Monday, October 13, 2008
Chapter 9
What are your feelings on Sleight’s prophetic comments from 1980—“It may be that children won’t attend schools at all, but attend classes in their homes, taking lessons through the computer with the teacher talking to them through a video image?” What implications do you think this would have for student learning and achievement?
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37 comments:
While the concept of a virtual school are exciting to contemplate, as an educator I would be concerned with the lack of teacher/student interraction and student/student interraction. Obviously, students and teachers would have interraction in the virtual world; however, there is a human need for interpersonal contact and face-to-face group discussion that is somewhat lost via a computer screen. Of course, technology will provide a wonderful source for instruction. It would just seem prudent to maintain a process for face-to-face interraction during the learning process.
This mode of instruction and learning could be appropriate, assuming the participating students will never be expected to function independently in society. In order to best foster relationships and collaboration that will benefit students in the workforce, the classroom is an integral part of such learning.
Students learn much more than the required curricula when they attend school. Students learn how to work individually, work in groups, in various settings, with or without distractions, communicate, problem solve, etc. Students benefit by being part of a “school community.” However, I do like the idea of virtual classes for students that want to take subjects that are not offered at their home schools or for college students. For example: Last year, a French teacher at my school was on maternity leave for an extended period of time. Her students were not receiving proper instruction from her long term substitute. (As you can imagine it is very difficult to find a substitute that can teach the 1st four years of French) The French teacher was able to have her students attend virtual classes in French. During her absence, her students were able to continue their French education. Overall, I believe students will receive a better education if they are a part of the whole school community.
In regards to how much I have learnered about technology, it seems kind of exciting but then other questions come up for me. I think about things like the technological advancement of teachers. Although I am a counselor, I am not the most technologically advanced person on the face of the earth and therefore I can only assume that there are teachers out there that are in the same boat I am in. I also worry about the interaction between studetns and teachers and for that matter the interaction between students and counselors. If studetns are not going to school, are they going to make an effort to see a counselor should they need one. Also, it seems that more and more, we are relying on the virtual world and in many ways it is wonderful but in the world of texting,email, virtual classes, blogging, wikis, AOL/IM, are we losing the ability to comminicate with each other in the real world as opposed to the virtual world. I think actual school allows children to create relationships and learn how to speak to each other and many more things. There is something to be said for simple face-to-face comminication that seems to be dying a slow death. I also worry about cheating in the virtual world. How would this be monitored. Is there a foul proof way to now that students are not cheating in the virtual world.
I think it's crucial for teachers to develop and continually improve their ability to diagnose and prescribe, much the same as physicians do. It's our ability to assess student needs (social and emotional, as well as cognitive) and plan/implement effective educational experiences tailored to those specific needs that will forever distinguish us from computers. If we lose that ability and become delivery systems for rote learning, then we will ensure our obsolesence, because computers can deliver that kind of instruction more effectively and efficiently.
I think that virtual classes can be beneficial to some students, especially those who may not have the same level of course availability as students at other schools. I also believe that a classroom teacher's role in instruction is critical to student learning and achievement. Classroom teachers are constantly assessing and readjusting their instruction based on student needs and to lose this part of the instruction could truly be a detriment to students. I also believe that teachers are able to foster relationships with their students and teach lessons that go beyond the prescribed course requirements and without those relationships many students are not gaining knowledge about how to be successful, productive citizens.
Whereas virtual classes may be beneficial under certain circumstances, like Jonathan, I fear that student achievement would suffer due to a lack of contact with a live teacher who can diagnose and focus instruction on individual needs. After years of developing and providing differentiated instruction to meet the needs of every child, it seems we would be in danger of moving backward to a time when one size was thought to fit all.
As an advocate for differentiation and knowing the reality that it may not be possible for a student to take a class they are qualified for (based on limited resources), I believe distance/virtual classes are often appropriate. In addition to the computer lessons/courses, I believe the active students must have teacher and peer interaction either related to the content or not. I also believe the student(s) should have a "live" teacher nearby as a resource when necessary.
