By Mollie McBroom, Interim Director, Utah Connections Academy Utah Connections Academy is a tuition-free virtual charter school dedicated to providing a high-quality, personalized education to students in grades K-12 across Utah. The school’s mission is to equip students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed while also providing the flexibility that online learning offers. With a commitment to individualized learning, our educators continually assess students’ needs and tailor instruction to ensure academic success. The flipped learning model is one tool we’ve implemented to help our students meet their academic goals. INSIDE LOOK AT ONLINE LEARNING Utah Connections Academy teachers are specially trained to deliver instruction in the virtual environment and emphasize the importance of fostering meaningful connections with students and their families. A parent, or another adult “Learning Coach,” plays a key role alongside the Utah-certified teachers to set daily routines, monitor student progress in the home and track attendance. Our students engage with our curriculum through Pearson Online Classroom, a robust learning management platform that connects parents, teachers and students from home or anywhere there is an internet connection. With Pearson Online Classroom, students engage with course content asynchronously, working through lessons at their own pace and providing an opportunity for self-directed learning. Students learn synchronously with their classmates through LiveLesson® sessions — real-time, interactive online lessons facilitated by teachers on a weekly basis. These sessions are designed to reinforce core concepts, answer student questions and provide additional instructional support. To enhance student engagement and comprehension, Utah Connections Academy introduced flipped learning as an instructional strategy in several grades and subject areas. FLIPPED LEARNING SUCCESSES AT UTAH CONNECTIONS ACADEMY 18
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