Distance Education

1. One of the major pro’s about virtual schools is it gives a chance for everybody to get an education especially those who do not want to go or can not go to traditional schools. Students who are raising a family as a teen will benefit from virtual schools because they will have the chance to get an education and raise their child. All students learn at different paces that might not match with the public schools. Virtual schools allow students who excel at a rapid pace to continue moving on and not be slowed down by other students. Virtual schools ensure that students are learning material at a pace that suits them and will learn the most. Virtual schools are also great for students who have a health or physical condition that does not let them to continue with school. Virtual schools still let students learn and graduate from high school, but in their own setting that fits them much better because of their condition. Technology can often be hard to integrate into regular school classrooms, and technology is becoming a part of our future education. Virtual schools are integrating technology in numerous ways and this in return can enhance the learning for students because they are learning differently then just from textbooks. Another benefit I see to virtual schools is AP classes. There are many schools that do not offer AP classes or they only offer a few to students. Virtual schools provide several AP courses that students can take that they may never have been able to at their public school. It gives them a chance to get college credit while in high school. Another great benefit to virtual schools is it allows parents to get more involved then they would with public schools. Parents have access to student’s grades, and have to help their children with homework. It allows them to get more involved with their child’s education which can be both beneficial for students and parents especially for students who are home schooled. Virtual schools have a lot of great benefits for students who have conditions that just do not allow them to attend public or private schools. It fits all types of students and allows them to still get an education where they might have never been able to do so before.
2. A major flaw I can see to virtual schools is students not being able to set a schedule that works for them and actually completing the course work. When students go to school they are forced to attend their classes and teachers encourage them and require them to do their homework. They are getting one on one contact with the teacher who is there to help force them to do their work. It would be easy to not complete your homework or do your coursework because the student is in charge or their learning. In order for virtual schools to work students need to have access to the internet. If their parents can not provide internet they are required to find it somewhere else. This can be a huge downfall for students who are not able to get internet because they can not be part of virtual schools. Another downfall to virtual schools is not getting the one on one assistance from the teacher. If students do not understand a concept they are relying on their parents or getting assistance from the teacher later on. Students who require a lot of assistance while doing work and learn best from asking questions will have a hard time with virtual schools. Students are getting explanations through the phone instead of having the teacher talk to them face to face and see their actual work. Parents can play a bigger role in virtual schools for their child then they would in public schools. Parents need to be there for guidance and motivate them to do their work. If students have parents that are not involved, it can significantly hinder their ability to do well in virtual schools. Parents that are not involved will not be there to answer questions, provide help, or clarification on homework. Sometimes teachers are the only educational guidance students have and if parents are not providing that for their child they may not do as well. I believe that learning can be socially constructed, and virtual schools do not always provide that atmosphere. I think it is important for students to interact with other students and find meaning and learn while working together and communicating. Students who do virtual schools are not getting that social interaction with other students which I feel can be very important and would significantly impact their learning.
3. One of the first ways I would determine if students are ready for distance education is how well they are doing in school in regards to the pace they are moving at. If students are moving at a faster past then the rest of the class, and I feel they are bored and not getting enough of a challenge, I would suggest virtual schooling. This would allow students to work at a pace that is best from them and really get to excel in school instead of always waiting for the rest of the class to catch up. I would also determine if students are ready for virtual education by their work ethic and whether or not they do their school work and finish their homework. If students do their homework in class and homework at home and needs little motivation to complete these tasks, I would consider them ready for distance education. If students constantly need reinforcement in school and I do not feel like they would get that at home; they would not be prepared for distance education. Also, if the student does their work independently and would prefer to do work this way instead of with the teacher or other students; I would consider them ready for distance education. If I am aware that parents are very involved in their students academics that would be another sign that would help me determine if they are ready. If parents are not involved with their education I would not suggest virtual schools for them.
4. In order to teach in a virtual school I would need to have a teacher’s certificate. There is also an interview process I would have to go through before I could have the job. There are certain responsibilities I would have as a virtual teacher. Teachers have responsibilities with students, administrators, and parents. Teachers need to from the beginning of the semester to phone their students. They are also required to make monthly phone calls to students, as well as monthly emails to discuss with the students’ progress. The virtual teachers also need to provide weekly emails with students to see how they are doing and be encouraging to them. The teachers need to be available through phone and email to answer student’s questions. Assignments also need to be graded with comments and returned within forty eight hours. They have to attend meetings for IEP and 504 students and attend weekly Elluminate Sessions with material that will motivate and involve students. Teachers also have responsibilities with administrators by developing individual student plans for each student and an individual monthly tracking system of student’s progress. Virtual teachers need to create an intervention plan for students who are not making monthly progress. Teachers need to also provide principals with monthly status reports of their students. The last requirement virtual teachers have is with the student’s parents. They are required to call or write a letter to the parents within and have a conference with parents once over the semester. Teachers also need to have the knowledge of the technology being used in order to create lesson plans that are engaging and will get students interacting. If teachers are not able to do this, it will significantly impact the students because they need multiple approaches to learning through the internet.