Interview with Massood Zarrabian, OutStart: Mobile Learning Applications

Mobile learning continues to expand as applications are developed for use in corporate training, K-12 activities, research and field work, and general education. Welcome to an interview with Massood Zarrabian, CEO and President of OutStart. OutStart has created a solution is that supports all mobile platforms, 500 devices, and works in connected and disconnected form

What is your name and your relation to e-learning?

[mzarrabian] Massood Zarrabian, CEO and President, OutStart

What made you interested in mobile learning?

[mzarrabian] Other than the market hype, lots of different things:
1. Our customers kept on asking us to help them with their corporate mobile strategy. All of them wanted to do something with mobile, but were looking at us to work with them and develop a comprehensive strategy.

2. My sons who showed me quizzes that were being sent around on mobile devices, and while sitting in the back of the car were discussing the answers with each other.

3. And personal experience. We use our products internally for a variety of business processes, and I was frustrated with the way they worked on my mobile, forcing me to boot up my laptop to do something that I should have been able to do with my mobile device, specifically around small training modules, and interactions with SMEs about a variety of things I needed to get done.
When did you first see a successful application of mobile learning?

[mzarrabian] Earlier this year Hot Lava’s CEO showed us some of the things his customers had done, including the Kauffman/Sprint project that was developed to deliver mobile based sports-themed science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) training (modules coupled with brain teaser content and quizzes to evaluate knowledge capture) to youth at professional sports games via mobile phones. The project experienced such great results (see below) that the Kauffman Foundation developed a video about their experience. The video is compelling, and had similarities to what my children were doing and talking about. Anyone can access the video on the Kauffman Foundation website:

http://video.kauffman.org/services/player/bcpid1811456713?bclid=1612721919&bctid=3843734001



Results from the Kauffman/Sprint STEM Project:
• 415,281 registered users
• 12,306 stadium SMS texts
• Global usage - North America, Europe, Asia, Africa
• Replicable model - Demonstrates the potential with mobile content

What kinds of applications have you developed and where are they used?

[mzarrabian] OutStart’s applications enable our customers to develop, deliver and track all types of mobile content without the help of someone with content development experience. Our customers like this flexibility as it allows them to deliver content faster, enabling the organization to be more agile, while leveraging their subject matter experts. We have a number of customers who have used our products to develop, deployed and track mobile content.

Examples include: A leader in fixed, mobile and converged broadband who uses Hot Lava Mobile to send SMS messages and surveys. Content developed, delivered and tracked include technical information as well as sales training; A healthcare information center uses Hot Lava Mobile as a way to develop mobile content and deliver it to inner city youth as part of a blended learning format.

The youth involved attend workshops and presentations which are followed up by several five-to-eight question modules on their phones as refresher trivia; And, an aviation training company who is using Hot Lava Mobile as part of their training for a new plane they are building. The aviation center sends quizzes and tests to pilots to further their training. As part two of the program, the center will be conducting internal and external surveys with their employees and pilots.

Please list the instructional strategies you use:

I asked one of our Consultants who has a Ph.D. and has been working with our customers for over one year to comment on mobile content development to help with the next questions, here is her response:

The instructional strategies for mobile content development are very different than those for developing content for elearning or traditional learning. On the content development side, you need to keep in mind the screen size that your audience will be using, the need and ability to include interactivity in your content, the attention span of your audience and the fact that the users are on the go when accessing your content.



To help in the development process, Hot Lava Mobile was developed to allow content developers to visualize content in the new environment by providing mobile skins for content development. It also has the ability to integrate images, audio, video and animations and allows developers to play with a full range of font sizes, colors, and alignments.

Traditional Instructional Strategies used include:

· Behaviorist: Stimulus-response systems that provide problems, challenges, or prompts to the user who then responds and receives feedback.

· Situated Learning: Due to their mobility, phones and PDAs can be taken into authentic contexts where the user can experience what is happening, as well as interact, observe, or collect information. Data can be collected and recorded and responses contributed.

· Informal Knowledge Sharing: Mobile devices now afford access to information, people, and services that support anytime anywhere access to knowledge.

On the delivery and tracking side, for those organizations that care about what mobile content their audience is using, or want to have the ability to track and record surveys or compliance results, the ability to develop fully trackable content is required. This functionality was built in to Hot Lava Mobile as well.]

How is this different than simply downloading a video from YouTube and watching it?

Youtube is not a dedicated instructional or performance support platform/medium/tool.

Youtube does not provide tracking and does not provide data that can report if learning/performance support is actively occurring.

The content on utube is not content that an organization decided to develop to improve their business

Hot Lava Mobile can track and monitor user's/learner's behaviors/responses/achievement/test scores, etc.
What makes it a learning experience?

Learning/performance support goals, objectives, and instructional strategies have been intentionally designed to elicit desired learner/user behaviors/outcomes.

Users/learners receive feedback and can access quizzes and tests to monitor their achievement/performance as well as access final scores.

Users/learners choose modules based on specific learning/performance support outcomes with the intent to transfer knowledge to their target performance environment (their job)

Are your mobile applications useful in countries where connectivity and online access are limited?

[mzarrabian] Yes. We have customers all over the globe, from South Africa to India to Australia and Brazil, as well as customers in areas where connectivity is not as much of an issue, like the US, Canada and Norway. One of the beauties of our solution is that is supports all platforms, 500 devices, and works in connected and disconnected form.

So, even with limited connectivity and bandwidth, the content will get downloaded when they are connected, and the results will be synchronized back when they connect again. This is the same model that Blackberry uses for email, but our solution for mobile content works on all devices. In addition all the content created in Hot Lava Mobile is optimized for mobile phone delivery, eliminating issues with low bandwidth areas.

Integrated Online Courses in Science and Math: Case of Educator.com

Educator.com (http://www.educator.com/) is a site that responds to the needs for content in the high-stakes content areas where learners often need the most help: math, chemistry, biology, and computer science.

With high-stakes standardized testing, No Child Left Behind, entrance exams, and outcomes-based assessment, the need for on-demand instructional materials, particularly in math and science, continues to grow. Finding effective materials can be difficult. YouTube is a labyrinth of potential content, and learning object repositories such as MERLOT offer resources. So, there is no shortage of videos, lesson plans, quizzes, and practice exams. However, how does one begin to sort through all the materials?

Educator.com resources are designed to increase knowledge and skill levels rapidly. To that end, instructional materials must exhibit certain characteristics:

1. High-quality content and instruction
2. Consistent and complete
3. Accurate
4. Engaging instruction tying to learning objectives
5. Well-organized
6. Qualified subject matter experts / instructors

With four content areas, Educator.com materials consist of videos, animated slide shows, interactive animations, and lectures that include demonstrations and step-by-step instructions.
The curriculum is well-organized around tables of contents and the modules offer an entire sequence of lessons in ascending order of difficulty.

The approach is particularly valuable for technical subjects that typically frustrate students, effectively blocking them from areas of study and careers where math and science curricula form the core of the content. Effective personalized instruction of consistent quality can be of great use, particular for learners who are visual or auditory and who need a step-by-step approach.