I think it would be very sad for a student to participate unwillingly and/or for majority of the school day or for more than one year in a row.
Willing, responsible, and/or independent-learners will likely be very successful and acheive beyond the standard.
Like most of the other comments, I feel that in certain situations, virtual learning has its advantages. Students are able to take classes through the internet, that were not available before, but I feel there is a need for students to be in a traditional classroom. Social interactions, body language, and life, is a shared experience through the daily interactions with your classmates.
I have a son who takes math online, by himself. He is being challenged academically and he still has interaction with a teacher everyday but it is not something I think would be accepted if every class was this way, and I would not want him to miss the other learning opportunities that happen at school with other children.
Clay Moran
The fact that we have the technology for this is absolutely amazing, yet as Terri and Rosalin point out the interaction with teachers and peers is an essential component of education. It is crucial for students to learn to work with others in order to prepare for college or the workforce. I believe for some students in certain curricular areas it would be appropriate, but not for one's total education. I especially see its benefit in small rural schools where a wider variety of classes can't be offered.
Technology is a tool, and that is all it is. In the hands of a trained and energetic educator it can be used to extend the learning process by allowing the student to take control of a portion of their own ability to learn. In the wrong hands it is a waste of instructional time and resources. Inappropriate use of technology builds bad habits for both the teacher and student, creates unobtainable/unrealistic expectations of what can be accomplished by incorporating technology into a lesson, and seems to elevate the image of instructional technology as a bandaid for poor instruction (a smoke and mirrors effect). An appropriate use of technology serves as an effective resource in many classrooms by: connecting effectively taught material to real-world scenarios, allowing certain (not all) learning styles to flourish, and allowing self-paced, tiered instruction which individualized to the student to ensure greater opportunities for success.
While I believe that there are advantages to this format in terms of convenience, however I feel like as others have stated that the personal interaction is lost. There is so much that we can learn from each other that it only makes sense to continue to meet in a face to face format. I feel that as a student, I learn more from going to the classroom and having the interaction among my colleagues. Technology is nice but the personal touch is best.
Technology is certainly changing the way we do things. The best part of the teaching/learning experience is the face-to-face interaction that takes place inside the school building. There's nothing more rewarding than seeing a child show happiness and success because he/she learned something new. To see students interacting and collaborating in small groups is also an awesome part of the learning process. Fostering these relationships and being able to interact with others are vital parts of learning and growing. Virtual classes would be convenient and have much to offer, but it is the positive human interaction that we need to be productive members of society.
I agree with the many statements that the development of realationships and learning how to function in the real world are essential to education. However, I fear that the Jetsons (cartoon) like days may be more closely ahead than I'd like to admit. Already many students have dropped public school and are attending school on line. This opportunity does provide some students who would otherwise not graduate with access to education, but I feel that they are lacking a large portion of what makes school so great. I love technology and love to use the internet to provide interactive activities for my students, but I also love teaching them and working one on one with them in person.
For some students, online schooling would be very beneficial and effective. At the same time, we have to keep in mind that not all students learn the same way. Some students need to have that interaction and motivation that teachers provide. I teach 8th grade and I feel some days I have to give more "pep talks" than Frank Beamer. Teachers make a huge difference in the success of some students.
Not to get too off topic, technology will and is changing the way that students learn and teachers teach. The greatest thing about it is that it is a new resource that we can use to hopefully reach those students who can learn using that technology. Hopefully it won't become the only resource that we have.
I feel that this would not affect what the children were learning or expected to learn. I do feel that children benefit from getting to know the teacher and having different styles available for learning. I certainly feel that children benefit from teachers getting to know them. Teachers learn what children respond to different kinds of teaching and how student learn. Teachers also know home lives and what will be taken care, etc. I feel that virtual teaching has a place but not in 100% in education on a K-12 level.
