Prepared for
Michigan Virtual University
Introduction
The Michigan Virtual University® (MVU) is a private, nonprofit Michigan corporation established by the State of Michigan in 1998 to serve as a champion for online learning. It is the parent organization of the Michigan Virtual School®, which provides online courses for middle and high school students, and Michigan LearnPort®, which delivers professional development to Michigan educators.
In his January 2012 budget message, Governor Rick Snyder asked MVU to accelerate technology innovation in Michigan’s schools and establish a Center for Online Learning Research and Innovation. To assist in articulating a vision for Michigan’s education system, MVU commissioned Public Sector Consultants Inc. (PSC) and the Citizens Research Council (CRC) to answer two questions:
- What is the future of education in Michigan?
- What role does/could technology play in that future?
To answer these questions, PSC and CRC interviewed more than 30 state and national education leaders identified by MVU, PSC, and/or CRC. In addition, the research team conducted an extensive literature scan including policy briefs and academic papers either recommended by MVU or one of the interviewees or identified by PSC/CRC’s own independent research.
A copy of the full report is available below.