It's been a while since I've posted, but I read today about the increase (40% over the last three years according to Fox News http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/11/12/us-public-schools-turn-to-digital-education/) of online classroom options for students in k-12 across the nation. Just to clarify, I'm an online instructor. But I teach at the college level. And for those students who tell me they are not prepared (such as having gaps in elementary concepts such as fractions and decimals, among others) I tell them they need to find a tutor who will help them personally through those topics.
Technology makes me happy. The options for technology are endless and, when used correctly, they can help students who need it. A student who is ill or has difficult circumstances should be allowed to explore these wonderful options. But John Smith who lives across the street? No. No, no, no, no, no, no.
That's not a general no by any means. Some options work for people. Home schooling is a great alternative. But we're talking about a mostly independent course of study for about 250,000 students and counting. Students are expected to learn material on their own and be responsible for their own learning. As it is, teachers have a hard time making students accountable when they see them face-to-face. How are they going to make them accountable when the student is home?
Money talks, yes, but why would we think only of the amount of money saved by these options versus the benefit to the students? These students are performing at a lower level on the most basic of assessments (in general). We're not talking about a great alternative that is improving performance. We're talking about an alternative that is helping the bottom line, damn the consequences.
Call me crazy, but we're not ready. Give me a virtual classroom equipped with cameras where I'm talking to my students and moving from screen to screen and giving them work in different "groups" through my virtual classrooms, and we're talking about a totally different world. One where I'm actually giving more time to my students and one-on-one help than I would in a classroom if the size of the "virtual" classroom is kept small. We'd still save money but we'd be having the same face-to-face options. There would be teaching involved, not just these mostly automated programs for students. I'm so scared about the level of education right now, I can't imagine what our doctors, nurses, IT people, and other professionals could possibly do without technology in their hands in the next 2-3 decades. Call me crazy one more time... I want professionals who can think without constantly using Google... Think your doctor will be able to do that in 20 years? I'm not so sure...