I agree with Amanda...in a world full of different students, we need to be able to meet their needs and challenge them intellectually. I think virtual schools are one way to do this. I think most of us feel that we would miss the student interaction or "voice" from the teacher, but when you talk to students about their on line courses....they hear this voice in a different way. They believe they are communicating and have dialog. It is amazing the options that are already out there for students. I am anxious to see some of them move to the middle school level. I also believe that with more on-line courses....we will also use more advanced technology in schools(cameras, etc.) and those that need to see the teacher and hear podcasts will benefit. This may bring the medium more in line with all learning styles.
The idea of virtual schools is an interesting one that provides students to be accountable for their own education. However, I believe that it takes a very mature, disciplined student to receive instruction through the use of a computer. Also students miss out on a lot of opportunities to resolve conflicts when dealing with a group and developing their communication skills. The students also miss out on the community feel of the school and classroom with delivery model. I also think that it is very hard to differentiate instruction with this model because you are not as aware of your students’ needs. This also poses problems when assess and planning their experiences. I feel that it is important that we implement technology into our instruction, but do not rely on it as the only means.
While virtual schools can be an exciting and innovative instructional tool, I do not think that it can effectively replace the classroom or schools in general. I agree with Terri in that students would miss the opportunities that face-to-face teacher/student interactionws offer. They would also miss the collaborative benefits that come through students interacting with one another, an essential component of the learning process.
I agree with Jennifer. That school is more than just learning facts. I would also be concerned with who was doing the work. As an elementary teacher too many times I see parents doing the work for the students. With NCLB who would be held responsible.
I will have to agree with others in that learning from a computer is not the best learning environment for all students. I think it would be very good for learning facts, but I think that students need interaction from others to help with learning. I think students learn from others and they need to learn to develop positive relationships with others. Also, interacting with others is helpful with life in general. Regardless of how far we go with technology, students still need to learn to interact with others.
Having taught a virtual high school class offered throughout the state of Virginia, I feel that there are both good and bad things that are experienced by the students and the teacher. The good: a virtual course allows students without such a resource at his/her school to experience it. Plus, the student can progress at his/her own pace. The bad: The course is not very forgiving for students that don't grasp concepts easily. Also, I never could figure out how the students started making 100's on the on-line tests, when they were multiple choice and scored on-line. Which reminds me - grownups are usually always behind the technology eight-ball.
Whereas there are definitely economic and educational advantages associated with virtual classrooms, there are also limitations. One major concern that I have is that the virtual classroom is not always available to all students. Students with learning differences, such as the hearing impaired or sight impaired, may find the virtual classroom inaccessible.
Students need to interact with others including their peers, teachers, and the community. I believe that the student who learns through only electronic means would lack need social skills for working with other humans. I also feel that a virtual school would deprive the student of meaningful life events like graduation, prom, clubs, athletics, etc. While virtual education might offer more choices and flexibility, it is important to consider the fact that school is more than education.
One of my best friends said to me during my first week of college that I should never let "school" interfere with "college". Within a few weeks, I understood.
The social impact of attending school should not be overlooked. However, as we continue to move into an increasingly digital world we need to give students opportunities to take classes via distance learning, etc to prepare them for the future, particulary higher education. Currently we have a few students in sixth or seventh grade that are ready for algebra one, and we are planning to have some sort of online/mixed model class for them, instead of in class differentiation.
Students will have classes that better meet their needs, but they will lose that social interaction of learning. However, it will provide them more resources and better prepare them for future learning.
I am a strong advocate of both technology and the social interaction that is provided by attending classes. Therefore the possibility of students not attending classes and instead relying on technology is quite perplexing!
I think technology is a fabulous tool for classroom use, but should not be the only instructional tool. While some students would perform quite well in a digital environment, there would undoubtedly be some to struggle. As the old addage says, everything in moderation.
