Apex Learning is pleased to announce the winners of our annual Award of Excellence, which honors six exemplary online learning programs from across the nation. The schools and districts selected foster and demonstrate extraordinary vision and dedication to increasing student achievement through blended and virtual learning.
Read on to learn more about the innovative 2015 recipients.
As school districts found their footing after quickly pivoting to online learning at the start of the pandemic, many have successfully put academic interventions into action to help students pass their core courses. Yet, credit recovery continues to be a sticking point for schools, especially those that serve children from low-income districts, multilingual students, and students with special needs.
For high school students with special needs, failing a class or receiving an incomplete not only impacts them academically, but emotionally as well. As they watch their classmates move ahead as they fall behind, many experience a sense of isolation and a hit to their self-esteem.
The sudden rise in virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic illustrated how, at its best, the increased use of technology can help school districts provide a personalized learning experience so all of their students can develop the strong foundations of knowledge and skills needed to succeed in school and beyond.
If your district is struggling to bring all students back to school for in-person learning, you’re not alone. Many factors are affecting how, when, and if students will return including bus schedules, negotiations with teacher unions, and the reticence of some parents.
Without a doubt, district leaders anticipated learning loss when students returned to school this year –whether that was in person, virtually, or in a hybrid model. But it is still unclear just how substantial that learning loss will be long-term.
Adjusting to teaching and learning in a virtual environment is not easy as thousands of educators and students are experiencing right now. But when done well, online learning has the potential to increase student achievement.
Online learning was never intended to replicate classroom learning. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be just as effective. Classroom learning is fundamentally built on the ability to interact with one another – student-to-teacher or student-to-student – in a face-to-face environment. And any effort to replicate the classroom experience online will likely overlook the benefits of using technology.
Now that schools and districts have navigated their plans for how to provide online and hybrid learning options this fall, many are evaluating their next challenge. How can educators provide options for students and families who are anxious about returning to school, and still keep them within their home school districts?
In our eighth episode of Opportunity Thrives, a podcast committed to better supporting the needs of today’s students, we discuss tools, tips, and best practices to help support teachers who are new to online learning.