Sooke+Case+Study

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 * DATE STARTED:** January 1, 2012


 * PROJECT NAME**: Blended Learning - Moving Online Into The Classroom


 * PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS:**
 * Belmont Secondary
 * Edward Milne Secondary

Coordinator: Dal Little [mailto:dlittle@sd62.bc.ca]
 * PARTICIPATING STAFF (TEACHERS/ADMINISTRATORS)**:

**Participants:** **Journey Middle School** Ross Leadbetter - Socials Studies 8, English 9

**Spencer Middle School** Sandra Salvati - Science 8, Math 8 Robert McAllister - Math 8, English 9 John Stubbs Middle School Tod Powell - English 9, Social Studies 9

**Edward Milne Secondary School** Mark Moldowan - Law 12, History 12

**Belmont Secondary School** John Froess - AP English 12 Nancy McAleer - Science 10 (2 blocks) William Stee - Math 12 Martin Lait - Science 10 and AW Math 10 (cohort of 20 students) Lori Haddon - Spanish 11


 * GRADES/SUBJECT AREAS**
 * Principles of Math 12
 * English 10
 * Biology 11

This pilot is aimed at exploring what teachers, students and parents will do when provided with full access to an online learning system with access to digital resources.
 * PROJECT DESCRIPTION**:

This project offers teachers and students a chance to teach and learn differently. With a blended learning method, teachers will use a traditional classroom setting, supportive technology and online curriculum. Teachers and students will interact and learn together using Blackboard 9.1, a Learning Management System (LMS) used to keep students informed, involved and collaborating together.

Ten classroom teachers from the Sooke School District will be provided with training and teacher accounts in Blackboard. They will also be provided with digital course content for their subject area, including text, multimedia, assessment tools and teacher guides. Students and parents will also be given accounts to the teachers’ online classroom, providing anywhere/anytime access to their learning environment.

E-Learning and Graduation (Ministry of Education)
 * PROJECT PARTNER ROLES: **
 * Provide partial funding for project
 * Provide access to “ provincial sandbox” to participating teachers

Open School BC (Ministry of Education)
 * Manage project funding and deliverables
 * Provide access to content/learning management system for up to 1000 users
 * Provide training and Tier 2 support to participating teachers & project lead

Sooke School District (SD 62)
 * Provide 0.4 release time for project coordinator/teacher
 * Select teachers and classes for pilot project
 * Mentor teachers in use of Blackboard and monitor student/parent/teacher activities
 * Create discussion group and work with Open School BC to create survey questions for participant groups
 * Report findings back to OSBC/Ministry of Education & present at spring conference

Questions to be addressed:
 * GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:**
 * If teachers have access to a high quality learning management system how will they use it?
 * How will blended learning change the learning experience for students?
 * What impact will access to an online learning system have on parental participation and involvement in their childs’ learning?
 * Did teachers use the resources to support their vision of personalized learning for their students?

Other questions and outcomes will evolve as the project unfolds.


 * BUDGET:**
 * Teacher Release Time (20 days @ 350/day) || 7000 ||
 * Support teacher (0.4 Salary/benefits for 0.5 year) || 20,000 ||
 * Bb Hosting (1000 users) || 11,500 ||
 * Bb support/admin || 1000 ||
 * Course Licensing || 7500 ||
 * Development of tools for action research || 1000 ||
 * Travel & presentation || 1000 ||
 * ** Total Costs ** || ** 49,000 ** ||
 * ** Contributions ** ||  ||
 * Support teacher salary (SD 62) || 20,000 ||
 * Bb Admin (OSBC) || 1000 ||
 * Course licensing (OSBC) || 7500 ||
 * Tools for action research (MoE) || 1000 ||
 * ** Value of total in kind contribution ** || ** 29,500 ** ||
 * ** Required support ** || ** 19,500 ** ||
 * ** Required support ** || ** 19,500 ** ||
 * ** Required support ** || ** 19,500 ** ||


 * TIMELINES:**


 * REQUIRED EQUIPMENT AND RESOURCES:**


 * IMPLEMENTATION:**

The project began in January, 2012, and ran for one semester with 10 teachers who were involved in this phase of the pilot project. The basic premise of the project was to provide teachers with access to fully developed courses in the “Blackboard Learn” Learning Management System (LMS). In addition, teachers were provided with basic understanding of online design and content development principles. As well, they were provided with Blackboard technical support in order to ensure that they were able to adjust the courses according to the needs of students. Teachers were not obligated to achieve any criteria, but only to identify aspects of the process and the related impact on their students.

The initial schedule ‐ January to June, 2012‐ was deemed to be an insufficient amount of time for teachers to become familiar enough with the Blackboard online environment to have students access the course content. The project was extended to June, 2013. In September, 2012, some of the original members were not available to continue in the project and, consequently, new teachers became participants. At this time, nine teachers are actively engaged in Blended Learning activities in a total of 15 different courses.


 * OUTCOMES/CONCLUSION:**

Student statements obtained in this survey are valuable as evaluation because as they provide insight into students’ initial acceptance of blended learning, and directions to pursue in the future for improving student perspectives and engagement.
 * January 2013 Summary Student Survey**


 * PROJECT BENEFITS:** TBD


 * PROJECT CHALLENGES:** TBD