Virtual Schools

How would you determine the readiness of students to participate in distance delivery?
Students who are interested in distance education must not feel the need to be a part of a class in the traditional sense. They need to be self-motivated with fantastic time-management skills. They must be able to understand material without direct class discussion and must have a basic understanding of technology. Students must also have patience for technology and understand that things may potentially go wrong so they must plan ahead. If a student generally waits until the last minute to complete assignments, they may not be ready for distance education. Students must have the required technology to use virtual education and time and energy to put forth on this type of education.

What would you need to do to be able to teach in a virtual school?
A virtual teacher is required to have a bachelor’s degree in education as well as some teaching experience. They also need experience in the technology field. However, not all teachers need to be national board certified. A very small percentage of the teachers at Florida Virtual School are national board certified (scary!).
It is important that virtual school teachers are able to remain excited while teaching in this environment. Since there is no student/teacher interaction, it is difficult to connect with students and know their learning styles. Teachers must be able to find a way to work around these obstacles and teach to each individual student.



Pros to Virtual Schools
1. Virtual schools provide an individualized approach to learning. Students can create their own learning plan and find a method that works for them. If students are not doing well in the traditional school environment, a virtual school may be more effective because it can be tailored to fit each individual student.
2. Virtual schools provide education for accelerated learners. Some students do not do well in the traditional school atmosphere because they are “gifted” and thus are not challenged at school. Virtual schools may be more suitable to challenge these students and give them the advanced education that they need.
3. Virtual schools provide an alternative for students who are not fit for the typical school setting. Some students struggle with the traditional school system for other reasons. If a student is not succeeding in the traditional setting, a virtual school may be more suitable. Sine they can tailor their program, and do it from home, they may be able to receive and education that they otherwise may miss out on. This could keep struggling students in school or provide an education for a student who cannot leave the house due to illness or cannot go to traditional school due to constant relocating etc. This may also be an option for teen mothers who need to stay home with their children or students that need to work to support their family and would otherwise miss out on an education.
4. Virtual schools allow students to tap into courses anytime, anywhere. For students who cannot be at school at a specific time everyday, virtual schools are ideal. They are able to do their schoolwork anywhere they have access to a computer. They do not have to sit down and do it in one consecutive block of time. This may suit some students better than the traditional method of education.
5. Virtual schools are tuition free. Since virtual schools are public, they do not cost anything. However, students must be able to afford a computer to work on. The cost of the schooling is nonexistent but there are other costs involved.

Cons to Virtual Schools
1. Virtual schools require more time than traditional schools. Students must be able to manage their time to complete the work. This is both a con and a pro because time-management skills are very important for students. This may be difficult for some students who are not used to this different method of schooling. It is easy to leave all of the work to the end of the semester since students are able to set their own pace. Students must be sure that they are able to finish all of the work by the final deadline.
2. Virtual schools require self-discipline and commitment that some Elementary students have not yet developed. These are not for students who are indecisive and unable to stick to something. Virtual schools are difficult and require commitment from the student as well as the family. If the family does not support their child in this alternative method of education, it could be very difficult for the child to succeed. Self-discipline is an important trait to have in life, but many students have not yet learned how to push themselves without a teacher’s influence. Students who do not possess this trait will not be able to succeed in a distance education program. Their parents or guardians must keep their children on track and help teach them the self-discipline required for distance education and life. If parents do not teach this, students will not be able to utilize virtual schools.
3. Virtual schools do not have face to face student-teacher interaction. Without this direct interaction, students do not form the relationship with their teachers that they are able to form in the traditional classroom. This relationship is an important part of a child’s schooling. Education is not only about the curriculum material, it is about relationships and life skills. I am worried that virtual schools do not teach these important things to children.
4. Virtual schools do not provide the socialization that students receive in traditional schools. A big part of elementary school is learning how to make friends and socialize with other students. Since virtual skills do not provide direct student interaction, children may not learn how to interact properly with others. It is very important that, if a child chooses distance education, they are given the opportunity to socialize and learn these important skills. These social skills are necessary in many aspects of life and are important to form in school.
5. In a virtual school environment, students may not always complete their own work. There is very little accountability in this respect. For example, a student is able to have a parent or friend complete the work and submit it as their own. In this case, the student is not benefitting or learning any of the material and their education is pointless.