As broadband Internet access becomes available in more homes, teachers and students are exploring online educational possibilities. Some students use virtual learning programs to reinforce what they learn in the classroom, while others spend the majority of their school day in online classrooms, interacting with classmates and teachers half a continent away.
In the Classroom
Computer-based simulations are a valuable tool that is underused in many classrooms, according to Marc Prensky, author of "Digital Game-Based Learning" and "Don't Bother Me, Mom, I'm Learning." Teachers have long understood that many students learn more by watching a video about a historic battle than reading about it in a textbook. Using a simulator to play out the battle as a general or a foot soldier gives students an immediate, interactive understanding of the event that they cannot achieve any other way.
After School
When schools face difficult budgeting decisions, extracurricular and fine arts programs are often the first things cut. Parents are left to fill in those gaps after school, with private lessons or activities. Tami Duval, accredited Simply Music instructor at Natural Notes Piano School, believes that virtual learning is a valuable opportunity for students who do not have access to traditional music lessons. The factor that determines a student's success in her classes, both online and in person, is the time put in between lessons. To succeed in a virtual class, the student must be self motivating and have a parent or life coach to support and encourage him. Ms. Duval encourages parents or life coaches to attend virtual lessons with their children and to practice with them between lessons.
Virtual Home School
Many home schooled students spend part or all of their school days online. K12 is one of several online public schools that offer a full curriculum through online classrooms and activities. Older students can take advantage of MIT's OpenCourseware initiative. Under this program, dozens of MIT class lecture notes, videos and even exams are provided online, free of charge. While MIT does not offer course credit for these classes, they are a way for gifted high school students to audit a college level course.
Considerations
Virtual learning is not right for every student. Every online classroom has different technical requirements, but in general your student will need a fairly modern computer with broadband Internet access, as well as a web cam and microphone if the class requires participation. Students who thrive in virtual learning environments tend to be self-motivated and able to focus on the task at hand. Students who will be tempted to open another browser window and play video games during a lecture are better off in a traditional classroom.
Special Needs
Virtual learning environments can be ideal for special needs students, because the lecture can be recorded and replayed as often as the student needs it. Students with developmental and social delays often thrive in a virtual learning environment, because it lets them focus on the subject matter rather than the social environment.
