The Origin of the Digital Learning Center

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By Patrick Malone, Teacher Specialist; Online Campus 


Over the last 5 years, AACPS has grown a program in the High Schools that is now offered at virtually every location. How did this program come to be?

The Digital Learning Center is a space within a school where all students taking a course online can come and learn with comfort and available support. A learning coach is available during the period to answer questions, provide motivation, technical support, or even help connect students with content specialists. It is literally a one stop shop for any online learner’s needs.

The idea for this space came about after an administrator at North County High was concerned about
online students not getting effective support in the media center or having a constructive space for their studies. These concerns lead the Office of Instructional Technology to consider alternative options. A visit to a school system in Tennessee would provide the inspiration AACPS would need.


Kingsport Area School District created a space in one of their older buildings that afforded students an opportunity to get back on track academically, in a more modern setting, while providing needed study and life skills support. The observation team from AACPS took note of all the environmental modifications and brought them back to AACPS to see how they could be implemented within the district.

Starting at North County High School, the OIT team in conjunction with ASP and the curriculum coordinators designed a space that was comfortable and welcoming. It is a space that allows students who were earning credit online, recovering credit to graduate, and those students trying a dual credit course at the community college to work with adult supports. The success of students in the DLC has made it popular for the other High Schools to request implementation in their own buildings. The DLC is now available at all high schools and is ready for all of the students who need to use it.


For more information on the DLC, contact Patrick Malone in the Office of Instructional Technology.






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