Earlene Patton, ACCESS Registration CoordinatorAlabama State Department of EducationTechnology Initiativesepatton@alsde.edu

Denise Oliver, Education and Outreach DirectorAlabama Supercomputer Authoritydoliver@asc.edu

Alabama Connects the Dots for Distance Learning

What is the Web address?

http://accessdl.state.al.us

What is ACCESS?What is ACCESS?

Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators and Students State-wide

Vision: The State of Alabama will provide equal access to high quality instruction to improve student achievement through distance learning opportunities.

Mission: The mission of the distance education program in Alabama is to provide an infrastructure that delivers equitable, quality learning opportunities for all citizens.

The ACCESS PlanThe ACCESS Plan

• Task Force

• Partners

• Cooperative sponsors

and other state agencies

Recommended Actions of Task Force

Recommended Actions of Task Force

• Conduct needs assessment• Connect existing IVC labs• Establish 16 pilot sites• Complete AP course catalog• Remediation• Upgrade desktop technology• Expand and upgrade AREN• Establish a program office• Expand elective course offerings• Provide online multimedia resources

Rationale Rationale

• Small rural schools• Low socio-economic

status especially high in the Black Belt region

• Lack of sufficient educational resources

• Lack of Resources Impacts Students ability to:

– Go on to higher education

– Earn adequate wage– Compete in local,

national, and global economies

TimelineTimeline

Web-BasedWeb-Based• Web Site Portal

• Multimedia Content

• Usually Asynchronous

Videoconferencing (IVC)_Videoconferencing (IVC)_• Real Time (Two-Way Audio/Two-Way

Video)

• Streaming

• H.323 Standard

• Synchronous

Blended•Online With Face-to-Face Sessions and Virtual Field Trip

Added via Web Conferencing Software

• IVC With Learning Management System (LMS) for

Assignments, Communication, and Projects

The ACCESS Blended Model Approach

ImplementationImplementation

• Budget

• Policy Development

• Pilot Sites– First phase implementation– Funding for distance learning classroom

ACCESS ManagementACCESS Management

• Alabama Department of Education

• Support Centers

• LEA/Schools

ISTE Evaluation-Lessons LearnedISTE Evaluation-Lessons Learned• Students said:

– Experiences in virtual courses were generally positive.

– Over 75% of students reported that their virtual school experience was as good as or better than traditional courses they have taken in the past. Two-thirds reported their expectations about virtual courses were met.

– More personal contact with their teacher is needed.

• Teachers said:

– Over 82% of personnel reported the virtual school experience was as good as or better than other, traditional courses.

– Teachers usually indicated a willingness to teach virtual courses again.

– Personnel wanted additional personal contact with virtual students.

What is the educator response?

What is the educator response?

ACCESS Distance Learning will give Barbour County HS students an opportunity to get the courses, teachers, and technology that will provide them with the knowledge and skills they need to graduate from high school prepared to go to college and/or the workforce…David Hobdy, Principal

My students think that they have reached heaven. One student said that he wanted to live in that lab…the other student next to him told me that this was his favorite class ever!! I told them just to wait, that we hadn’t even started the fun part yet!...Adina Stone, Latin I Teacher, teaches to her students at Sheffield High School and to students at Alma Bryant High School in Mobile County and Bob Jones High School in Madison via distance learning.

Through ACCESS Distance Learning Dallas County High School has re-established AP courses and provided variety in available electives…Susan Jones, Principal

Isn't technology grand

By Jared Felkins

The Reporter

The words "technologically advanced" do not begin to explain what I witnessed at Boaz High School Tuesday.

As you will read about today, Boaz and Douglas schools are two of 24 pilot schools participating in the ACCESS program this semester. After walking into the Boaz classroom, it was like walking into the classroom of the future.

School's high-tech tools revive a dead languageThursday, January 26, 2006

Riley set to visit long-distance Latin class at Bob JonesBy KEITH CLINES Times Staff

Gov. Bob Riley will visit a Latin class at Bob Jones High School today, but the teacher will be in Sheffield.

What is the Local Response?

What’s Ahead?What’s Ahead?

Plan for 2006-2010 developed

Expand the number of students served (10,000 to 45,000)

21st Century Classroom in every High School by 2010

Strengthen support centers

Provide expanded connectivity

Continue outside evaluation

Alabama Supercomputer Authority

Alabama Supercomputer Authority

State Agency

Academic Network (AREN)

Supercomputing Center

Internet Services

History of ASAHistory of ASA

• Begun in 1987– Supercomputer Center in Huntsville, AL– Alabama Research and Education Network(AREN)– State agency in Montgomery, AL

• Agency established to provide supercomputer resources to higher education (science and engineering)

• Funded by state appropriation and client service fees• AREN provides network-high speed connectivity

to K12, community colleges, universities, public libraries

Benefits of State Provided NetworkBenefits of State Provided Network

• Expand and provide network based services to state clients

• Optimally leverage State resources through collaboration with other State technology organizations

• Build and strengthen state-level consortia for the purpose of maximizing State’s E-Rate funding and State services to K12

• Provides Internet2 to K12 and community colleges as a state network participant

State-wide

Network

Mobile

Montgomery

Birmingham

Huntsville

Infrastructure Role in ACCESSInfrastructure Role in ACCESS

• Provide infrastructure for Governor’s ACCESS initiative

• Assure Quality of Service

• Expand bandwidth

• Simultaneous participation

• Multi-mode video transport

Connectivity ModelConnectivity Model• Assess technology needs in schools• Determine bandwidth upgrade (10Mbps)• Provide temporary solution with T1s• Identify schools with existing fiber• Connect existing IVC labs to AREN• Design and maintain ACCESS web portal• Prioritize connectivity upgrades with initial

course offerings• Formulate synchronized timeline with SDE for

connectivity• Assure quality of service

Connectivity TimelineConnectivity Timeline

• Project implementation Oct. 2005

• Temporary T1 install Dec-Jan and Jul-Aug

• Spring 2006- 24 Pilot sites

• Fall 2006- 20 Expansion sites (Phase I)

• Spring 2007-26 Expansion sites (Phase II)

• Connect all High Schools by 2010

Challenges Challenges

• Many different ISP providers• Coordinating connectivity with vendors• Local systems don’t know what they need or

already have• ASA technicians and network engineer overload• Communication with all parties involved• Compressed timeline• Helpdesk responsibilities-who does what?

CommentsComments

• “We appreciate the efforts of ASA. I don't think the average teacher understands just what it takes to pull all this wonderful technology together to make it so convenient in their classroom. We've come a long way, baby!”

------Rhonda Clark, Technology Integration Specialist

Cherokee County Board of Education