Michigan Online Learning Requirements for K-12 Students

As a first grade teacher I wasn't sure what our online learning opportunities for credit were, so I went to our district website and found the district technology plan. I found this in section 6: Section 6 – Technology Delivery: "We currently use e2020, an online web based system for credit recovery at our high school.Computer classes also use the Internet for web quests and other online learning opportunities.High School requirements now include an online experience. We are considering Michigan Virtual High School, the KISD Moodle site, our own Moodle site or other options for this online experience." At the elementary level, we have been upgraded with new computers, document cameras and projectors. I use them all daily when instructing and supporting learning in my own classroom. I have two additional computers in my room for student use. We also have a computer lab available for classroom use. Having this availability is great, but we as teachers to date have been somewhat left to our own devices as far as online learning for our elementary students. I have not received a curriculum to follow at the elementary level. What we DO have is a weekly 50 minute computer class for all of our students. I do know that the teacher follows a specific curriculum for technology. Below is another portion of our technology plan. "Goals 1 and 2 of our school improvement plan provide an adequate timeline for technology integration. Goal 1 provides training of computer operations related to the core curriculum. Goal 2 incorporates a design/plan to implement effective use of our computer lab to teach the curriculum. It includes improved use of classroom instructional times when specific computer classes are not being taught." We have used ours lab for research and AR testing. Read Naturally is another supportive reading program we all have access to in our building. It would be nice if we had in house professional development provided once or twice a year to keep us all up to date on the online learning there is out there for our students. Most of us are pretty good at learning on our own, but to have time as a group of professionals we could have discussion of how to enhance the uses of online learing.