| Distance Learning |
By: Debra Dragon, Homeschooling Columnist
On 12/3/05
Colleges around the world now offer courses and study programs they call “distance learning.” The courses are most often delivered via the internet, and students log into the virtual classrooms where they receive assignments, lectures, and participate in online discussions and group work with their classmates.
| "Some programs are designed specifically for homeschool environments, and these are ideal for parents who still want to help design the curriculum, and set the pace for the program." |
When I was a college student, I also held a full time job in my local government office. I found distance-learning courses to be very convenient for my hectic schedule, and it allowed me to take more courses than I would have been able to fit around my work hours if I had to travel back and forth to campus for every course. I found the distance learning courses to be very challenging, and just as rewarding as those I took on campus.
Even more recently is the expansion of distance learning into elementary, middle school and high school level studies, allowing students to supplement their coursework with a class or two, or take their entire academic curriculum online.
Many homeschool families are turning to distance learning education as the foundation of their curriculum. Most of the schools offering the courses are fully accredited, which can take some of the pressure off parents who are thinking about long-term obstacles, such as applying to colleges.
While most colleges are recognizing and accepting homeschooled students into their programs, it is still a new enough concept to be of concern to many parents that homeschool. By taking courses from an accredited distance-learning program, students can earn official diplomas from the school that will be recognized by colleges and higher learning institutions.
Parents who decide to use a distance-learning program for their homeschool curriculum should take time to research the many different programs available. Some programs are designed specifically for homeschool environments, and these are ideal for parents who still want to help design the curriculum, and set the pace for the program.
If you enroll your students in distance learning classes that are not designed specifically for homeschool students, chances are the curriculum will be taught in the same manner that courses are taught in schools. The speed of the course will be predetermined and set up using the calendar. There may not be room for further exploration of any of the topics, and chances are this is not the style of teaching you want for your homeschooled child. (If you prefer the rigid structure of the traditional school calendar and semester system, you probably would want to send your children to school rather than embark on the homeschooling journey.)
Distance learning curriculums for homeschool environments often give parents a way to help design the curriculum, allow students to work on the material at their own pace, and to develop and explore their own learning styles.
You can choose to enroll your child in an entire program, where he/she takes all of his/her academic classes via the online school, receive report cards and grades from the teachers conducting the courses, and are considered a student of that accredited institution, or you can enroll your child in one or two courses online to supplement your own curriculum. This way a child benefits from having a “structured” course, and an additional teacher who delivers information and discussions via the internet. However, if you only enroll in a class or two, likely your child is not considered a student of the school, and won't receive school-issued report cards or verification of enrollment for transcripts.
The most obvious benefit of using distance learning education as part of your homeschool curriculum is the ability to receive assistance teaching subjects that may be difficult for the parent to teach. If you are not confident in your ability to teach calculus to your high school-aged child, for example, you can enroll your child in an online calculus course with a calculus teacher, and still provide a home based program that suits both of your needs.
Additional benefits of using online distance learning curriculums include providing opportunities for your child to participate in intelligent discussions with classmates via the message boards and email system of the virtual classroom. While the online environment cannot take the place of traditional socialization, it does provide your child with access to other students who are learning the same subject. Typically online students share information, and learn from one another as they read and respond to the postings and discussion topics in the virtual classroom. The independent study nature of online classes will further foster your child's independence and confidence, creating life long learners.
Another form of distance learning is making use of instructional videos and DVD programs. A Beka Academy has a fully accredited DVD learning program for homeschool students. Once enrolled, parents receive packages that contain DVD’s, instructions and a schedule of when to play each lesson on the DVD, and workbooks and textbooks that go along with the program.
Homeschool parents need to be aware of the wide variety of options they have available to them for providing a well-rounded education to their children. Technology enables us to offer just about any topic imaginable in our home ”schools,” and because of this, our homeschooled children will never need to go without exposure to a particular subject just because the parent (teacher) is unfamiliar with it.
Distance Learning/Homeschool Resources
Alger Learning Center
http://www.independent-learning.com/
MorningStar Academy
http://www.themorningstaracademy.org/?ac=g1
Laurel Springs School
http://www.laurelsprings.com/
A Beka Academy
http://www.abekaacademy.org/
Benefits of Distance Learning
http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/distance/chap3.htm
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