Challenge
In 2014, Early County School System in Blakely, Georgia, was using a digital curriculum provider that primarily relied on prerecorded video lectures to replicate the traditional classroom model. This approach did not resonate with students and was not producing the outcomes the district needed.
Solution
Early County Schools switched to Apex Learning to offer both credit recovery and original credit for summer school and at the district’s alternative school. French and Spanish courses were also offered due to limited teacher availability.
Results
Now that students are using Apex Learning curriculum, they actively participate in their learning. Students remain engaged, stay on schedule, and achieve at higher levels. In addition, students now have the opportunity to take a lab with Earth Science class. Prior to partnering with Apex Learning, this was not an option.
Learn by Watching Didn’t Click
Despite their best efforts, students struggled to learn and stay engaged with video lectures from the previous digital curriculum provider. They were not expected to do much more than watch and click. The district decided that they needed a new digital curriculum partner that fulfilled their needs for:
- An active pedagogical approach in which students learn by doing.
- Digital curriculum that was rigorous enough to keep students on track to graduate and ensure they were mastering grade-level concepts, and preparing for what comes next, whether that’s the next course, graduation, or a career.
Apex Learning's active learning instructional design enables students to learn by doing rather than by passively watching and reading. Support is provided the moment students need it so they stay engaged and motivated. Rather than being told what they should know, students are prompted to interact with the content and build their own knowledge.
Jennifer Brown, Curriculum Director, says, “With Apex Learning, they have the opportunity to learn in several different ways to ensure they master the material, and that’s what keeps them engaged. The curriculum options are a powerful part of the program. Students can work at their own pace, and the rigor of the assignments holds them more accountable.”