Progress 09/01/16 to 08/31/17
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audiences for the VLS are teachers, training & curriculum specialists, family childcare providers, and new management staff in the military child development and school-age care system. However, in the best tradition of the university land-grant system, the VLS is also available for public use as well, allowing college students, public and private child care workers and providers to use the site to enhance their skills as child care professionals. The VLS is included in ACF's Early Educator Central which links the VLS to child care professionals outside the military system. The site is active and all audiences have begun using the site. Changes/Problems:In our proposal we explained that the scope of the RFA was beyond the resources allotted and that we would use funds from our DOD project inititated in 2012 to supplement the work. We prioritized using those funds over this new grant and so when some of the planned activities were moved by the Department of Defense to the 2017-2018 year, the funds from this grant were not needed in the current fiscal year. We will have personnel and other expenses charged against this project in 2017-2018. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?As noted under goal accomplishments, this year eight courses in thefamily care provider track were completed as well as atraining curriculum for training and curriculum specialists working on implementation plans. The OSU VLS team conducted 14 training sessions for DOD employed personnel resulting in more than 600 training and curriculum specialists being prepared for implementing the VLS professional development system. We also completed three special topics courses (Social Emotional Learning for Teachers, Gender Safe Spaces, and Essential Skills for Food Service Workers), andthe OSU VLS team conducted a training pilot with 20 family care providers that included pre and post knowledge assessments, feedback during use, satisfaction surveys at pilot end as well as focus groups. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Within the military system, the VLS has been promoted by DOD and the services to their personnel. The Administration for Children and Families have included the VLS in newsletters and have made it a major part of Early Educator Central. Ohio State University featured a story on the VLS in a 2016alumni magazine that was distributed to thousands of alumni. Presentations on the VLS have been made at the Military Child Education Coalition National Training Seminar, the Council for Professional Recognition Leadership Conference, and the National Association for the Education of Young Children Conference. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will continue to refine the VLS learning managment system and add features to the website in consultation with the Department of Defense. We will conduct additional trainings for Training and Curriculum Specialists and will add a series of trainings for DOD child development center and school age program managers. We will develop another seven courses for the Family Child Care Provider track and develop a set of trainings for the inspectors of the DOD system. Finally, we will continue to solicit feedback through a variety of formal and informal processes.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The Virtual Laboratory Schoolnow consists of 15core content courses and supporting video for each of five tracks (Infant/Toddler, Preschool, School Age, Training and Curriculum Specialists, and Management). Eight courses in the family care provider track were completed during the 2016-17 funding year as well as several curricula/trainings for training and curriculum specialists (TCS) to prepare for proper implementation. Backend databases and programming for the customized learning management system as well as the development of additional tools for use on the website were completed in accordance with the project goals of maintaining and refining the project's web presence.In addition, the OSU VLS team conducted 14 training sessions for DOD-employed personnel resulting in more than 600 TCS's being prepared to implement the Virtual Lab School professional development system at their installations. We also completed three special topics courses (Social Emotional Learning for Teachers, Gender Safe Spaces, and Essential Skills for Food Service Workers). In addition, the OSU VLS team collected feedback from TCS'sduring the face to face trainings and conducted a pilot with 20 family care providers that included pre and post knowledge assessments, feedback during use, satisfaction surveys at pilot end, as well as focus groups. The VLS website also allows for immediate feedback from end users.Feedback from direct care users,TCS's, and military leadership was overwhelmingly positive.
Publications
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