Information about the K-12 blended and online learning research clearinghouse.

1. Research Clearinghouse for K-12
Blended & Online Learning
http://k12onlineresearch.org
Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute:
Joe Freidhoff, Director
Kristen DeBruler, Researcher
Justin Bruno, Research Associate
October 2013

2. Overview
1.) Background and evolution of
Clearinghouse project
2.) Current use and functionalities
3.) Ideas for future

3. About MVLRI
• Established in 2012 under operation of
Michigan Virtual University
• Charged with producing original research
and reports to inform K-12 knowledge and
policy regarding online and blended
learning

4. Clearinghouse Initiative
• Result of rewriting of Michigan Public Act
60, known as the State School Aid Act
– Legislation requires its provision to house
research reports, academic
studies, evaluations, and other information
related to online learning

5. iNACOL & NGLC Partnerships
• iNACOL’s K-12 online research database
supported by Next Generation Learning
Challenges had considerable overlap
• Avoid duplication – collaborate to manage and
offer the site housing resources

6. Clearinghouse Evolution
• Early contributor – UF’s Virtual School
Clearinghouse
– Focus on virtual schooling and VS evaluation
– Directed by Dr. Rick Ferdig, sponsored by AT&T
Foundation
– Shared hundreds of references for this project
• Many references identified by MVLRI and iNACOL
staff

7. Clearinghouse Evolution, Cont.
• Current contributor – Center on Online
Learning and Students with Disabilities
• Now houses 493 references to impactful
research in the field of online and blended
learning
• http://k12onlineresearch.org

8. Using the Clearinghouse
• Recommended browsers: Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox
• Search functionality includes a number of search criteria
(title, author, keywords, etc.) across 4 separate fields
– Using an asterisk “*” after your search term is strongly
recommended. Acts as wildcard and returns more results

9. Topic Keywords
Hyperlinked on the home page to create easy, one-click
searches by keyword

10. Date Added Keywords
• One of the most useful search functions is the “Date
Added” keyword search
– Allows you to see the most recently added references
to keep abreast of research in the field

11. Project Contributor Keyword
This keyword search organizes records by the project
contributor

12. Search Results Options
From the results screen after your search, users can click
the “Details” link to get more detailed information on the
record

13. Navigating Search Results
Users can click the <Record or Record> to navigate
forward or backward through search results

14. Creating a Bibliography
To create a bibliography, place a check next to your
selected records from the results, and click the
“Bibliography” button from the top of the page

15. Creating a Bibliography, Cont.
Users then have the option of saving or printing the
bibliography, in APA 6th edition citation style

16. Exporting Records
Users can export selected records in either RIS or XML
format for the purposes of adding to their own reference
library. Simply check the box next to your selected
records, choose your file type from the drop down
menu, and click “Export”

17. Getting Started Guide
For further assistance, please refer to our “Getting
Started” guide at:
http://k12onlineresearch.org/templates/PDF/getting
started.pdf

18. Clearinghouse Future
• MVLRI and iNACOL seek project contributors
– Contributors: organizations wishing to provide
research references and promote the
Clearinghouse to their audiences
– MOU outlining contribution and promotion
expectations
• Project contributor guidelines are located at
http://k12onlineresearch.org/templates/PDF/contribu
torguide.pdf

19. Clearinghouse Future, Cont.
• Vision: crowd-sourced, community driven
by involvement from the field
– Maintaining balance of growth while ensuring
quality references
• Sustainability: value-add opportunities?
– Linking to paywalled articles from contributors

20. Ideas for the Future
• Keyword tagging
– Selecting a featured keyword for each month
– Interested individuals could survey a certain
set of resources for one specific keyword
– Identify resources already in your EndNote
library housed in the Clearinghouse, submit
your own keywords

21. Ideas for the Future
• Seeking individuals to help tag resources
with appropriate keywords
– Many references currently housed are not
exhaustively tagged
• Interested individuals can contact Kathryn
Kennedy at kkennedy@inacol.org

22. Questions? Ideas?
Please use the chat box to submit any
questions for the
presenters, thoughts, ideas, etc.
http://k12onlineresearch.org