Homeschool Software And The Future Of Education:
How To Homeschool Your Kids on Autopilot.
by D. Todd
How To Homeschool Your Kids on Autopilot.
by D. Todd
Computer learning software for parents who wish to homeschool thier children is gaining popularity. Stand alone core curriculums with set it and forget it features are becoming more and more common, and as publishing companies realize the profitability of the market, learning programs are getting increasingly advanced and affordable. These programs are the future of education and for millions of American kids computers are thier classrooms, and software is thier teacher.
Learning programs such as Alpha Omega Publications flagship "Switched-On Schoolhouse" do most of the work. Mastery- based and fully interactive, these core curriculums take the worry out of homeschooling. Parents who never graduated themselves are finding it entirely possible to guide thier offspring all the way through High School and beyond. Grading and scheduling are built into the curriculum, along with the lessons. There are even pop-up reminders built into the lesson plans that remind students when assignments are overdue.
The ease and accessability of homeschool curriculum software stands head and shoulders above every other learning medium available. If your child is studying Arctic Wildlife he or she can simply push a button and be swimming with polar bears at the South Pole. A simple review of one of these software programs will make a believer out of even the most stalwart "textbook Learning" advocates.
Homeschooling in the past was primarily parents trying to duplicate 'public school' mentality. This meant the homeschooling parent would have to develope a curriculum, assemble the necessary books and materials, set up thier lesson plans, help thier child complete the work, (or hope they did it), and finally review and grade the completed work.
Bear in mind that the parent would also have to know the assignments in order to grade them. If the parent did not have a firm grasp of calculus a lot more effort was required on thier part to either get a working understanding of the subject or find someone who did.
For any parent who has used the textbook approach they know, sadly, the amount of work required.
The newer homeschool software curriculums not only take care of all the administrative and teaching tasks for the parent/teacher, but are so fun and engaging that the kids actually love to learn.
The availability of hundreds of full feature electives and interesting programs make the computer learning envoirment inviting to the students, who learn faster and retain more than they would in other mediums.
The launch of Alpha Omega's much anticipated 2009 Edition of "Switched-On Schoolhouse" is a cutting-edge example of homeschool curriculum software that is exceeding the needs of parents who would like to homeschool thier children, but are not quite sure where to start. It is, truly, the future of education!
D. Todd
Learning programs such as Alpha Omega Publications flagship "Switched-On Schoolhouse" do most of the work. Mastery- based and fully interactive, these core curriculums take the worry out of homeschooling. Parents who never graduated themselves are finding it entirely possible to guide thier offspring all the way through High School and beyond. Grading and scheduling are built into the curriculum, along with the lessons. There are even pop-up reminders built into the lesson plans that remind students when assignments are overdue.
The ease and accessability of homeschool curriculum software stands head and shoulders above every other learning medium available. If your child is studying Arctic Wildlife he or she can simply push a button and be swimming with polar bears at the South Pole. A simple review of one of these software programs will make a believer out of even the most stalwart "textbook Learning" advocates.
Homeschooling in the past was primarily parents trying to duplicate 'public school' mentality. This meant the homeschooling parent would have to develope a curriculum, assemble the necessary books and materials, set up thier lesson plans, help thier child complete the work, (or hope they did it), and finally review and grade the completed work.
Bear in mind that the parent would also have to know the assignments in order to grade them. If the parent did not have a firm grasp of calculus a lot more effort was required on thier part to either get a working understanding of the subject or find someone who did.
For any parent who has used the textbook approach they know, sadly, the amount of work required.
The newer homeschool software curriculums not only take care of all the administrative and teaching tasks for the parent/teacher, but are so fun and engaging that the kids actually love to learn.
The availability of hundreds of full feature electives and interesting programs make the computer learning envoirment inviting to the students, who learn faster and retain more than they would in other mediums.
The launch of Alpha Omega's much anticipated 2009 Edition of "Switched-On Schoolhouse" is a cutting-edge example of homeschool curriculum software that is exceeding the needs of parents who would like to homeschool thier children, but are not quite sure where to start. It is, truly, the future of education!
D. Todd
Mastery Learning-What A Struggling Student Needs.
There are two main learning approaches that are typically used in public and private schools: Mastery Learning and Spiral Learning. From what I have seen, Spiral Learning is the most common approach to learning, yet research has shown Mastery Learning to be one of the most effective methods. Children who are struggling benefit the most from a Mastery Learning approach to a subject.
You may be asking yourself, "What is Mastery Learning?" The simplest definition of Mastery Learning is when a child achieves the understanding and the ability to do certain skills in a subject area, moving ahead only after showing a high competency level in those skills. During the process, a child is always provided with feedback so that he can know what areas to focus on. At each skill level a test is usually given, and a student has to show 80% or better mastery to move on. Otherwise, he will have to continue studying the material in preparation for retaking the test until he scores above an 80%.
