Opportunities to Learn Online, for free.

Competition once again trumps the status quo in the postsecondary education sector. The “affordability” factor is consistently cited as a barrier for many seeking to continue their postsecondary education. But, did you know you can learn from some of the most prestigious universities for free?

Thanks to technology and a change in mindset a growing number of universities are posting their course content online—for free! Who would do such a thing?

Well, one of the biggest contributors is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). They put virtually all their course content online for free through its OpenCourseWare initiative. Over 90 million have visited from all over the world.

Lots of other universities also contribute their instructional content online through the “University” section on Apple iTunes. (If you’re not familiar with this feature, do a search on iTunes of the term “university” or “open university.”) You can download lectures from places like Yale, Stanford, UC Berkley, Oxford, and Cambridge—did I mention, for free? Go ahead, learn something new.

Now, this doesn’t solve the bigger problem associated with obtaining a degree or certificate, but it does provide people with an opportunity to learn from some of the best and brightest our nation has to offer.

Currently, the Foundation’s main educational focus areas include the following:

• High School is Not Enough (Postsecondary Success)
• Find the Right Fit (Educational Choice)
• You Should Know (Data for Stakeholders)

• Idaho citizens and policymakers use relevant data to improve student achievement
•  The education system is more accountable, responsive and efficient

As education reform efforts increasingly focus on preparing students for success beyond high school, the quality and accessibility of high quality data is critical. More than ever, we need to rely on facts to drive decisions because of the complexity of the system and the real-time effects on students of all ages. At every level, from the individual school building to the statehouse, we need to know “what works” and fund accordingly. Data Facts

• Limited data to track students beyond high school to know whether their school adequately prepared them for postsecondary education
• Where a student resides limits their access to web-based education options
• No consistent data set to identify the drop-out rate statewide
• Idaho is ranked 50^th on the 10 Essential Elements of a State Longitudinal Data System—the national standard (2008 Data Quality Campaign)

Resources

• Idaho Education Network IEN
• Idaho report on the Data Quality Campaign 10 Elements

Options force accountability in the education system and allow access to various learning environments, methods and instructional delivery that work for the individual and their family. Whether a person is trying to find a fit for K-12 or postsecondary education—there must be a delivery system and instructional methods that work in urban, rural and frontier settings.

The J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation’s Find the Right Fit Target Outcomes are:

1. Students access educational options that fit their needs.
2. Every Idahoan knows their educational options (PreK-12, postsecondary).

Data and Resources on Educational Choices in Idaho include:

• Charter Schools
• Private Schools
• Homeschooling
• Education beyond high school

 

ALL Idahoans need an education that prepares them for college or 21^st century careers. Unfortunately, we’re falling behind in educational attainment which directly impacts our ability to earn a living, compete in the global marketplace and retain young leaders. Our political and economic standing in the world is being jeopardized, which may affect the very freedoms we’ve come to expect and take for granted.

The J.A. & Kathryn Albertson Foundation’s High School Is Not Enough outcomes are:

• More Idahoans graduating prepared for college or a career.
• More Idahoans participating and completing a postsecondary option (degree, certification, apprenticeship, training, etc).  

FACTS

• Idaho ranks 43^rd nationally for students who progress from 9^th grade all the way through college (NCHEMS).
• Idaho got the following marginal grades from the latest Measuring Up 2008 Idaho Report:
  • Preparation = C
  • Participation = D
  • Completion = C
• The USA is now the only industrialized country where young people are LESS likely than their parents to earn a diploma. (Education Trust)

RESOURCES

• Know How 2 GoIDAHO has resources to help middle and high school students and those who mentor them.
• The Career One Stop is a national clearinghouse filled with practical tools, resources, salary information and so much more – a great place to start if you need to know how to go on. 
• Go On Idaho is an initiative of the J.A. & Kathryn Albertson Foundation focused on helping high school students go on.
• Professional Technical Education for adult learners is hosted by the Idaho Professional Technical Education division. Find information about GED, adult basic education, veterans education and more.

-          A high level of awareness was generated about the problems associated with a lack of post high school educational attainment and its impacts civically, economically, our political position in the world, as well as health benefits, and personal wealth. We have a modern day “Sputnik” and need to correct our course so we do not end up in last place, globally.

-          Identified some great resources and want everyone to go check out this one out specifically: http://toolbox.pathwaystocollege.net/ – it’s got some great tools, resources, and data on creating a postsecondary culture at the school level.

-          Keep a “personal” face on the issue. It makes a big difference in your level of investment when this issue affects someone you love. If you don’t have a personal investment then find one—there’s a lot of youth just waiting for a caring adult to support, encourage and affirm them!

