The Virtual Classroom Redefines Education by Christina Wood

1. Beyond the Screen

1.1. Positive Student-Teacher Relationships

1.2. Immediate Feedback

1.3. Freedom of Expression & Hearing from "Quiet" Students

1.4. Higher Teacher Expectations

1.5. Collaboration at State, National, & International Level

2. Not all Problems Solved

2.1. Lack of Funding

2.2. Poor Building Infrastructure

2.3. Little Training for Teachers paired with Little Time for Online Instruction

2.4. Under Prepared Students

2.5. Inadequate Levels of Rigor and/or Standards

3. My Opinions

3.1. Blended Learning will continue to grow & play a large role in education for school districts across the country.

3.2. Districts will have to learn how to be competitive with course offerings as we see an influx of online college courses become accessible to high school students.

3.3. Students will have to the necessary skills to be successful in an online learning setting as well as a traditional classroom atmosphere; post-secondary institutions are even further along than K-12 when it comes to virtual learning.

3.4. There is a lot to be said for virtual learning & the opportunities it can provide for students. Schools will need to continue to evaluate the programs & courses that they deliver & in what formats in order to provide the best educational opportunities for their students.

4. Where?

4.1. Florida Virtual School

4.2. Clark County School District Virtual School (NV)

4.3. Berkeley Springs, WV

4.4. Hudson, MA

5. To Fund or Not to Fund?

5.1. Virtual High School, CT, 1996 schools provide a teacher for online courses & in exchange can enroll up to 25 students

5.2. Florida Virtual School, 1999 Governor set aside $1.3 billion for course development; then received funding for students enrolled; sells curriculum & software to make profits that keep it up & running

5.3. Cumberland Co. Schools Web Academy, NC, 1997 8 years later, only offering courses to a handful of schools due to the lack of funding at the state level