Mathematics: The instructional videos are organized in sequence, and they feature a professor working through the problems using a tablet. He effectively explains the steps and why he used them. The step-by-step approach, and the explanation of how he broke down the problem into small chunks is particularly useful in algebra, which will form the basis of future courses such as trigonometry and calculus.

The videos might be more effective for kinaesthetic learners if they required the learner to click on something or mouse over an animation in order to keep them engaged.

Nevertheless, the fact that one can replay the steps is very useful. For auditory learners, it is much better to have a professor talking about the problem than having an animation of a graphing calculator with explanatory text.

For example, a student can learn calculus from a professor with years of experience, who has developed a highly effective approach that includes incorporating the questions that the students are likely to have.

Students can chose from several different levels of calculus, and different professors

AP Calculus AB: example
AP Calculus BC: example

Chemistry: Narrated and animated presentations help learners visualize the chemical structures and also the nature of the equations used to understand chemical reactions. Using diagrams and animations helps one understand the nature of the changes that occur in chemical processes and reactions. Students can learn chemistry through a combination of animations and guided lecture, with practice quizzes.

Biology: A generous use of diagrams, charts, illustrations, and drawing helps students visualize the concepts and processes in biology. Diagrams are invaluable for developing the ability to identify parts, structures, and processes. They are also very helpful in mapping relationships within biological systems. The courses could add more assessment and quizzes, particularly identification and short answer quizzes. The approach is effective for students who are motivated to learn biology, particularly those desiring careers in medicine and allied health fields.

Computer Science: The basics of programming are presented, and the experts make clear presentations. More hands-on activities would be helpful. It might be good to connect to real-life applications and to engage the students along the way by constantly pointing out the utility of the various languages and applications. It is always good to minimize the "talking head" and to use it simply to rehumanize a dehumanizing environment. Learning computer science is much more engaging with a video guide and examples.

MathMagic (TM): One of the most unique and helpful aspects of Educator.com is the fact that students can address areas that are typical problem areas in math. They can pinpoint their problems, and then remedy them immediately. MathMagic (TM) helps students prepare for exams, placement tests, and competitions.

Instructional materials for AP and college level general education-level courses are readily available on the internet. What makes Educator.com easier to use and more effective are the following points:

1. Uniform / consistent structure
2. Easy to find modules and content
3. Good summaries / practice plus assessment
4. Expert instructors with good use of media and animation
5. Engaging graphics and content
6. Practical content that ties directly to standardized high-stakes exams

For students to get the most of the materials, it is important to accompany the videos with practice. Ideally, the content can be tied directly to a homework assignment. It is also important to used quizzes and assessments in order to provide more hands-on knowledge and skills checks. If the content is correlated with a textbook, going back to repeat the activities while offline could be accomplished.

Interview with Robert Penn, SuddenlySmart.com: Interview with E-Learning Innovators Series

New authoring tools can make creating flash components for customized applications, or shareable repositories of learning objects much easier to do. In this way, some of the early promise of learning objects and LO repositories can be realized, and the high expense plus time lags can be reduced. Welcome to an interview with Robert Penn of Suddenly Smart, an innovator in the area of flash-based learning module authoring tools.

What is your name and your involvement in e-learning / training?

My name is Robert Penn and I’m the CEO of Suddenly Smart, a provider of e-learning authoring software and services. I had my first exposure to training and professional development when I worked for Accenture where I taught workshops on emerging information technologies. I’ve always been interested in how people learn and how we can use training to make a lasting impact on skills and behavior. After a number of years in consulting, I co-founded a company in 1999, Pacific Light Technologies, which developed interactive e-learning.

In the process of developing these courses, we ran into difficulty trying to rapidly develop effective content and were forced to develop some of our own authoring technology. Realizing that many others were facing similar challenges, we changed tack and created Suddenly Smart in 2000 to develop and market our SmartBuilder authoring system.

http://www.suddenlysmart.com/smartbuilder.htm

Please describe suddenlysmart.com

Suddenly Smart’s primary focus is our award-winning e-learning authoring tool called SmartBuilder. SmartBuilder is used to create self-paced e-learning. You can think of it as a sort of "Flash for dummies". In other words, it provides the power and flexibility needed for creating rich, interactive learning experiences, but you don’t have to be a programmer or to use it. The learning curve is about 2-4 days versus many months for Flash. The goal is to empower trainers and instructional designers to actually develop their own content rather than having to hand off designs to programmers for development.

Intrinsic Feedback

How is suddenlysmart.com's vision of flash authoring different than, say, those that focus on animation? Is your product web-based, or does one download it to a computer? Where can one save the flash files once they're created?

Flash does a great job of creating animations for things like a talking character, or a simulation of moving parts in a machine. SmartBuilder is different because its focus is on creating meaningful interactivity, interactivity that leads to behavioral changes in learners. For example, you could use it to create a case-based e-learning exercise, a branching scenario, or a real world task that the learner might face. Zooms, fades, spins and slides can be created in SmartBuilder, and richer animations can be created in Flash and embedded in SmartBuilder lessons.

Assessment / Interactive Quiz

SmartBuilder is a web-based product, which enables it to provide a number of collaboration and content management features. It generates Flash courses that are downloaded from SmartBuilder and run independently of the tool. The courses can be delivered from a website, an LMS, a CD-ROM, or whatever delivery platform is required.

Please describe two different ways that suddenlysmart.com has been used in course design.

Our clients are always turning out great courses designs, so it’s hard to pick just two, but if I must… Hennepin County used SmartBuilder to create a wonderful module on how to work with interpreters. They included branching feedback to make the scenarios more authentic, and even included a fun mood-o-meter for intrinsic feedback.

The Nature Conservancy used SmartBuilder to create a business planning course. They included a robust assessment whereby learners are directed back to specific topics in the module for remediation if they answer a question incorrectly. They also used SmartBuilder’s translation features to repurpose the course for Spanish speakers.

http://www.suddenlysmart.com/examples.htm

How does SmartBuilder make meaningful interaction possible?

For skill building, the most important element of learning interactivity is contextual relevance. In other words, if you needed to train employees on how to use the ports of their laptop, you’ll have much greater motivation, recall and transfer if the exercise throws them into a situation where they need to set up their laptop for an important presentation in the board room, than if you provide them with, say, a who wants to be a millionaire game.

To help create these experiences, you can’t rely entirely on templates since each learning situation is, to some degree, unique. So, in addition to providing templates, SmartBuilder also provides a free-form layout of objects such as text, graphics, and buttons.

Action Logic

Another key element of meaningful interactivity is to provide individualized, intrinsic feedback. As the learner makes choices, they should see the impact of those choices on real world indicators that they care about, such as seeing what a customer is thinking as you speak with them, or seeing a clock run down if you make poor choices in a time sensitive scenario.

SmartBuilder provides point-and-click menus for setting up this type of logic so that authors don’t need to learn any kind of scripting language.

Have you thought about using suddenlysmart.com's authoring tools in building assessments?

