Let's Welcome,
Not Fear,
Online Learning
The revolution is coming, at least according to Clayton M. Christensen, co-author
along with Curtis W. Johnson and Michael
B. Horn of Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns.
I waited with bated breath to find out what the
disruption would be to cause the worldwide
change in learning. I knew it had something to
do with technology, but I wasn’t sure what. I
hate to spoil the surprise, but the disruption is
high school online courses. How online learning
plays into Christensen’s disruption theory is just
part of his analysis. The book also covers the
importance of student-centric learning, improving education research, and leadership tools to
foster innovation.
Christensen writes that the disruption also
leads to innovation. That did not surprise me in
the case of online learning, based on a report I
had read called Laboratories of Reform: Virtual
High School and Innovation in Public Education
by Bill Tucker. It was from the Education Sector,
an independent think tank devoted to developing innovative solutions to educational problems. One of the most innovative virtual schools
discussed was the Florida Virtual Schools
(FLVS), also mentioned in Christensen’s book.
In this issue, Julie Young, Pam Birtolo, and Raven McElman discuss FLVS and the impact that
online courses can have on student learning (See
“Virtual Success,” page 12).
Note that we are not talking about digitizing
current courses but about using all the tools
possible to differentiate learning for students.
These entrepreneurial endeavors have to focus
on “clients” to engage them in learning and provide whatever is necessary so that they continue
in the course and complete it. The result is innovation from administration and funding to
meeting the individual needs of students.
Although not every educator is involved in
teaching online courses, there is so much that
technology-savvy educators can be doing for
students. When a student is struggling with a
concept, we can, as Christensen suggests, search
online to find content, tools, or a tutor who can
help. And we can create these tools ourselves
and share them with the world. Individualizing
instruction for all students is a tall order, but
Web 2.0 tools and social networks are helping
educators do this themselves as well as organize
and collaborate to share and tackle difficult
challenges.
In the pages of L&L and at ISTE’s annual con-
ference you will read about, find, and be able to
share tools, digital content, and instructional
strategies for all curriculum areas. For more
on Christensen’s ideas, Scott McLeod from
CASTLE at Iowa State University will be doing a
session at NECC called “Effective Leadership in
an Era of Disruptive Innovation.” Tom Carroll
and Kathleen Fulton from the National Com-
mission on Teaching and America’s Future will
also be doing sessions—Carroll on “Transform-
ing Schools Into 21 -Century Learning Orga-
st
nizations” and Fulton on “Teachers Learning
in Networked Communities: Online Induction
and Teacher Support.” Help us explore individualized learning for all students and organize
schools to make it happen.
ISSUE ORIENTED
By Anita McAnear
Anita McAnear is
L&L’s acquisitions
editor and national
program chair for
NECC. A former
middle school math
and language arts
teacher, McAnear
has been with ISTE
since 1983.
