The Exceptional Growth of Online Learning in Education

https://vimeo.com/217573497

A discussion with newly appointed President and CEO, Dr. Jodi Marshall

Florida Virtual School (FLVS), is about to celebrate its 20th anniversary as the first online high school in the United States. What started as a small school with only 77 students, has grown tremendously, boasting yearly numbers of 200,000 across K-12 grade levels. Dr. Jodi Marshall has been there from the early manifestations to witness firsthand the transition from an online experimental school to a fully established education choice.

Engagement is critical to the online learning platform. Therefore, Jodi and her colleagues put a great deal of effort into listening to students. Constant attention is placed on what students like and dislike, channeling feedback all the way down to individual lesson plans. Digging into data allows teachers to personalize their instruction and scaffold the choices they offer. For example, students have options on how they want to show their mastery, such as writing an essay or creating a podcast. Virtual live lesson plans and interactive learning are consistently evaluated and tested, keeping the curriculum fresh and the students excited to learn.

It’s evident that progressive learning methods are what keep FLVS growing and thriving.

Florida Virtual School has announced that as of July 1, 2017, Jodi Marshall will be taking over as the new President and CEO. I can think of no one more qualified to guide and maintain the status of FLVS as a leader in online and virtual learning.

About Dr. Jodi Marshall

As of July 1, 2017, Dr. Jodi Marshall took over as President and CEO of Florida Virtual School (FLVS). Before her appointment, Jodi served as Executive Vice President of Business and School Solutions. In that role, she oversaw the Part Time Instructional Program, the Full-Time Instructional Program, Global School, Curriculum Services and Innovation, Teacher Development, Business Development (encompassing state, national, and international), and Marketing & Communications.

Dr. Marshall began her career in education more than 20 years ago as a middle school literacy project teacher working with Dr. Janet Allen in the Orange County Public School system. She went on to become a reading specialist for at-risk readers for a junior high school in Los Angeles, CA, and then found her way back to Florida for graduate school.

In 2002, Dr. Marshall accepted an adjunct position at FLVS teaching 10th grade English. She soon transitioned full time to FLVS, holding positions such as course developer, Literacy Coach and Manager, Instructional Leader/Principal, Director, Vice President of Instruction, and Chief Academic Officer. In 2014, the roles of Chief Academic Officer and Chief Business Development Officer were combined, into her current position of Executive Vice President, Business & School Solutions.

A graduate from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, Dr. Marshall obtained a Master’s in English Education from the University of Central Florida. She earned a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Miami where she also worked as an adjunct professor teaching undergraduate students. A few years later, she earned an Educational Specialist degree in Educational Leadership. A believer in lifelong learning, she is currently working on a Master’s of Business Administration.

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This article was originally published in the Huffington Post .

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