Virtual Success

Virtual Success: Transforming Education Through Online Learning
By Julie Young, Kim Birtolo, and Raven McElman

This article describes the successes of Florida Virtual School (FLVS) and the online schools' approach in general as opposed to traditional schools. FLVS advertises its accessibility to students and improved academic performance for students.

Q1: What does a virtual school offer that other schools do not?
A1: According to the example of FLVS, a virtual school has no beginning and end time, mostly just projects to work on. This allows more accessibility to students as they may "choose" their own schedule. Also, at FLVS they receive more individual attention from their teachers, which is harder to achieve in the traditional classroom. With such an interest in computers and virtual games, by making assignments and teachings online, the teachers are reaching out to their student's interests while learning. I agree that this approach to appeal to the students interests is very important for achieving student involvement.

Q2: What are some perceived difficulties with a virtual school?
A2: It would do well to look into the financial cost to run a virtual school, because it seems a more expensive option. If the cost is not covered by the state it would make these types of schools less accessible for those with lower income. Personally, I prefer face to face interaction with people and though there can be this interaction when the students need help, I think much of the social aspect of learning can be lost if the schools are not careful. The last issue I can perceive is with the parents. With a virtual school it may be harder to involve the parents in the child's learning. It may give the child a more individualized learning, but depending on the parent's knowledge, they may lose that connection with the parents. These "difficulties" are not insurmountable but should be considered along side the benefits.