Introduction Michigan’s Top Ten Strategic Education Plan was adopted in August 2020 to guide K-12 education stakeholders in working toward a common set of goals. The second goal on the list is to “Improve early literacy achievement” (Michigan Department of Education, n.d.). In recent years, small declines in Michigan students’ performance on the reading portion ..read more

Generative AI has given instructional designers (IDs) exciting new ways to create courses that resonate more deeply with learners. It’s not about replacing the human touch; it’s about leveraging AI tools effectively to boost creativity and streamline processes. With well-developed prompts and tools, AI helps designers focus on what they do best: developing lessons that ..read more

In this interview, MVLRI researchers discuss key findings from a report highlighting how personalized, consistent, and timely communication in online courses can help students feel more connected to their online teachers and may also impact their success in the course. This blog also explores practical strategies for communicating effectively and building relationships with online students ..read more

By blending project-based learning with competency-based education, FlexTech aims to provide a personalized path to graduation, meeting both academic standards and students’ personal growth goals ..read more

As computer science (CS) continues to grow in importance in K-12 education, understanding what motivates students to pursue this field is becoming increasingly vital. In a study, Dr. Aman Yadav from Michigan State University and Dr. Kristen DeBruler from Michigan Virtual studied how students’ motivation – beliefs about their abilities (self-efficacy), the perceived challenges of ..read more

This blog digs into the key findings from two MVLRI research studies exploring educator engagement with professional learning (PL), their beliefs about implementing what they’ve learned, and insights into continuing to tailor PL to meet educators’ needs ..read more

Do you remember the first time you picked up a hobby just for the fun of it? Maybe it was knitting, painting, or learning to play an instrument. For me, it was a love for writing that I discovered as a kid, scribbling stories in the margins of my school notebooks. That’s the magic of ..read more

In an era where virtual learning is becoming increasingly prevalent, understanding the best practices for engaging students online is crucial. Researchers at the Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute (MVLRI) have conducted a comprehensive study to uncover effective strategies used by virtual educators, particularly those that help disengaged and struggling students succeed.  The following interview shares some highlights from this research. Why was it important to examine effective practices in virtual learning environments, especially for struggling students? The shift to emerge ..read more

Introduction Helping students succeed in their online courses is a team effort involving leveraging course design principles and technology to facilitate learning. Instructional designers use technology to design courses that optimize students’ and teachers’ experiences. Technology operations staff help implement and adapt systems to meet users’ needs. Pacing, or how students move through a course, is important to student success. Cramming and submitting assignments out of their intended order are associated with poor course performance (DeBruler, 2021; Cuccolo & DeBruler, 2024; Michigan ..read more

As schools end the academic year and look ahead to the 24-25 school year, many are likely still trying to determine the best strategies for realizing the potential benefits and overcoming the challenges related to artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. To do so, schools should consider taking a structured approach to AI integration based on the current state and needs of their own staff and stakeholders. Michigan Virtual’s AI Integration Framework for School Districts provides a lens through which school districts can assess their current capacity and determine goals for their integrati ..read more