I don't forsee this as becoming the norm any time in near future and most likely never for all student. However, I do believe it to be a valid and valuable option for many today. This concept requires a high degree of self motivation or a strong home support base in order to work. I presently know of two students (high school level)who are completing their education through virtual school and love it. One chose this route due to a school environment that was detrimental to her safety and now she is performing with a high levelof excellence. The other chose the route because she wanted to accelerate and move at her own pace. I don't think this will truly every replace the classroom for all because of the lack of resources.,
This idea of virtual classrooms concerns me somewhat because I feel that students need that personal connection with their teachers and classmates. They need to be invovled in discussions and see people face to face. I think it would harm students socially becasue they would not know how to work with or relate to other people if all they see is a name on a screen or a picture.
The idea of having both a virtual school and the traditional school as a combination would not be bad, but straight virtual would be detrimental to many students who need the social and emotional aspects that traditional education affords. As educators in a classroom with students we have the ability to recognize and act on immediately. Students need a safe harbor and school is the place. Students always know the teachers in a building to talk to when something is wrong at home or school. Our children deserve this safe harbor that goes beyond academics and envelops the social, emotional, and physical realm a child faces on a daily basis.
I believe that virtual instruction is a great opportunity for highly motivated students. Unfortunately, the majority of students I work with would not succeed. They need much more support than is available with online instruction. I am also concerned with the lack of personal interaction. As an educator it is our responsibility to teach children how to be viable members of society which cannot be done "in a vacuum."
I think the availabiltiy of virtual schools could be important to some students, such as those medically unable to attend school, however I feel that most students benefit most from attending a school with other children. In this environment they not only receive instruction on basic curriculum, but are allowed interaction with various groups of students, opportunities for group problem solviing and an actual person (the teacher) to help them through educational pit falls. I fear that taking away the opportunity for children to attend school would create a society of people who cannot effectively work along side others in the real world.
I feel that we will see the same issues and problems that we see in the classroom if we transition to a society that relies on technology as its mode of transfer, as opposed to the traditional classroom. Students who are motivated and organized will meet with success in a non-traditional classroom much as they did in the traditional one. However, a classroom that requires all students to be responsible and driven independently is not realistic. Also there is the problem of providing genuine assessments for students that are not physically in front of you. Despite all the negatives, all you have to do is watch a teenager on a laptop for a few minutes to realize that what we view as socialization has changed. We can no longer discount what they consider as interacting with their peers as a form of genuine contact.
I went to school with students that were home schooled before attending public school and I also have had students that were home schooled in my Boy Scout troop. Seeing their inability to interact with other people or in large groups leads me to believe that schools are necessary to provide an interaction with peers. As far as instruction being delivered through web based learning I believe that students can learn just about as much as they could sitting in the classroom as long as the person creating the distance learning information is competent in its creation. With this being said I also believe that to create a well rounded individual school is an integral part of adolescent development.
Student learning can happen through virtual education. Some students have high achievement rates in this type of setting. It is unreasonable to think that all students can learn, grow, and achieve in this manner. Learning styles and teaching styles play into this situation. An ideal virtual class is one that meets periodic and has set live chats for instruction. Virtual Virginia students go into a supervised classroom and learn via online cam/chat. They are still interacting during their class. I also feel higher achievers mostly benefit from virtual education. Those are the self-motivated learners.
I think that statment in the 1980's would have been met with a lot of laughter and funny looks but to see it today does not surprise anyone. The way we have been moving especially in the upper grades/college level with more and more classes online, I think a virtual school is a logical next step. I have many concerns about a virtual school including teacher/student interaciton and social development but it would also have many positives as well. I think it would be hard for many teachers/educators to grasp this concept and it would be met with a lot of questions and concerns.
I think there a both pros and cons to this type of format for education. Students would benefit from working with teachers and students that are not in their immediate geographic area. These types of networking opportunites are beneficial to student learning. On the other hand, there must be a "person to person learning" aspect for children. I think students would miss out on crucial social skills needed for success.
I am not in favor of virtual classes in schools because I feel that the social interaction is so valuable for a student's overall learning. I can understand the ease and necessity in some cases, but overall, I think that you would lose some students by not having them physically in class. There would be those who would thrive but for others that lack of personal contact would hurt. Not to mention the lack of exercise that kids would get as well the trouble they could get in by being home all the time!
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