Are Virtual Schools Relevant? Technology is rapidly advancing in the world. People’s everyday lives are being bombarded by technology. Now schools are even being bombarded by technology. Schools are learning to embrace technology for the benefit of the students. One of the new ways schools are using technology is with virtual schools. Virtual, or online, schools are schools were education is learned through the Internet. They provide a different learning environment than the regular “cookie-cutter” classroom, but should there even be virtual schools? The answer to this common question is YES. Virtual schools provide a wide range of benefits for education. First off, virtual schools offer accessibility and flexibility. They provide education to distant students whom would not otherwise be able to get it. For example, a student in Kansas wants to study electric engineering. His local colleges do not have his program, and he is not able to travel to another state at the time being. He can begin his education online through a virtual school in another state that offers his program. He would be able to get his education that was not available to him. Virtual schools are provide advanced students the opportunity to take extra courses in …show more content…
Teachers and instructors benefit from the new teaching skills being learned, and from the technological opportunities (Metz 22). The teachers are learning the advancing technological skills that can benefit them even when they are not teaching. Some teachers are not use to teaching students with a variety of learning techniques. Adams states, “Online learning can help address the different learning styles and teachers’ different strengths.” Virtual schools also help decrease teacher shortages. If students are enrolled in virtual schools, then the number of students in a classroom decreases. Smaller class sizes can combine into one class and have one teacher instead of
In his article, “Can You Be Education from a Distance?”, James Barszcz effectively weighs the pros and cons of online education compared to the traditional method, while effectively supporting his position with factual information and statistics. While distance education proves to be convenient for students, Barszcz asserts that it eliminates valuable experiences necessary in order to get the most out of the material being learned.
Argues that we must do more to ensure that computers are fully integrated into all our schools. Suggestion that there is no limit to the possibilities of computers; Topic of distance learning; Ways that the Internet can make schools more effective; Call for schools to develop innovative budgeting to acquire the funds for te...
There are a number of key reasons why we must ensure adequate funding of our schools. To start, we must increase the accessibility of the Internet in our schools. With our society growing by the minute the need for technology is rapidly on the run. Today we depend heavily on the Internet to provide us with fast information. It is used in high tech businesses, in homes and in schools. Through the Internet we enable students to explore new and interesting issues. In addition to the books found in our local library, the Internet serves as a fundamental tool for education. With all of the assets that the Internet provides not all schools have it at their disposal. “According to a 1999 survey, conducted by Education Week only 87%, in states like Pennsylvania had Internet access” (Gazette 99). “This number however rose to 90% in 1999.” Although the numbers did rise there are other states that are not even close to that number of access. This poses as a major problem because while other students are building their skills and are learning more, others still rely on books and articles. Through Internet use students will not only be introduced to a wide a ray of topics and search engines but will also be able to familiarize themselves with technology.
School has been in our lives for the longest time and it has always been a positive experience. It sets students on a path to achieve their education goal and stepping stones to a career! Now with all the advancements in life, students have the opportunity to do online classes. This is useful if the pupil is not able to attend school or their school does not offer some classes that they would like to take. Experiencing both of these ways of schooling, I have an understanding of the differences between the two. The major differences between online school and traditional school are the flexibility opportunities, the communication with the teachers, and the time management/discipline from the learner.
Neal, Ed. (1999). Distance education. National Forum: Phi Kappa Phi Journal: Vol. 79 (pp. 40 - 43).
Our schools have progressed tremendously in the past century.In fact, in the past three decades, we have seen much progression with the use of computers in the classroom.We have gone from one room school houses with one teacher teaching many grades, to schools that may be two stories high or more with many teachers for each grade.More students are in school in today’s society than there...
Over the years society has changed in many different ways. In particular, technology has been the largest change that has occurred over the year. Only a few years ago the iPhone came out and it has forever changed the way people view their phone. Internet has also become very assessable resource. There are places everywhere to access a computer or free Wi-Fi. These changes have led to the alteration of the accessibility and use of technology in the education setting. The changes made to technology in the education setting have led to many positive outcomes that have allowed many types of people access to education that could not get it prior. There are however, many critics that refute these changes and say that virtual education can be biased and expensive. Although, there are many critics that do not agree with technology in education, have this can give access to many students with disabilities as well as people who have limited time or ability to further an education.
