SREB issues must-read reports about online learning

By:

Jan 15, 2009

The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) and its director for education technology, Bill Thomas, have issued three reports in the last couple of months that are must reads for those interested in the ongoing disruptive innovation of online learning.

The first one, titled “Making the Critical Transition to Stable Funding for Virtual Schools,” is a vital one for policymakers in particular to read. The report contains several insights about how state leaders can and should move beyond year-to-year appropriations for state schools that cap enrollments at arbitrary numbers to a sustainable and responsive funding model. Read it here.

The second one asks an audience that too few studies talk to in this field. Yes, that’s right, it <gasp> actually asks students what they think. Particularly as we think about the potential to use online learning to move toward a student-centric learning environment, the report “Do Online Courses Work for Middle Grades and High School Students? Online Students Have Their Say” is a good one to read.

For online courses to be effective, they need good, high-quality teachers. SREB addresses this question in the last of its three reports, titled “Online Teachers: What Can SREB States Do to Ensure Competence and Quality?” Again, for policymakers interested in making sure a pipeline exists for high quality teachers in this environment, this report is a must read.

And after having read them, we’d love to know what you think. Please write a response and give us your thoughts. It would be great to have a dialogue here about all of them.

Michael is a co-founder and distinguished fellow at the Clayton Christensen Institute. He currently serves as Chairman of the Clayton Christensen Institute and works as a senior strategist at Guild Education.