The VLM4IS: An Idea Whose Time is Coming

1. The VLM4IS:An Idea Whose Time is Coming Tom Welch vlm@ccsso.org Presentation posted at www.twelchconsulting.com

2. The Essential Question • What year is it?

3. Think of the way resources for connecting you and your students with the world have changed!

4. www.Classroom20.com

5. http://www.rafi.ki

6. It’s time to connect to the world in new and more powerful ways.

7. Overview • Defining new opportunities for learning. • An Intro to the VLM concept • An Overview of the VLM4SSM • The VLM4IS • Where to from here?

8. Why the VLMWhy now? • Responsibility – We should! • Technology -- We can! • Fiscal accountability – We must! • Opportunity – We will!

9. Yesterday’s Tampa Paper • Responsibility– “Students Get Peek At Life Around The Globe” p. 15 • Technology – “ USF Students’ Science Project Aims For The Final Frontier” p. 11 • Fiscal Responsibility – “Lawmakers Trim 4% From University Budgets” p. 11 • Opportunity – “Obamamania” p. 1

10. Are you ready? • Change is coming • “If you don’t like change – you’ll like obsolescence even less!” • -- General Shinseki

11. The Virtual Learning Magnet • Design • What features would you want to put into a LEARNING system?

12. We try to avoid ever using the terms “school” or “national” with the VLM?

13. Basis for the VLM • In the 21st century we must no longer allow geography to determine any learner’s future.

14. The VLM is a multi-year opportunity for students to earn credits towards a diploma, dual credit to begin postsecondary studies, and establish relationships with one another, and the widest variety of partners, leading to college, work and service for every student involved.

15. Fundamental elementsof the VLM • Under the auspices of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) • Work with, not compete with, existing state and local virtuals • a. Students earn credit at state/local level • b. Enroll in VLM through state virtual

16. 3. Chiefs will sign a “compact” a. Performance-based credits b. Appropriate credentialing on transcript c. Focus on under-served students • Focus on individual learner needs/ mass customization of learning • Learning available 24/7/7 • Focus on “learning” not “schooling”

17. Assessment • Gateway • Readiness

18. Repositories • Content Repository • Learner Evidence Repository

19. VLM Design Principles • Equity and Access: Improve learning opportunities for any learner anywhere • Performance-based credits and progression based on performance • Dual Credit – supports for successful transition to postsecondary opportunities

20. Open education resource • Use of existing and emerging resources

21. Systems thinking • Modularized, dynamically sequenced curriculum (not courses) • Performance-based • Open-source, Open-architecture • International benchmarking

22. Stretch goals for every learner • High degree of relevance to academic and career goals • Transferable to other learning opportunities* • Undergirded by strong student supports • Robust intellectual challenges

23. Phase I – The VLM4SSM • Starts January ’09 • Very limited “Proof-of-Concept” • Supported by an Unsolicited Proposal from NASA

24. A single course offering – Precollege Physics • 30-50 students • 10-12 states plus DC and the DoDE • 2 int’l students • Independent Study based on NASA missions

25. Organic design • not a “complete” idea that is being funded • architectural design for replicability and scalability • based on needs of states and sector partners

26. Implications for the IS community • Open architecture • Providing reasons to learn • Just say “node” • Language learning as a means not an end

27. Next steps • Expand the content repository for the VLM4SSM with IS content • Recall the news articles • Physics and IS • Other? • Work on the VLM for International Studies

28. So now what? • Don’t wait for “instructions” • We’re ready for you! • All VLMs should grow organically

29. Keep in mind • No doors • Few “locks” • OK – locks for student safety but not on the knowledge.

30. Immediate work • Identification of resources • human • materials • Development of courses • Cojoined efforts – just say “node” • Begin to identify resources

31. Take a look • The VLM on the CCSSO website • The ning site • www.Classroom20.com • The importance of the modular model • Start building!

32. What’s missing? • Do you want to be involved?

33. John Krueger • Tom Welch • vlm@ccsso.org