Megan Knick - Virtual K-12 Schools

Megan Knick

Virtual K-12 Schools

            How virtual technology can create enhancements to learning experiences and new success in a student or teachers life.

Montgomery, Heather. "What Is a Virtual School?" EverydayFamily. EverydayFamily, n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2014. <http://www.everydayfamily.com/what-is-a-virtual-school/>.
                       This article talks about what exactly a virtual school is. Virtual Schooling is a fast growing education that provides many opportunities for students in grades K-12. There are 40 states that participate in some form of online learning or virtual schooling. Most of these schools are tuition free and run by a state initiative, though some are private and offers a more diverse course curriculum, which entails some type of a fee. The rest of the article contains pros and cons about virtual schooling. This article was very informative because it provides pros and cons about virtual schooling. After reading this article and my second one, they both hit similar topics, therefore I would say it is an accurate source. I was impressed on how many states actually participate in some type of online learning or schooling. It definitely shows how Virtual Schooling is going to become a huge part of the future. Below is a list of just a few listed from the article.
           Pros:

• Allows students to learn in a comfortable environment, with the support of a qualified teacher.
• Provides a great option for homebound children, due to handicap or other circumstances. 
• Lessens the chance of bullying and other uncomfortable social circumstances.

           Cons:

• Attendance requirements
• Self-start attitude and attention to detail that the child is required to have.
• Computer and other technological requirements, which are supplied by the family.

Markus, David. "The Brave New Breakthrough of Online Learning." Edutopia. N.p., 13 Apr. 2014. Web. 29 Sept. 2014. <http://www.edutopia.org/stw-online-learning-new-breakthroughs>.

                      This article views Virtual Schooling in four different ways. It discusses the budget crisis, how online learning can work, students who benefit the most, and challenges that occur ahead. It views online learning as a low-cost strategy that can help overcome the huge hole in education budgets across the country. It explains how teachers teach lessons and coordinate assignments using interactive software applications, chat, and email to communicate and work with their students. The students can respond by voice or text chat. The students who benefit the most from online learning are mostly, but not all, middle school age or older. Reasons why students want to use online learning is because they live in remote areas or have a disability that makes it hard for them to succeed in a traditional classroom. Other students simply just like the flexibility the online format provides. There is also a type of virtual schooling that is a hybrid model, which mixes face-to-face classroom learning with online classes taught by teachers. Although many teachers and students love virtual schooling and it could create enhancements to learning, it also has its challenges that lie ahead. Many state legislators, school boards, and superintendents remain skeptical. Educating online requires personal organization, commitment skills, and being able to deal with the trickiness of collaborating with students and students collaboration with each other. Although there are some challenges, Virtual Schooling has spread and is just glimpse of what the future holds. The article was written by the former editorial director of Edutopia who has three kids currently in public school. It is an accurate article and recently written just this pass April. I thought the article was very well written and explains a lot of questions parents may have about Virtual Schooling. 

Backbone Communications. "CNN K12 Virtual School Program." YouTube. YouTube, 21 Sept. 2011. Web. 01 Oct. 2014. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SssQbXqrF4>.
               This video provides a day in the life of two students, Christina and Johnathan Schultz, who participate in Virtual Schooling. Not only are the two students and their mother interviewed the two teachers are as well. They are both in two different grades and work in separate rooms of the house. The video describes how the teachers and the students are miles apart and that the students who are in the same course can be in different areas of the state as well. I was impressed on how the teachers can see where the students location was. One downfall of online schooling that is stated is that there needs to be supervision from a parent because Johnathan likes to play video games instead of being in school. Christina and her older sister who also participated in virtual schooling said that they both miss the social aspect that real schools provide. I thought the video was interesting because it actually provides a family who has participated in virtual schooling for a long time. It also provides information from the teachers who are teaching the classes.