I've been teaching for over 30 years, and we are currently being led by a superintendent who, if he has his way, will replace upper level classes, ie, Spanish IV and V, AP English, Family and Consumer Science classes, and anything else he can, with on-line classes. Because they are cost effective, his board supports him in this effort. I tend to see only the down side. I'd love to hear other people's opinions on this. Personally, I've done some distance learning courses but only as enrichment, not towards any degrees I've earned. In most cases, I felt the lack of give and take with classmates and instructors detracted from the educational experience. I felt it was a lot of read or watch this, answer this and send it in. You'll get your grade in 6 weeks. Eight if you want it corrected with comments....
We homeschool. At present, my daughter takes her Latin on-line and will begin literature after Labor Day.
They are effective for my daughter as they do include interaction among student and teacher. Both of her classes use Electa.
I will say for some students--they do have to learn chat room
conduct and the teacher had it be an excellent manager of that.
Also--my daughter had to learn her own sense of accountability. Assignments were listed on a website and ALL work is submitted electronically. She loves taking quizzes and tests on line. She also loves the flex schedule. So quizzes and tests are made available but have a deadline and she just has to finish by then.
I have to proctor her tests--so it is parent honor system to make sure she is only using approved materials. She has had to learn to time manage her exams so as not to wait until the last minute. She took a grade hit last year on her midterm because one section that proved to be more difficult than expected waited until noon on deadline day. We had to be somewhere around. 3 and there was no coming back to it later. I had to shut her down when it was time to leave. She would have scored better on that section given that thesis no time limit other than the due date and time, but her poor planning of they did not justify me not meeting other commitments. So she then learned to space it better. (Her Latin tests are lengthy and she no longer waits until deadline day to take them.)
My one complaint is turnaround time on email inquires to her Latin teacher. We have grown accustomed to that and figured out how to ask so that we have plenty of time to get the answer needed on now to proceed.
Don't quote me on this (haha!)--but I think some states and some colleges *may* be leaning towards high school students taking at least one on-line course during their high school career, but I do not recall where I read or heard this.
I think doing an on-line course helps to foster the skill of independent learning. Much different than hopping on a bus and showing up at a building. But the teacher would be wise to utilize the technology to his or her advantage. My daughter gets a full experience with white board (kids can write responses), reading aloud, videos, slides, etc.
However this does not work for everyone. And if it is the only way certain necessary classes can be taken, it will be a problem for students. Not all homes have computer and of those that do--they may not be current enough to be able to access the classes.
Also, this only works with high speed internet. I have a friend who would love her kids to take on-line classes, but they are I a pocket in a rural area that Comcast refuses to serve unless all neighbors are in for it. And she has a couple of neighbors who are else and do not use that internet stuff. I would be curious of when an on-line class is required, how do they accommodate those without adequate access to be able to take an on-line class.
So some students will be disenfranchised from the opportunity.
But for our family--we love it!
There is good and bad with this. It would be nice if there was an option to do all classes online so you could take other classes in school.
