CEC’s Blended Learning & Supplemental Online Approach

Colorado Early Colleges (CEC) is committed to providing every student, regardless of background or skill level, the opportunity to pursue a growth mindset that will equip them to achieve mastery and demonstrate they can succeed in school, in college, and in their chosen careers. No exceptions. No excuses. To facilitate its mission, CEC has developed Blended Learning and Supplemental Online courses to help students achieve their full academic potential.

CEC’s “Blended Learning” courses are designed so students regularly receive some instruction on site and in person, and some instruction digitally off-site. CEC’s Blended Learning courses take a learner-centric approach that integrates in-person and online experiences to achieve learning objectives. The focus of CEC’s Blended Learning courses is to enhance learning for all students by using the intentional, complementary “blend” of in-person and online instruction that is best suited to each student. These courses are available to any students whose reported Student October Count funding codes are 80, 82, 85, or 86.

“Supplemental Online” courses refer to CEC’s 100% off-site, digital courses. Supplemental Online courses taught within CEC’s Supplemental Online Learning program are available to any students whose reported Student October Count funding codes are 80, 82, 85, or 86. CEC’s Supplemental Online courses through CEC’s Supplemental Online Enrichment program are only for part-time students.

Blended Learning and Supplemental Online courses are intended only to supplement a student’s educational program. Blended Learning and/or Supplemental Online courses will occupy unique positions in a student’s schedule. These courses can be a part of the student’s primary educational program, or enrichment courses that reinforce and enhance a student’s core educational program. Minimally 20% of a student’s weekly scheduled instructional time in Blended Learning and/or Supplemental Online Learning courses will take place in person or synchronously with attendance taken. Supplemental Online Enrichment students will have in-person instruction by their parent/learning coach with oversight by a Colorado-licensed teacher.

Blended Learning and Supplemental Online courses will incorporate CEC’s off-site, digital learning model, which allows students to access CEC’s fully accredited programming and ample resources for continuous learning through a variety of media that relies on computer or communications technology. Digital learning also includes “live” video instruction or audio sessions in which the primary mode of communication between the student and instructor is online and provides the opportunity for instruction and interaction. However, digital learning does not preclude the use of traditional print materials, incorporating assignments that reinforce concepts, and allows the instructor to provide written or oral feedback.

CEC will engage students in learning using multiple modalities—video for visual learning, podcasts for auditory learning, and hands-on activities for kinesthetic learning. These models will both reinforce concepts and help students learn more quickly and profoundly. Off-site, digital-learning components, including, but not limited to, synchronous chats, question-and-answer sessions, asynchronous case studies, and group projects, will give all students, especially those who tend to be quiet in face-to-face classrooms, the opportunity to speak up in a safe and open learning environment. Moreover, group collaboration is easily facilitated as students can share files, create discussion threads, and participate in virtual chats. CEC shall provide and/or ensure all students participating in Blended Learning and/or Supplemental Online courses will have the appropriate electronic equipment and resources, as applicable, for course participation.

CEC’s Blended Learning and Supplemental Online courses are designed so students can learn to take ownership of their education by being active participants in the learning process. Blended Learning and Supplemental Online courses will meet the accommodation needs of students and English Learners as provided by law. These courses will create an interactive, supportive, and collaborative learning environment that allows and encourages students to manage the time, place, path, and pace of learning, thus fulfilling CEC’s mission to its students and the community.