How does Mastery Learning differ from the usual method? Most schools use a method called Spiral Learning where small amounts of different topics are repeated in a yearly cyclical fashion with a gradual increase in information as a child gets older. Remember back to your elementary school days, when science textbooks would spiral through a whirlwind of different subjects? I remember back in the fifth and sixth grades spending some time on the human body and weather, but my teachers did not use a standard science textbook for those units. Instead, they pulled from a variety of different sources to provide an in depth study on the topic, which is why I remember doing those units to this day.
My purpose in this article is not to say that you should always use a Mastery Learning approach with your children to the exclusion of Spiral Learning. Instead, I want to encourage you to use Mastery Learning with your children in the subjects that build upon each other (i.e. math). For example, if you were to go to a surgeon for an operation, you want a surgeon who has specialized and knows the ins and outs of everything related to that surgery (Mastery Learning). If you have a nagging pain on your arm, you're going to go to your Internist and will want him to make a diagnosis based on his general knowledge of many different body systems (more of a Spiral Learning approach).
Some children can learn well with either the spiral or mastery approach, but with the mastery approach they will learn quicker. Other children struggle, and with them the mastery approach is necessary in order to achieve success. The repeated focus on a skill until it is mastered is what struggling students need.
| Isa Skrobola received her teaching degree at the University of Michigan. She has taught in different settings, and has studied the best methods of education for over 10 years. She is currently homeschooling her seven children. If you would like more resources and free information on mastery learning and fluency, please visit http://www.childfluency.com |
Top Five Reasons to Opt For Homeschooling
Today, homeschooling is an option that more and more families are turning to. Here are the top five reasons to opt for homeschooling.
1. Homeschooling mirrors the values of your family.
'' Perhaps, the top reason most families give when they decide to homeschool is some variation of "it's the right thing for our family." Homeschool promotes family. Parents and children of homeschool families spend more time together. This is time working on academics, but it's also time to share chores and activities that often families with children who attend traditional schools, don't get. Children get a sense that their lives are blended with their families and those lives reflect the family values. Children are able to be the same at home and at school, and parents don't have to worry about the outside influences that a school setting can introduce.
2. To meet the educational needs of your child.
Everyone learns in different ways and at different rates. Some students are auditory learners; some are kinesthetic. Certain students have very long attention spans and some kids can hardly sit still. In a traditional classroom, every student is expected to be attentive for a specified block of time. They are expected to complete a math assignment even if they find it frustrating and would do better to put it aside and come back to it later. Several children have emotional issues they deal with, such as anxiety, that are better able to be accommodated in the more flexible homeschool setting. If a student has an exceptional need, it is often more productive to bring in a tutor or a therapist and give the student one-on-one attention than to try to deal with that need within the confines of a traditional classroom. Homeschooling offers the flexibility to meet the needs of the student more consistently.
3. To take the pressure off Schools can put a great deal of pressure on students and on families.
Often the parents of children in traditional schools complain about the pressure they feel to have their children "keep up" and not "get behind". Students are pushed to be "on target" for the skills they're supposed to master in each grade. For some families, the pressures of homework strain family time. Children can't attend a family dinner or the event of a sibling because there is homework or a project to finish by the next day. Homeschooling takes that pressure off. The timetable you set is your own and your child's. Children often feel tremendous peer pressure at school. This type of pressure is often difficult for the child to deal with. Children feel pressurized to wear the right clothes, to have the right MP3 player, to listen to the right music or watch the right TV shows - even have the right friends. Often, as children get older, the peer pressure becomes negative. Stepping outside the traditional school setting takes that sort of peer pressure off the children.
4. Design your own curriculum.
Every state has its own requirements for homeschool students, so be sure to check and find out what they are. But within the confines of those requirements, homeschool parents and students, have tremendous freedom in choosing curriculum. Curriculum can be project based or art focused or hands-on science. Making those educational choices with your student helps empower them as learners and cements their engagement in their own learning process. There are also accredited distance learning homeschool programs which provide the curriculum for your students which pass state standards.
5. To develop talents and interests.
Children in traditional schools need to structure "outside" time to include activities and interests such as sports or music. Often, there is very little time left in the day to concentrate on those activities, much less any energy to participate in them. Homeschool students have the flexibility to pursue and develop interests and perhaps to discover talents they didn't know they had.
| To learn more about the accredited, distance learning private school please visit Laurel Springs School . Laurel Springs School is an accredited, college prep private school offering distance learning programs and teacher services for students in grades K-12. Laurel Springs uses web-based communication tools, a standards-based curriculum, and personalized instruction to offer students the highest quality home education experience based on your child's learning style. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Julie_Jackson |
Why Choose a Homeschooling Distance Learning Program?
Education is mandatory in our country. Until children reach the legal age where they can choose to leave school, usually 17 or 18, they are required to attend school on a regular basis. There are many different options for schooling - public or private school, religious or secular. Choosing the best educational option for your child, or children, can be challenging.
