Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools

By:

Jan 7, 2013

Submitted by Kecia Ray, Executive Director Learning Technology
Note: The information in this profile represents SY2012-13 unless otherwise indicated.


School/organization overview

Name Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools
Type District
Locale Urban
Headquarters Nashville, Tennessee
First year of operation Before 2000
Grades served PreK-12
Enrollment 81,000
% FRL 71% (SY2011-12)
% Black or Hispanic 17% (SY2011-12)
Per-pupil funding $9,239
Website http://www.mnps.org

Blended-learning program (1 of 2)

Name AP and IB Blended Learning Initiative
Focus Gifted and Talented
Year launched SY2011-12
Enrollment 1500
Blended grades 9-12
Blended subjects Math, English Language Arts, History/Social Studies, Science, Foreign Language, Electives
Content Self-developed
SIS PowerSchool
Independent LMS Blackboard
Independent gradebook PowerSchool
Independent assessment  None
Professional development PD360

Program model

Program model: Individual Rotation

Model description
Our teachers design personalized learning opportunities for students within the blended learning space. Students attend face-to-face courses but have access to more than 60% of their content online.


Program description

How much time do students spend on campus in this blended-learning program? How much of this time do students spend learning online or with educational software?
Students spend all of their time on campus but the content is available to them 24/7. This program is AP and IB courses so students are able to prepare for their on-ground courses utilizing the online content and then refer back to it after the lesson. Some teachers connect their students across sections so that all students taking AP biology, for instance, are able to chat and blog with one another.

Briefly describe the offline components of this blended-learning program. 
Video lecture, online resource materials, supplemental videos.
How does this blended-learning program fit into the rest of the students’ school day?
This blended learning program extends the students’ day.

What are the teachers’ roles and responsibilities in both the online and offline components of this blended-learning program?
Teachers must create the courses in a blended environment and then monitor the course activity. This year we have begun training teaching assistants who will help the teacher monitor the course but are actually students who have already taken the course or may even be enrolled currently.

What other adults are involved in this blended-learning program (e.g., paraprofessionals, learning coaches, counselors) and what are their roles and responsibilities? 
The district provides an instructional designer with the specialty of blended learning to the teachers who are developing blended content.

Briefly describe the set-up of physical space for this blended-learning program. 
Traditional classrooms are the physical space with personal technology for students. The blended environment is constructed by the teacher in Blackboard Learn.

How are students grouped within this blended-learning program? 
These courses are AP and IB. Students are grouped by the teachers.

Do students have some element of control over the pacing of their learning? Are students tied to a semester-based course schedule or can they complete courses at any time? Briefly describe any requirements or benchmarks in place to ensure student progress. 
The goal is to expose students to as much content as possible so that they can demonstrate skill and content mastery on their AP and IB tests.

Describe the academic results of the program, using quantitative data where possible.
Too soon to have this data.

Blended-learning program (2 of 2)

Name Buena Vista Elementary School
Focus General
Year launched SY2012-13
Enrollment 400
Blended grades PreK-4
Blended subjects Math, English Language Arts, History/Social Studies, Science
Content Scholastic, PLATO Learning
SIS PowerSchool
Independent LMS Blackboard
Independent gradebook PowerSchool
Independent assessment  Discovery
Professional development PD360

Program model

Program model: Flex

Model description
Each classroom has centers (stations) where students are able to move fluidly throughout the classroom during periods of the day. Each student is provided a computer and software is installed on the computer so that students have access to their learning portals throughout the day. Teachers may provide direct instruction or small group instruction.


Program description

How much time do students spend on campus in this blended-learning program? How much of this time do students spend learning online or with educational software?
Students spend 100% of their time on campus. They spend between 25 and 40 percent of their time on devices, be it the iPads, iPods or NetBooks.

Briefly describe the offline components of this blended-learning program. 
Several software applications are used to allow for personalized learning in a blended format. Students each have their own devices and may access these applications during center time or at home.
How does this blended-learning program fit into the rest of the students’ school day?
It is a part of their day. The students don’t realize they are blending their learning.

What are the teachers’ roles and responsibilities in both the online and offline components of this blended-learning program?
Teachers must monitor the software and design lessons that integrate the use of the software and assessment data.

What other adults are involved in this blended-learning program (e.g., paraprofessionals, learning coaches, counselors) and what are their roles and responsibilities? 
An instructional designer from the Learning Technology Department works with the school two days per week.

Briefly describe the set-up of physical space for this blended-learning program. 
Bretford furniture was purchased for each classroom to maximize the flexibility in the learning environment.

How are students grouped within this blended-learning program? 
Teachers group the students.

Do students have some element of control over the pacing of their learning? Are students tied to a semester-based course schedule or can they complete courses at any time? Briefly describe any requirements or benchmarks in place to ensure student progress. 
No.

Describe the academic results of the program, using quantitative data where possible.
Too soon to have this data.

Contact information

Name: Kecia Ray
Title: Executive Director Learning Technology
Email[email protected]
Phone: 615-298-8456