Is this the future of schooling?

[busbus]

Just read an article in eSchool News, Wednesday, January 2, 2008 - State Offers Free Online High School Courses. The article is about Connecticut being the latest to offer a virtual schooling program.

Students who take these courses, may or may not receive credits, the individual high school will decide this issue. However, these courses are aimed at at-risk students and students who are interested in electives not offered at their school. One such course is Mandarin Chinese. (I would like to see this one done online. I tried taking this course in face-to-face sessions. Enjoyable; but, difficult for me. Vocal tones give different meanings to the same words/phrases.) :o

What's your opinion about virtual schooling for high school students? Do you think that this is the future of high schools?

You can read the article at:
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/?i=51383;_hbguid=b5906f55-7178-4cde-a846-3dcac6df1c3a

[Chef Dave]

What's your opinion about virtual schooling for high school students? Do you think that this is the future of high schools?


We have something called the "Hero Program" at our school. I don't know too much about it because I'm not a core academic instructor.

I think the Hero courses are all CAI programs as opposed to having a virtual instructor. My manager's daughter is taking a Hero math class and she's worried about it because she doesn't actually have a math instructor, so she's not sure about what she'll do if she has a question.

With regards to the question about virtual school, I think virtual instruction offers opportunities to students that they might otherwise not have.

I know that virtual schooling exists in Alaska. This state has always had a problem with critical teacher shortages especially in remote areas. Not only do some people live in remote areas, but there are also families who live in isolation. Workers who monitor the Alaskan oil pipeline, might for example, be the only people living within a radius of a few hundred square miles.

Before virtual schooling came into existence, these people had limited choices. They could home school their kids. They could also enroll their children in a correspondence class. The problem with correspondence courses is that mail delivery in rural Alaska is extremely sporadic during the winter. According to one researcher at the University of Fairbanks, it was not unknown for young men and women living in the bush to take up to ten years to complete a four year undergraduate degree via correspondence.

Thanks to the miracle of modern technology along with a strong financial initiative by the state to provide web based instruction to everyone who needs it, these students now have access to cyber classrooms.

Cyber classrooms offer the advantage of real time communication not only with a qualified instructor but also with other students. Students may post messages to each other via discussion boards that are always available 24/7.

[busbus]

We have something called the "Hero Program" at our school. I don't know too much about it because I'm not a core academic instructor.

I think the Hero courses are all CAI programs as opposed to having a virtual instructor. My manager's daughter is taking a Hero math class and she's worried about it because she doesn't actually have a math instructor, so she's not sure about what she'll do if she has a question.

With regards to the question about virtual school, I think virtual instruction offers opportunities to students that they might otherwise not have.

I know that virtual schooling exists in Alaska. This state has always had a problem with critical teacher shortages especially in remote areas. Not only do some people live in remote areas, but there are also families who live in isolation. Workers who monitor the Alaskan oil pipeline, might for example, be the only people living within a radius of a few hundred square miles.

Before virtual schooling came into existence, these people had limited choices. They could home school their kids. They could also enroll their children in a correspondence class. The problem with correspondence courses is that mail delivery in rural Alaska is extremely sporadic during the winter. According to one researcher at the University of Fairbanks, it was not unknown for young men and women living in the bush to take up to ten years to complete a four year undergraduate degree via correspondence.

Thanks to the miracle of modern technology along with a strong financial initiative by the state to provide web based instruction to everyone who needs it, these students now have access to cyber classrooms.

Cyber classrooms offer the advantage of real time communication not only with a qualified instructor but also with other students. Students may post messages to each other via discussion boards that are always available 24/7.
We have some CAI going on in our schools, also. Read 180 and Fast Forward are the two being used to help struggling readers. I am not aware of any others; but, I'm certain that there are; if not districtwide, then within individual schools. Now that I think about it, I do know of one school that uses a CAI to assist students in math. Can't think of the program.

As far as virtual or cyber schooling, I understand that there are 38 states offering this kind of schooling in some degree; therefore, virtual/cyber schooling might just be the way of the future. I don't think that it will replace our brick and mortar schools; but, will be offered as a tool to help our struggling students and to address the interest of student wanting to learn courses not offered at their schools.

I read that many students register for an online course feeling that it will be easier than taking it at their high school. They think that they can complete it in short order. Unfortunately, they find out otherwise. Unlike regular schools, if you don't complete an assignment, it's still waiting for you in cyber space when you get back. All those things that a student might get away within his/her regular school don't exist in a virtual classroom. No excuses! No alternative assignment to makeup for the one you missed.

Since reading this article, I've done some more research. I read that the virtual courses use the national standards when planning a course. However, in many cases, individual states want the courses planned using their standards. Somehow or another, it's being worked out.

My understanding is that home schoolers rely heavily on virtual courses to supplement their home instruction. It seems to be working for them.

From what I have read, I think that it is a great opportunity for many of our high school students, especially those who have personal challenges in attending school on a regular basis. It might be an opportunity to decrease our dropout rate. All in all, I do see value in offering virtual courses at the high school level. But, like many of the online college courses, some on-campus face-to-face sessions should be included.

[DarrenB]

I don't think it's the future for all our schooling, but for some, it's a great alternative. I think as our students' situation become more and more diverse, one-size-fits-all solutions just won't cut it. Online schooling will be a life saver for some while for others it will just be another way to fall through the cracks.

Accountability, both for the student and the situation, will still be crucial!

Darren Barkett
Helping Teachers Grow . com

[ChocolateNewOrleans]

we had a student who took online classes to get his GPA up to sport's-eligible levels this year...

Correction, his graduated girlfriend took the course for him.

[MissTeach]

We have online classes for our high school students, but the students have to report to the computer lab at a specificed time each day to complete the work. That solves the problem of someone else doing the work. The lab is monitored by three teachers at all times.

[ChocolateNewOrleans]

We have online classes for our high school students, but the students have to report to the computer lab at a specificed time each day to complete the work. That solves the problem of someone else doing the work. The lab is monitored by three teachers at all times.

that would be better, but here, it's done at home. heck, I've heard of this happening at our local community college, and it's actually one of the better ones overall.

[smithmt]

Yeah, we have an "Alternative Learning Center" where the students take courses by computer. This is for those who SHOULD be expelled, but the school would like the income for them. These kids would otherwise drop out and get their GED. We also have some who are trying to get ahead, who would do the same thing. There again the kids have to be in class at a certain time and monitored by several teachers. so... if more districts decide it's a good way to get money for kids... who knows

[mrevels]

Having taught online in higer ed for years, I would be concerned about how assessments will be administered.

With few ways to eliminate students from looking up resources while testing, it becomes a major challenge unless a proctored environment is used.

Thoughts?

[smithmt]

well, I believe that in the ALC, children's tests are done the same way as everywhere else. Besides, if the virtual schools really push to have these online classes take online state standardized tests, then the test builders will eventually build a program that, when activated, blocks out all other programs unless is is overridden (like playing any video game on PC) if it gets overridden than the test would be invalidated, or logs the discrepancy, or possibly it needs to have an administrator override. if it is programmed to be in a window for instance, it could be set to always be on top, so even if a student opened an internet window, they wouldn't be able to see it. OR like I said, if it a full screen program that will only go away with admin sign in or when the test is ended it would work fine.