Back in December 2012, I wrote a blog titled “Virtual Learning.” We had applied for and received a DoDEA (Department of Defense Education Activity) grant to pilot a blended learning program at our school. At the time, our enrollment had ballooned, and we were scrambling to find space for all of our students and support services. At the same time, our teachers were encouraged to use technology as a tool to engage and empower student learners. This was the perfect time to try a hybrid or blended model where students attend school in-person for part of the week and complete their required lessons and assignments independently at home on the other days.
The program exceeded our expectataions. The students, their parents, and the teachers agreed that there were so many benefits including increased student motivation and engagement, a sense of community where teachers and students were learning together, and the opportunity to pilot a new model that could be replicated in other schools or communities.
I have several regrets about my time as the principal at our school. One of my biggest regrets is that I didn’t find a way to continue the blended learning program after our three-year grant funding ended. At the time, we were embarking on a new adventure, courtesy of another Department of Defense grant which transformed our school. (See my blog about the experience here.) In hindsight, we could have done things differently to continue and expand our blended learning program to include all grade levels. We could have more-widely shared about our program with education leaders; maybe other schools would have been interested in replicating our program.
I was excited when I heard about the Pineapple Academy that the Leilehua-Mililani-Waialua Complex Area started three years ago at Daniel K. Inouye Elementary School. During the COVID pandemic, some parents requested an alternative to in-person learning when schools reopened. The Pineapple Academy received positive reviews from students and parents, but due to dwindling enrollment, it will no longer be an option next school year.
I knew that HIDOE had started a Hawai`i State Distance Learning Program (HSDLP) during the pandemic, and I was able to speak with Program Director Chad Nacapuy. I've known him for many years now; we bonded because of our common goal of increasing the use of technology with students. The Hawaii Department of Education recognized that some parents and students would want an alternative to in-person learning. Program Director Nacapuy explained that HSDLP is a program and not a school. Creating a school, even a charter school, would have been more difficult and they would not have been able to launch as quickly. Just like any new program, there are challenges, but there are so many positives that educators can learn from.
Students can enroll from any public school in Hawai`i since HSDLP is a program, not a school. Students can participate in their home school activities (including athletics, events, and other extracurricular activities if their home-based school allows it) and if things don't work out with distance learning, they can return to in-person learning. When students graduate, they will receive a diploma from their home school.
Program Director Nacapuy shared that HSDLP provided an essential service for Maui students after the wildfire in August. Many parents opted to enroll their children in HSDLP to ensure that they could continue to learn and to be supported by their teachers and classmates. The Pineapple Academy teachers were also involved. They provided essential SEL (social-emotional learning) lessons virtually, and many families took advantage of this opportunity. Now that Maui schools have reopened and HIDOE has encouraged in-person learning, many of those students attend school in-person on Maui.
There are no plans to discontinue the HSDLP; in fact, this program can hopefully be expanded. One of the benefits of blended learning is that students are able to be better managers of their time.. Think about it. How much time during the school day is actually spent on instruction and learning? According to this article, “Time is a School’s Most Precious Resource. Where Does It Go?” a study of elementary schools found that just 64% of the day was devoted to academic subject activities. So in a 6-hour school day, less than 2/3 of the day, or about 4 hours, is spent on academics. If students in distance learning environments are self-directed learners who manage their time so their required assignments are completed efficiently, they can then use the extra two hours to learn something new, to collaborate with classmates on projects, or to participate in activities they are interested in. Often, elite athletes, those involved in the performing arts, or those who have part-time jobs will see distance learning as a viable option to in-person learning. They get their schoolwork completed and the extra time can be devoted to their other interests.
According to this article, The Rise of Online Learning in the U.S, the number of students taking on-line or distance learning courses in colleges and universities has grown rapidly since 2010. Many non-traditional students - working parents, military members, lifelong learners - are taking distance learning classes because they are more widely available, tuition is often less costly, and the classwork can be completed and submitted at a time that is convenient for them. Students who in the past might have attended college in-person may now opt to take classes on-line.
It makes sense, therefore, for programs like Hawai`i State Distance Learning Program to expand its offerings to students of all ages, but especially for middle and high schoolers. All of the Department’s General Learner Outcomes are addressed in a distance learning program:
- Self-Directed Learner - Students work independently, ask for help when they need additional support, and manage their time to complete their coursework
- Community Contributor - Students have the opportunity to work with others on assignments and projects. In this day and age, many professionals collaborate to complete research or projects with others in different states or countries. Students can have that opportunity with students from different schools or mentors in the community.
- Complex Thinker - Problems are all around us. Students need opportunities to work together to think critically and to figure out solutions to these problems.
- Quality Producer - We want our students to be able to recognize and to produce quality work. By working together in a virtual learning environment, students can ask for feedback from their teacher or their peers to improve on their work.
- Effective Communicator - Communication involves speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students in a distance learning classroom have many opportunities to become effective communicators.
- Effective and Ethical User of Technology- HSDLP students have many tools available for learning, doing, creating, and sharing. In this day and age with technology advancing so rapidly, students need to be effective and ethical in their use of technology.
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