Yes, you can use SmartBuilder to create multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, and other traditional assessments, but you can also go beyond these formats, when needed. For example, you could decide exactly when a question should be asked, such as when a video is completed; you could ask different follow-up questions depending on whether an initial question is answered correctly or not; you could store results to be displayed in a certificate, and so on.

How might the flash authoring tool be used to develop an assessment that would work with a skills or knowledge competency matrix?

That’s a great question. Did you ever notice that you can pass a lot of quizzes without reading the material? Or, did you notice that many people can pass quizzes and yet not do anything differently on the job? Unfortunately, passing a quiz really just indicates that a learner has successfully stored some fact or data in short term memory. An isolated fact or piece of knowledge does not indicate skill competency.

Scenario-based E-Learning

A more accurate indicator of competency would be to provide a series of learning by doing exercises and then track successful completion of the exercises. Let’s say you wanted to assess interviewing competency. You could create an exercise where you have to actually interview a simulated job applicant. You could include decision points to test competency with supporting skills and knowledge needed for the terminal skills. This might include avoiding asking illegal questions, noticing body language, taking good notes and so on. This approach would kill two birds with one stone: first, learners would actually improve their skills as they make mistakes and repeat the exercises, and, you’d have a much more accurate indicator of competency upon completion than you would have by presenting a traditional multiple-choice style assessment.

Do you have any plans for new applications?

Yes, we’re working on a new version of SmartBuilder that will be even easier to use, yet more powerful. If any of your readers are interested in providing feedback on this or joining our beta program, we’d love to hear from them. Please email beta@suddenlysmart.com to request information on this.

How do you envision developing human capacity in the future?

Our ultimate vision is to achieve what they did in the move The Matrix where the character Trinity learns how to fly a helicopter in about 10 seconds – that’s Suddenly Smart!…but we still have a little way to go before we get there!

Skip the video ahead to 1:20 à http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuEd2GDvOKM

Interview with Angie McQuaig, Knowledge Delivery Systems: Innovators in E-Learning Series

Finding effective ways to engage teachers and help them take advantage of new technologies, instructional strategies, and content is not easy. The conditions under which teachers are having to work are constantly in flux, and the assessments that teachers must prepare their students to take are often high-stakes, high-pressure. Dr. Angie McQuaig, Chief Academic Officer at Knowledge Delivery Systems (KDS) shares her insights into how teachers can meet the challenges. She also provides insight into how and why teachers may rely on a repository of online courses.

What is your name, and your affiliation?

Dr. Angie McQuaig, Chief Academic Officer at Knowledge Delivery Systems (KDS)

What is your background in e-learning?

I’ve been an educator since 1989 with teaching and coaching experience ranging from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade in Florida, Georgia, Washington DC, Japan, and England. I also served as a professional development presenter, curriculum designer, and school administrator at both the middle and elementary school levels.

I have written and spoken on instructional leadership, trait-based writing instruction, character education, cooperative learning, and conflict theory. I also teach university courses in leadership theory, strategic management, leadership ethics, research methodology, statistics, and business communications.

I have a B.S. in Elementary and Early Childhood Education, an M.A.Ed. in Administration and Supervision, and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership. I work directly with the KDS team to provide dynamic professional development courses for educators nationwide.




What is KDS? Why does it exist? What is its mission and vision?

KDS is a leading provider of professional learning courses for teachers. We are unique because our well-known experts deliver the courses in a web- and video-based format on a platform that includes several interactive features, helping teachers improve their classroom practice. We benefit teachers by providing them with approved courses, which earn them salary increases, recertification and graduate credit with a number of universities, and even full master's degrees. Our mission is to provide dynamic professional learning experiences that help educators reach personal career goals and promote student success.

What are the core values of KDS? What are the instructional philosophies that KDS values?

KDS is committed to broadening access to high-quality professional development so that teachers across the nation can be their very best professionally and positively impact the world of education.

What kind of instructional strategies that KDS employs? What makes them unique?

KDS employs an award-winning and dynamic learning platform to deliver relevant, high-interest courses that improve instruction. We do this by capturing some of the nation's best educational experts on video, and we pair their presentations with a number of useful resources that help teachers implement innovative and effective strategies in their classrooms. Video presentations include research-based foundational theories, classroom demonstrations, interviews, panel discussions, and workshops that focus heavily on strategies and useful teaching tips.




How are the courses interactive? What kinds of innovative approaches are being implemented?

Each of KDS's courses includes a discussion forum where teachers can share their thoughts, questions, lesson plans, and ideas related to a wide variety of teaching strategies and approaches. Courses also include syllabi, navigable video presentations, searchable and printable transcripts, and downloadable resources that teachers can use right away. Instructional leaders use KDS courses to take a fresh approach to the facilitation of professional learning communities.

Are instructional designers used throughout the process of design, course evaluation, and process improvement?

KDS employs a team of experienced curriculum developers that collaborate with education experts in the design of each course. The team ensures that courses are relevant, high-interest, easy to navigate, and immediately applicable to the classroom. The team's chief priorities include quality control, innovation, and responsiveness to teachers' feedback.

What changes have you made over the last few months or years to improve your products and provide a meaningful learning experience?

KDS continually surveys the education landscape in order to develop the most relevant courses that lead to instructional improvement and student achievement. For example, we have recently launched courses in educational technology, English language learning, grouping models, response to intervention (RTI), differentiated instruction, assessment, and middle school strategies. KDS has expanded its video presentation formats to include more classroom footage with exemplar teachers, interviews with experts in the field, and panel discussions that feature practitioners exploring solutions to common classroom challenges

What are your future plans?

KDS endeavors to lead the industry in providing the most effective and gratifying professional development courses for teachers in the nation. Our goal is to help teachers maximize their potential in the service of students.

Interview with Gregor Gimmy, Sclipo.com -- Innovators in E-Learning Series

Having to use a costly and hard to manage learning management system creates a barrier for many would-be online instructors. Gregor Gimmy of Sclipo.com has worked to overcome that barrier, and has also recognized it is often difficult to incorporate web 2.0 functionality. So, he developed Sclipo, in response to the need, and the fact that social networks for education have grown in size and function. Sclipo is unique in that it focuses specifically on offering the applications used in making synchronous and asynchronous e-learning. Sclipo offers instructors and instructional designers opportunities to offer a wider range of activities, which can tie closely with outcomes.

Welcome to an interview with Gregor Gimmy, of Sclipo.

What is your name and your experience with elearning?

My name is Gregor Gimmy. I am the founder and CEO of Sclipo - a social network for education. Prior to Sclipo, I founded Explico (San Francisco, 1998), one of the web's first site with How- To information (similar to eHow). In 1999, I started Metazoa (San Francisco), a web based lab notebook for biotech researchers. After selling Metazoa, I worked at Siebel Systems (San Mateo, CA) in software program management. One of the products I worked on was Siebel's eLearning system.

What is Sclipo and how does it work?

