Virtual Schooling

I think that virtual schooling can help students in numerous ways: it expands opportunities for learning, it can enrich discussions by having more than the traditional number of students or (homogenous perspectives) participate in class discussions, it moves away from the traditional lecture style class into a more participartory, constructivist approach, and it requires students to be disciplined and diligent about their work and participation. It is also another way to reach students which is always good in academics as we know that no two students are the same and everyone learns differently. Those who would benefit the most are perhaps those that do not feel as comfortable for whatever reasons or who do not do as well with the conventional modes of teaching.

I personally have never participated in a distance education course. They have not really been an option for me as my college and my graduate program would not count them towards my degrees. I also am one that favors the personal interaction with teachers and professors and does well in that type of environment.

With that being said, I do recognize their value. They do seem like a good alternative for some students for the reasons described above. I would imagine that virtual schooling is not for everyone. Similar to other courses or classes, there likely would need to be criteria or pre-requisites required before taking the class. For example, this type of environment would not necessarily be a good fit for a student such as a English Language Learner who benefits from more sheltered instruction including language and content objectives and the socialization of discussions with their instructor and peers. It would, however, benefit those who may be shy and not as likely to participate in a classroom discussion but would in an on-line course participate in discussions or projects.

In general, there are certainly pros and cons to virtual classrooms just like there are for lecture based classrooms. It really depends on the learner and the effectiveness of the program. I do believe that in the right contexts and for the right students, this could be a great option!