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Access "Alabama connecting classroom educators and students statewide

Access is a wonderful program that by 2010 is mandated statewide. It provides "equal access to higher quality instruction". What this means is that if a high school does not offer a class, the high school student can take the class online and earn full credit or even college credit if the class is AP or Advanced Placement. Also it provides classes that high schools do not typically offer and provides a student a way to retake a class they previously failed without placing them behind their anticipated graduation date. The students can connect with educators and other students all over the state of Alabama, as well as learn how to achieve higher grades. Each student is provided with a computer and everything they will need for the classes [technology wise] as well as the ability to have much more available help when needed.

Each section of the state [ North, Mid and south] have their own tech support area where if something goes wrong or help is needed there is a person relatively close by whom is willing and able to help. The vision of Access is to provide equal education and educational opportunities to everyone no matter where they are in school. A student in rural Alabama will get the same opportunities as a student in the city and there are no differences even if the school is "poor" and the other schools are "rich". There is no where in the state that can say they offer a "Better" education because all the public schools would be offering equal education.

I really think this is a fantastic thing and that it is definitely time for something like this to happen. There is no longer going to be pressure on teachers to teach something they don't necessarily know because there will be someone else who is able to better teach the subject through distance learning. It will also stop the "race" to get the best education and the "snootiness" some students may have because they went to such and such school and you went to "that poor hick" school.... No longer can someone say they weren't given the best of the best opportunity wise. The PowerPoint mentioned that this program is FREE to ALL students so no matter your families economic standing you will get the best opportunities and I think that is fantastic!!

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How I would use Alex

I would use Alex in my classroom by getting as many lesson plan ideas as I could. Since my students are going to be special education students I don't necessarily think that they will be putting Alex to much use. However, it does depend on my students abilities. It may be fun to see how many different types of the same activity are found in the lesson plan area and how modifiable they can be.

There are many other websites that I would most likely use more then Alex because the content is much more extensive on those. Also, the ways to get the numerous lesson plans are easier to find and use in my opinion. While Alex does have some good aspects it would not be my first choice, personally.

Alex (Alabama Learning Exchange)

The website for Alex was very neat to see. It amazed me how helpful all the available materials can be. I liked the fact that as an up and coming teacher there are things such as lesson plans and even web links to many neat sites. I was saddened that there seemed to not by anything for Special Education majors or teachers. In the cource of study area, nothing for Special Education was represented. Perhaps I did not look in the right places.

One of the best resources that the site offers is the "ask" type of section. Technically it's called "thinkifinity" but it works the same as an "ask" link would. When I went to the weblink section I was impressed to see that there were administrator, teacher and student sections. There are some sections I do not think I would use such as the "distance learning" sections, but I can see how it would be very useful.

WOW!!!

It's only the fourth day of class and I am already overwhelmed!!It's going to be very stressed induced and busy semester. The good thing is that it's not going to be a boring semester :). Between work and school and trying to maintain a social life this semester, it's going to go very fast I anticipate! Which will keep me on my tip-toes!

Did You know?

Did you know everything the Video stated BEFORE watching the video? I certainly did not. I could not have imagined any of those things that the video stated. It was very poignant how disconnected we are as a society yet at the same we are over- connected. I definitely feel that the US needs to get with the program on many issues such as Education and how the world views us. It's sad how the official or main language of the United States is English yet other countries are becoming fluent in English as their second language. Many schools in the states don't offer or require students to learn another language other then English yet in the long run I believe as a society we are suffering because our focus is on things that do not seem as necessary. I am not saying that the USA is a terrible country but a part of me things that if the video were seen by politicians and people in the high ranking positions of our country, things just may start to change. Probably the most surprising statistic to me was the statistic that stated that more then 70% of 4 year old's have used a computer. When one looks at all the statistics in an overview, it's quite easy to see how some of the epidemics that are overtaking the USA occur. After all, by 21 a person has watched 20,000 hours of T.V., 10,000 hours of video games and sent and/or received 250,000 e-mails/text messaged. Surely the individuals were not running on a treadmill or being active while watching that T.V. show or e-mailing/text messaging their friends! This video definitely made me think and opened my eyes immensely

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