112910 On-line learning environment thriving in school district

  • By Sharon Haught
  • November 18, 2010
  • 289
                        
An on-line learning environment offered to students in the Wooster City School District may hold the key to academic success for a broad range of students. That’s what Wooster City School District Director of Educational Services and Interventions Mark Stefanik told the Board of Education during its October 26 meeting. “PLATO is a self paced learning alternative to traditional classroom courses,” said Stefanik noting “we have found that a variety of students are achieving success by using the on-line learning environment as opposed to some of the lack of success they were achieving in traditional classroom environments.” Like 2 million of their peers across the country do on similar systems, students in the district can access the web based system from any computer 24-7. According to Stefanik “PLATO offers over 50 courses in all four major content areas – language arts, math, science and social studies” along with a small number of electives. Stefanik noted that on-line programs got their start in the district in the alternative sites and has been used for several years at the Opportunity School and Boys Village for credit recovery for students that had trouble taking a class the first time around and found themselves behind on credits. As availability of the system expanded to Wooster High School and Edgewood Middle School so have the practical applications for the system. At the high school PLATO is also used for the flex scheduling program where students leave school before the end of the traditional school day for work or other responsibilities. “With flex scheduling some students may not be in typical classes for the entire school day. They have some live face to face classes but they’ll have some classes on-line,” said Stefanik noting that those students can access on-line coursework later in the day. According to Stefanik, 73 students at Wooster High School and 21 students at Boys Village are taking some type of on-line course. “That does not mean they are strictly on-line for all of their high school education. Some will be on-line for a majority of their high school programming. Some will be on for just one class and some students are using it as support for their regular classes that they are taking at the high school,” noted Stefanik. “At Edgewood we have some students who were not having success in their content area classes so we are trying them with the same class on-line to see if they are going to be more successful,” noted Stefanik. According to Stefanik the use of PLATO is already starting to expand beyond those who need a little extra help in order to be successful. Some middle school students are preparing for ninth grade using PLATO as a way to preview some of the courses that will show up on their freshman schedule. The district is also looking into the possibility of offering some credit class work to the ninth graders through “some on-line opportunities over the summer so students then have some credits when they hit the doorway in August at Wooster High School,” said Stefanik. PLATO is also moving into the Advanced Placement classes for advanced level students at the high school level said Stefanik. Stefanik noted that the district will “continue to look for ways to extend online learning opportunities so that all the students in the Wooster schools can achieve academic success.” Superintendent Michael Tefs is enthusiastic about PLATO’s potential. “I really believe that potentially will be a great opportunity for the Wooster City School District to help students prepare themselves for the rigor of the next curriculum that they are going to be experiencing,” said Tefs.


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