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The National Forum on Education Statistics in the US has created a guide to elementary and secondary virtual education data. In
the US, the term “virtual education” includes, but is not limited to,
digital learning, distributed learning, open learning, online learning,
computer-based learning, distance learning, blended learning, and other
similar terms. In the document, a Virtual
Education Working Group provides recommendations for collecting
accurate, comparable, and useful data about virtual education. The guide
also provides real-world examples and common practices implemented by
state departments, local districts, and schools to modify their data
systems and add elements that better reflect the needs unique to virtual
education.
The guide was developed to assist state and local education agencies
and other education stakeholders, such as policymakers and researchers,
as they
consider the impact of virtual education on established data elements and methods of data collection; and
address the scope of changes, the rapid pace of new technology development, and the proliferation of resources in virtual education.
Source: Forum Guide to Elementary/Secondary Virtual Education Data (2016), National Forum on Education Statistics.