In 2010 the Foundation for Excellence in Education convened the Digital Learning Council, which brought together leaders from education, government, and business to develop a framework to integrate technology meaningfully into K-12 classrooms across the country. Despite the influences of technology on our daily lives, only 10 percent of students nationwide are experiencing the benefits of digital learning.
The council graded each state’s digital learning initiatives based on a set of 10 “elements of digital learning,” including ensuring that all students from grades K to 12 have access to it, as well as aligning online courses with state standards and the Common Core standards, where applicable. Furthermore, each state was graded on 72 specific metrics that indicate their current status in attempting to provide a digital education for all students.
Overall, Ohio fared pretty well on the report card, meeting 36 of the prescribed metrics and achieving partial completion status on 12 of them. For example, several metrics measure whether state law ensures that all elementary, middle school, and high school students have digital learning options readily available to them. Ohio state law requires this for all grade levels and today over 29,000 students are enrolled in on-line courses.
While it is encouraging that a majority of students have access to digital learning, Ohio must work on other metrics, such as having students demonstrate competency on end-of-year course exams in order to gain credit for the course. Currently Ohio law does not require this. Ohio must also work on improving the infrastructure that supports such learning. Currently Ohio law is silent in prescribing that textbooks be made digital, as well as ensuring that all schools have access to high-speed internet. Learn more about Ohio’s digital report card results here.
"Digital
Learning Now: Nation's Digital Report Card"
Foundation for Excellence in Education
December 2010