Sclipo is a Social Learning Network for continuing education that offers synchronous and asynchronous web apps for eLearning integrated with social features. At Sclipo, any member can teach and learn, making Sclipo a pioneer in enabling informal or social learning online. Sclipo is for formal & informal teachers that find traditional eLearning (Moodle, Blackboard, etc.) solutions too complex and costly, and not social enough.

Today, Sclipo is free for free teaching. Teachers who want to charge students, pay Sclipo a flat fee of 5 Euros / month. Students pay teachers directly via PayPal. Sclipo takes no commission.

Sclipo's principal social learning features:

1. Academy & Profile: Every member has an Academy and a Profile. The Academy is the space where a member teaches through educational apps like Courses, Library or Live Web Classes. The Profile (connected to Facebook) serves to socialize with people of common educational interests.

2. Courses: This app allows members to create and post courses they teach online through Sclipo, face-to-face or blended.

3. Library: The Library is to store, manage and share educational content in any format - videos, documents, presentations, spreadsheets, etc.

4. Live Web Classes: Allows to teach up to 100 students live through webcam, whiteboard and a document presenter. Students can participate actively through audio, video and chat. Teachers can present any document from their library. No downloads needed.

5. Live Web Meetings: Allows teachers to tutor your students, lead workshops and more with a whiteboard, chat and audio.

6. Payments: Teachers can charge students for their courses and web classes. Students pay teachers directly through PayPal. No commissions for Sclipo.

7. Facebook Connect: Allows to easily establish connections and publish a members activities (eg, post a course) to Facebook.

Who uses Sclipo? Please describe two or three examples.

1) Xavier: A tenured finance professor, who added plus 10 videos on finance and math, as well as courses on financial management. Xavier's educational content has been viewed over 500.000 times in less than 3 months.
http://sclipo.com/academy/view/xavier_puig

2) Robbert: A retired minister for the Dutch Mennonite Church and an Assistant Professor of Christian Dogmatics and Ethics at its Seminary in Amsterdam. Since retirement, Robbert has become a writer and a free lance teacher on philosophy and theology.
http://sclipo.com/academy/view/3d7ebad7e7daa6961ba50169eb20db35

3) Carme: a housewife, who added over 30 cooking video tutorials, which have been seen over 1 million times.
http://sclipo.com/academy/view/carme

What is the vision of Sclipo?

"Transform eLearning into social eLearning ... for the rest of us!"

Transform eLearning into social learning
Learning is social in that a lot of learning is informal, happening between learners / employees / friends. But today's LMS hardly allow for such social learning. In an LMS, a user is either a student or teacher. Each with her specific tools. At Sclipo, everybody is a member. Everybody has the same tools for teaching and for learning.

eLearning for the rest of us
Today, eLearning is only accessible to people whose school, company or institution can afford the resources needed for an eLearning system like Blackboard, Moodle or alike. Even open source LMS are prohibitively expensive, due to associated costs for installation, configuration, hosting and maintenance. Because Sclipo is a web app, any teacher can set up her eLearning space (called Academy) in minutes.

We believe that there are many millons of teachers who cannot afford a traditional LMS.

What is the instructional philosophy? What is the key instructional strategy?

Social Learning. In addition to answer 4, the structure of our application is people based, not course based, like for example at Moodle. Anybody can teach, anybody can learn. The best content and teachers are those that are most active, best evaluated, most referenced, etc. A degree or tenure is no longer sufficient. The math amateur may be a more popular teacher than the MIT PhD...

In addition, we fully embrace hybrid learning: Sclipo helps with teaching that happens face-to- face and online. We are the only social learning tool that allows for both synchronous and asynchronous learning.

The web will be used as a tool to support any kind of teaching.

How can Sclipo help develop human potential?

Sclipo is a strong catalyzer for the creation and sharing of knowledge. It fosters learning beyond having to learn. It fosters teaching beyond "I am a certified teacher", enabling "I teach because I know". We also believe that Sclipo will play a role in transferring knowledge to countries in development. Due to the extremely low cost of use and ease of use, any teacher from ie, England, can now spend a few hours a month teaching children anywhere. To help needed children can now happen must faster and more efficiently, without the need for expensive travelling.

In addition, Sclipo enables global sourcing of teachers. Today, we are bound to learn from teachers nearby - who may not be the best. In the future, we can find the best teachers regardless from where they live.

In just a few months, Sclipo has attracted 20 thousand members, who added and share over 25000 educational videos and documents. There are hundreds of courses, even though our course app is only a few weeks new. Every educational activity and content element can be shared and triggers new educational activities. Every activity can automatically be fed into Facebook, and soon Twitter an other networks. In a few months, Sclipo has generated more educational activities than many schools have in years.

Interview with Petra Zigon: Writing and Reporting on Issues Impactiing Teens

Welcome to an interview with Petra Zigon, journalist who writes for the largest magazine in Slovenia dedicated to a demographic that includes teen, tween, and pre-teen girls. Her work takes her to interesting places and conversations, where she finds out what the latest trends and beliefs are in the world of teens, tweens, and pre-teens.

Hi Petra -- It is a pleasure to talk to you about your work with writing and reporting on issues that are of concern to the world's teens.
Thank you, it is a pleasure to be able to talk about it.

Have you discovered anything surprising about teenagers today?
First of all, I would have to say even though it's only been about ten or fifteen years since I myself was a teenager, things have changed immensely. Of course back then it was a different time but in many ways I think we were privileged. There weren't so many expectations among teenagers, you didn't have to wear certain clothes or labels to be cool, for example. But being a teenager is difficult in itself, no matter what decade you're 'surviving' it in. The most surprising thing is still the fact that there are almost 'rules' to be followed to being cool. It always is wonderful when I meet a young person who is keen about learning, studying or school and education. Especially since some of those are still being ridiculed. I had the privilege of working at a language school for a while and met with some amazing, goal-oriented teenagers who would not be side-tracked by anything and it was refreshing to see them work hard and being willing to sacrifice some of their free hours in order to achieve the life goals they had set for themselves.

What are some of their concerns? Are these new -- unusual?
I have been at times a little disappointed when discovering many of the teenagers are more concerned about the amount of money they might be able to earn with the profession they choose than the fact that they should choose carefully because it is most likely going to be a life-long commitment. This also most likely goes hand in hand with the consumer society which is so prominent nowadays. A lot of TV series also help with creating a life that teenagers want and will stop at nothing to get there. I would mostly recommend them to look inside themselves, find things that make them happy and they're good at them and follow that. They're more likely going to be happy doing something they love (and getting rich with it) than doing something they hate.

What do you believe are the "must have's" in terms of knowledge for today's teen? Are typical educational programs adapting for today's teens? Is there a role for informal learning? Where could they improve or change?
Of course schools, scholar systems and teachers are always the ones to be 'blamed' for good/bad education. While that is largely true, it is also up to the individual. The school systems often offer individual work on the topic you can choose by yourself. If you have to hand in a paper for geography, for instance, choose a country you're interested in and expand your knowledge. Also one of the best things you can do is to keep your ears open. There are so many things we don't know, so many interesting facts we can learn by only listening and observing and giving something we're not interested in, a chance, that if we let everything go by, we could end up being uninformed or even ignorant. There is always a good reason to look something up online, to open an encyclopaedia, to read about something that you're not familiar with in the paper,... If Albert Einstein strikes you up as an interesting man, look up his biography, you might learn he had a secret child and a brilliant wife who, many suggest, might be the big brain behind his theories. Quenching your thirst for knowledge and satisfying your curiosity are the best paths.

