Research

Time for Teachers: Agile Meetings and Short Pulse Surveys as Systemic Solutions

Educators often cite a lack of time as one of their most significant stressors. How can we help teachers find the balance necessary to feel satisfied in their jobs and meet their social and emotional needs? This second post in the Time for Teachers blog series will discuss two possible solutions that can help all educators save time while addressing needs to serve students and communities: agile meetings and short pulse surveys.

Ed Timke September 6, 2022

Online Learning

Effective Practices in Professional Learning Course Design: Course Content

Based on direct input from learners via end-of-course survey data, Michigan Virtual’s Instructional Product Development team gleaned the effective practices outlined in this blog in order to improve their course development and better meet the needs of the educators whom they serve.

Christa Green August 23, 2022

Online Learning

Effective Practices in Professional Learning Course Design: Assessments, Format, Structure, and Appearance

Christa Green August 18, 2022

Group of high school students working on project

Research

Bolstering Michigan’s Teacher Recruitment through Grow Your Own Programs

There is a teacher recruitment and retention crisis in Michigan and across the country. Why is there a crisis? What can be done? This last post in a blog series on teacher recruitment and retention summarizes the potential to address the crisis through Grow Your Own Programs.

Ed Timke August 1, 2022

Online Learning

Modernizing Professional Learning, Modeling Effective Practices for Student-Centered Learning

Based on direct input from learners via end-of-course survey data, Michigan Virtual’s Professional Learning Services team has modernized their professional learning for educators while modeling effective practices for student-centered learning.

Christa Green July 26, 2022

Research

Supports associated with teacher retention in Michigan

There is a teacher recruitment and retention crisis in Michigan and across the country. Why is there a crisis? What can be done? This third post in a blog series on teacher recruitment and retention summarizes an important recent study on factors that help teacher retention in Michigan.

Ed Timke June 2, 2022

Research

Reviewing Michigan’s K-12 Virtual Learning Effectiveness Report

The author of Michigan’s K-12 Virtual Learning Effectiveness Report shares a few highlights from the 2020-21 school year to encourage a deeper dive into the full report.

Joseph Freidhoff April 21, 2022

Research

Integrating STEM in your classroom using the “Grand Challenges for Engineering”

What is STEM, and why should I be teaching it? STEM education has been gaining momentum since the turn of the millennium, largely because of

Nikolas McGehee April 13, 2022

alarm clock in front of calender with circled deadline

Research

Time for Teachers: Importance of Distinguishing Systemic from Individual Barriers and Solutions

Educators often cite a lack of time as one of their most significant stressors. How can we help teachers find the balance necessary to feel satisfied in their jobs and meet their social and emotional needs? This first post in the Time for Teachers blog series will distinguish systemic from individual barriers, which is essential to ensure that finding time for themselves is not an undue burden on individual teachers. Some challenges require state-, district-, and school-wide solutions.

Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute January 31, 2022

Research

Teacher recruitment and retention in Michigan – Challenges and potential solutions

There is a teacher shortage in Michigan and across the country. Why is there a crisis? What can be done? This second post in a blog series on teacher recruitment and retention focuses on challenges and potential solutions in Michigan.

Ed Timke December 1, 2021

father helping daughter with homework on her laptop

Research

Enter the matrix of competency-based education tools

What is CBE? Competency-based education (CBE) is a student-centered methodology of instruction that incorporates elements of constructivist philosophy, 21st Century Skills education, and flexible learning

Nikolas McGehee October 28, 2021

Research

How Schools Leaders Can Support Teachers in Making the Shift Toward Student-Centered Learning

Common themes emerged around the supports that school leaders have put in place as their district makes the shift toward student-centered learning. We hope their insights and advice provide some guidance for other school leaders who may be just getting started.

Christa Green September 30, 2021

Research

Challenges (and Opportunities) When Implementing Student-Centered Learning Models

Shifting to a more student-centered learning model can and will present many challenges, but it’s also an opportunity to design learning differently.

Christa Green September 24, 2021

Lightbulbs with phrases inside, "innovation" "solution" "technology" etc.

Leadership

School Leader Insights: Leading Toward Success

Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute September 23, 2021

Leadership

School Leader Insights: Shifting School Operations to Support Digital Learning

The School Leader Insights blog series provides school leaders with practical guidance and advice on how to develop and support digital learning programs within their schools and districts. Based on research and on-the-ground experiences working with school leaders, Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute aims to identify and share effective practices with these school leaders to support their work and encourage their success. In this blog post, we discuss the importance of shifting school operations to support digital learning. Significant implementation challenges arise without staying in touch and coordinating with a variety of stakeholders responsible for school operations.

Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute September 21, 2021

Research

Monitoring Student Needs and Progress in a Student-Centered Classroom

In a truly student-centered learning environment, it really goes beyond just data. Teachers and administrators should look at the whole child, considering both their academic and non-academic needs.

Christa Green September 17, 2021

Leadership

School Leader Insights: Professional Learning as a Catalyst for Change

The School Leader Insights blog series provides school leaders with practical guidance and advice on how to develop and support digital learning programs within their schools and districts. Based on research and on-the-ground experiences working with school leaders, Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute aims to identify and share effective practices with these school leaders to support their work and encourage their success. In this blog post, we discuss how professional learning programs for teachers can provide job satisfaction, improve digital learning outcomes for students, and serve as a catalyst for change.

Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute September 16, 2021

Leadership

School Leader Insights: Technology as a Foundation

The School Leader Insights blog series provides school leaders with practical guidance and advice on how to develop and support digital learning programs within their schools and districts. Based on research and on-the-ground experiences working with school leaders, Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute aims to identify and share effective practices with these school leaders to support their work and encourage their success. In this blog post, we discuss the importance of thinking deliberately about technology. Some might think that a digital learning initiative should start with technology. However, to leverage technology effectively to reach certain digital learning goals, leaders need to execute a project vision based on a clear understanding of the interplay between curriculum, instruction, and assessment and the needs of all members of a school community.

Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute September 14, 2021

Online Learning

A Competency-Based Approach to Student-Centered Learning

Creating competencies and designing flexible learning opportunities that allow students to demonstrate mastery of these competencies on their own pathway and at their own pace is one piece of designing a learning environment that is student-centered.

Christa Green September 10, 2021

Research

Competency-based education in science

What is CBE? Competency-Based Education (CBE) is a student-centered methodology of instruction that incorporates elements of constructivist philosophy, 21st Century Skills education, and flexible learning

Nikolas McGehee September 9, 2021

BRIGHT: Stories of Hope & Innovation in Michigan Classrooms

Research

Innovation

BRIGHT: Stories of Hope & Innovation in Michigan Classrooms

BRIGHT: Stories of Hope & Innovation in Michigan Classrooms

Category: Research

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