A report on digital learning, commissioned by the Kentucky Department of Education and created by OpenEdSolutions was released on December 8, 2011 at the Kentucky Board of Education meeting. The new report The new study makes recommendations for improvement in 11 broad areas:

1. All students should be eligible for digital learning

2. Authorize multiple statewide online learning providers to expand full and part time options.

3. Allow students to personalize their learning.

4. Support customized learning pilots.

5. Support competency-based learning pilots (these allow students to proceed at their own pace).

6. Plan shift to online instructional materials by 2013-14.

7. Support the shift to blended instruction (this is instruction in traditional classrooms using digital resources instead of classical lecture approaches).

8. Plan for online assessment by 2013-14.

9. Create statewide online/blended learning authorizer/contractors.

10. Develop a fractional and performance based funding model (Allows $$ to easily follow the student to digital learning alternatives such as the Barren Academy for Virtual and Expanded Learning).

11. Create a program management office and fund the transition (would better coordinate digital learning support from the Kentucky Department of Education).

The Bluegrass Institute is pleased that our work in the digital learning area is being picked up by policymakers in Kentucky. We look forward to improving education in Kentucky with more innovations in digital learning.

We’ll provide an update with a link to the new digital learning report as soon as the Kentucky Department of Education posts it.