BlueSky Online School

The courses, in subjects from animal science to journalism, are springing up in an era when new technology permeates schools. Web-based college courses are increasingly common, and more K-12 students are enrolling full time in online schools. Even in traditional classrooms, many teachers post assignments, notes and videos on class websites.

“If these resources are available [online], it then begs the question, ‘Does the student really need to come to class, for this part of the class?’ Maybe not,” said Steve Massey, principal of Forest Lake Area High School, which has launched several hybrid courses. “There’s no doubt students are living in an online world.”

For the rest of the article, go to Gym class online? Schools stretch with new offerings

School bells are soon to ring and students will head back into the classroom, teachers greeting them face-to-face.

While computers have become integral components in the classroom, they have not served as a primary educational medium.

Until now.

BlueSky Online School is Minnesota’s first virtual school, the statewide public school serving approximately 700 students in grades 7-12. And that number is likely to swell to 900 as the year moves forward; enrollees are accepted throughout the year.

Like the conventional classroom, there are teachers at the helm, Menahga science instructor and Park Rapids resident David Bjorklund among them.

For the rest of the article, go to Online school offers an alternative to traditional classroom

InnerPass provides easy-to-use tools, including screen-sharing and “persistent” meeting rooms, which reduce the cost of online instruction, expand access to education and training opportunities, and bring client organizations to the leading edge of educational and training technology.

“The Minnesota Virtual High School is a great partnership for us, because it helped us further integrate with our Distance Learning clients,” says Steve Parsloe, CEO and President of InnerPass, “Especially in the case of the MVHS, we were able to pass along the benefits of collaborative technology to both students and teachers, creating both increased efficiency and cost savings.”

For the rest of the article, go to InnerPass Enables Students, Teacher at Leading Virtual High School

MTS Minnesota Connections Academy

This summer, Wolf Creek Online High School was awarded a K-12 Arts Challenge Grant through the Minnesota State Arts Board. Visiting artist was Jennifer Kunin, a paper arts specialist. Eight students participated in the weekly class making paper by hand, creating linoleum cuts for printmaking, assembling and binding their own books, and designing a collaborative project that involved staff, students, and community members of Wolf Creek. Students not only had a chance to work with a resident artist but they also got to know one another better through weekly meetings and working as a group. To top it off, most days the class worked outside in the beautiful summer weather.

For the rest of the article, go to Wolf Creek Online High School offered Visiting Artist Course for credit this summer

As more and more families seek alternatives to traditional school, we’re seeing an increase in students blending homeschool and online education. Every family and situation is different, but regardless of the circumstance, a tough decision has to be made when homeschooled students enter their high school years. In the past, the choices have typically been a) continue homeschooling through high school or b) start at/return to a traditional brick & mortar school.

Now, thanks to public online schools, like Insight Schools, families have a choice that offers different options for student-centered learning that didn’t exist just a few years ago – eliminating the either/or choice of the past. Insight Schools and other online education providers are allowing students to enroll full-time as well as part-time. A full-time option allows students to take a full course-load in the environment they’re accustomed to and still have their parent by their side, while part-time enrollment gives them the option of taking a class or two while still receiving instruction from their parents for their remaining courses.

For the rest of the article, go to Online Courses Offer Options, Support for Homeschooling Families

iQ Academy Minnesota, an online program of the Fergus Falls, Minn., school district, will host a social event at Mayo Field in Rochester, 403 E. Center St., from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday.

The event is for students of iQ Academy and prospective students. Staff members will be available to answer questions about the virtual school.

For the rest of the article, go to Online school to host social event in Rochester

KCDL’s products include Aventa Learning, with more than 140 core, elective and Advanced Placement courses; Keystone School, an online private school for middle and high school students; and iQ Academies, which are statewide online public schools for middle and high school students in six states.

In 2009, KCDL reported revenues of $34.7 million, growing 47.1 percent above 2008.

For the rest of the article, go to K12 acquires distance-learning provider