ACCESS BLOG

ACCESS provides classroom courses and teachers by technology. The problem with our classrooms and schools these days is many of them are low-income and have limited course offeringsd for students. Alabama has a vision that they would like to meet with the ACCESS program. They would like to provide fair access to improve student learning through distance learning. Distance learning is where teachers and students are separated by space and time.

The objectives for ACCESS is to provide access to advanced diploma courses, additional course offerings, and to advanced placement or dual enrollment, etc. There are two kinds of delivery modes videoconferencing and internet based instruction. Delivery sites will receive funds for teachers to receive training and funds per credit to off-site students. Videoconferencing is an audio/visual link between two or more remote sites.

The benefits of videoconferencing is it expands the reach of education, allows students to take classes that are not offered at their school, allows students to interact with other students from different schools, and increase student responsibilities. There are some faults to videoconferencing. Teachers must be organized and prepared, making the receiving students feel a part of the class, and helping students before, during , and after school.

The teachers benefit from this program just like the students do. ACCESS extends the faculty resources, allows for professional development, and extends the professional community.

I think that ACCESS could be very helpful to teachers and students. If there is a book or a part of a course that I would like to teach to my students then all I have to do is pull-up ACCESS and be able to expand the students learning. I think once all the kinks are worked out it would be a great program.