What do most teens tend to say about the future? Are they optimistic?
In some cases they don't realize that life is a serious game. But then again neither did we, when we were teenagers. Mostly you have to learn as you go along and truly take lessons to heart and learn them. Try not to repeat the same mistakes. I think everyone can be optimistic and with a reason since we all have opportunities and abilities to be everything we want. But we must realize nothing will be given to us freely, we must fight and work for it.

How do you see teens using information gained from the web and social networking? How can informal learning be integrated?
I will stress the same thing I did earlier. Whenever they're 'googling' something they're interested in instead of plain looking at silly videos or forwards they get on their email, it is informal learning. Internet is a great learning power tool and the fact that we can google a word when we don't know what it is and find ten meanings, is amazing. I can see teenagers spend a lot of time online every day. One of the magazines I work for, has an internet site that is swamped with visits. I think it's important to realize the fact that through learning comes educating and vice versa. That can be done in terms of informing and educating children and youngsters about interesting facts but also dangers of drunk driving, smoking or unsafe sex and help them solving troubles in school, for instance.

What is your philosophy of writing and reporting?
If by philosophy you mean my way of work, it is not as simple as sitting down and writing. Even with interviews there has to be a right moment in order to feel inspired. Interviews themselves are not mainly typing down what the person has said but you also have to filter, you must form and shape the words and the whole conversation which is many times not just question/answer all the time but a real conversation. The most important thing, though, to me is the truth. Being honest, not fabricating and putting across what the person was trying to say. That is why I despise tabloids that twist people's words and turn them into ambiguous statements.

Is the role of the journalist changing? How?
I started writing for a magazine when I was fifteen. I realize I was lucky to have found something I wanted to do when I was so young and stick to it and make a career out of it. And again, the role is changing. There are many more faux magazines and papers, as I call them, out there. I mean the tabloids, of course. They unfortunately affect too many people's minds and opinions. But thankfully there are still rays of hope since there are still great journalists to look up to, to respect and call real journalists, reporters and writers.

What should journalists study in order to be effective?
Mostly it is important to be informed. To follow the spinning of the globe and daily events. It is inexcusable to be uninformed. If a journalist specialises in culture, they should know about it, they should follow it more than the rest of the branches of human lives. But in all fairness, everything is connected, so be informed.

Interview with Bridget Clementi, BlueKids.org: Innovators in E-Learning Series

Game-based e-learning for students in grades 4 through 8 is an effective way to teach health education. Wisconsin-based BlueKids.org is both popular and effective, and provides courses in injury prevention, wellness, self-esteem, drug education, and more. Welcome to an interview with Bridget Clementi, executive director of Children's Health Education Center.

What is your name and your experience with e-learning?
Bridget Clementi is executive director of Children’s Health Education Center. Bridget joined CHEC in 2000 to work with the organizations’ injury prevention team. During her tenure, she established prevention programs and expanded the center’s injury prevention programming throughout Wisconsin. In 2008, she was promoted to executive director. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and holds a degree in communication and public relations.

What is BlueKids.org? Please describe how it started and why?
BlueKids.org e-learning programs are innovative, online, game-based learning courses that deliver effective health and wellness topics to students in grades 4 through 8. With computers becoming more commonplace in the classroom, and children growing up more comfortable than ever with technology, educators have had to adjust their teaching methodology accordingly. Studies have shown that hands-on learning leads to greater retention than traditional textbook lessons. Engaging, interactive learning also allows students to develop the necessary critical thinking skills needed to make the right life choices as they get older and are faced with more complex decisions.

Children’s Health Education Center, a member of the renowned Children’s Hospital and Health System, created its Bluekids.org e-learning programs as an interactive way to educate kids on a variety of health and societal topics. These e-learning programs use web-based games and activities that allow children to become more involved in the learning process, enabling them to better retain the information discussed in each lesson.



All BlueKids.org programs are supported by Moodle, a learning management system that provides teachers the ability to track students’ progress and collect pre-test and post-test data.

What is the mission of BlueKids.org?
CHEC is the lead organization behind BlueKids.org. It is the mission of CHEC to develop and deliver engaging, interactive health education programs that help keep kids healthy and safe. CHEC accomplishes this mission by offering on-site field trips, outreach and e-learning programs.

Please describe the top three courses.
CHEC has been offering innovative online, game-based learning programs under the trade name of BlueKids.org for the past four years. It’s Up 2U and Drug Defense: Get UR Facts are designed for middle school age children, and teach the important topic of alcohol and other drug use and abuse prevention. The Real U, for middle school age children, helps develop positive mental and emotional health attributes. BullyFree Basics, for upper elementary children, teaches the basics of bullying, including both prevention and intervention techniques for bullying and related violence.

These online courses utilize design elements conducive to game based learning by implementing strong narrative context and attending to the theories proven to enhance overall learning. This advanced level game based curriculum requires higher order thinking, analyzing and synthesizing skills based on Bloom’s Taxonomy. The content has been reviewed by professional medical and teaching staff and is designed to capitalize on the attention given to intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.

Why do people like BlueKids.org?
BlueKids.org e-learning programs are easy for teachers to implement and the kids are happy to learn this way, so it’s a win-win situation for everyone. Using advanced game based technology and applications, the programs are developed in a way that engages the students, provides for problem solving and thinking on behalf of the students, and builds motivation from within the student.

99% of the teachers have a positive view of the online courses and would recommend to another teacher.

90% of the students like the online course format.




Are there a few things you're planning to change?
We continue to look for new ways to engage the learners and improve the outcomes of the courses – knowledge, attitude and behavioral intent. Specifically, this summer, we will build in more skills-based approaches to learning in an obesity prevention program series that will launch in the fall. The series will have programs available to school districts with students in kindergarten to grade 8.

What types of techniques are you using in your e-learning to encourage interaction and collaboration?
Participating students spend approximately six sessions in the computer lab followed by six classroom discussions with the teacher using this blended approach to learning. During the classroom time, students interact with each other and the teacher to bring the online lessons into their own context of classroom, school, home and community. The greatest value comes from the interaction between the teacher and the students, and the ability for the students to have dialogue and discussion around these “social” topics. This allows them to share stories and gain ideas for dealing with the issues. The teacher is guided by a comprehensive teacher’s guide that contains stem questions, objectives and all activities.

Are you using social networking in any way?
At this time we are not using social networking sites.
We have a grant proposal in process with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, where students will be divided so that half of the class will be in groups using the blended approach and the other half in groups facilitated asynchronously. The asynchronous facilitation will be conducted by a highly trained group of high school students called the Teen Health Crew. These students will be trained in asynchronous discussions, web etiquette and protocol, and will be supervised by adult professionals.