The Traditional Model Around the turn on the 20th century, our country entered into a period of industrialization. Industries tended to be centralized in order to become more efficient. People flocked to cities to find jobs and brought along their families. Those families contained children who needed to be educated, but the model of the one room schoolhouse no longer was efficient. A factory model of education was developed and exists to this day. This model is based on the idea that there is a way to learn, a system that if followed, would provide everyone with an education. This factory model works well for most children and many people are happy with the results. But what if your child is one who does not fit in the traditional school model? What are your options?
Alternative Schools Many alternatives exist to the traditional system of public education offered in this country. Private school can offer specialized classes and more individualized attention. Parochial or religious schools can add religious components to your child's education. Alternatives such as Montessori or other method schools exist as well.
Home schools Homeschooling is an alternative to traditional education that more and more people are choosing. In our nation, the roots of homeschool go back to a time when most people were educated at home. If a formal education was available, many students took advantage of it, but many could not. Children were often needed to work on the family farm or in the family business and parents or tutors educated them to the degree that they needed for the type of job they were going to have.
In our society today, homeschooling is a more unconventional but viable choice for families to make. There are many different ways to consider homeschooling your child. Perhaps the most common form of homeschooling is for one parent to take charge of the child's education, becoming the teacher.
You are able to use prepackaged curriculum or develop your own. The majority of homeschoolers choose to use curriculum that are already developed and ready to use. Often, parents will choose to augment their teaching with the use of tutors for specific subjects, and to enroll their children in extracurricular activities such as sports, music or art, designed to bring homeschool children together. Another popular type of homeschooling is "unschooling". The term "unschooling" doesn't mean that the students aren't educated. The term is used to describe the process by which the child and parent design the educational curriculum. Much emphasis is placed on following the child's interests as an alternative to following a planned curriculum. Homeschooling offers a freedom from the time constraints of a traditional education that many families find very attractive.
Many parents find the traditional model of education doesn't fit the needs of their child or their family. When this happens, a homeschooling distance learning program becomes an exciting option because of the possibilities it holds for educating children and some programs are accredited and offer the same college possibilities as private schools.
| To learn more about the accredited, distance learning private school please visit Laurel Springs School. Laurel Springs School is an accredited, college prep private school offering distance learning programs and teacher services for students in grades K-12. Laurel Springs uses web-based communication tools, a standards-based curriculum, and personalized instruction to offer students the highest quality home education experience based on your child's learning style. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Julie_Jackson |
Planning Your Child's Day with Homeschool Software
One of the issues that many homeschooling parents disagree on is the structure of the education. Some believe in a rigid organization that resembles the structure of public and private schools. Others believe in a form of free flow education, where the child's interests and strengths are target as soon as they are noticed. Neither of these is the "correct" way to do things, it all depends on your child's needs and your skills as an educator.
The more organized group believes that a structure similar to regular schools best suits a child's needs. They do not want to stray too far from what their kid's friends are doing, or how they grew up with school. There is a lot of merit with this idea, but it can be very difficult to stay organized when using this method.
This is where homeschool planning software comes to the rescue. There are now very sophisticated software programs available that can help plan out the school day. Many states are beginning to require hour logs, so a software program makes compliance very simple.
If you do not use this type of software you will have to resort to using basic spreadsheets, or, even worse, nothing at all. Using this type of homeschool software will save hours of tedious planning and record keeping, and free up more time to work with your child.
The scheduling function of these software programs will help keep both you and your child on task. You can spend some time planning out the entire month and edit it along the way if necessary. If you like you can set the programs up to track each specific assignment, which is a great way to ensure you child is getting everything done they need to be doing.
As you learn how to use the software better you can adjust the schedule on the fly, depending on the needs of your child. It really puts things into perspective and will help ensure you fit everything in that needs to be studied. You will no longer need to be stressed about forgetting something, and will be able to stay on task and focused. It is also a great way to see exactly when you can take breaks and spend some time having fun with your kid.
Homeschool planning software is a very powerful tool for the home educator. Not only will it save you time, energy, and stress, but it will also keep your child focused on tasks and goals. Using this type of software creates a win-win situation for both parent and child.
Posted by Geo.
One of the issues that many homeschooling parents disagree on is the structure of the education. Some believe in a rigid organization that resembles the structure of public and private schools. Others believe in a form of free flow education, where the child's interests and strengths are target as soon as they are noticed. Neither of these is the "correct" way to do things, it all depends on your child's needs and your skills as an educator.
The more organized group believes that a structure similar to regular schools best suits a child's needs. They do not want to stray too far from what their kid's friends are doing, or how they grew up with school. There is a lot of merit with this idea, but it can be very difficult to stay organized when using this method.
This is where homeschool planning software comes to the rescue. There are now very sophisticated software programs available that can help plan out the school day. Many states are beginning to require hour logs, so a software program makes compliance very simple.
If you do not use this type of software you will have to resort to using basic spreadsheets, or, even worse, nothing at all. Using this type of homeschool software will save hours of tedious planning and record keeping, and free up more time to work with your child.
The scheduling function of these software programs will help keep both you and your child on task. You can spend some time planning out the entire month and edit it along the way if necessary. If you like you can set the programs up to track each specific assignment, which is a great way to ensure you child is getting everything done they need to be doing.
