Next read this recent article from the NY Times entitled "Study Finds That Online Education Beats the Classroom".
Finally, read this third article entitled Ed Tech Trends to Watch for 2010.
Now to post your comments, be sure that you have clicked on the Session 3 title above which will take you to the postings page. Then click on the "Post a comment" link and then write your thoughts. Your comments should be 300-500 words... give specific references to each article. After you've finished and reread your comments, be sure to choose an identity and to click on the "Publish your Post" button.
6 comments:
I think that I agree more with the last sentence of the article than any other: Learning has to occur in a community. I agree that it is significant to note that online class test takers rank 9 percentile points higher than their peers in conventional classrooms, however, in the back of my mind, I cannot help but wonder about the student as a whole person. I am against online learning for an entire education because the most important part of my own education was my Catholic upbringing. I had the absolute privilege to be educated in the Catholic school system from kindergarten through college, and I think it helped shape me into the person that I am today. I think of myself and what I would be if I received my education completely online. Where would morals be taught? Were would the lessons come from that happen with playground fights?
I disagree with the PBS article that states, “The importance of knowledge about effective virtual schooling cannot be overstated.” I have to ask myself, when is the student going to learn what can only be learned in community? I see children in my class today, and they all seem to have these ‘other personalities’ online. They tend to be bolder, say things they would not say in person, but can get away with on a social networking site. It makes me worried for the future of our education if the push is for online schooling because it produces better academic results. To me, the education of the child is only partly academic. The education of the child starts with treating the child as a complete human being, with feelings, needs, and wants. I am struggling to picture how a computer-based education can really reach a child in these ways.
When reading these articles it was difficult at first to wrap my head around the idea of having online classes in K-12 classrooms. As a Kindergarten teacher it is difficult for me
to think that online education could be better for students than face to face interaction with students. The article from the New York Times stated that students in online learning environments preformed better than students with face to face interaction. To me this says that teachers are not doing their jobs. After reading the articles and watching the video I was able to see how online classes can enhance student learning. I really liked in the video when the lady discussed how many high schools do not have highly qualified teachers in certain subject fields. I think that many gaps in student learning could be filled in by using online learning communities. I am still having difficulty envisioning how online classes and learning would work in an elementary school. I would love to see specific examples.
As I think back on my experience of getting my Master’s degree I have enjoyed several of my online classes and loved the freedom of being able to do assignments on my own time. I also think that it would be very beneficial to have more professional development online. My school has had a few opportunities where we had professional development classes online. I think that I would enjoy doing more activities like these because it doesn’t take you out of the classroom and you are still able to be part of a community of learners.
Although it has been around for quite some time, Distance Education is a new concept personally for me. I just took my first online class this summer as part of the M.Ed program and am now taking all online classes this semester. For me, the experience has been an interesting one. I enjoyed the flexibility to be able to travel this summer since my class was online. But I have found that online classes simply become another item on my "to-do" list instead of knowing I have to show up for class. Since I can complete assignments at my leisure, it has a very different feel.
A good point mentioned (p. 20) is about teacher quality. It is a constant battle now for classrooms to be staffed with competent, well-rounded teachers. The article brings up the valid point that since online instruction for K-12, teachers have not had a chance to polish their skills as online instructors.
The idea of K-12 online instruction online might seem crazy, but as we have already discussed in our class, technology is rapidly advancing and we, as educators, must be ready for this. Our younger students may respond better to online instruction than students in the past and if that is a form of differentiation that could be useful, we should embrace it!
Online learning is growing and connecting students to concepts and experts in ways never before achieved. Some research shows the potential for online learning to surpass the effectiveness of the regular classroom, as seen in the meta-analysis of research and the article in the New York Times. The meta-analysis found support in the research that online-learning was at least as effective as the traditional classroom. In reading some of the conclusions, teacher effectiveness is still a key for how successful students are in an online learning environment. This shows the desperate need for professional development prior to teachers becoming online instructors. I like an idea I heard suggested for online instructors: they must have completed at least one course online before teaching a course online. Being an online student first can give an online instructor a lot of insight into how the class needs to be developed and implemented.
