Virtual Learning in K-12 Can it Work?

From: Lance (Education Research)
Date: 08 Aug 2003
Time: 22:40:47
Remote Name: 66.82.48.1

Comments

Virtual Computer Online Learning is a 25 Billion Dollar Industry. Who uses this? Businesses, government, higher education, and now K-12? Some might have red flags on the concept of kids learning online as opposed to the normal class room studies. But in many cases it is more cost effective and better for kids and parents. http://www.dlrn.org/trends.html . Presently it is estimated that 40-50,000 students from k-12 are using online computer learning. We have all seen the CDROM learning deals for software and computers, and we are all aware of the wonderful job of Bill Gates with Encarta. One Florida school online has a motto: Anytime, anywhere, any path and any pace. They might even add any race? http://news.tbo.com/news/MGAXWTWKARC.html . Orange and Alachua Counties are quite successful with online education and we have simply enjoyed their support of our efforts to educate peole online as to the needs of clean water and community car wash fundraisers; http://www.carwashguys.com/0030203_3.shtml . But also there are some real needs in rural towns which have a hard time keeping schools open when the populations are maybe 600 people in 40 square miles such as the case in rural Southeast Colorado. They have 80 kids online now and the school has one admistrator and several teachers working from home. Also in the Los Angeles area with juvenile at risk kids who have been incarcerated in special camps. And in the land of Ceasar Chavez in Central Valley's San Joaquin Valley Farm areas. Migrant farm workers can have their kids learn english online. The cost is not much per person and it works. Apex Learning a for profit group has content available on http://www.class.com and also eCollege has classes, similar to the TV Shows like discovery and History channel but fully interactive with testing and email questions can be sent in to teachers. One teacher said the eamils vary, one student averaged 5 emails per day some only one. Another student calls twice per week and talks for 30 minutes but out passes everyone on the system. Thus is not slowed down with baby sitting syndrome of slow learners or kids screwing off in class. This student is absolutely brilliant and borderline genius. Although one would have never known it in regular schools. These online systems for kids often require the parent help out and at least email instructor once per week to see how kids are doing although the teacher can tell by looking at the online tests and key ins. When learning about American History kids might take virtual tour of Washington DC. So the interactive nature of the programs is highly adapted to the internet. Similar to Encarta with its many videos and pictures. One online school has added 2500 text files in the last year alone, much of this is shared with other schools, some services rent content and other buy the content whcih leads to another issue with this, no legislation exists so some programs are better than others of course some teachers suck too. While others are very good and are still there after 25 years. Your teacher is now teaching your kids in the second grade. And turn over issues disappear unlike in grade schools and the turn over trend is 50% in the first three years. Many schools have developed a mentor program to assist; http://www.carwashguys.com/0030203_3.shtml and http://www.parthe.net/_cwg0703/0000003b.htm . One teacher I recently met in my travels taught the first grade and second grade and third grade reading and was 36 years old and still could barely afford to buy a house and said the problem is pay. Yes it is an issue, we found in our study that teachers who worked online, although not protected by the strong unions made twice as much money and could work from home and therfore care for children of their own since emails could be retunred anytime while the students were working through their next assignments. Generally the average cost of such programs are $300 per semester per class for colleges and about the same cost per kid for grade school, We believe in Teaching young and old alike and believe in community college systems, online universities http://www.carwashguys.com/0030203_1.shtml . The University of Phoenix of course is also a customer of car washing. Some of the ideas we had were to combine a mentoring system for kids to call mentors and talk about questions and talk with people eager to discuss the particular subject matter. We believe the business community could help as they often do and we have been involved with this too when volunteering to be teacher for a day in conjunction with local schools and Chambers of Commerces. I hope you too will watch this trend and email me when you find something that works, because this is a good solution for so many situations, including rural poor families which can only get into town once per week or if a young child has had an operation and is recovering or physically challenged, noo child left behind. That is the best policy, just ask the future Governor of CA, Arnold said no child left behind. Email with ideas; Lance@carwashguys.com

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