As you learn how to use the software better you can adjust the schedule on the fly, depending on the needs of your child. It really puts things into perspective and will help ensure you fit everything in that needs to be studied. You will no longer need to be stressed about forgetting something, and will be able to stay on task and focused. It is also a great way to see exactly when you can take breaks and spend some time having fun with your kid.
Homeschool planning software is a very powerful tool for the home educator. Not only will it save you time, energy, and stress, but it will also keep your child focused on tasks and goals. Using this type of software creates a win-win situation for both parent and child.
Posted by Geo.
The Advantages of Online Homeschool Software
If homeschooling means not going to school everyday, this does not mean that a kid that's homeschooled shouldn't access resources other kids do such as computer software, sports, field trips or other extra-curricular activities. Learning is the same, no matter what method grown-ups are using to educate their children.
A parent who takes care of his children's education is not alone in this enterprise: there are many publishing houses and software developers who provide textbooks, homeschooling curricula or other teaching aids such as educational or management software. Smart parents always try to obtain as much help as they can, in order to offer their kids a complete and enjoyable learning experience, in line with their curiosity and with their power of understanding.
When it comes to homeschooling software, there are several categories of computer programs, depending on their purpose. There is software for lessons planning, software for progress tracking and evaluation, and interactive educational software. A separate category consists of online courses which are usually offered inside membership websites, where students have access to a wide range of resources, from textbooks, audio books or newsletters to testing grids and discussion boards where they can interact with other students in their learning process.
The planning and management software is useful for the parents, helping them to get organized without spending a huge amount of time with this. By using such software, the parent will dedicate less time to the teaching process management, thus being able to allocate more time for teaching and for free discussions with the child. Some examples of this kind of software programs are HomeSchool Minder or Mind Kind Way.
If the parent's task can be easier with the homeschooling management software help, the children's life can also become easier with the help of dedicated computer programs for learning various sciences such as chemistry, math, astrology, astronomy, language or geography. Such programs are very similar to computer games, therefore being very attractive for the kids. However, parents should be careful to balance this kind of activity with a good deal of time spent away from the computer, as it is known that staring into the computer screen for long hours on daily basis can be detrimental to a child's health. You need to make sure you protect their eyes, so you'd better consult a doctor to see if your kid needs vision glasses or those special anti-reflex lenses that are made specially for people who have to use computers a lot every day.
If homeschooling means not going to school everyday, this does not mean that a kid that's homeschooled shouldn't access resources other kids do such as computer software, sports, field trips or other extra-curricular activities. Learning is the same, no matter what method grown-ups are using to educate their children.
A parent who takes care of his children's education is not alone in this enterprise: there are many publishing houses and software developers who provide textbooks, homeschooling curricula or other teaching aids such as educational or management software. Smart parents always try to obtain as much help as they can, in order to offer their kids a complete and enjoyable learning experience, in line with their curiosity and with their power of understanding.
When it comes to homeschooling software, there are several categories of computer programs, depending on their purpose. There is software for lessons planning, software for progress tracking and evaluation, and interactive educational software. A separate category consists of online courses which are usually offered inside membership websites, where students have access to a wide range of resources, from textbooks, audio books or newsletters to testing grids and discussion boards where they can interact with other students in their learning process.
The planning and management software is useful for the parents, helping them to get organized without spending a huge amount of time with this. By using such software, the parent will dedicate less time to the teaching process management, thus being able to allocate more time for teaching and for free discussions with the child. Some examples of this kind of software programs are HomeSchool Minder or Mind Kind Way.
If the parent's task can be easier with the homeschooling management software help, the children's life can also become easier with the help of dedicated computer programs for learning various sciences such as chemistry, math, astrology, astronomy, language or geography. Such programs are very similar to computer games, therefore being very attractive for the kids. However, parents should be careful to balance this kind of activity with a good deal of time spent away from the computer, as it is known that staring into the computer screen for long hours on daily basis can be detrimental to a child's health. You need to make sure you protect their eyes, so you'd better consult a doctor to see if your kid needs vision glasses or those special anti-reflex lenses that are made specially for people who have to use computers a lot every day.
Online Homeschool Curriculum - It Just Might Be
What Your Child Needs!
Is your child always eager to get on the computer? Does your child find it hard to sit at a desk and read and write? Is your child easily bored? Then you might want to consider adopting Online Homeschool Curriculum for your child's educational needs.
An innovative, interactive experience for your child, online homeschool curriculum involves web based instruction which avoids the cost and problems associated with textbooks. There are only a few textbooks required for a few specialized courses.
Two of the leaders in the field are Global Student Network and Time4Learning. Global offers audio which allows the computer to read to your child and listen to media content in lessons. Both providers promise an interactive experience for your child.
As the number of children being homeschooled continues to rise, part of the attraction for parents is the number and quality of innovative teaching strategies. Online Homeschool Curriculum allows instruction to be tailor-made for the needs of your specific child. Because lessons are web based, they can be repeated as often as necessary to promote your child's understanding and retention of the subject matter. Most importantly, this strategy gets your child involved in the educational experience. Your child is no longer a passive consumer but an active participant.