Do you have to be careful with privacy (health & kids)?
As administrators of the program, we do not assign individual logins and passwords to students. Each teacher we work with provides us with the number of logins/passwords that they need and we provide them with a generic list that they match to their classroom students. This way, we have no knowledge of the individual students’ names or any personal information. In addition, for any evaluations that we conduct, we need to go through an internal review board through Children’s Hospital and Health System to ensure quality and validity of the study.



How can BlueKids.org help develop human potential?
BlueKids.org e-learning programs are devoted to developing human potential. For example, ATOD (Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug) abuse is a universal problem that this research will assist in mitigating through self care education to change knowledge and behavioral intent. The data for depression and suicide attempts is no better, and the prevention of bullying through our BullyFree Basics online program is a beginning in the quest to stem violence of all types. The evidence is extremely strong, or you might say overwhelming, that kids that are depressed, using ATOD or are afraid do not learn well…thus destroying the opportunity to excel.

For more information, visit www.HealthyKidsLearnMore.com or www.BlueKids.org.

Blending Mobile Technologies: Handhelds, All-Weather Writing Paper - Interview with Ryan McDonald, J. L. Darling Corporation

Hybrid learning can involve more than a blend of face-to-face and web-based courses. They can also involve mobile devices combined with traditional books -- for example, all-weather field notebooks, digital pens, and mobile devices with GPS. With that in mind, welcome to an interview with Ryan McDonald, "Rite in the Rain" All-Weather Writing paper, which can be used in conjunction with digital pens and geographical information systems, as well as other innovative learning.

What is your name and what is your involvement in e-learning?

My name is Ryan McDonald and I am the Marketing & Advertising Director at the J. L. Darling Corporation, manufacturers of "Rite in the Rain" All-Weather Writing Paper.

What is Rite-in-the-Rain, and what is its mission and vision? What kinds of products do you offer?

"Rite in the Rain" (www.RiteintheRain.com) is an unconventional "retooling" of conventional paper. Relying on a unique "weather-proofing" manufacturing process, the J. L. Darling Corporation transforms regular paper into "Rite in the Rain", outdoor note taking tools unrestricted by the elements. Available in a wide variety of different formats: bound books, spiral notebooks, loose leaf, copier paper and padded sheets, "Rite in the Rain" is a more durable, 100% recyclable, all-weather, alternative to regular paper.

(Image is of the traditional all-weather field notebook... inspiration for many things....)


What is your involvement in facilitating education or educational experiences?

As a manufacturer, we don't have a hand in facilitating education so much as assisting others in their educational experiences. Many programs, especially in the Geological, Biological and Environmental sectors depend exclusively on "Rite in the Rain" while in the field. In fact, the demand became so great that specific bound log books were developed to meet the unique needs of Geologists, Biologists and Environmentalists. More recently "Rite in the Rain" has seen a growing number of Universities stock "Rite in the Rain" in their bookstores and many Professors include "Rite in the Rain" on their "required textbook" list when their area of study takes students outdoors.

What are your new initiatives? How does new technology meet traditional technology in the field? How do you see old and new technologies coming together?

"Rite in the Rain's" Journalx Field Books are a perfect example of the "union" between old and new technologies. Journalx Field Books combine the durability and all-weather qualities of "Rite in the Rain" with the ease and familiarity of digital documentation. Using a pre-printed dot pattern on each sheet and a digital pen (Penx) written information is mapped and stored in the pen's memory. Dock the pen in it's transfer device (USB connection to a PC) and the information that was written in the field book will be converted to an editable document. While still early in development, this combination of old and new technologies is a very exciting breakthrough in field technologies and will continue to improve - and expand, in the coming years.

How do your products work with hand-held GPS devices in the field?

Outside of being able to record and plot current locations gathered from a GPS device, there is no specific relationship between "Rite in the Rain" All-Weather Notebooks and hand-held GPS devices. However, "Rite in the Rain" is available in large format sheets as well and can be used to print Topographic Maps to aid GPS navigation.

Using a digital pen with Rite in the Rain paper (onto which a map has been printed).

Here is a demo: http://www.anoto.com/filearchive/2/2497/adapx_penx.mpg

How might your products enhance certain field technologies?

"Rite in the Rain's" greatest strength is it's simplicity. It will never break down, it will never malfunction, it doesn't run on batteries, there is no learning curve, it's relatively cheap and ultimately, disposable. As such, "Rite in the Rain" notebooks are a perfect compliment to more sophisticated technology. They can act as backups, replace expensive equipment too valuable to risk in poor weather, and allow field operators greater mobility.

How might a "hybrid approach" that combines mobile technologies and traditional paper-based products enhance one's learning experience?

The most practical "hybrid approach" approach currently available is the Journalx Field Books and digital pen mentioned earlier. Utilizing both technologies would eliminate the need for manually converting gathered field data into a digital format.

How could your products be used in conjunction with podcasts (video and audio)?

"Rite in the Rain's" use in conjunction with podcasts is limited. Outside of broadcasting company/product updates, reviews and demonstrations it's hard to imagine other uses.

*****************
Thought: Could one use this approach for fieldwork involving collecting information that you need to attach to a position / location... and which you need to share? Could be used in the field with wind farms, for collecting market information -- anything... ! Twitter plus positioning ?

Susan's note: I love the possibilities of combining old and new technologies. The possibilities that are unlocked are just endless!! Never throw out the old... just repurpose it!




Also -- poetry inspired by sketches from a field notebook... then shared on the web..
link to one resulting work..

Teacher Roundtable: Good Deeds Societies

Welcome to a roundtable discussion with Tadeja Toppolnik, a teacher from a Slovenian school, OŠ dr Ivan Prijatelj Sodražica, which participated in a competition revolving responding to a book, Good Deeds Society, and thinking about how children and the community could collaborate in a good deeds society.

What is your name, your position, and your involvement with your school?

Tadeja Topolnik , Teacher of the Slovene language (Slovene teacher )
Pastoral/ Home Class teacher of Grade 8 pupils, The coordinator of programs for children with special needs and also a member of the School Board

What is your involvement in your school's Good Deeds Society essay contest and in potential future activities regarding a Good Deeds Society?

The principal received an invitation for the school to include itself in a literary competition
from Sodobnost International . As I am one of the Slovene teachers at the school the task was given to me . My colleague Lucija Petelinšek and I discussed the matter and passed on the information to all our students from grade 6 onwards. It was decided then that I would coordinate the activity . Children brought their literary works to view and together we discussed and developed thier views.

Maybe an idea for future work would be to encourage or promote »understanding« between parents-pupils and teachers for specific problems. This could be done in the form of a workshop with all three groups of the population present- giving an opportunity for views to be aired and at the same time listened to, and finally discussed. Institutions like »The Centre for Youth« in Ljubljana or qualified professionals could be invited to give a seminar on themes that are common to this target population.

What are three areas where you can see benefits for students by getting involved in a Good Deeds Society? What problems might it address?

