LOGO-L> For-Profit Cyber High School

["Dale R. Reed" <dale-reed@postoffice.worldnet.att.net>]

You educators will be interested in http://apex.netu.com.  Nothing but
the best when you have Microsoft money. I am talking billions of bucks
and no need to make a profit for a good long while.  

Be sure and download the Media Conveyor plug-in and prepare to smile. 
Unless you are afraid that your job is threatened.  

But live by the sword die by the sword as someone said.  I figure you
computer fanatics can figure out how to get LOGO envolved in the new
cyberschools.  In fact you were here first.  I must have a hundred LOGO
bookmarks.  And notice that "The program is aimed at students who are
home-schooled."  

Hey the glacier is moving in my direction.  

O frabjous day! Callooh, Callay!"
  He chortled in his joy.              And it finally stopped raining in
Seattle.  

At least for a few minutes.   Dale
--------------------------------------------------
http://www.seattletimes.com/news/education/index.html Monday, March 23,
1998             
                           
Students’ new opportunity to take advanced classes  
by Tamra Fitzpatrick  Seattle Times staff reporter 

High-school students will soon be able to take Advanced Placement
courses on the Internet for credit, under a program launched this month
by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. 
The APEX program - the name stands for "AP Excellence" - is an effort to
give more students an opportunity to get involved in the courses, said
spokeswoman Susan Pierson. 
The Advanced Placement program, started in the 1950s and operated by The
College Board, offers college-level courses for high-school students. At
the end of the course, students can take an exam administered by The
College Board and, if they score high enough, earn college credit. 
APEX is described on its Web site as an "independent
educational-services company." It’s a branch of Vulcan Northwest, the
management company for Allen’s various enterprises. 
The program is aimed at students who are home-schooled, studying for the
AP exam independently or whose school does not offer AP courses. 
Most metropolitan school districts offer at least some AP classes in
their high schools, although the range may be limited. In smaller
schools or districts, there may be no classes because of insufficient
demand. 
In Seattle, most high schools offer at least two AP courses. At Sealth
High School in West Seattle, for example, AP Spanish and French are the
only classes offered. Garfield has the highest number of AP courses:
U.S. and European History, Government, Statistics, German, Latin,
Spanish, Japanese and Language Arts. 
"A lot of the time, we don’t have enough kids to do an entire course,"
said Bob Vaughan, Seattle School District coordinator for
highly-capable-student programs. 
"In an era where people are looking for bargains and advantages, AP is a
great opportunity," Vaughan said. "It allows students to take more
courses in college." 
APEX is offering three classes this fall: Calculus, Environmental
Science and Government. The plan is to expand the program by at least
five courses each year over the next few years.

Online discussions
Courses are developed and taught by an AP or college teacher. Students
will have regular interaction with their instructor through e-mail and
the telephone. There will be online-class discussions with the teacher
and other AP students. 
Joe Miller, co-developer of the APEX Calculus course, said APEX courses
are not intended to replace teachers or classroom instruction. 
"APEX isn’t trying to be a substitute for classroom teaching," said
Miller, who also teaches AP Calculus at North Kitsap High School in
Poulsbo. "It’s for people who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity." 
However, he said, an advantage with the APEX course is students can
review the lectures and online materials as often as necessary and can
press pause if they don’t understand something. 
Some schools, including the Seattle School District, will allow students
to earn high-school credit for the APEX courses. In that situation,
students would use a computer at their school to take the course during
a designated time in their schedule. 
"I think it’s a wonderful opportunity for students at high schools that
are too small or don’t have enough teachers to offer AP classes," said
Shana Calaway, co-developer of the APEX Statistics course and a math
teacher at the University of Washington and several Seattle-area
community colleges. 

Option encouraged
In fact, the APEX Web site encourages such schools to give their
students the option of working on the online material, with the school
paying for the tuition.                                 * * * * * 

How to register  Tuition for an APEX Advanced Placement class is $295 a
semester. Students must register at the Apex Web site by June 15:
http://apex.netu.com Tamra Fitzpatrick’s phone message number is
206-464-8981. Her e-mail address is: tfit-new@seatimes.com     
-- 
$  dale-reed@worldnet.att.net   Seattle, Washington U.S.A.  $
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