Learning Communities

Staying Connected Through Blended Learning

By on June 23rd, 2020

Florida Virtual School supports Blended Learning Community (BLC) settings in schools across the state of Florida and beyond. In these blended environments, students learn through a combination of online and face-to-face learning. Over the past two years, the FLVS Analysis, Assessment, and Accountability Research Team has partnered with the University of Central Florida to study the unique environment that Blended Learning Communities offer FLVS students, teachers, and Florida schools.

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Online Options for Students to Learn from Home

By on May 29th, 2020

As schools across the country consider various scenarios for the upcoming school year, parents are in the difficult position of ensuring their children’s education continues this fall.

Florida Virtual School (FLVS) provides multiple solutions to help keep your child’s educational needs on track, not only during the current pandemic, but after as well.

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Why I Hate Wednesdays and Sundays

By on May 14th, 2014

online collaboration
People read this title and assume I am talking about something completely different. Have no fear as that is far from the case here. When I am speaking to people about online learning, do you know what the “experienced” adults who have taken an online course always say? It boils down to “I hated the discussion boards.” The fact is that I agree with them. I hated them too.

Adults who have taken online courses know the all-too-familiar requirement of writing an original post by Wednesday at midnight and a thoughtful response to at least two other students by Sunday at midnight. What tends to happen on these discussion boards is that people write their thoughts prior to reading the material for the week. Then, for responses, they find people that agree with their thoughts to comment on.

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Stop, Collaborate, and Listen

By on February 26th, 2014

collaborationDoing Virtual Doesn’t Mean Doing it Alone!

When people think virtual, what do you think comes to mind? Prior to my experience at FLVS, I thought of sitting alone in front of the computer, reading lessons, responding to discussion boards, and checking email. The common denominator behind all of my thoughts was that you do it alone. While virtual education primarily places responsibility on the learner, there is a debatably larger need to collaborate to be successful.

At FLVS, students are required to collaborate with one another at least one time within each segment/semester. Many families, at first glance, think this is a demanding request or an off-the-wall requirement, because of their initial thoughts about virtual education. What they find is that they wonder why they didn’t start collaborating sooner. Continue reading


Learning Forward – Part 8: Lesson Study

By on October 15th, 2013

Photo credit: http://www.learningforward.org/

Photo credit: http://www.learningforward.org/

The lesson study process is one of the most unique teaching techniques available to 21st century teachers. During a lesson study, instructors present a lesson and uncover what makes it effective or ineffective.  Bringing several teachers together and using their combined knowledge to create, teach, and reflect on a lesson is one of the best teaching strategies for instructors. Teachers are life-long learners and are always looking for ways to improve their skills. Lesson study is an ideal format to observe what does and doesn’t work and make improvements.  Continue reading


Learning Forward – Part 7: Action Research

By on September 4th, 2013

Action Research is a professional’s systematic, intentional study of their own classroom and workplace practices.  Teachers who collaborate and reflect have a direct impact on student achievement.

This form of professional development takes teachers beyond their own classroom and into each other’s.  Action research definitely makes for a great Professional Learning Community (PLC). Continue reading


Project TAM: Year Zero

By on August 15th, 2013

I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of nothing (an idea that is immediately contradicted by having a word assigned to it, which implies something).  And, as Project TAM enters what I’ve been lovingly calling “Year Zero,” I find that the centrality of bringing forth something from seemingly nothing preoccupies my thoughts and the thoughts of those around me.

FLVS was recently awarded the Next Generation Learning Challenge Grant to be used for planning and development of Project TAM, a breakthrough school model that will allow FLVS to provide new student-centered, self-paced, mastery-based, and blended learning opportunities. Continue reading


Learning Forward – Part 2: Learning Communities

By on March 28th, 2013

Photo credit: http://www.learningforward.org/

Photo credit: http://www.learningforward.org/

Professional learning programs provide the opportunity to improve educator practices in the classroom and positively impact student learning.  As discussed in my previous post, Learning Forward has revised the Standards for Professional Learning by introducing seven standards that help to ensure that learning opportunities offered to teachers and support staff positively impact student achievement. The revised standards introduce a different paradigm, most notably, the change from a focus on instructor performance to a focus on student achievement – and results. Continue reading