Julie Young isn't a name that most educators would recognize. I don't know the names of the various principals of the other schools in Albuquerque, so why would I know the name of a woman who is dean/principal of an online school in Florida? I wouldn't, but Paul Peterson believes that although she is unknown, what she is doing at her school, the Florida Virtual School, may be the turning point for education and schools across the nation.
The Florida Virtual School (FVS) began in 1997 with only 11,500 course enrollments in 2003, but by 2008 over 116,000 courses had been completed. With this, FVS has become the moved successful Internet-based school in the nation, giving students the ability to complete all their classes on-line. While this is beneficial to some students, there are some arguments against it.
Technology is a wonderful thing and most people would agree, but what about the face-to-face interaction that students receive in a classroom? Aren't there some students who benefit from the interaction with teachers...OK, if they are good teachers. What about the discussion that happens in a classroom of other students? Isn't the idea to have well-rounded thoughts and opinions? In an on-line class, aren't these benefits lost? And the social aspect. Not everyone has a terrific time in high school. Some believe that high school is nothing but socialization and schools cater to the upper echelon: the jocks, the cheerleaders, the "cool kids". While this may be true, the social aspect can be beneficial; team sports, group projects, and extracurricular activities all help shape us into socially-capable individuals.
But, for some, an on-line education is better than a bad education, or worse yet, no education. There are students who cannot do well in a traditional school setting, and the FVS gives them an opportunity to take classes. These classes range from the core classes that students may need to graduate to electives, to AP classes that may not be offered at the local school; there is even a physical education class offered for the students. The important question is, how are the students taught?
When the school first began, the teachers were required to create their own classes, but the school soon discovered that creating an on-line curriculum is not as easy as it seems. Now, most materials are purchased from distributors and teachers can supplement with their own material if necessary. The students e-mail their teachers, and the teachers are required to call the students and parents at least once a month to make sure that they are on track; they are required to call more often if a student is struggling. Also, the students take no externally proctored exams; everything is taken on-line. Teachers can work from anywhere. The computer system logs the assignment, how many times the teacher corresponds electronically with the students, and how much time is spent viewing the students papers. The beginning salary in 2009 was $45,500. Not bad when you factor in: no gas, no running copies, and no after school duties.
So, where does the road take us? Are on-line schools the wave of the future? Will teachers become coaches that simply guide students to self-discovery? Will students have the ability to choose their own subjects and topics to study? When will the control be given back to the educators? I don't think there are answers to any of these questions, but I keep coming back to the same thought when thinking about what would help...when we all start thinking about doing what is best for the student, maybe then the tide will change.
Peterson, Paul E. "Julie Young and the Promise of Technology." Saving Schools: from Horace Mann to Virtual Learning. Cambridge, Mass.: Belknap of Harvard UP. 2010. Print.
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