-          Public/private partnerships are essential because we all benefit or are hindered by the outcomes of our education system – no one entity can correct the course we’re on to the bottom of the global stage.

Oftentimes, we take things for granted until they’re gone. We can’t allow this great state to lose its way. Key statistics should compel us to act: approximately 5,000 Idaho teens drop out each year; just 1 in every 3 high school graduates go on to some type of postsecondary training or education, and financial barriers are overwhelming for those with limited resources.

Collective responsibility begins with individuals who understand their role as change agents. Do you?

Mr. Beutler contacted nearby Utah State University in 2000 hoping to be able to tap into their already thriving concurrent enrollment program by offering several of their courses to the students in his district.  The first college courses were broadcast live over a dial-up satellite system and phone line into in a small room in the media center directly from Utah State University.  Six students took advantage of the opportunity that first year earning a total of 30 credits. 

Over the past nine years the Distance Education program at West Side has evolved into a state of the art program with three Video Teleconferencing classrooms.  Our current technology is a direct connection to the state sponsored educational networks. The main classroom affectionately known as “the Pirate Room” because of the enormous pirate head painted on the back wall, seats up to 25 students.  The room contains a 52 inch flat screen TV, microphones and computers for students to use. Two other rooms are hooked into the system as well.  One is in a multi-level seating conference room where not only classes are offered but a variety of video teleconferencing state and local meetings as well. 

Currently West Side High School offers collegiate level classes in three ways with over 30 college courses to choose from.  First – is face to face using the video teleconferencing technology.  Students have live interaction with a professor who is teaching at a distant college or university.  Second – students can take a variety of online courses from a number of colleges from around the state and third they can take concurrent enrollment courses from three of our highly qualified high school teachers.   

Lucinda Bingham teaches four math classes each year that students can earn college credit in.  John Abbott teaches English, Communications and Speech courses for college credit and Jim Summers offers two Agriculture Systems courses that qualify as well.  All three teachers met the rigorous criteria to become Adjunct Professors for local Universities.

The Distance Education program allows students who have a desire and are capable of college level work, to get a jump start on their college education. Many students, after taking a class, find that they are interested in that area and go on to pursue a degree in that field. Currently our goal is to help students take as many General Education courses as possible.  A number of students leave high school having completed all of their General Education requirements for college.  Last year we even had a student graduate not only from high school but from Utah State University having completed her Associate Degree as well.

The financial savings to the students and their parents is substantial.  Students who earn a C or better in their classes have them paid for from an endowment fund that was generously donated to our school by Larry and Joann Dahle.  Mr. Dahle attended West Side High School in his youth and felt like his educational options were limited.  Wishing for a better education for today’s youth, Mr. and Mrs. Dahle donated over a million dollars to help fund the Distance Education program here.  That endowment has saved the parents in our community over $40,000 in college tuition costs this year alone.  Students and parents alike are deeply appreciative of the endowment given by the Dahle’s.

West Side High School’s Distance Education program has certainly come a long way since its inception nine years ago.  This 2009-2010 school year, West Side High School, with a 9^th – 12^th grade student body of only 170 students will pump out 792 college credits.  Giving students advanced opportunities in learning has propelled our students into a much brighter future.

Joanne Wade
Distance Education Facilitator
West Side High School
208 747-3411

Congratulations Rebecca for your winning essay:

“Why Do I Want to Go On?”

by Rebecca Nazer, Nampa

Imagination is anchored in the hearts and minds of all children as they imagine what they could become in the future. Whether it is a fireman or a princess, it is what they believe will make them an individual just as amazing as the ones they read about in their storybooks.

As a child I always had a book in my hand and a dream of becoming as amazing as those characters in my heart. Having dreams and imagination is what I consider to be the result of literacy. The way I look at literacy is stated perfectly by Paulo Freire in “Pedagogy of the Oppressed”, when he said that literacy “is an active phenomenon…Its power lies not in a received ability to read and write, but rather in an individuals capacity to put those skills to work in shaping the course of his or her own life.”

Literacy gave me dreams and an imagination as a child. However, as I have gained a stronger education it has taught me that to achieve the future I have dreamed about, I need to do more than just imagine it. For now it is doing the best I can in High School so that I will be prepared to move on to college. Through college I can gain the education required to make the dreams of my childhood become more than just a part of my imagination.

My dream of the future is being able to get the college education necessary to become a pediatric oncologist. I feel children who have cancer deserve the chance to have an imagination and live out their dreams. Once I gain a college education I can be on my way to helping these children. Having a college education will not only allow me to do this, but it will open doors of opportunity to go places never thought possible.

After all what Dr. Seuss said seems to be true, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” I can’t wait to see the places I’ll go!