A hundred years ago, students were distance learners. They just used snail mail for assignments and tests and rode in horse-drawn buggies to classes in a distant town. In 1911, it was called classes by correspondence. In 2011, it's called online school.
It's true that many generations have enjoyed the benefits of distance learning, but online school offers so much more in benefits than our ancestors ever had (including less time hitching up the horses!) Technology now allows us learn with interactive, web-based lessons and have live, at-a-distance teachers to help.
Ten reasons to attend a K-12 online school:
- Student-centric learning – Turning education on its head, online school takes a completely new approach to learning. It makes the student the center of the instruction, rather than the teacher. This reverses the initiation of knowledge, giving more power and responsibility to students.
- Personalized instruction – Stemming from student-centered learning, online school has made learning much more personal and based on unique needs. Because of the delivery method, teachers can focus on individual learning styles more efficiently.
- No geographic barriers – Online school removes both distance to quality instruction (as long as you have connection to Internet), making the entire world able to be a part of the online classroom. School is as easy as turning on your computer.
- Flexible schedule – One of the largest restrictions of a traditional school is set hours for attendance. This inflexibility means students must be in class although they may already understand material. Online school lets students learn when they are available, night or day.
- Self-paced lessons – Each student learns at a different pace. Traditional schools cannot accommodate this fact. They can only hope to teach the majority at the right pace. Online school lets students and parents dictate the speed of course completion and modify it through the year as needed.
- More course choices – Unlike a traditional school, students can pick what courses to take in an online school. Often they can find a wider selection of course offerings than what is locally offered to them. High school diploma programs are usually available.
- Teacher support – In large traditional classes, students can be overlooked because of resource constraints. In online school, teachers and faculty can more easily spot students' needs and provide instruction in a real-time digital environment.
- Year-long open enrollment – Many, although not all, online schools give students the ability to start courses at any time of the year. This removes the boundary of wasted time, waiting for a set traditional school schedule to begin.
- Multiple communication methods – Every student communicates differently. Online school lets students and teachers interact in various ways, including email, phone, instant messaging, discussion boards, webcams, or online meetings.
- Student communities – Online school doesn't mean anti-social. Today, online students are exposed to student groups, field trips, virtual get togethers, online student centers, and community events. Online learning also allows students to have more free time to join groups or sports they might not otherwise.
If you're thinking about having your student join an online school, consider the above reasons. These opportunities are often not available to students attending a traditional school. In fact, online school helps students who want a wider range of academic options and personal support than a traditional school can provide.
Do you think online school offers students more options? Why or why not?