Online education is a booming trend in the education world. It is something different than the traditional classroom. It is allowing student around the world the opportunity to get an education. Online education allows student to have a more proficient and cheaper way of learning. Having multiple ways to give a student an education allows all learning types to find their own way of learning. Education changes lives but it can be difficult for students to get to a classroom to sit through an hour class 4 times a week, this can be for many different reasons. There are many doubts about online education, but this a new world without borders it is a new opportunity for people from all over the world to get an education.
Furthermore, the learning process is easily enhanced when technology is used. First, with Internet access in each classroom, it allows the teacher to access massive amounts of information in just a few seconds. This information can be given to the students in a clear, easy to read format as it is projected onto the screen. With such easy access to information, students are able to learn more in a smaller time span, while teachers are able to be more efficient in how they teach. This makes the education a person gets from their school more valuable for their money; and money is important as college costs continue to rise.
As the economy has changed in the last ten years so has the schools budgets and they are looking for ways to keep costs down. There is much evidence that distance education can be more cost effective than traditional education. Everyone can save a substantial amount of money by going with an online education because schools would not need facilities and equipment. Schools would also save money by not needing to provide services and programs to students. Students would save by not needing to drive to and from school, buy school supplies, and they can earn a degree in half the time than a traditional school setting.
As time goes by, advances in technology will provide more and more avenues for learning by way of the computer. The Internet has opened the doors of the world and unleashed limitless possibilities in research and education. It may be only a matter of time when the classroom is brought online to all children and attending a school classroom outside the home is a thing of the past. Looking back over the last 20 years, I never would have imagined that computers would come this far and impact our lives so much. Just imagine where they will be 20 years from now.
Over the years it has been seen that education has taken up several forms. With the advent of technology, education has also been integrated with technology. Previously it was seen that education was achieved through written forms of paper with pen or pencil. The use of pen and pencil can be dated back to the Roman Empire. However, with the developing pace the traditional means of attaining education are changing. The introduction of information technology has brought forth a new way of learning through the internet. E-learning is the new form of education introduced by IT which helps people to attain knowledge through the use of their computers. A portal is introduced by the use of information technology which the students are able to access and to take tests. However, this new technology also brings with it other ethical issues of plagiarism and social contact. Online education is an inadequate alternative for traditional, classroom-based teaching for several reasons: there is no interactive communication between the student and the instructor, potential employers do not value online course work, class offerings are limited, instructor feedback to the student might be delayed for days, and group projects are nonexistent.
There are many advantages to online learning, it affects the way people can learn. According to “Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students”, “students have a greater willingness to write or work on computational skills”. “They say student like the immediate results of having online learning.” Another advantage is that students can learn at their own pace. With learning at their own pace they will be able to actually know the information well. If, they are in a regular classroom setting they may no...
Closing the digital divide involves many components, starting with the education program and teachers. While schools are integrating new technologies into their programs, teachers are supposed to keep up with the latest technologies and use them in their curriculum to teach students. According to a U.S. Department of Education Report (1999), only 24 percent of new teachers felt sufficiently prepared to integrate technology into the curriculum they were using (Brogan, 2000). The problem is, many teachers did not grow up with computers and are not receiving the training they need to operate them (Brogan, 2000). Starting work as early as 7 a.m. and leaving school as late as 5 p.m. to go home and do even more work, leaves teachers lacking the time to learn new technological skills. Many schools offer training programs for teachers. For example, the Palm Beach County, Florida school district teaches Web basics for teachers at middle schools and magnet schools (Brogan, 2000). This is a great idea because it is giving teachers the opportunity to learn about technology and it is showing that the school district is interested in helping its employees become better at what they do.
Blended learning is efficient, because professors can use one-on-one time, along with digital instruction. Teachers have additional time to give individualized instruction to those who need it, while students use adaptive learning technologies to comprehend new concepts. Teachers can help all students reach their maximum potential. When students do meet together in class, their time is often more high quality. Students also receive regular face-to-face times with instructors they might not in a traditional classroom.