ACCESS stands for Alabama Connecting Classroom, Educators and Students Statewide. It is an online learning tool implemented in schools across Alabama. Its function is to provide high school students with resources that will allow them to succeed in today's technological education environment. It provides both web based and interactive video conference learning styles to students as well as a blended approach. Funding for the 2008 year was $20.8 million and new courses were added to the curriculum as well as 100 new labs across the state. There are 188 ACCESS classrooms in effect now.
In the 21st century classroom, you must have items such as headphones for each computer, tablet PCs, Microsoft word, carts for the PCs,wireless routers, and projectors, just to name a few. Some of the Alabama code changes to make ACCESS better was to make teachers become highly qualified in order to teach online courses, add wording for night and summer classes, and add language to let high schools to include honor and weighted points. There is a variety of subjects available in math, science, the arts, English, foreign language, elective courses, social studies, and health as well as remedial courses.
The goal is by 2010 to have ACCESS in all schools statewide and to have had 45,000 students to have taken at least one online course. Right now, ACCESS can help students with AP courses, basic courses, advanced diploma courses, and technology to enhance instruction. There are 10 AP courses available with 369 students enrolled in 2007. It can help improve the graduation rate by letting students take remedial courses, retake courses they failed, repeating only one semester of a course, and allowing flexible course times. In the future, ACCESS wants to offer more virtual field trips, special education classes, teacher mentoring programs, and more course offerings.
I believe that this is a wonderful tool that teachers can implement into their curriculum that will allow for expansive learning opportunities. This program allows teachers to take students on field trips...without ever leaving the classroom! The remedial courses will help teachers by allowing students who need just a little more help in certain subjects get that help and to stay on track. Teachers across Alabama have an exciting new tool at their finger tips.
To learn more information about ACCESS, click on the link below and view the
ACCESS-Helping Students Succeed (ppt).
1 comment:
EXCELLENT! Well written. Keep up the good job.
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