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

One of the benefits of online learning is that students can work at their own pace. However, not all students have developed the time management skills to work through a course consistently. Perhaps unsurprisingly, research has shown that consistent course pacing results in higher student achievement (DeBruler, 2021).  To explore course pacing through the lens of an online program administrator, researchers from the Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute (MVLRI) interviewed Andrea McKay, Director of Instruction for Michigan Virtual in April 2024. The transcript from our interview h ..read more

The Power of Pitching If you’ve ever been captivated by the intense negotiations on Shark Tank, you already grasp the essence of pitching—an art form where entrepreneurs present their ideas to potential investors, aiming to win support and funding. But what if your innovation isn’t just about profit but about transforming education itself? Welcome to the world of EdTech pitching, where ideas have the potential to revolutionize the way students learn, interact, and thrive. Understanding the EdTech Landscape For those deeply involved in education, whether as educators, parents, or passi ..read more

In recent years, the landscape of education has undergone a significant transformation, with online learning becoming increasingly prevalent. Like many other states, Michigan has witnessed a surge in virtual education, with approximately 14% of K-12 students engaging in at least one virtual course during the 2021-2022 academic year, boasting a pass rate of 69% (Freidhoff, 2023). However, while the accessibility and flexibility of online learning are undeniable, ensuring student success in this domain presents its own set of challenges. The Crucial Role of Pacing Research has shed light on one ..read more

In the dynamic landscape of education, where choices seem limitless, we, as parents and educators, continue on a shared journey of guiding our teenagers toward discovering and nurturing their passions. But how? Isn’t passion intrinsic? According to research, including studies focused on develop mindset, “the more students use effective strategies to cultivate their passion, the more we would expect their passion to increase over time,” (Chen, P., Lin, Y., Pereira, D. J. H., O’Keefe, P. A., & Yates, J. F., 2021). This suggests that passion is not solely intrinsic but can be developed an ..read more

Introduction   Advanced Placement (AP®) courses in high school provide an opportunity for students to take advanced courses with the possibility of earning college credit. The number of public school students taking AP courses in Michigan has increased over the past few years, with 56,885 public school students taking an AP course in 2023, an increase of 8.9% compared to 2022 (Ackley, 2023).  Michigan Virtual offers 22 two-semester AP online courses for high school students across Michigan who may, for example, not have the course available to them in a brick-and-mortar school ..read more

What do educators actually WANT out of their professional learning experiences? This is a question my colleague Danielle, who contributed significantly to this study and the writing of these blogs, and I tackle most days. We are Professional Learning Specialists at Michigan Virtual. In a nutshell, we lead professional learning, we collaborate with educators and other educational organizations nationally and across the state, and we build online courses that count towards SCECHs.  Last summer, I read Street Data. Besides changing my entire perspective on data, it opened my eyes to somethi ..read more

Welcome back to our third and final installment of this introductory series on web3. In this series we’ve explored the technology and trends shaping the next generation of the web and most importantly for this audience what are the potential impacts on education. In our first post, we walked you through the shifts occurring in the web and specifically highlighted some of the shifts occurring in web3. In particular, we noted that part of the promise of web3, the decentralized Internet, holds transformative potential for education, bringing the promise of greater agency, accessibility, and pers ..read more