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The Digital Backpack
Your resource for online learning
Your trusted source for K-12 online learning insights, teaching strategies, and success stories from Michigan’s leading virtual education provider. Join us as we explore innovative approaches to help students thrive in the digital age.
Teacher recruitment and retention in Michigan - Challenges and potential solutions
Ed Timke
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.
How to start solving your toughest educational challenges with design thinking
Michigan Virtual
In this article, we’ll walk you through the first phase of design thinking called “immersion” and show you how you can use it to start solving your toughest educational challenges.
Enter the matrix of competency-based education tools
Nikolas McGehee
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 learn
Cyberbullies are everywhere. Do you know how to spot one?
Sarah Hill
What does a bully look like?Regina George. Draco Malfoy. Angelica Pickles. Bullies are everywhere. Some are easier to spot than others.So, what does a bully look like?Oftentimes, they’re loud and have
What it’s really like to be an online teacher
Michigan Virtual
Meet Amy Smith, recognized as the Michigan Virtual 2020 Online Teacher of the Year, who shares her honest insights into a day-in-the-life of an online teacher, how it compares to face-to-face teaching, and what advice she has for those who are new to teaching in an online environment.
How School Leaders Can Support Teachers in Making the Shift Toward Student-Centered Learning
Christa Green
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.
The fall of letter grades & the rise of comprehensive learner records
Michigan Virtual
Meet Bruce Umpstead, director of statewide programs for IMS Global Learning Consortium, who explains what comprehensive learner records are and why these digital transcripts will be a crucial step toward building a competency-based future.
Challenges (and Opportunities) When Implementing Student-Centered Learning Models
Christa Green
Shifting to a more student-centered learning model can and will present many challenges, but it’s also an opportunity to design learning differently.
School Leader Insights: Leading Toward Success
Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute
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 final blog post of the series, we discuss how to lead a new digital learning program toward success in the long term.
Why online learning can be liberating for students with IEP and 504 plans
Michigan Virtual
Meet Lisa Rohde, special education and instructional support manager at Michigan Virtual, who shares some of the pros and cons of online learning for students requiring accommodations.
School Leader Insights: Shifting School Operations to Support Digital Learning
Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute
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.
Monitoring Student Needs and Progress in a Student-Centered Classroom
Christa Green
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.
School Leader Insights: Professional Learning as a Catalyst for Change
Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute
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.
Bringing the world into your classroom with technology
Michigan Virtual
Meet Natalie Anderson, a fifth-grade teacher from Saline Area Schools and the recipient of MACUL’s 2021 Innovative Teacher of the Year award.
School Leader Insights: Technology as a Foundation
Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute
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.
A Competency-Based Approach to Student-Centered Learning
Christa Green
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.
Competency-based education in science
Nikolas McGehee
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 learn
School Leader Insights: The Interplay Between Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute
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 understanding the relationship between curriculum, instruction, and assessment in designing digital learning experiences that align with the underlying purposes for why a digital learning initiative is pursued in the first place.
What kindergarten bloggers can teach us about wonder
Michigan Virtual
Meet Barb Ozminkowski, a kindergarten teacher from Walled Lake who was an early adopter of technology in her classroom and has been blogging with her young students for years.
School Leader Insights: Institutionalizing a Vision for Digital Learning
Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute
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 process of developing a shared vision among school and district stakeholders and the process by which school leaders may institutionalize the vision for continued growth and sustainability.
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