ALBANY – A recent report from a New York state advisory council found that online and blended learning courses can be beneficial to students across the state.

After many meetings, discussions and more, the Online Learning Advisory Council provided a list of recommendations to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the legislature and MaryEllen Elia, New York State education commissioner.

The council was charged with providing recommendations on guidance for use of a statewide online and blended learning network; best practices and model school district policies to inform implementation of such a program; academic programming suited for online and blended learning; partnerships with institutions of higher education and other relevant stakeholders for workforce opportunities using online and blended learning; and a review of teaching and professional development practices.

State Sen. Cathy Young, R-C-I-Olean, sponsored a bill last year that established the council to provide recommendations regarding the availability of online learning to students.

“Online and blended learning systems provide school districts, teachers and students with innovative and cutting-edge approaches to education. There are tremendous opportunities for schools to utilize these teaching methods and dramatically enhance the educational experience for students,” Young said. “For example, imagine students interacting directly with subject matter experts from thousands of miles away or having access to college preparatory and career specific courses that were not previously available.”

Young said the council’s conversation and the subsequent report was important to the evolving technological situation in education.

“I am thankful for the many hours of work that the Online Learning Advisory Council has put into evaluating online and blended learning systems in New York state,” she said. “Clearly, they are dedicated to creating more opportunities for our students to excel and I am eager to see the positive results of implementing their recommendations.”

Young is also listed as a contributor to the work of the council.

The report found that there are multiple types of online and blended classes available to students across the state, including video conference collaborations, video conference courses and blended learning or flipped classrooms.

The council recommended that the Legislature and the governor allocate $100 million to support both planning and implementation to expand development of instructional skills using online tools in classrooms and online course availability and capacity. The report also mentions implementing professional development programs to broaden instructional skills, creating a team of leaders in the state education department for online education and education technology, as well as incorporate online and blended learning training in the pre-service teacher curriculum.

David O’Rourke, Erie-2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES District superintendent, and Scott Bischoping, Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES District superintendent, acted as co-chairs for the council.

O’Rourke said online learning is very important in today’s educational system.

“Our teacher leaders are showing us the way. We learned through Virtual Advanced Placement programs in New York state that a teacher who learns to teach online frequently adapts online learning tools for their face-to-face classroom and this deepens student learning experiences in face-to-face classrooms as well,” he said. “We know that online learning can be a transformation of teaching and learning.”

O’Rourke said the council has aided in furthering the progress on Online Education in the state.

“We are grateful to the governor, Sen. Young and Assemblywoman Nolan for their sponsorship of this legislation which has advanced the conversation about online learning opportunities for kindergartners through 12th-grade students in New York state.”

Bischoping said he also felt online learning is imperative to school districts across the state.

“Providing equity of access to online course work to help enhance educational programs is important. Equally important are the digital transformations of face-to-face learning using online learning tools in kindergarten through 12th-grade classrooms,” he said. “The report also recommends that online learning becomes a part of teacher education programs in colleges and universities. Teachers’ first experiences using online learning tools shouldn’t be when they are arriving in schools.”

Bischoping added that upcoming teachers should be exposed to online learning tools early and often.

Members of the council include Scott Bischoping, Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES District superintendent; David O’Rourke, Erie-2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES District superintendent; Paul Gasparini Jamesville-Dewitt School District superintendent; Elizabeth Hardy, Cattaraugus-Allegany BOCES staff specialist for distance learning; Ellen Meier, Teacher’s College at Columbia University Practice Computing and Education associate professor and Center for Technology and School Change director; Alexandra Pickett, SUNY Learning Network Center of Online Teaching Excellence director; Marc Roennau, Saunders Trades and Technical High School computer and business Education teacher and Thomas Via, Plattsburgh City School District special education teacher.

Kathleen Moorhead, New York State Education Department Data Systems and Educational Technology executive director, acted as the NYSED liaison for the council.