Blog #2

Best practices in teaching K-12 online:

Journal of Interactive Online Learning

www.ncolr.org/jiol
Volume 7, Number 1, Spring 2008

This journal article is about the best ways of being able to teach grade levels Kinder through 12th grade through online courses (virtually). Some would have disagreements about this way of teaching, and others would say that children can be taught virtually. A study is conducted on 16 teachers that teach virtual classes in the Michigan (Michigan Virtual School) to see which ways are the best ways of teaching children in these grade levels. There has been a huge growth for virtual schools and some states even require the students to take a class virtually before being able to graduate. The article begins by mentioning that the virtual teachers need to use "pedagogical"procedures like the ones the teachers use that teacher face to face. This would have to true for all teachers. The virtual school teacher also has to think of strategies to be able to interact and communicate well with her/his students. The study is done in Michigan because it is one of the states that requires the high school students to take a virtual class before graduating. The school offers classes in Math, Science, Social Studies, and English and even foreign languages are offered. Overall, the little research that was done shows that if the teacher teaching virtual classes really has the "will" and the "want" to make her class successful, the students will learn and the class will be successful. It's kind of like taking an online course at the university level, but with these classes you actually get to see the teacher and these classes are for children anywhere from Kinder through 12th grade. As a future teacher, I feel kind of "iffy" about this virtual schooling stuff, I would rather want to teach face to face, especially the younger children.
I would like to know why it is required for the students to take part in a virtual class, I would think that it would be difficult for some studies because not all of the students learn alike.