E-Mails:

The Vision 20/20 grant has widened the horizons of some of our students who would have been unable to participate in an online class with such an advanced technology tool within their reach.

 Our juniors are taking Spanish I with TVS and would do the majority of the work at school. Now that they have the laptops to take home with their headphones with mics, and webcams to record themselves speaking they can record themselves in the privacy of their own bedroom without the worry that they will be overheard.   Many of the students are reluctant to try out new language skills in front of one another.

The juniors and seniors are also taking dual-credit courses in history, English, math, psychology, government, theatre arts, and economics. The laptops will be very useful to them as they write out their essays, research papers and also as the seniors begin their important college scholarship applications.

The liaisonics course was a wonderful tool to show the administration and teachers the TVS interface and also some of the studies done about online learning. Being able to share ideas with colleagues was a definite bonus.

I believe that parents will see the benefit of having their child use the latest and greatest new technology to better their education. They are using the “cool stuff” – the kids’ words – to learn. Not a bad deal. We couldn’t have done this without the Vision 20/20 grant.

Laura Long

Technology Coordinator

Silverton ISD

• I am using written instructions as well as oral instructions.
• Spending more time when explaining a lesson where technology is used to complete the lesson.  I am trying to use as many ways to give instructions as possible.  Written, verbal, and visual.
• I am more aware that students have different ways of learning.

E.F.

Highland Park ISD

Sheryl Weaver, Principal: Silverton High School ---

The biggest impact for our school has been that students who previously did not have computer access at home are able to have access and take online courses for high school credit as well as college credit.  Because of this grant we are able to access TxVSN and offer courses we have not been able to offer any other way.  Administratively, it opens up courses for us that we can't offer and it gives us more flexibility with scheduling.  The students and parents have been very receptive and appreciative of the opportunities now available.

Janet Hindman, Assistant Superintendent: Highland Park High School ---

Highland Park ISD is in our first year of the Vision 2020 Grant, so our teachers and administrators have been greatly impacted through intense professional development, conference attendance, and training.  They are gaining the tools that they will need in order to develop their own online courses for the fall of 2010.  After their submission in October 2010 to the Texas Virtual School Network of their developed online courses, then our parents and students will be impacted in deep and meaningful ways through the opportunities that the grant will provide once the courses are approved.

We greatly appreciate the unique opportunities that the Vision 2020 Grant has provided and will continue to provide not only our students of Highland Park ISD, but also the numerous students throughout the State of Texas that may also be impacted through our efforts.  Thank you for this remarkable opportunity to provide a high quality education for students.

Results from survey for Parents, Students, Teachers and Administrators:

Seven teachers and three administrators completed the survey.

• Increased the use of technology with our students. Help our lower socioeconomic students to be able to take dual credit courses.
• Even though I have not begun an actual online class, I am beginning to "experiment" with students in class by using some of the activities in my planning.
• I have taken an online course about designing online courses & I am scheduled for another in January. I also attended the INacol conference in Austin. Without the funds I would not have attended these.
• It has truly opened my eyes to the possibilities of online instruction and providing for a blended classroom utilizing components from my training. The possibilities seem endless and I am encouraged for my future training and the opportunities that it will provide for me as well as my students
• They have provided more educational experience and new ideas to use in instruction. They also upgrade equipment and help keep the classrooms up to date.
• From this grant alone, we have been able to begin the development of our online classes. We would have never been able to without it.
• The grant funds have allowed our teachers to have hands-on experiences and formal training. Through the grant our teachers will be able to network with other teachers online and in person. We are getting good information on what not to do for online courses. Being able to communicate with other schools are great. The biggest advance for our students with the online courses are more credits, finishing schools early, it helps at-risk students and students came get college credits. Our teachers are getting trained correctly which should help with instruction.
• We have only begun our online teaching journey, but already, the grant funds have shown me that there is so much more to online teaching than I first anticipated.
• From the online course I realized that all students learn in different ways. I knew this but now I am making sure that I try to reach all students by using the different learning methods to reach all students. The conference I attended helped me see how others are building online courses and I now have a better understanding of the things that need to be included in an online course to have a better chance to reach all students. Without the grant, I probably would not have been able to take the course and I would be missing out on some valuable learning experiences.
• The online Liasonics course has really helped me see how students learn in an online course. This will help me be of better help to the students taking online courses and in identifying students who will be successful in online courses. The additional laptops we have received are of great benefit to the students in making technology more readily available to students.

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