Getting involved in a Good Deeds Society is a positive step toward making the environment we live in more pleasant, understanding and tolerant.

The problems it may address could be involved with the

1) environment,
2) the elderly
3) youth

As far as the environment is concerned it could coordinate or help with the organising of cleaning-up activities in Sodražica ( township-square, river,..) and promoting the sense of pride in having a clean environment to live in.

The elderly could be helped through the Good Deeds Club not only in receiving help but also in sharing their knowledge, handicrafts, story telling, etc,.. with the young. This would develop communication between generations.

Spending quality fun/free -time is a very big problem amongst the youth of Sodražica . It should be made clear that alcohol or drugs are not the central reason for getting together and having fun and in this way dealing with boredom. Maybe doing good deeds or being included in a sports club would minimize non-quality free-time!

Money is an important factor in the game. Leadership is also another factor to be considered. Maybe experience from other communities would help in the development of the above ideas in Sodražica.

Maybe by the pupils defining the problems themselves, they become aware and understand that if any changes are to happen they must come from them (or us)!



How can you make sure that the major energy stays at the student level, and that they generate enthusiasm for the activities from a grassroots level?

I believe that discussion gives rise to initiative for projects to happen. Initially pupils would be invited to a round-table discussion – pupils who show empathy for such a project/group - and develop the steps from there. Adults/teachers could lead and nurture the development of such a group and develop the individual potential of the group's members. ( roles - President,secretary,…)

Where is one good way, in our opinion, for students can ideas and work on line on the internet?

Maybe the pupils could create a school web page presenting their activities, continually inviting membership and inclusion of other pupils.
Communicating with other schools which have set up similar projects/groups building friendships.

How can teachers involved in your Good Deeds society benefit from contact with teachers in other parts of the world?

If we communicate with people who share similar ideas our cause is stronger .

Spreading the idea of »good deeds« around the world will make a better world – working at a local level can make Sodražica a better place to live in . In this way pupil awareness is developed and hopefully some action will come forth !

Contacting teachers in other parts of the world could give us ideas for projects etc… and also allow friendships to develop.

Interview with Kevin Chen, italki (language learning): Innovators in E-Learning Series

Web-based techniques for learning languages are expanding, and social networking is proving to be one of the most effective approaches. italki.com has adopted an open platform approach, and the resources have remained free. In addition, it has recently added new features which encourage language learners to receive tutoring from native speakers. The italki.com platform allows individuals to create classrooms, and to charge a fee for tutoring. Keven Chen, co-founder of italki.com, discusses his vision for the future.

1. What is your name and your relation to e-learning?

My name is Kevin Chen and I co-founded italki.com with Yongyue Jiang. italki.com is a website that helps people learn languages. My ideas for italki came from my experiences trying to learn Mandarin Chinese in Shanghai. While I was studying, I had this thought that a language learning social network would be well-suited for solving problems like finding language partners and sharing learning materials. I also thought that a social network could become the foundation of something much larger.

2. What is italki and how is it different from other sites and services?

We've tried to make italki as community-oriented and free as possible. We're unique in this way. Many of our competitors have their own proprietary content, and some have a specific pedagogical approach. We're trying to be more like an open platform and resource center.


We believe our users should choose their own learning (or teaching) methodology. All of our content is generated by our users. The help that users receive from the website comes from other users. Users practice speaking a language with each other, and they answer each others' questions.

It's impressive to see how much help you can get on italki from people freely donating their time. People used to ask me "Why do users do this?" I'm not sure what the exact answer is. I guess there are a lot of good people out there.

3. What is your new marketplace feature?

The language marketplace is where we connect teachers and students for paid language instruction. Students can choose a teacher after considering their experience, academic qualifications, teaching style, lesson price, or whatever criteria they think is most important. Teachers can set a price based on demand for the language they teach and their own economic expectations. We hope that the language marketplace will give students that previously could not get language instruction the opportunity to learn. We also hope that the marketplace will give teachers in remote locations access to students around the world. We believe there is a lot of demand for language instruction that isn't being met due to geography -- and this is a problem the internet was meant to solve.

4. It's great that you're making it easier for people to share skills and expertise. There may be unintended benefits along the way. Can you think of what they might be?

We think there are many benefits that come from bringing together people from different backgrounds. An obvious one is that we hope italki can promote greater cultural understanding. You can learn a great deal more than just the language, when you talk with someone from another country.

Certainly you can make friends on the site. I think italki is a special kind of social network in that it isn't where you go to connect to your existing friends -- it's where you go to find strangers that are interested in sharing their knowledge and experience with you.

5. Here's a skeptic's question: Wouldn't it be just as easy for people to connect via voiceover IP and pay via PayPal or gift certificates? What are the advantages to being involved in the italki solution?

While that's a possibility, we see ourselves playing an important role in dealing with issues like customer fulfillment, dispute settlement, and financial transactions. By intermediating the transaction, students can use whatever methods they have to pay into the system. Paypal is convenient in many parts of the world, but unfortunately not all. In addition, italki helps to protect both the students and teachers from fraudulent behavior. The money is held temporarily by italki pending the confirmation process. Finally, teachers can build up an online reputation this way. As teachers use the system, their students are able to signal to other users on italki that the teacher is reliable and qualified.

6. What are some of the underlying pedagogical pillars that support your endeavor? What are some of your educational strategies and philosophies?

We're trying to avoid taking a stand on a specific pedagogical methodology. We believe every student and teacher has a way of learning that is best suited for them. Some users on italki use the site as a complement to their existing language studies at school. Some users have full-time jobs, and are using italki as their primary source for education. Undoubtedly, there are a broad range of goals and levels of commitment on italki.

In general, we have a belief that using a language in actual communication is a key part of acquiring mastery of a language. Language immersion is arguably the key benefit of living abroad, and we're trying to provide something similar to this --maybe you can call it "virtual immersion." Even a few sessions practicing a language with a native speaker can do wonders for listening comprehension, pronunciation, and general fluency. I'm sure students have witnessed the benefits of spending a summer studying abroad -- we hope to recreate some of that effect online with italki.


7. Interactivity, community, and engagement are great -- how about outcomes assessment? Do you have any way to help people with standardized tests of proficiency that they'll have to pass?

Outcomes assessment is something that is important, and we have some ideas for future features. In general, we rely on the community to create services for our members. For example, we have teachers that offer classes specifically devoted to standardized test preparation. There are also test preparation study notes that users have uploaded to the site. Again, we see italki as a platform, and hopefully our users can respond to the needs of the community.

8. Final question: any encouraging, visionary thoughts?

I imagine that in the future, people will find learning to be a lifelong process, and that learning a foreign language will be an essential part of every human being's education. Getting taught a language from a native teacher presently living in their home country will seem completely natural. The demand to learn languages will be completely satisfied everywhere -- from rare languages being offered in every high school and college -- to every developing country having access to all the teachers they need for international languages like English.