This interactive dimension of homeschooling is critical for today's active children who tend to be more technology savvy than their parents. And for parents, there are cost advantages and record keeping advantages which frees parents to devote more time to teaching, especially for those parents who homeschool more than one child. Here, all children receive the individual attention they need.
Why not check out this innovative homeschool curriculum? Some providers allow you to test drive their services. Your child will thank you time and again.
|
If you would like more information about college and the
online homeschool curriculum
as well as general information on homeschooling, please visit
http://homeschoolingbasics.info
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Rodriguez |
Homeschool Articles
Below I have compiled a list of articles that I thought might be of interest to you concerning homeschooling. If you should come upon an article that strikes you as being particularly relevent please let me know. We are in this together for the betterment of our kids, and one thing helps one more person then we are all further ahead!
Thanks,
Dan
Thanks,
Dan
HOMESCHOOL SOFTWARE CONNECTION
The Future Of Education Is Here.
Bringing You the Best Educational Resources, Games, Information, and Directories Available.
Taking Charge - Larry and Susan Kaseman
How Will Virtual Schools Effect Homeschooling?
Virtual courses and degree programs are becoming increasingly available through the Internet. This column will consider how they will affect American education in general and homeschooling in particular and how we can respond.
What are virtual courses and virtual schools? Technically anything a person learns from or by means of a computer could be called "virtual learning." However, this column will focus on organized courses offered on the Internet, usually for credit. (The amount of information one can gather by surfing the Net and visiting web sites will not be discussed.) The term "virtual schools" as used in this column refers to programs that offer a range of virtual courses, sometimes organized into curriculums and sometimes offering credit and even high school and college diplomas. Some virtual schools are sponsored or subsidized by states, some are a part of existing private schools or colleges, and some are run by for-profit companies. Public schools may try to minimize the number of students they lose to virtual schools by offering virtual courses themselves. Students would enroll in their local public school, select from approved virtual courses and complete the course work either on computers at school or at home (perhaps with the school even supplying the computer and a voucher for course tuition). Students would prove that they had completed the course by taking a test or in some other way. The school would grant course credit and eventually a high school diploma. Public schools could also allow students to combine conventional courses with virtual courses. (For examples of state-sponsored virtual courses that are already available, see www.cosc.k12.co.us and www.dcs.k12.ak.us:8001.) Virtual courses vary widely.
* Some are quite conventional; others are innovative.
* Some are limited primarily to reading and written responses, much like conventional correspondence courses. Others offer interaction among the teacher and students through chat rooms, email, or a dedicated listserv. A few have limited real time voice conversations, sometimes accompanied by a picture of the speaker (assuming everyone involved has a sufficiently sophisticated hardware and software).
* Some courses are unscheduled; students may work on them whenever they choose. Some are scheduled, including those with real time interaction among students and teacher.
* Some are free to people for whom they are intended (such as residents of the state which is sponsoring them); others are fairly expensive.
How will virtual courses and schools affect American education in general? Here are some of the ways in which virtual courses and schools are likely to affect education in America.
* Opportunity : Virtual courses will give many students (including homeschoolers) increased opportunities to study with teachers anywhere in the world on any topic being taught on the Internet. Public schools will undoubtedly use virtual courses to supplement what they can offer in real classrooms. In addition, unscheduled courses will allow students to work at their own pace and according to their own schedule, so conventional schools could use them to offer more individualized programs for students.
* Limitations imposed by the medium : Material is presented to students via a computer monitor. Therefore, it will have to be formatted linearly, flat, and primarily visually. Students and on-sight supervisors will have to be responsible for any hands-on activities. Immediate interaction among teacher and students will be very limited or non-existent. Obviously, some subject matter is much more easily conveyed through computers than others. Also, subtle but very important elements like the teacher's warmth and enthusiasm will decrease dramatically.
* Dehumanization : Virtual courses give students much less opportunity for human interaction than do real classes. Also, a growing body of literature documents the detrimental mental and social effects of use of television and monitors. Ideas presented by Jerry Mander in Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television are being furthered by articles such as "Strangers in Our Homes: TV and Our Children's Minds," by Susan R. Johnson (available at http://sooth.com/a/johnson.html).
* Undermining public schools : If a significant number of students choose virtual schools over public schools, the power, authority, and prestige of public schools will decrease. Public school officials who become concerned about the growth of virtual schools will probably try to control them in conventional ways, such as limiting the credits students may earn through virtual schools and controlling the process by which virtual schools are accredited.
* Increased government control of education : In a real classroom, the teacher can know fairly well what is going on, who is paying attention, who seems to be grasping the material presented, and who needs extra help or motivation. Grades can be based on class participation as well as written work and tests. However, in virtual courses, grades will be based primarily on test scores, with written assignments sometimes included. Since many schools already administer state-mandated tests to their students, it is reasonable to assume that virtual schools will use them as well, at least part of the time. The more any educational program relies on state-mandated testing, the greater opportunity the state has to control that program. And since courses need to cover material that is on the tests so students will be prepared for them, a state that controls tests also controls curriculum.
