The major concerns that the article mentions are below followed by my comments on what I have observed in the virtual school:
- Students will not develop a deep understanding of their own emotions, or that of others. Without the full bandwidth of face-to-face interaction, understanding of reactions are reduced. Students are able to communicate their emotions in a rational and intelligent manner since they have time to think about exactly what they are feeling.
- The opportunity to form patterns of life-long friendship will be reduced. Children often meet others at school who remain important to them for many years. Students who matriculate through face-to-face educational programs often leave to pursue a variety of paths after they have finished their education and then they lose contact with those with whom they have been friends with for 12-13 years. It is through technology such as email, instant messaging and social networks such as facebook and myspace that those face-to-face relationships are continued. Thus, the possibility of life-long relationships being created and continued are not reduced but are potentially enhanced.
- By emphasizing the cognitive domain at the expense of the affective, understanding is reduced. It is much easier to teach facts with the use of a computer than to make people wise. I am not sure the validity of this concern because the school, whether face to face or virtual, is not designed around the goal of making students "wise" but of educating students with knowledge.
- As the face-to-face component of subjects is reduced, the school subjects themselves will change, and become less rich. The teaching method will affect the content. I have gone through many of the lessons in the virtual school that I am observing and have found the content to be extremely rich and more in-depth than the traditional classroom because the students have more time to learn the material than the face-to-face classroom that is confined by bell schedules and administrative functions (such as taking role).
- Differences in learning styles will mean that some students may learn less effectively than before. Conventional schools do not suit everybody, and it would be very surprising if virtual schools would be satisfactory for everyone Obviously this concern is not solved in the traditional school either. The virtual school that I am observing makes this a well known fact and offers the ability for students to work at different paces.
- Virtual schools may be promoted due to the self-interest of the economist, bureaucrat, or on-line entrepreneur, rather than on the evidence of educational research or merit. I have found the business aspect of the virtual school to be interesting but in questioning the teachers about the pressures of the business aspect I have found that the teachers are cognizant of the business pressure but they are not concerned with it. The main focus of the teachers in the virtual school is the student.
- Resentment by those who are unhappy with the virtual approach can lead to disruption. Just as some students disrupt their classes because they dislike conventional schools, it is likely that some virtual students will make life difficult for their parents, or for the community where they study. I have asked my mentor about this aspect and she has informed me that this has never been an issue that she has seen in her 8 years of working in a virtual school. If a student is unhappy with the virtual approach they are able to drop the course.
- The long-term effect on the relationships of future adults and their society is unknown. It is a possibility that poor socialization will lead to problems in the years ahead. While I think this is an interesting concern, I think that my response to this will have to be the same as the Chinese emperor Mao Tse-tung stated when asked about the effects (or success) of the French Revolution on the Revolution's bicentennial, “It’s too soon to tell.”
2 comments:
A classmate in my Master's program consistently reminded us of the purpose of education...to produce productive and responsible citizens. The article you posted the link for was great about describing concerns for students who choose to learn in the virtual school setting. With each point, I felt an argument could be made for alternatives. For example, the author of the article mentions the reduction of opportunities in forming life-long friendships with people students go to school with. Classmates are not the only peers that virtual school students come into contact with. Through various extracurricular activities, virtual school students have the ability to form bonds with others who may become life-long friends. They can even work together to ensure conceptual understanding (provided the students are taking the same/similar classes). The other concern raised is whether or not virtual schools will be able to satisfactorily meet each individuals needs. In speaking with my host teacher alone, it seems there is actually more time to spend getting to know students as well as one-on-one tutoring. Each student gets to work at his/her own pace in order ensure understanding. They also have oral exams in the form of a 'math' conversation as a way for the students to be held accountable.
Is virtual school a virtual reality? An interesting question to pose during the infancy of virtual schooling. While virtual schools are still very young, it does appear, at least in the school we are studying, that many of the author's concerns were unfounded. I will comment of a few of the concerns. Regarding the emotional development of children attending virtual schools, I had the same concern with my nephew and 2 nieces who were home-schooled (the older one took MS and HS classes through a virtual school). While these children did not have as many opportunities for socialization that regular school children received, their parents made sure they had other opportunities for socialization through family, neighborhood, sports, church, and home-school sponsored activities. Unless the adults of a virtually schooled child don't put forth the effort, I don't see this as a problem.
Regarding the development of life-long friends, I do see a potential dilemma. You mentioned in your blog the social networking groups that many students belong to. My college daughter belongs to Face Book, having joined her senior year in HS. Most of her Face Book friends are from high school and college; very few came from outside sources. I think it might be a pretty good idea for virtually schooled students to belong to a social network group (provided the parents monitor it) to allow for communication and fun.
I agree with you that the subjects taught in the virtual school are very in-depth, interesting, and engaging. It appears that students learning styles and pacing needs are monitored and that teaching methods and materials are appropriate for both. The students are allowed to work at their own pace and are not constrained to 40-minute periods five times a week. Could it be that they actually receive more knowledge through the virtual school. It certainly depends on the student, but it certainly is possible.
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