Teaching Online
When I first began reading the articles and exploring websites, my immediate thought was that teaching online was definitely not for me. I imagined sitting alone at a computer and constantly grading and assessing. Through my research, I now have a more open-minded view.
When reading about the Ohio online schools, I was very surprised with the extent of what is available. I had no idea that there were tuition-free K-12 schools. The Virtual Community School of Ohio seemed to stress that students with academic needs, students who are parents, or students with physical or health issues would benefit from an online setting. The OHDELA mentioned those reasons as well, but seemed to stress that gifted students would benefit from working at an accelerated pace. Regardless of the reason for pursuing an online education, motivation is key to success. For primary students, it would be imperative that parents stay very involved and have an effective avenue of communication with the teacher. I was incredibly impressed with the Online Teacher of the Year who said that she spent time on the phone with her students every day. That kind of commitment from a teacher would make a big difference for the students.
Although I can admit to being skeptical about a completely online K-12 education, I do think that students with illnesses, physical disabilities (temporary or permanent), or students who struggle in a traditional school setting could be successful online. I could even see it working well in a home school setting. Again, intrinsic motivation and parental involvement would be key to a positive experience.
Overall, I think that teaching online would be very challenging but potentially rewarding. Initially, the biggest drawback to me is that I find it so rewarding to interact with my young students, get to know them personally, and see the looks of confusion or understanding cross their faces. I think that would be a definite loss if I moved to an online setting. However, when reading the article Preparing K-12 Teachers to Teach Online, I found some aspects of online teaching that I think I would enjoy. I would like to have more one-on-one interactions with students. In the article K-12 Distance Educators at Work, one teacher pointed out that one benefit of teaching online is that all discipline issues are removed. She says, “I can only encourage, offer limited incentives, and inform,” (p. 377). I can admit that in some ways it may be a quieter and more relaxed working environment. And, as Preparing K-12 Teachers to Teach Online pointed out, I do have the experience of being an online student.
On the other hand, the articles pointed out drawbacks as well. I would find it challenging and possibly frustrating to keep up with all the new systems and tools used by the school. I think I would find it difficult to connect with students and keep them motivated from a distance. Also, as Preparing K-12 Teachers to Teach Online listed, I would not enjoy the time-consuming process of developing online materials.
As the articles predicted, I can only imagine more and more online opportunities being presented. I think it could be an ideal learning environment for some students, and I hope that online components and independent learning become more and more a part of traditional schools as well. Still, I think the face-to-face setting is here to stay for a while, and I’ll be happy to stay there.
References
Archambault, L. & Crippen, K. (2009) K–12 distance educators at work: Who’s teaching online across the United States. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 41(4), 363-391.
Kearsley, G. & Blomeyer, R. (2004) Preparing K-12 teachers to teach online. Educational Technology. Retrieved from http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/TeachingOnline.htm.
Five lessons from the nation’s best online teacher. eSchool News. Retrieved from http://www.eschoolnews.com/2010/09/13/five-lessons-from-the-nations-best-online-teache/.
Ohio Distance and Electronic Learning Academy. Retrieved from http://www.ohdela.com/.
The Virtual Community School of Ohio. Retrieved from http://www.vcslearn.org/.