Digital Learning Collaborative Goes Live; Seeks to Fill Gaps in Available Information About K-12 Online, Blended, and Digital Learning

DURANGO, Colo., Oct. 3, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Evergreen Education Group today announced the public launch of the new Digital Learning Collaborative(DLC), a membership group made up of 22 organizations including school districts, state agencies, non-profit organizations, and companies.

The DLC exists for two main reasons. First, the Collaborative seeks to fill a gap in available information about online, blended, and digital learning. We know that these innovative instructional practices in U.S. K-12 schools are on the rise. Yet despite the growth, emerging practices, and examples of success, countless basic questions remain about policy and practice. The DLC exists to fill the information gap, and to help educators, school board members, reporters, researchers, and policymakers to better understand the K-12 digital learning field and apply that knowledge to their work.

Second, over time we are aiming to build a community of educators, policymakers, providers, and others who are exploring these issues. Although online learning has been used in K-12 education for more than 20 years, and digital technology for several decades, practices and policies are constantly evolving. No school, state, or provider has all of the answers; therefore we have countless opportunities to learn from one another.

The resources currently on the DLC website include an extensive exploration of the perspectives of students and teachers, and the policies that support them; an examination of enrollment numbers and instructional practices in state virtual schools; a review of activity in mainstream school districts, and a discussion of policy issues. In addition to releasing new policy briefs, school case studies, and blog posts, we plan to conduct webinars and conference presentations, in particular at the Digital Learning Annual Conference.

We encourage all interested educators, reporters, researchers, and other observers to join the DLC email list or contact us with any questions.

Current Digital Learning Collaborative organizational members and representatives:

ASU Prep Digital: Cecilia Lopez and Julie Young

Calvert Education: David E. Kanter and Steve Gross

Charleston County School District: Cynthia Ambrose

Compass Charter Schools: J.J. Lewis

Edgenuity: Leslie Sobon and Mitch Angle

Edmentum: Ketsia Hamilton

Ephrata Area School District: Dan Mahlandt

Florida Virtual School: Holly Sagues and Stefanie Steele

Foundation for Blended and Online Learning: Amy Valentine

Howard County Public School System: Lynda Dye and Robert Cole

Idaho Digital Learning: Cheryl Charlton and Jeff Simmons

iLearn Collaborative: Judy Perez

Institute for Teaching and Leading: Christopher Harrington and Elizabeth LeBlanc

K12 Inc: Jeff Kwitowski and Mary Gifford

Odysseyware: Dana Laursen and Josey Borman

Pearson Online and Blended Learning: Allison Bazin and Matthew Wicks

The Virtual High School@PWCS (Prince William County Schools): Gina Jones

Quality Matters: Christine Voelker

Santa Cruz County Office of Education : Kelly Schwirzke

StrongMind: Tammy McKeown and Yovhane Metcalfe

Virtual Learning Leadership Alliance: Amy Michalowski and Jay Heap

Virtual Loudoun: Stacie Ahrens-Mininberg

SOURCE Evergreen Education Group