* Increased standardization of education : Virtual courses are likely to focus on national educational standards developed as part of Goals 2000, especially since the Internet has no state (or national) boundaries. Therefore, most virtual courses would adhere to the standards, values, and beliefs chosen by the federal government. Our society would be moving closer to uniform education which would undermine the diversity in education that is necessary to maintain freedom of thought and a free society.
* Increased surveillance of students : The state will want to develop ways to ensure that students actually do required course work and spend enough time on task to meet the requirements of compulsory school attendance laws. (Some programs require that students check in at intervals; other use web cameras to take attendance and ensure that students do their own work.) Also, security measures will be needed to ensure that work that students submit is their own and not copied from another student or written by someone else. How will studying in an atmosphere of distrust affect students and their learning?
* Increased emphasis on accreditation : Parents, students, employers, and others will want virtual schools to be accredited to be assured that courses are thorough and accurate. At present accreditation is being done by several general accrediting organizations and three that specialize in virtual schools. Accreditation of real schools is based primarily on (1) credentials of teachers and administrators, (2) budget, facilities available, size of library, etc.; and (3) performance of students on standardized tests. Obviously, for virtual schools, the emphasis will be on testing.
* Increased opportunities for large corporations to control education : Corporations are likely to support virtual schools as an easy, inexpensive, accessible means by which many people can be trained to do the kind of jobs corporations want them to do. Since large corporations have a strong influence on government, virtual schools provide an easy means by which corporations could increase their control over education, in part through the accreditation process. Also, the Internet is subject to regulation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), both of which are also strongly influenced by large corporations. (Just think about corporations like Disney gaining greater control over American education!)
Why should we homeschoolers pay attention to developments in virtual courses and virtual schools?
* Homeschooling families find virtual courses a helpful learning resource , especially for advanced or esoteric areas of study. Also, virtual schools offer a way to earn official high school and college credit and sometimes even diplomas at home.
* Public school officials who are concerned about virtual schools often link virtual schools with homeschooling. Concerned officials will probably work to regulate not just virtual schools themselves but anyone who might be free to use them as a substitute for conventional schools, which would lead to increased regulation of all homeschoolers.
* The general public's expectations of homeschoolers are influenced by what is the norm in conventional schools. If conventional schools begin relying more on virtual courses, the public will assume that homeschoolers are or should be using them.
If schools rely even more on testing to measure students' learning, there will be more pressure to require increased testing of homeschoolers.
* For obvious reasons, many people will assume that people who spend most or all of their "school time" at home taking virtual courses should be called "homeschoolers."
This means there would be yet another group of people referred to as homeschoolers. In addition, states that require homeschoolers to register with the state or report their enrollment to the state will need to require that "virtual schoolers" do the same, so that the compulsory school attendance law can be enforced. Otherwise, anyone charged with truancy could simply say, "Oh, I'm a virtual schooler."
This raises two concerns. First, students who enroll in a public school for virtual schooling should not be considered homeschoolers, for reasons explained in the previous "Taking Charge" column (HEM, Sept-Oct, 2000, pp. 16-19. homeedmag.com/HEM/175.tch.html).
Second, school officials and the general public may feel that these "virtual homeschoolers" need to be monitored, regulated, and evaluated by school officials, especially if schools begin to feel threatened by virtual schools. Homeschoolers who are not relying primarily on virtual courses would get caught in the web of regulation intended to control virtual schools. It would not make sense and we would not want to try to maintain our homeschooling freedoms by suggesting that the state regulate homeschools that use virtual courses but not those who do not use such courses, because virtual courses are viewed as a valuable resource for homeschoolers.
What We Can Do We can plan now for ways we can respond when public school officials, legislators, or others suggest that regulation of homeschooling should be increased so that people don't claim to be virtual schoolers but do nothing to get an adequate education. If we are prepared and respond quickly when this idea first surfaces, perhaps we may be able to convince school officials that increasing state regulation of homeschooling is NOT the way to deal with the threat they see coming from virtual schools. Among the points we can make: * Homeschooling is working well. Although some homeschoolers are using virtual courses, evidence has not been presented that increased regulation of homeschooling is needed. "If it's not broken, don't fix it." * Increased regulation of homeschooling would inevitably force homeschools to become more like conventional schools, so their children could pass state required tests or meet whatever other requirements the state devised. This would undermine the many homeschools that are working well because they provide an alternative to conventional schools. "Don't mess with success." * The government has used two main justifications for its involvement in schools. The first is its need to be accountable to the taxpayers for the way tax money is spent. However, as long as homeschools are not receiving tax money (as vouchers, tax credits, etc.), this does not apply to homeschoolers. The second justification is that the state has the right to ensure that citizens do not become a burden on the state. Since evidence is lacking that homeschoolers are growing up to be wards of the state, this justification does not apply to the increased regulation of homeschoolers either. * Instead of trying to control virtual schools by increasing state regulation of homeschools, public schools could reduce their emphasis on standardized testing and learn from homeschoolers how important positive human interaction and experience in the real world are to children's learning.
