Online Learning - Plotting a Course into New & Uncharted Waters

Being as we encourage our students to spend time reflecting on what they have been learning and why their learning is important, I believe our community should see that the adults involved heed their own advice - starting with the principal. For new and old, the purpose of this blog is to share information about the goings on at MAST from my, the principal's, perspective, and, much like we encourage students to do, to share my reflections about the things I am learning. To that end, below are my initial thoughts and questions about the possibilities of online learning opportunities and what they might mean for MAST. The beauty of learning is that it is constant motion, knowledge grows and creates new knowledge, opens new doors and shows new perspective. I invite and encourage you to post comments and ask questions - please be a part of the conversation!

As of late I have been spending much of my own time learning, reading, and reflecting on the role, or possible roles, that online learning can serve in both our smaller MAST community and the larger communities of our city and state. I must admit that this thinking and learning is in infancy and is quite amorphous. I do not believe that there is a doubt that this type of learning - as a delivery model in particular - is growing. Everywhere you look is another opportunity to study something online. My curiosities revolve more around how does this change in/adaptation of instructional model become part of our schooling and learning experience, not just another peripheral for occasional and supplemental dabbling. As a draft, the inquiry I would frame would be as such:

1. What can be the role of online learning for MAST? How do we develop and deploy our own content? What will be the indirect implications of online learning opportunities?

I welcome any feedback and comments. Please share and join the debate - opinions and hard questions welcome!