Journal Assignment #6

Virtual Success

Transforming Education Through Online Learning

by Julie Young, Pam Birtolo, and Raven McElman

Virtual Schools Offer Alternative

• No set schedules: Allow students to complete course work around their own personal schedules (work, family, and other commitments).
• No classrooms: Allow students to stay at home and do course work (especially convenient for stay-at-home mothers).
• Teachers are available 24/7/365.
• Students can relatively work at their own pace.
• The curriculum is delivered via the Internet, and teachers employ innovative instructional practices to offer an individualized learning experience for students.
• Results in students gaining time, more earning-pace flexibility, more engaging course materials, and more individualized attention from teachers.

New Skills to Learn

21st-century skills strengthens the foundation of competence in core subjects:

• English
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social Studies
• Foreign Language

...And even builds an understanding of issues critical to community and workplace success:

• Global awareness
• Business, financial, and civic literacy
• Health and Wellness
• Life skills

Traditional Schools Get Low Marks

Survey results...

• National poll by the Partnership for 21st-Century Skills: 80% of U.S. registered voters say "the public education system is not preparing young people to compete in the global market."
• Survey conducted by Project Tomorrow, a California-based education advocacy group, found similar results: Only 23% of students polled said they "believed their school was doing a good job preparing them for future jobs."

Florida Virtual School (FLVS) Students Outperform Peers

The out performance can be highly attributed to the flexibility provided by online schooling and the teacher-student engagement that is able to take place. Students are able to move at their own pace. Teachers are able to receive a better view of where their students are struggling and then construct an individualized learning plan that will further help each student succeed.

Q#1: Is online learning for all students?

A#1: No. All students learn differently. While online learning is very innovative and allows for a lot of flexibility there are still those students who will benefit more from a classroom setting in which they are able to physically interact with a teacher and with their peers.

Q#2: What is a common thread between virtual and face-to-face education?

A#2: The "authenticity of the interaction." The student-teacher relationship is always essential in determining the effectiveness of the teacher and the success of the student. In both settings, as long as careful attention is being paid to that relationship success is possible!