<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hi, I'll respond to David's question about awarding equivalent class time - "Proxy contact hours" - for USAL. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px; "><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; "><span style="font-size: large; ">As of now, there are no proxy contact hours assigned to USAL. However, as there is a unit mastery quiz for every unit in the two courses, a mastery model should fit.</span></span><span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; "><span style="font-size: large; "> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; "><span style="font-size: large; ">But a study needs to be done to establish the number of Proxy Contact Hours that should be earned for demonstrating mastery on the quizzes.</span></span><span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; "><span style="font-size: large; "> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; "><span style="font-size: large; ">The study will require assembling panels of teachers to establish norms for the hours associated with completing the work in a unit.</span></span><span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; "><span style="font-size: large; "> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; "><span style="font-size: large; ">It may be quite awhile before this work is completed.</span></span><span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; "><span style="font-size: large; "> </span></span><span style="line-height: 16px; "><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; "><span style="font-size: large; ">The Second English Course is a re-work and expansion of </span></span><span style="font-style: italic; "><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; "><span style="font-size: large; ">English for All</span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; "><span style="font-size: large; ">. Currently many states offer six hours credit for demonstrating mastery of each unit. This is probably a conservative number for the hours that would be awarded for mastery of Second English Course units, and might be used in the interim until the needed research is completed.</span></span><span style="line-height: normal; "><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; "><span style="font-size: large; "> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><div><br></div><div><span style="font-family: tahoma; font-size: 18px; ">The following resources provide more information about Proxy Contact Hours:</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: tahoma; font-size: 18px; ">NRS Distance Learning Policy Statement</span></div><div><span style="font-family: tahoma; font-size: 18px; "><a href="http://www.optimalsolutionsgroup.com/sdm2008/PDF/NRSGuidelinesforDistanceEducationfinal.pdf" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204); ">http://www.optimalsolutionsgroup.com/sdm2008/PDF/NRSGuidelinesforDistanceEducationfinal.pdf</a><br>
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: tahoma; font-size: 18px; "><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: tahoma; font-size: 18px; ">Distance Learning Policy Guidance (particularly starting on p. 11) </span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: tahoma; font-size: 18px; "><a href="http://projectideal.org/pdf/Print%20Resources/DistLearningPolicyGuidance.pdf" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204); ">http://projectideal.org/pdf/Print%20Resources/DistLearningPolicyGuidance.pdf</a></span></div>
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: tahoma; font-size: 18px;"><br></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: tahoma; font-size: 18px;">I hope that helps.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: tahoma; font-size: 18px;"><br>
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: tahoma; font-size: 18px;">Leslie</span></div></span><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 7:12 PM, David J. Rosen <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:DJRosen@theworld.com">DJRosen@theworld.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">
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<div><font face="Arial" size="2">Special Topics Colleagues, </font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div>
<div><br></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">A couple of people have asked how USA Learns
and The Learner Web may be used to count NRS distance learning
equivalents to class time. For the benefit of those who are not familiar with
this, perhaps Sheryl Adler from the U.S. Department of Education could explain
the Department's policy on counting Distance Learning for NRS reporting.
Then perhaps someone from USA Learns and someone from the Learner Web could
describe how parts of each model's curriculum (or in the LW Model, "Learning
Plan") might be awarded equivalent class time -- referring to policy at a
national or at a state level. If this isn't clear yet in the model, what is the
process you envision for getting NRS approval of distance learning
equivalency?</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div>
<div><br></div></div></blockquote></div><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Leslie Petty, Ed.D.<br>Associate Director<br>Project IDEAL Support Center<br>University of Michigan<br>734-425-0748<br>
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