Twigg's "New Models for Online Learning" Reading Response

Carol Twigg, Executive Director of the Center for Academic Transformation at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has put together a wonderful collection of modern technology-based learning strategies. She offers five choices ranging from full student contact to no student contact. All of the five have commonalities including active learning, computer-based learning resources, mastery learning and more. Through funding from an $8.8 million grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Program in Course Redesign was born. Their main goal was to assist colleges and universities as they seek to redesign technology integrated instruction and insure quality enhancements and cost reduction.

Of the five models, one particularly struck me as excellent and interesting. The Supplemental Model has been utilized at the University of New Mexico and at Carnegie Mellon. Carnegie Mellon uses a SmartLab system that acts like a personal tutor for students giving them personalized help as they progress in their learning. It gives feedback when it feels students are choosing an unproductive course and assesses skill acquisition. Scores have improved by 22.8% in one year.

The University of New Mexico’s method for implementing the Supplemental Model is particularly interesting to me. The class website provides students with key concepts, learning objectives and supplemental materials. Following, students take an assessment of materials to see how prepared for class they are. It provides immediate feedback. From here, instructors are able to tailor-fit the lesson to student needs according to the quiz assessments. Faculty is no longer wasting time on topics that students do not need additional instruction on, giving more time for problem areas and individual help. Pre-class assessment and preparation is a great strategy for cooperative, more student-centered learning, putting students in an active position rather than a passive note-taking stance.

The Sloan Consortium has put together an article, “Growing by Degrees, Online Education in the U.S. 2005. Sloan findings agree with the Center for Academic Transformation’s stance on continued technology integration in our schools. They conclude that growth in online course offerings is occurring at all levels- undergraduate and graduate as well as Continuing Education. The statistical findings seem to point to the fact that technology is becoming more and more pervasive in education today. They also point to the fact that the number of students who study online is increasing at a rate far higher than the rate of growth in overall higher education student population. Technology is education is on the rise.

Robert Brumfield, Assistant Editor, eSchool News in his article, “Virtual schools offer clubs, field trips” tries to dispel the myth that virtual schools are isolating for students. Virtual schools are offering a more integrated approach to technology in education even while being 100% online instruction based. Many virtual schools are now offering field trips and clubs for students. It affords students the social outlet that typically, virtual schools cannot offer. Brumfield also suggests that meeting online is good practice for students as it is a regular occurrence in the business world saying it helps improve their ‘21st Century communication skills.’ Science Club members have the opportunity to collaborate online in various forms but do not actually meet until the day of the Science Fair. Mary Mitchell, a Florida Virtual School teacher and Virtual Science Club leader told Brumfield that, “"Their ability to communicate and collaborate virtually has proven successful, because club teams have a consistent record of winning awards each year."

As it has been said, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” In this case, the old saying is still holds true. However, we have gone beyond necessity, finding creative and innovative strategies for students of all learning types. For some, recent innovation in education may be the key to their success. For others, it is a great way to expand technology skills while learning critical content for a successful career ahead.