Tennessee Education Reform May Include K-12 Distance-learning

Virtual Classrooms Are Not Just for Colleges and Universities

A project led by the Niswonger Foundation and supported by several East Tennessee schools includes K-12 distance-learning through an internet video feed directly into the classroom. The classes are carried live from one classroom location and sent to a second classroom location across the state as the instructor teaches both classes at one time. The Greenville Sun reports that former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist demonstrated the technology at a town hall meeting in Bristol, TN, on May 7, 2009.

Founded in 2001 by Scott M. Niswonger, the Niswonger Foundation mission is to "create opportunities for individual and community growth through education." Its purpose is to prepare East Tennessee for growth and change by supporting education projects, such as the K-12 distance-learning project.

Senator Frist showcased the project as part of his "SCORE initiative." SCORE or the "State Collaborative On Reforming Education" is a grassroots education improvement organization. The SCORE initiative includes leading public meetings, project teams, and engaging philanthropies such as the Niswonger Foundation to support education projects.

The virtual classroom project involves K-12 instructors leading multiple classrooms through video-conferencing. The students in the Bristol and Greenville classrooms were able to communicate and interact with the teacher with no technical difficulties. Distance-learning using this method has been integrated successfully in higher education classrooms for a number of years.

The Niswonger Foundation and the Bristol School System are working on a plan to share 21 courses with other Tennessee districts. The Greeneville and Green County school districts are participating in the project.

Distance-learning is not just for colleges and universities. SCORE, the Niswonger Foundation, and Tennessee schools and citizens have embarked on a project to bring distance-learning into the K-12 classroom. Other states, including Virginia, are investigating the feasibility of bringing e-learning into the classroom.