Iowa Learning Online

About ILO

Introduction

Started in 2004, Iowa Learning Online (ILO) is an initiative of the Iowa Department of Education. ILO provides distance education to high school students across the state. The Internet as well as the Iowa Communications Network (ICN) video classrooms are utilized to deliver distance education to students of different academic backgrounds: struggling learners to advanced placement students.

Educators, students and parents can search for distance education opportunities at the ILO Website. Here you will find science courses that were developed specifically for ILO by award-winning Iowa teachers, as well as general requirement classes and Post Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO) courses available through Iowa community colleges and universities.

On this website, you can find information on high school credit classes and college credit classes that are being offered to Iowa high school students during upcoming semesters.

Students enroll in classes through the guidance counselor or administrator at their local school. Schools enrolling students in ILO classes are asked to designate a site coordinator (coach) who provides on-site support and encouragement to each student or group of students. Actively involved site coordinators (coaches) are essential to a student's successful completion of ILO courses. Student grades and credits are awarded by the student's home school based on the recommendation of the ILO instructor.

ILO online courses are made available through the Moodle Course Management System (CMS). Moodle provides a secure and robust framework for delivering courses online.

Guiding Principles

ILO follows four principles:

Iowa Learning Online supports local school districts, and will not replace them. Local districts continue to award their students the credits earned upon successful completion of Iowa Learning Online courses.
Iowa Learning Online collaborates with Iowa's high schools, higher education institutions (community colleges, regent universities and independent colleges/universities) and Area Education Agencies to provide quality learning opportunities for students anywhere in the state.
Iowa Learning Online serves a variety of educational needs and a broad range of learners. It is open to meeting the needs of all students, not only those with advanced learning needs.
Iowa Learning Online offers opportunities through the use of telecommunications such as the Internet and ICN video classrooms. It will continue to explore new methods of providing high quality instructional delivery.

Classes and Fees

The classes available changes from semester to semester. Please check the high school credit and college credit listings for the latest offerings.

Pricing depends upon the course provider. Courses developed and provided by ILO are free, as are those offered by Iowa AP Online Academy. For courses that are developed by other districts or schools, ILO acts as a broker between the vending school and the purchasing school.

Funding Model: 3 Phases

During Phase 1 of ILO's development, grant funding provided financial resources to develop and teach distance learning classes. Anatomy and Physiology, Calculus, Chemistry, and Physics continue to be offered in a blended instructional environment utilizing online and ICN video classroom components. The science classes also include some face-to-face instruction through regional laboratories.

In Phase 2, ILO partnered with Iowa schools and teachers to offer additional online classes in American Government and Politics, American History, English 9, English 10, and World History.

The Iowa Department of Education is funding course costs (such as teacher salary, ICN video, Moodle, purchase of online courses or software, etc.) for Phase 1 and Phase 2 classes. These courses are labeled "Enrollment Fee Waived" on the list of High School Credit Classes.

ILO Phase 3 development is promoting collaboration between ILO and Iowa high schools or higher education institutions that want to share classes with a statewide audience. Fees associated with these classes are listed in the course description or available on the offering higher education institution's website. ILO supports these classes in various ways. For classes offered by Iowa high schools, ILO posts the course descriptions on the ILO website, pays ICN video fees, pays Moodle fees, and provides online student registration. For classes offered by Iowa higher education institutions, ILO provides a link to the course description and pays ICN video fees of qualifying classes.

Support for Schools

ILO will support schools sharing at-a-distance courses by:

Paying for ICN costs
Sharing ILO's online registration system
Advertising their classes on the IowaLearningOnline.org website
Facilitating regional class-sharing discussions with other districts

ILO is structured in such a way that it does not interfere with local school district operations

ILO partners with schools; it does not compete with them.
ILO helps schools offer more courses to their students; it does not undermine existing classes.

Local schools control access to ILO classes by:

Determining appropriate courses that match the student's needs
Enrolling students who are able to succeed in an online learning course
Seeking quality site coordinators (coaches) to support student learning.

For additional information about ILO, read the Frequently Asked Questions.

The document, "ILO Information for Administrators" lists delivery method, cost, source and timeframe for ILO classes.

About ILO

Introduction

Guiding Principles

Classes and Fees

Funding Model: 3 Phases

Support for Schools

Contacts

Gwen Wallace Nagel

Angi Hillers

Tiffany Morgan

Paula Yalpani