We have already read in this class how students are unplugging before they come to school and plugging back into their technology once they leave. Online learning is a good way to help close this gap. However, I share in some of the concerns expressed by others about students learning in isolation when learning purely online. The community of learners is there but much more initiative must be taken on the part of the student to fully engage with the community. As a middle school math teacher with many struggling students, I do not know how an online math course would work for my students. I like the idea of using online learning to support in-class learning at this point but have trouble wrapping my mind around a fully online math course for K-12 students.
I love the idea that online learning could fill the needs of diverse and disadvantaged learners. Socioeconomics can be a hindrance to this, but cheaper mobile technologies are making online learning for economically disadvantaged students more of a reality. From the video, I can see how using online learning to fill students’ needs for courses that may not be offered due to teacher shortages would be a wonderful addition to the education system currently in place. Metro Nashville Schools is getting a jump on this type of program to fill the needs of students who might not graduate if they cannot get their credits with online classes. I see this becoming a national trend in the near future.
Education online makes me very nervous!!! I used to think online education would never work. I feel that our World is going to online education faster than anything. I really wasn't a fan of online until I read the two articles. As a teacher I love having my students in my room learning with me. I love the relationships made within the classroom. Going to an online interactive classroom you would lose the social aspect to school that is so very important. Reading the two articles it is apparent that online education seems to work. The numbers and percentages shown in the text are not amazing but they are not failing either. To me it showed that online vs. in the classrooms were neck and neck. I would like for more research to be done. Exactly who are they testing? Exactly how does the online classroom work? If a child is learning at home by himself with no social interation then we are missing a huge picture. What's going to happen when they have to work with others. When will they learn to work with others? When they are 18? I don't think that is going to work out very well. A classroom, like the article said, is a community. When you simply so everything online you lose the community. Children can learn from each other.
I have a friend who teaches high school Spanish. She teaches the class 90 miles from the school in her home. The students are at the school but she is at home. She states parts of it are great! She states she stays in her PJ pants and just wears a nice top to work. The bad things are, there is no relationship built with she and her students. There is NO classroom manegment. If a student needs help he has to email her after class for extra help. As a studen this would drive me crazy. I often struggle with online classes in gradschool and I am 25 years old! Could you imagine and eight year old doing an online class. They are such concrete thinkers and online is an abtract world. I feel that maybe a hybred of the two would be best. Do homework online for example, if every student had the ability, would be a great way to do online. I have a problem with solely relying on the computer to teach. Let's research this a little more. Don't take the personality of the kids away! That's the best part :)
Although virtual schools offer students a variety of benefits including flexibility in scheduling and opportunities to accelerate learning, there is no replacement for the value of a physical instructor and a traditional school environment. According to Cavanaugh, et al., these online modules and curricula are desirable mainly because traditional schools seem to fail parent and student expectations and for their autonomy. Parents of younger learners instead should seek reform for existing schools. Younger learners need structure. Virtual schools provide an opportunity to access learning anywhere, yet they require students to schedule learning independently. The ability to organize and manage learning is a skill many early learners lack. Also, they have not yet developed fully meta-cognitive skills and problem solving mentalities necessary to engage in the technologies presented through virtual schools. They need training, more specifically from an instructor who can respond to a student’s individual concerns. Steve Lohr’s article describes research that reveals greater success in online learning. However, the conducted research examined mostly college and continuing-education programs, where younger learners are not present.
Virtual schools “immerse” students in a myriad of technologies, which introduce skills perhaps not explored in traditional schools. However, the technical capabilities and instruments present in traditional schools continue to expand. For example, schools, such as McGavock Elementary in Nashville, TN, are partnering with accredited universities. In exchange for opportunities to send “student teachers” to McGavock, Trevecca University funds a computer lab, an iPod lab, and Smartboards in every classroom. Partnerships such as these are not unusual, but increasing in number, rendering traditional schools more tech-heavy, and thus, more engaging for students.
Furthermore, virtual schools do not provide opportunities for social development, a critical element in childhood maturity, as described by Cavanaugh, et. al. Students in physical school buildings interact in the hallways, on the playground, and in the classroom. There, they learn to cooperate, share, and relate to peers. These opportunities are essential for young children. Therefore, virtual schools, though freedom-enhancing, are not the most beneficial option for young learners in a K-12 setting.
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