Online, Blended, and Distance Education in Schools - Practical Program

Our review of Online, Blended, and Distance Education in Schools finds it most useful for graduate students and program leaders who need a research-informed, practice-focused overview of K-12 online and blended learning. Co-published with Microsoft and authored by Tom Clark and Michael Barbour, this book stands out because it combines policy context, program examples, and discussion of curriculum and management in one concise volume, making it a practical reference for anyone designing or evaluating school-based online programs.

Key Features

• Comprehensive field snapshot: Summarizes the current status and trends of K-12 online, distance and blended learning to ground program planning in up-to-date context.
• Policy and management focus: Explores policy, funding, and management issues so administrators can anticipate governance and resource challenges.
• Curriculum and instruction guidance: Discusses curriculum and instructional considerations to help educators align online courses with learning goals.
• Program examples: Provides illustrative program examples that practitioners can adapt when building or refining online and blended offerings.
• Research connections: Highlights ongoing research in areas related to program effectiveness to support evidence-informed decision making.

Who It's For

This book is aimed at graduate students in Education Technology and Educational Administration, district leaders, and school program coordinators who need a synthesized resource on K-12 online and blended education. Its mix of policy, practice and research makes it especially suitable for those building or administering online learning programs.

Practicing classroom teachers seeking lesson-level instructional design details or a step-by-step course creation manual may want a more hands-on guide. Likewise, readers looking for an exhaustive academic literature review on every subtopic should supplement this volume with specialized research papers.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Consolidates policy, management, curriculum and technology topics into one accessible reference for program builders.
• Includes real program examples that make abstract concepts actionable for administrators.
• Connects practice to ongoing research so readers can pursue deeper studies where needed.

Cons

• Not a step-by-step instructional design manual, so teachers seeking granular course templates may need additional resources.

Specifications

Title	Online, Blended, and Distance Education in Schools
Series	Online Learning and Distance Education
Authors	Tom Clark, Michael Barbour
Publisher	Co-published with Microsoft Corporation
Focus areas	Policy, curriculum, instruction, technology, management
Intended audience	Graduate students, administrators, program leaders

Our Verdict

Online, Blended, and Distance Education in Schools is a practical, research-aware resource for anyone designing or overseeing K-12 online and blended programs. It offers actionable program examples and a clear treatment of policy and management, making it good value for graduate students and school leaders who need a single-volume guide that bridges practice and research.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this book cover K-12 blended learning?
Yes. It describes the status and trends of K-12 blended learning and includes program examples and instructional considerations.

Who authored the book?
The book is authored by Tom Clark and Michael Barbour and co-published with the Microsoft Corporation.

Is this suitable for classroom teachers?
It is useful for teachers seeking program-level context, but those wanting detailed lesson templates should consult additional instructional design resources.