Supporting Effective Teaching in Tennessee: Executive Summary | Page 32
While districts across the state contract with
several different distance and e-learning
course providers, there are two statewide
course providers, although both are still in
the early stages of creating a truly meaningful
statewide presence. The first provider is
Senator Bill Frist visits a computer lab at Orchard Knob Elementary School in
e4TN, which was created in 2005 with a
Chattanooga, TN with Hamilton County Superintendent Dr. Jim Scales and
three-year federal grant. The grant, which is
Orchard Knob Assistant Principal Barbara Shepherd on May 4, 2009.
run by the Hamilton County Department
of Education, funded the development of
Weakley County in West Tennessee. All e-learning sites will
distance learning and e-learning courses in eight districts:
have access to the necessary technology hardware and teacher
Bradley County, Bedford County, Dickson County, Hamilton
professional development to successfully offer the twenty
County, Kingsport City, Lake County, Tipton County and
approved courses.
Wilson County. Once courses are beta tested in these eight
districts, they are made available to students across the state.
Although both of these statewide online learning platforms have
Although the federal grant focused on developing high school
been developed, every student in the state still does not have
courses, e4TN has also developed several courses for eighth
access to these opportunities for a mix of logistical and financial
graders, such as Computer Literacy, Algebra 1, and Geometry,
reasons. The challenge for Tennessee is ensuring it continues
and special courses for students with autism and other special
developing high-quality online learning opportunities and
educational needs. E4TN also contracts with vendors to offer
expanding the availability of such opportunities statewide.
additional e-learning opportunities, such as AP courses. The
e4TN courses that have been developed to date are recognized
as high-quality, having received national recognition from the
governor’s Schools
United States Distance Learning Association in April 2009 as
Tennessee Governor’s Schools offer academic opportunities
a best practice in online learning.55 Not surprisingly, demand
for gifted and talented high school students. At Governor’s
for e4TN courses has risen rapidly, increasing by 900 percent
schools, students participate in a four- or five-week summer
between 2006 and 2009.56
program with the option to earn college credit. Programs
occur on university campuses and are offered in twelve
The second major statewide provider of distance learning and
disciplines: agricultural services, arts, computational physics,
e-learning courses is a partnership between Tennessee High
emerging technologies, engineering, humanities, informational
School in Bristol and the Niswonger Foundation. To date,
technology, international studies, prospective teachers, sciences,
Tennessee High has developed twenty state-approved online
scientific exploration of Tennessee’s heritage, and scientific
courses. The Niswonger Foundation is working to make these
models and data analyses.57
courses available statewide by funding the creation of e-learning
sites in each of Tennessee’s three grand divisions including
Hamblen County and Blount County in East Tennessee,
Bedford County in Middle Tennessee, and Hardeman and
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Courtesy of Chris Walker
online technology. The individual teaching
the course must be a certified teacher, and
a certified teacher or teaching assistant must
be present in the actual classroom with the
students. E-learning refers to courses that
students take online but where there is not
a live teacher on the other end. Students
can take e-Learning courses from almost
anywhere, including their home. However,
if e-learning courses are taken at a school
site, a certified teacher or teaching assistant
must be present.54