Conclusion It is worth our while as homeschoolers to pay attention to the virtual school movement as it unfolds. If it takes off, it will change American education in ways that will influence everyone, including homeschoolers. It could lead to increased state and federal regulation of homeschoolers. © 2000 Larry and Susan Kaseman Larry and Susan Kaseman have been learning through homeschooling with their four children since 1979. They are the authors of Taking Charge Through Homeschooling: Personal and Political Empowerment. © 2000, Larry and Susan Kaseman
What are virtual courses and virtual schools? Technically anything a person learns from or by means of a computer could be called "virtual learning." However, this column will focus on organized courses offered on the Internet, usually for credit. (The amount of information one can gather by surfing the Net and visiting web sites will not be discussed.) The term "virtual schools" as used in this column refers to programs that offer a range of virtual courses, sometimes organized into curriculums and sometimes offering credit and even high school and college diplomas. Some virtual schools are sponsored or subsidized by states, some are a part of existing private schools or colleges, and some are run by for-profit companies. Public schools may try to minimize the number of students they lose to virtual schools by offering virtual courses themselves. Students would enroll in their local public school, select from approved virtual courses and complete the course work either on computers at school or at home (perhaps with the school even supplying the computer and a voucher for course tuition). Students would prove that they had completed the course by taking a test or in some other way. The school would grant course credit and eventually a high school diploma. Public schools could also allow students to combine conventional courses with virtual courses. (For examples of state-sponsored virtual courses that are already available, see www.cosc.k12.co.us and www.dcs.k12.ak.us:8001.) Virtual courses vary widely.
* Some are quite conventional; others are innovative.
* Some are limited primarily to reading and written responses, much like conventional correspondence courses. Others offer interaction among the teacher and students through chat rooms, email, or a dedicated listserv. A few have limited real time voice conversations, sometimes accompanied by a picture of the speaker (assuming everyone involved has a sufficiently sophisticated hardware and software).
* Some courses are unscheduled; students may work on them whenever they choose. Some are scheduled, including those with real time interaction among students and teacher.
* Some are free to people for whom they are intended (such as residents of the state which is sponsoring them); others are fairly expensive.
How will virtual courses and schools affect American education in general? Here are some of the ways in which virtual courses and schools are likely to affect education in America.
* Opportunity : Virtual courses will give many students (including homeschoolers) increased opportunities to study with teachers anywhere in the world on any topic being taught on the Internet. Public schools will undoubtedly use virtual courses to supplement what they can offer in real classrooms. In addition, unscheduled courses will allow students to work at their own pace and according to their own schedule, so conventional schools could use them to offer more individualized programs for students.
* Limitations imposed by the medium : Material is presented to students via a computer monitor. Therefore, it will have to be formatted linearly, flat, and primarily visually. Students and on-sight supervisors will have to be responsible for any hands-on activities. Immediate interaction among teacher and students will be very limited or non-existent. Obviously, some subject matter is much more easily conveyed through computers than others. Also, subtle but very important elements like the teacher's warmth and enthusiasm will decrease dramatically.
* Dehumanization : Virtual courses give students much less opportunity for human interaction than do real classes. Also, a growing body of literature documents the detrimental mental and social effects of use of television and monitors. Ideas presented by Jerry Mander in Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television are being furthered by articles such as "Strangers in Our Homes: TV and Our Children's Minds," by Susan R. Johnson (available at http://sooth.com/a/johnson.html).
* Undermining public schools : If a significant number of students choose virtual schools over public schools, the power, authority, and prestige of public schools will decrease. Public school officials who become concerned about the growth of virtual schools will probably try to control them in conventional ways, such as limiting the credits students may earn through virtual schools and controlling the process by which virtual schools are accredited.
* Increased government control of education : In a real classroom, the teacher can know fairly well what is going on, who is paying attention, who seems to be grasping the material presented, and who needs extra help or motivation. Grades can be based on class participation as well as written work and tests. However, in virtual courses, grades will be based primarily on test scores, with written assignments sometimes included. Since many schools already administer state-mandated tests to their students, it is reasonable to assume that virtual schools will use them as well, at least part of the time. The more any educational program relies on state-mandated testing, the greater opportunity the state has to control that program. And since courses need to cover material that is on the tests so students will be prepared for them, a state that controls tests also controls curriculum.
* Increased standardization of education : Virtual courses are likely to focus on national educational standards developed as part of Goals 2000, especially since the Internet has no state (or national) boundaries. Therefore, most virtual courses would adhere to the standards, values, and beliefs chosen by the federal government. Our society would be moving closer to uniform education which would undermine the diversity in education that is necessary to maintain freedom of thought and a free society.
