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Technology is advancing in Martins Ferry school system

T-L Photo/JOSIE BURKHART An Ohio University Eastern world history professor teaches Martins Ferry High School students through the Ohio University Live Network for college credit.

MARTINS FERRY — Ohio University Live Network screens are making their way into Martins Ferry High School for students to receive college credit from the school.

Ohio University Live Network is a college credit program for students in grades seven through 12 to use video conference technology, enabling the students to take classes that are being offered in Athens or at any of the regional campuses, such as Ohio University Eastern.

The video conferencing technology is similar to Zoom or Microsoft Teams, said David Rohall, dean of campus and community at OUE. He said what’s unique about the system is that multiple cameras are set up and at different angles to provide optimized learning for students to see the professor and vice versa. The technology has document readers for mathematical formulas and can switch back to a PowerPoint or video easily.

Students who wanted to take classes for college credit had to go to a local college to take part in the College Credit Plus Program before this new partnership formed.

Martins Ferry City Schools Superintendent Jim Fogle said the district is fortunate to partner with OUE through a grant to bring OULN to its classrooms.

“This opportunity enables our students to remain in the brick and mortar setting while taking advantage of the CCP program,” he said.

Courses the students are enrolled in include history, physical science, visual art and sociology.

Fogle said students are still able to enjoy their high school experience without having to choose between taking college credit classes or not.

“If I give one student the opportunity to take a college course while still being here in high school, that was the main goal,” Fogle said.

Fogle noted it was Martins Ferry schools’ goal to keep as many students at the high school as possible while they still take college classes early.

Fogle said the students involved in the program are responsible and have given nothing but great reviews about it, and some of them are talking about the spring semester already and what will be offered.

Between 10 and 15 students take College Credit Plus courses, but for OULN alone, six students are enrolled in the program at Martins Ferry High School.

For a student to be eligible for college credit through OULN, participation is based on their grade point average. Students will have to maintain their grades to avoid academic probation, where they could be removed from CCP as well.

Fogle said every student in the program has aspirations to attend a college or university, and this program will help them get some core classes out of the way before they get there and will have a head start.

Barnesville Exempted Village School District is another district that is partnered with OUE for students to take courses through OULN.

The program is offered through the high school’s library. The district has been partnered with OUE for the OULN program for several years.

“I like that our kids are able to still experience those high school activities, still be a part of the high school community, while being able to take part of College Credit Plus,” Fogle said. “So, they don’t miss out on the things that you do your junior and senior year in the high school setting.”

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