Barbour, M. K. (2012, April). Research into K-12 online learning. An invited presentation to the British Columbia Ministry of Education, Vancouver, BC.

1. Research into K-12 Online
Learning
While the practice of K-12 online learning is approximately two
decades old, the available literature into K-12 online learning is
much more limited. The amount of research literature that is
available is even more limiting. This session will examine the
current state of research in K-12 online learning, with the goal of
identifying what is actually known and where there are areas
that the research has been misused or misunderstood.
Michael K. Barbour
Assistant Professor
Wayne State University

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10. Student Performance
• performance of virtual
and classroom students
in Alberta were similar
in English and Social
Studies courses, but
that classroom students
performed better
overall in all other
subject areas (Ballas &
Belyk, 2000)

11. Student Performance
• over half of the students who
completed FLVS courses
scored an A in their course and
only 7% received a failing
grade (Bigbie & McCarroll,
2000)
• students in the six virtual
schools in three different
provinces performed no worse
than the students from the
three conventional schools
(Barker & Wendel, 2001)

12. Student Performance
• FLVS students performed
better on a non-mandatory
assessment tool than students
from the traditional classroom
(Cavanaugh et al., 2005)
• FLVS students performed
better on an assessment of
algebraic understanding than
their classroom counterparts
(McLeod et al., 2005)

13. Let’s look a little closer...

14. Students and Student Performance
Ballas & performance of virtual and participation rate in the
Belyk, 2000 classroom students similar assessment among virtual
in English & Social Studies students ranged from 65% to
courses, but classroom 75% compared to 90% to
students performed better 96% for the classroom-based
in all other subject areas students
Bigbie & over half of the students between 25% and 50% of
McCarroll, who completed FLVS students had dropped out
2000 courses scored an A in of their FLVS courses over
their course and only 7% the previous two-year
received a failing grade period

15. Students and Student Performance
Cavanaugh et FLVS students performed speculated that the virtual
al., 2005 better on a non- school students who did
mandatory assessment take the assessment may
tool than students from have been more
the traditional classroom academically motivated and
naturally higher achieving
students
McLeod et FLVS students performed results of the student
al., 2005 better on an assessment performance were due to
of algebraic understanding the high dropout rate in
than their classroom virtual school courses
counterparts

16. Student Performance and Students
So are we really
comparing apples to
apples?

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22. Student Reality???
• two courses with the highest enrollment of online
students in the US are Algebra I & Algebra II
(Patrick, 2007)
• largest proportion of growth in K–12 online
learning enrollment is with full-time cyber schools
(Watson et al., 2008)
• many cyber schools have a higher percentage of
students classified as “at-risk” (Klein, 2006)
• at-risk students are as those who might otherwise
drop out of traditional schools (Rapp, Eckes &
Plurker, 2006)

23. Literature
indicates K-12
online learning
students are...

24. Reality of most or
a large segment
K-12 online
learning
students?

26. Problem With Student
Performance Studies

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29. Problem of Effect Sizes
Developmental
Effects

30. Problem of Effect Sizes
Teacher
Effects

31. Problem of Effect Sizes
Zone of
Desired Effects

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36. Problematic Research
Online 7 principles of Interviews with teachers and course
Course effective online developers at a single virtual school,
Design course content with no verification of whether the
for adolescent interviewees’ perceptions were actually
Barbour learners effective or any student input at all for
(2005; 2007) that matter.
Online 37 best Interviews with teachers at a single
Teaching practices in virtual school selected by the virtual
asynchronous school itself. Their teachers’ beliefs
DiPietro et online teaching were not validated through observation
al. (2008) of the teaching or student performance.

37. Is there a better way?

38. Design-Based Research
Reeves (2006)

39. Virtual High School Global Consortium
• annual evaluations
– e.g., Espinoza, Dove, Zucker & Kozma, 1999;
Kozma, Zucker & Espinoza, 1998; Kozma, Zucker,
Espinoza, McGhee, Yarnall & Zalles, 2000
• content-specific investigations
– e.g., Elbaum, McIntyre & Smith, 2002; Yamashiro
& Zucker, 1999
• final evaluation
– e.g., Zucker & Kozma, 2003

40. The Challenge
Whether online
learning can
be suitable for
all K-12
students?
(Mulcahy, 2002)

41. Muirhead (2000)
• focusing interactions between • review of
students, parents and colleagues on practices in
issues surrounding teaching and
Alberta
learning
supplemental
virtual schools
International Journal of Educational Management: vol. 14, no. 7, pp. 315-324

42. Weiner (2003)
• key ingredients to online learning lies • 12 teachers at
solely within motivational issues Oregon
• the importance of being a CyberSchool
disciplined, self-motivated student,
regardless of whether or not the • 103 potential
students considered themselves one students (no data
• the majority of students are not on how many
independent learners and need participated)
structure to guide them • surveys and
• social interactions among peers are interviews
just as important as pedagogical ones
• teacher-student interaction is critical
International Journal on E-Learning: vol. 2, no.3, pp. 44-50

43. DiPietro (2010)
• five beliefs of “successful” • Interview data
asynchronous pedagogic practices
• Single virtual
school
Journal of Educational Computing Research, 42(3), 327 – 354.

44. Ferdig & Cavanaugh (2010)
• understanding different learning styles,
providing timely feedback, encouraging
communication, providing alternative
opportunities for the creation of artifacts,
and the ability to gain both remedial and
advanced knowledge acquisition based
on the needs of learners • Chapters written
• be innovative with technology by individual
• use data collected by the SIS and LMS program leaders
• communicate with all of the stakeholders involved in the
• prepare students and teachers Virtual School
• use school facilitators and/or mentors Clearinghouse
• provide support for everyone
http://www.inacol.org/research/bookstore/detail.php?id=21

45. Murphy et al. (2009-2011)
• affordances of synchronous tools • Unsystematic
observations
• teacher social presence
• Observations of
• student motivation in the online recorded classes
environment
• teachers’ ability to be learner-
centered • Interviews with
• teachers’ perceptions of the 40 online
affordances of synchronous and teachers
asynchronous learning tools

46. Virtual High School
1. Principles that Support Effective
Moderation
2. Negotiating Space: Forms of Dialogue
and Goals of Moderating
3. Key Facilitator Roles
4. Healthy Online Communities
5. Voice
6. Tone
7. Critical Thinking Strategies
8. Roadblocks and Getting Back on Track
http://www.amazon.com/Facilitating-Online-Learning-Strategies-Moderators/dp/1891859331

47. Keeler et al. (2003-2008)
• 38 design elements (i.e., • Validated,
accessibility, web site design, descriptive
technologies used, instructional
instrument
methodologies, and support
systems)
• Instrument and students with • Opinion-based
disabilities
• universal design and differentiated
instruction
• universal design and students with
cognitive impairments

48. Your
Questions
and
Comments

49. Assistant Professor
Wayne State University, USA
mkbarbour@gmail.com
http://www.michaelbarbour.com
http://virtualschooling.wordpress.com