* Increased surveillance of students : The state will want to develop ways to ensure that students actually do required course work and spend enough time on task to meet the requirements of compulsory school attendance laws. (Some programs require that students check in at intervals; other use web cameras to take attendance and ensure that students do their own work.) Also, security measures will be needed to ensure that work that students submit is their own and not copied from another student or written by someone else. How will studying in an atmosphere of distrust affect students and their learning?
* Increased emphasis on accreditation : Parents, students, employers, and others will want virtual schools to be accredited to be assured that courses are thorough and accurate. At present accreditation is being done by several general accrediting organizations and three that specialize in virtual schools. Accreditation of real schools is based primarily on (1) credentials of teachers and administrators, (2) budget, facilities available, size of library, etc.; and (3) performance of students on standardized tests. Obviously, for virtual schools, the emphasis will be on testing.
* Increased opportunities for large corporations to control education : Corporations are likely to support virtual schools as an easy, inexpensive, accessible means by which many people can be trained to do the kind of jobs corporations want them to do. Since large corporations have a strong influence on government, virtual schools provide an easy means by which corporations could increase their control over education, in part through the accreditation process. Also, the Internet is subject to regulation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), both of which are also strongly influenced by large corporations. (Just think about corporations like Disney gaining greater control over American education!)
Why should we homeschoolers pay attention to developments in virtual courses and virtual schools?
* Homeschooling families find virtual courses a helpful learning resource , especially for advanced or esoteric areas of study. Also, virtual schools offer a way to earn official high school and college credit and sometimes even diplomas at home.
* Public school officials who are concerned about virtual schools often link virtual schools with homeschooling. Concerned officials will probably work to regulate not just virtual schools themselves but anyone who might be free to use them as a substitute for conventional schools, which would lead to increased regulation of all homeschoolers.
* The general public's expectations of homeschoolers are influenced by what is the norm in conventional schools. If conventional schools begin relying more on virtual courses, the public will assume that homeschoolers are or should be using them.
If schools rely even more on testing to measure students' learning, there will be more pressure to require increased testing of homeschoolers.
* For obvious reasons, many people will assume that people who spend most or all of their "school time" at home taking virtual courses should be called "homeschoolers."
This means there would be yet another group of people referred to as homeschoolers. In addition, states that require homeschoolers to register with the state or report their enrollment to the state will need to require that "virtual schoolers" do the same, so that the compulsory school attendance law can be enforced. Otherwise, anyone charged with truancy could simply say, "Oh, I'm a virtual schooler."
This raises two concerns. First, students who enroll in a public school for virtual schooling should not be considered homeschoolers, for reasons explained in the previous "Taking Charge" column (HEM, Sept-Oct, 2000, pp. 16-19. homeedmag.com/HEM/175.tch.html).
Second, school officials and the general public may feel that these "virtual homeschoolers" need to be monitored, regulated, and evaluated by school officials, especially if schools begin to feel threatened by virtual schools. Homeschoolers who are not relying primarily on virtual courses would get caught in the web of regulation intended to control virtual schools. It would not make sense and we would not want to try to maintain our homeschooling freedoms by suggesting that the state regulate homeschools that use virtual courses but not those who do not use such courses, because virtual courses are viewed as a valuable resource for homeschoolers.
What We Can Do We can plan now for ways we can respond when public school officials, legislators, or others suggest that regulation of homeschooling should be increased so that people don't claim to be virtual schoolers but do nothing to get an adequate education. If we are prepared and respond quickly when this idea first surfaces, perhaps we may be able to convince school officials that increasing state regulation of homeschooling is NOT the way to deal with the threat they see coming from virtual schools. Among the points we can make: * Homeschooling is working well. Although some homeschoolers are using virtual courses, evidence has not been presented that increased regulation of homeschooling is needed. "If it's not broken, don't fix it." * Increased regulation of homeschooling would inevitably force homeschools to become more like conventional schools, so their children could pass state required tests or meet whatever other requirements the state devised. This would undermine the many homeschools that are working well because they provide an alternative to conventional schools. "Don't mess with success." * The government has used two main justifications for its involvement in schools. The first is its need to be accountable to the taxpayers for the way tax money is spent. However, as long as homeschools are not receiving tax money (as vouchers, tax credits, etc.), this does not apply to homeschoolers. The second justification is that the state has the right to ensure that citizens do not become a burden on the state. Since evidence is lacking that homeschoolers are growing up to be wards of the state, this justification does not apply to the increased regulation of homeschoolers either. * Instead of trying to control virtual schools by increasing state regulation of homeschools, public schools could reduce their emphasis on standardized testing and learn from homeschoolers how important positive human interaction and experience in the real world are to children's learning.
Conclusion It is worth our while as homeschoolers to pay attention to the virtual school movement as it unfolds. If it takes off, it will change American education in ways that will influence everyone, including homeschoolers. It could lead to increased state and federal regulation of homeschoolers. © 2000 Larry and Susan Kaseman Larry and Susan Kaseman have been learning through homeschooling with their four children since 1979. They are the authors of Taking Charge Through Homeschooling: Personal and Political Empowerment. © 2000, Larry and Susan Kaseman