Just like for wikipedia, there will be open source language textbooks, collaboratively created, and free for everyone with an internet connection. These materials will be more than just text -- they'll come in video, audio, and every content format that can be stored online. And these materials will reach into every language pair, and even cover the languages that are in danger of extinction.

People learning foreign languages will immediately become a member of a community of students, teachers and tutors, who are interested in sharing their knowledge, their culture, and their time. Learning a foreign language will become an instant and natural gateway to having friends around the world.

It's a big dream, and I hope that italki can play a part in building that.

Interview with Cheryl Vedoe, Apex Learning: Innovators in E-Learning Series

Online learning for secondary education continues to evolve, and the curriculum developed is being used in innovative ways. Welcome to an interview with Cheryl Vedoe, CEO of Apex Learning, developer of curriculum and elearning solutions for secondary education.

What is your name and what is your involvement in e-learning?

I'm Cheryl Vedoe. I've been directly involved in the development and delivery of digital curriculum since joining Apex Learning as CEO in September 2002.

What is Apex Learning, and what is its mission and vision?

Founded in 1997, Apex Learning (http://www.apexlearning.com) is one of the pioneers in online learning for secondary education. We are a team that is passionate about education and believe online learning can play a key role in helping schools differentiate instruction to address the unique needs of each student and increase educational opportunities for all students.

We offer a comprehensive digital curriculum that is widely used today in both distance-learning as well as brick-and-mortar classroom programs for original credit, credit-recovery, and intervention. We have designed our curriculum to offer multiple pathways to help schools meet the needs of all their students - from those not succeeding in traditional programs to those capable of accelerating their learning. Our Foundations courses offer structured remediation in math and English for transitioning middle school students as well as high school students not prepared for grade-level coursework. Our Core courses are standards-based courses designed to fully meet high school graduation requirements and prepare students for college and work. Our Honors courses are designed for motivated students who want opportunities to go beyond what is required. And finally – though this is really where we began – we offer College Board-authorized Advanced Placement courses.

What are your new initiatives?

Our most recent initiative in curriculum development is a new pathway - Literacy Advantage courses - specifically designed to support struggling readers to be successful in high school math, science, English and social studies courses. It is a startling fact that the majority of high school students read below grade level. For these students, the rigors of the required high school curriculum can be daunting. Nearly one-third of ninth graders will drop out before completing high school, and one of the most commonly cited reasons is the lack of literacy skills. With Literacy Advantage courses, schools can provide individualized learning experiences for these students, combining the instructional equivalent of a content area teacher side-by-side with a reading specialist.

Who do you consider to be the target audience? Why?

Our online courses are increasingly being used as the curriculum for instructional programs serving students who have not been successful in the traditional classroom. Regardless of whether the program is an alternative high school with students working on original credit or the focus is credit recovery to get students back on track for graduation, a consistent theme we hear is how difficult it is for these students - many of whom are struggling readers - to master grade level content. Too often, students become discouraged, their attendance declines, and, with a history of failure, they choose to drop out of high school. Literacy Advantage courses help support struggling readers to earn credits toward graduation in the required math, science, English and social studies courses while simultaneously developing their literacy skills.

What makes your approach effective? How do you know? What have you done to really test the efficacy of your approach?

When we published our first online course more than 10 years ago, there was certainly skepticism as to whether such a course could be as effective as the traditional classroom model of instruction. Our first courses were in Advanced Placement subjects, and widely used to provide opportunities to students who would not otherwise have access to AP courses. Students enrolled in Apex Learning online AP courses have consistently achieved scores on the College Board AP exams comparable to their peers in traditional AP classes. In fact, scores for online students have generally been above the national average. Literacy Advantage courses build on not only our extensive experience in developing and delivering effective online courses but also on the body of current research on adolescent literacy and recommendations from leading experts in literacy instruction.

Have recent changes in the way online learners interact changed anything about Apex Learning and/or your approach? (social networking, twitter, wikis, multimedia, voice boards, etc.)

We are solely focused on the development of digital curriculum. We make extensive use of multimedia to create situational interest to motivate students as well as to support and encourage them as they engage in learning. All our direct instruction incorporates multimedia — in the form of animations, images, audio, video, charts, graphs, and interactive exercises — along with text to present multiple representations of concepts as well as address different learning styles.

Please list and describe a few key benefits of using your new series of courses. Do you have any demos?

Literacy Advantage courses are standards-based high school courses that follow the same scope and sequence and cover the same rigorous academic content as our Core and Honors courses. What sets Literacy Advantage courses apart is the integrated literacy support to assist struggling readers in completing high school content area courses.

Accessible text helps students comprehend rigorous academic content. All text is written with controlled vocabulary and syntax. Text is chunked and scrolling limited. Students can choose to hear instructional text read aloud. New vocabulary is supported with rollover definitions and usage examples that feature audio and graphical representations of terms. Active reading and explicit vocabulary strategies help students simultaneously develop literacy skills to bring them to grade level.

Please describe upcoming activities.

Four Literacy Advantage courses - Algebra I, Physical Science, English I and U.S. Government and Politics - will be available for the 2009-2010 school year. Our recently-announced English Foundations I course, designed for high school students reading below basic, will be available for summer school programs this June. In addition, new math courses specific to California, Florida, and Georgia will be available.

What kind of assessment strategy do you use?

Assessment opportunities – including formative, summative and diagnostic assessments – are integrated throughout Apex Learning online courses. Each lesson begins with the learning objectives. Assessments address those learning objectives and are specifically designed to test students at various levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Formative and diagnostic assessments provide opportunities to gauge student progress on an ongoing basis. Summative assessments require students to demonstrate what they have learned at the end of each unit and semester.

Why did you focus on that particular assessment? How does it meet the needs of students?

Diagnostic assessments. Unit-level diagnostic assessments provide valuable information on student strengths and weaknesses to both students and teachers. Automatically-generated, personalized study plans guide students to relevant instructional content based on identified areas for improvement.

Formative assessments. True learning requires students to constantly think about and evaluate what they are doing whether they’re reading, listening, watching, interacting, exploring, discussing or writing. This reflective mindset is supported by formative assessment opportunities throughout the instructional content. These include both scored and unscored assessments that give students continuous feedback.

Summative assessments. Students are required to demonstrate what they have learned through unit tests and semester exams. Apex Learning online courses utilize objective computer-scored test instruments and more subjective open-ended, teacher-scored testing tools to evaluate higher order and critical thinking skills.

Optional question: Do you see any applications of Apex Learning for developing online courses for technical / professional development?

It's interesting to note that although we are one of the leading developers of online courses for secondary education, we have not to date developed nor used online courses for professional development. As is true of most curriculum providers, we deliver professional development to the schools that use our digital curriculum.

We train both teachers and administrators on our courses and learning management system as well as on best practices to ensure a successful implementation to achieve each program's educational objectives. We have found that one of the most effective professional development models is for our education consultants to spend time in classrooms in one-on-one coaching and mentoring with teachers. While we believe there may not be an effective online substitute for that one-on-one in-person touch, we are now developing our first online professional development course to deliver some of the more basic training and serve as a resource teachers can go back to when they need a refresher.