by Bruce Friend
Anyone involved in breaking away from the traditional methods of delivering education knows that obstacles and skeptics will emerge, often with the sole intent of preserving a system that they see as superior and meeting the needs of the masses. Certainly home school parents are well aware of such challenges.
Those of us involved in the creation and implementation of quality online learning options also face the questioning eye of traditional educators. Listening to the naysayers is important. It helps us to be better informed of the concerns and develop strategies to better communicate our mission.
There are moments however when critics miss the bigger picture by making incorrect assumptions. Such is the case with a recent New York Times article that painted a less than flattering picture of online learning. The writer spotlighted students enrolled in online courses in which the students shared stories of spending their time in front of a faceless computer with little teacher interaction and content that was more of a “drill and kill” approach.
The writer of this story is not incorrect to present evidence that such online learning options exist. The gross omission in the story was the failure to point out that those who champion online learning do not seek to create such computer-as-the-teacher approaches but rather recognize that even in an online classroom the teacher plays a critical role in the success of the student. All of the major education organizations that have published best practices for online learning identify that online courses need to provide engaging and interactive experiences for students and that the teacher is still a pivotal part of the overall student support plan. What this particular NY Times piece has done is to suggest that all online learning is the same without digging deeper into important practices that separate quality providers.
In essence had this piece been about homeschooling, it would have been the equivalent of spotlighting a family who was ill-equipped to provide the time and level of educational support required to deliver an outstanding home education experience, only to suggest that all home school parents deliver a similarly inadequate education.
If you have questions about the use of online learning and what options may be available to you, feel free to email me at: bruce.friend@sas.com
Bruce Friend is the Director of SAS® Curriculum Pathways®, an award-winning education resource that provides online lessons, engaging tools and activities at no cost to U.S. educators. Bruce has spent the past decade working in the field of online learning. He is a national pioneer in helping to establish the country’s first statewide online program and has been the chief administrator of two state virtual schools.
In 2003 he was honored with the “Most Outstanding Achievement in Distance Education” award by the US Distance Learning Association. Prior to joining SAS, Bruce was the Vice President of the International Association for K12 Online Learning; a non-profit organization that provides support to students, parents, and online learning programs.
Anyone involved in breaking away from the traditional methods of delivering education knows that obstacles and skeptics will emerge, often with the sole intent of preserving a system that they see as superior and meeting the needs of the masses. Certainly home school parents are well aware of such challenges.
Those of us involved in the creation and implementation of quality online learning options also face the questioning eye of traditional educators. Listening to the naysayers is important. It helps us to be better informed of the concerns and develop strategies to better communicate our mission.
There are moments however when critics miss the bigger picture by making incorrect assumptions. Such is the case with a recent New York Times article that painted a less than flattering picture of online learning. The writer spotlighted students enrolled in online courses in which the students shared stories of spending their time in front of a faceless computer with little teacher interaction and content that was more of a “drill and kill” approach.
The writer of this story is not incorrect to present evidence that such online learning options exist. The gross omission in the story was the failure to point out that those who champion online learning do not seek to create such computer-as-the-teacher approaches but rather recognize that even in an online classroom the teacher plays a critical role in the success of the student. All of the major education organizations that have published best practices for online learning identify that online courses need to provide engaging and interactive experiences for students and that the teacher is still a pivotal part of the overall student support plan. What this particular NY Times piece has done is to suggest that all online learning is the same without digging deeper into important practices that separate quality providers.
In essence had this piece been about homeschooling, it would have been the equivalent of spotlighting a family who was ill-equipped to provide the time and level of educational support required to deliver an outstanding home education experience, only to suggest that all home school parents deliver a similarly inadequate education.
If you have questions about the use of online learning and what options may be available to you, feel free to email me at: bruce.friend@sas.com
Bruce Friend is the Director of SAS® Curriculum Pathways®, an award-winning education resource that provides online lessons, engaging tools and activities at no cost to U.S. educators. Bruce has spent the past decade working in the field of online learning. He is a national pioneer in helping to establish the country’s first statewide online program and has been the chief administrator of two state virtual schools.
In 2003 he was honored with the “Most Outstanding Achievement in Distance Education” award by the US Distance Learning Association. Prior to joining SAS, Bruce was the Vice President of the International Association for K12 Online Learning; a non-profit organization that provides support to students, parents, and online learning programs.
