Over the years technology has progressed into a force to be reckoned
with; it seems you can learn just about anything online. Previously you
could do basic things like shop or get directions, and now you can
literally attend school online from the comfort of your living room.
Education websites proliferate the Internet and appeal to all ages;
anyone can take advantage of this new shift in technology. Evaluating
the pros and cons of education websites will allow you to see which ones
are the choices for you.
The obvious perks to education
websites are flexibility and the multitude of choices at your
fingertips. There are thousands of websites and programs to choose from,
making it easy to find the perfect school that will fit your student’s
needs. The flexibility of education websites to supplement the
traditional classroom or to replace it altogether offers families more
educational options. High school students are opting for educational
websites because they offer a more efficient use of time, personalized
instruction, immediate feedback, and access to unlimited teaching aids.Another
key factor in choosing online schooling is the diversity of peers;
depending on what online school families choose, students could be
connecting with people from all over the world. Networking with people
from a wide variety of cultural perspectives puts learning in a global
perspective.
Individual pacing is another plus for many
students who get to really dig deep into what interests them, bypass
what they already know, and access teaching aids in real time on a grand
scale. In many brick-and-mortar schools students are locked into the
same pace as everyone else, making it more difficult to adequately
diversify and personalize learning efficiently. Education websites
allow students to take as many or as few classes at a time as they like
and have a multitude of resources and teaching aids for them to
utilize.
By attending online, students and families can
actually save money. Brick-and-mortar schools generally have a bevvy of
annual student fees, not to mention the costs of social and athletic
activities and astronomical senior year costs. There is also significant
savings in transportation for students who commute back and forth to
school via Mom and Dad’s cars, their own cars, or even public
transportation.Parents can access educational websites like
Artifacts Teach and have instant access to thousands of objects online
to engage students’ curiosities, offer deep learning in core content
areas, and develop valuable critical thinking skills. They have the
power to enhance and expand student learning offering a bridge between
prior knowledge and new information.Educational websites are not
all designed to replace school. In many cases, they can be used to
deepen understanding of classroom material. They offer students expanded
exploration in areas of interest. These websites provide places for
prolonged engagement, which improves learning retention.
Teaching
is my passion! I am a Colorado Social Studies Teacher who has also been
training teachers across the state for the last 10 years. I believe in
harnessing the power of artifacts in the classroom.
For more information:http://www.extension.harvard.edu/distance-education
