Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice: A DLAC Research Agenda

K‑12 digital learning has expanded rapidly in both scale and complexity, creating an urgent need for research that truly reflects the realities faced by teachers, leaders, students, and families. This practitioner‑focused research agenda—developed through surveys, focus groups, and extensive collaboration with the K‑12 digital learning community on behalf of DLAC, The Community Advancing Digital Learning (formerly the Digital Learning Collaborative)—identifies nine interconnected themes that represent the field’s most pressing questions. Each theme is explored in a dedicated article within this special issue, offering a clear foundation for future scholarship and actionable insights for improving digital learning practice. This site brings those themes together with key resources, summaries, and links designed to support researchers, practitioners, and policymakers committed to strengthening equitable and effective K‑12 digital learning.

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DLAC Documents:

Journal of Online Learning Research Special Issue Articles

Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education Conference Proceedings

  • Mind the (Digital) Gap: Building a Practitioner-Centered Research Agenda for K-12 Online and Blended Learning -Michael K. Barbour, Jered Borup & Kristen Debruler
  • Leveraging Program Architecture to Strengthen Teaching, Teacher Learning, and K–12 Digital Learning Outcomes – Kristen Debruler& Kelly Cuccolo
  • Framing Instructional Strategies as a Concept in K-12 Digital Learning – Mary F. Rice, Raymond M. Rose & Mark E. Deschaine
  • Understanding Learner Interaction and Engagement in K–12 Online Learning: Complementary Frameworks and Future Directions – Jered Borup, Leanna Archambault, Lauren Woo & Charles R. Graham
  • Designing Coherent Support Ecosystem in K to 12 Digital Learning: Research Recommendations – M. Elizabeth Azukas, Amy Garrett Dickers & Samantha Viano
  • K-12 Digital Assessment Research and Practice: A Practitioner-Based Research Guide for Teacher Preparation – Cecil R. Short, Tani Sapp & Samaa Haniya
  • Emerging Technologies as Sociotechnical–Immersive Systems: Qualitative Validation of a Framework – Dennis Beck, Doug Elmendorf & Leonel Morgado
  • Providing Access to K-12 Digital Learning Schools and Programs for Special Populations – Mary F. Rice & Raymond M. Rose
  • Assessing and Improving K-12 Digital Learning Readiness: A Review and Roadmap for Future Research – Jason P. Siko, E. Vaughn Wilson, Dave Adelstein & Michael K. Barbour
  • Preparing Educators for K-12 Digital Learning: Gaps in Teacher Education, Leadership Preparation, and Professional Development – Charles B. Hodges, Michael K. Barbour & Keryn Pratt

Presentation Materials

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