first define what stipulates a successful K-12 student, the best practices of online classrooms, the warning signs for low-performing students, and how to engage web-based students. Optimizing K-12 Education through Online and Blended Learning addresses the models, support, cases, and delivery of K-12 online education. Seeking to further the conversation about the most effective ways to integrate ICT into the classroom, this publication presents theoretical frameworks to support educators and administrators. This book is an essential collection of research for teachers, administrators, students of education, IT professionals, developers, and policy makers.

"This book examines the benefits and costs associated with the utilization of technology-mediated instructional environments, recognizing that instructional technology could offer alternative means of communication for understanding"--

The integration of technology in classrooms is rapidly emerging as a way to provide more educational opportunities for students. As virtual learning environments become more popular, evaluating the impact of this technology on student success is vital. Exploring the Effectiveness of Online Education in K-12 Environments combines empirical evidence and best practices in current K-12 distance learning and virtual schools. Emphasizing current research and opportunities, this book is an all-inclusive reference source for administrators, teachers, researchers, teacher educators, and policymakers interested in the development and implementation of blended and electronic learning in primary and secondary education.

It has quickly become apparent in the past year that online learning is not only an asset, but it is critical to the continued education of youth during times of crisis. However, districts and schools across the nation are in need of guidance and practical, research-backed approaches to distance and hybrid learning. The current COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated that effective learning in K-12 is possible, but many districts struggled and continue to struggle in achieving that reality. There is also the growing consensus that even if things “return to normal,” distance and blended learning strategies should continue to be employed in many ways across the K-12 environment. Designing Effective Distance and Blended Learning Environments in K-12 provides key insights into the ways that school districts and educators from across the world have effectively designed and implemented distance and blended learning approaches to enable and enhance student learning. The diverse collection of authors from various demographics and roles in school systems will benefit readers across a wide spectrum of school community stakeholders. There will also be an emphasis on how research and theory is put into practice, along with an honest discussion of what strategies and actions were successful as well as those that were less so. This book is essential for professionals and researchers working in the field of K-12 education, particularly superintendents, curriculum developers, professional learning designers, school principals, instructional technology specialists, and teachers, as well as administrators, researchers, academicians, and students interested in the effective practices being used in blended learning approaches.

Thriving as an Online K-12 Educator is the perfect all-in-one guide to taking your K-12 class online. We know, now more than ever, that teachers have not been equally or systematically trained and resourced to make a sudden transition to online or blended instruction. This concise, accessible book collects time-tested strategies and fresh perspectives from experienced educators to help you smooth out even the most abrupt shift to technology-enhanced teaching and learning. With these insights into institutional supports, effective digital tools, equitable practice, social-emotional considerations, and beyond, you will be better prepared than ever to help your students thrive in online and blended learning environments.

To provide the highest quality of education to students, school administrators must adopt new frameworks to meet learners’ needs. This allows teaching practices to be optimized to create a meaningful learning environment. Examining the Potential for Response to Intervention (RTI) Delivery Models in Secondary Education: Emerging Research and Opportunities is a pivotal reference source for the latest perspectives on research-based intervention and instruction strategies to effectively meet students’ learning requirements. Highlighting numerous topics such as professional development, progress monitoring, and learning assessment, this book is ideally designed for educators, professionals, academics, school administrators, and practitioners interested in enhancing contemporary teaching practices.

The mission of higher education in the 21st century must focus on optimizing learning for all students. In a shift from prioritizing effective teaching to active learning, it is understood that computer-enhanced environments provide a variety of ways to reach a wide range of learners who have differing backgrounds, ages, learning needs, and expectations. Integrating technology into teaching assumes greater importance to improve the learning experience. Optimizing Higher Education Learning Through Activities and Assessments is a collection of innovative research that explores the link between effective course design and student engagement and optimizes learning and assessments in technology-enhanced environments and among diverse student populations. Its focus is on providing an understanding of the essential link between practices for effective “activities” and strategies for effective “assessments,” as well as providing examples of course designs aligned with assessments, positioning college educators both as leaders and followers in the cycle of lifelong learning. While highlighting a broad range of topics including collaborative teaching, active learning, and flipped classroom methods, this book is ideally designed for educators, curriculum developers, instructional designers, administrators, researchers, academicians, and students.

Co-Published with the Microsoft Corporation Online, Blended and Distance Education in Schools provides students enrolled in Education Technology, Educational Administration and related Masters and PhD programs with expert opinions and insights on the practice and policy in K-12 online, blended and distance education, online and blended programs, including curriculum, instruction, technology and management aspects. It describes the status and trends of the field, provides illustrative program examples, explores the issues and challenges that programs face and highlights ongoing research in key areas related to program effectiveness. Topics discussed:* The current status of K-12 online, distance and blended learning in the U.S.* Policy, funding, and management issues in relation to program implementation* Research on effective programs within governmental jurisdiction and various program types* Global case studies that represent the variety of ways programs are being successfully implemented * A synthesis of key findings and lessons learned, and local and global visions for the future of K-12 distance and online learningThis text is highly appropriate for students enrolled in Educational Technology, Educational Administration and related Masters and PhD programs. An online companion resource provides pedagogical features that enhance text use in a classroom setting.

The rapid growth in online and virtual learning opportunities has created culturally diverse classes and corporate training sessions. Instruction for these learning opportunities must adjust to meet participant needs. Online Course Management: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications is a comprehensive reference source for the latest scholarly material on the trends, techniques, and management of online and distance-learning environments and examines the benefits and challenges of these developments. Highlighting a range of pertinent topics, such as blended learning, social presence, and educational online games, this multi-volume book is ideally designed for administrators, developers, instructors, staff, technical support, and students actively involved in teaching in online learning environments.

The integration of sliding mode in engineering systems has been a focus of research for many years. However, the use of this method in non-engineering systems still requires a better understanding. Sliding Mode in Intellectual Control and Communication: Emerging Research and Opportunities is a pivotal reference source that intends to fill the gap of available knowledge on characteristics of sliding mode in non-engineering contexts. Highlighting a range of pertinent topics such as information processing, intelligent agents, and virtual communications, this book is ideally designed for researchers, academics, students, and professionals interested in the latest developments in sliding mode techniques and applications.