AASSAnet
AASSAnet is our region’s Moodle-based site on the World Virtual School network of international schools sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. We offer consortium pricing ($1,750 per year) which should be a cost-saver for most schools.
Mission
AASSAnet is an AASSA consortium promoting common platforms, practices, and collaboration for 21st century learning and continuity of service.
The reasons to be involved in AASSAnet are many, among them:
1. Emergency Readiness: As we have seen in our region in the past year alone, emergencies strike without warning. We have suffered two devastating earthquakes, volcanoes have erupted close to capital cities, H1N1 closed or delayed many schools last year, and hurricanes are an ongoing threat for a number of our Caribbean members. In other parts of the world, SARS and Avian Flu have wreaked havoc as well. An emergency system such as WVS provide for an offsite learning management system and a community web portal to sustain a sense of school community by providing a place to be kept informed about the school in a time of crisis. Such a web presence also allows a school to prepare and train for an emergency situation.
If a school participates in this project, it is expected the school would have an emergency plan in place within 3 years.
2. No Closure Policy: Most of our schools have “no closure” policies which require that school will continue in some form even in the face of an emergency situation. That requires an offsite learning management system such as WVS.
3. Collaborative Professional Development: A worldwide site allows for professional collaboration among faculty members and online professional development.
4. Collaborative Student Projects: The site provides the possibility of collaborative student projects among schools, within a region, or even worldwide. The NESA Virtual Science Fair is a prime example of such a successful collaborative project.
For further information on becoming involved in AASSAnet, please contact Paul Poore at ppoore@aassa.com
