Virtual School, No More Snow Days? (1 Viewer)

[MCguidance]

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/02/14/nyregion/snow-day-thats-great-now-log-in-get-to-class.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&smid=tw-nytimes&_r=1&referrer=

Thoughts on this? Can a virtual day successfully substitute for a real day of classes in high school?

 

[belljr]

My kid does it for college. I could see it working with the right students

 

[roadkill1292]

I work for a small college and our president is convinced that this is the future of education. I don't know if educators at the pre-college levels will agree with him but there are an awful lot of cost and labor savings available by exploiting technology that is increasingly routine.

 

[NutterButter]

Soon it will be the snow/broadband-down day

 

[PinkydaPimp]

great idea. But if everyone in the school doesn't have access to internet and a computer then its not going to work. Now if the schools setup access for the students that cant afford it, then maybe that might work.

 

[Patriotsfatboy1]

No. For those limited folks here who are professionals, how effective are you in remote meetings?

This is drive-thru education

 

[Ilov80s]

No. For those limited folks here who are professionals, how effective are you in remote meetings?

This is drive-thru education

There are a few all virtual high schools in the area I teach and while it is growing in popularity, I have serious concerns about the rigor, integrity and levels of socialization these programs offer.

 

[Prince Myshkin]

great idea. But if everyone in the school doesn't have access to internet and a computer then its not going to work. Now if the schools setup access for the students that cant afford it, then maybe that might work.

I teach in a poor, rural district. Over 85% of our students qualify for free or reduced lunches. I did a survey with my students at the beginning of the school year, and only 11 of 93 did not have access to the internet outside of school. Now granted a lot of those students are using their phone or iPod and not a fully functioning computer, but I've been doing a lot of flipped classroom stuff based on the high number of students with access. I'm sure if it is like that in my district, most districts should have near 100% students with access.

 

[Prince Myshkin]

No. For those limited folks here who are professionals, how effective are you in remote meetings?

This is drive-thru education

I agree that the entire school year shouldn't be done this way, but it could really help with snow days. I've taught 6 days so far since the second semester started on January 2nd.

 

[Ilov80s]

great idea. But if everyone in the school doesn't have access to internet and a computer then its not going to work. Now if the schools setup access for the students that cant afford it, then maybe that might work.

I teach in a poor, rural district. Over 85% of our students qualify for free or reduced lunches. I did a survey with my students at the beginning of the school year, and only 11 of 93 did not have access to the internet outside of school. Now granted a lot of those students are using their phone or iPod and not a fully functioning computer, but I've been doing a lot of flipped classroom stuff based on the high number of students with access. I'm sure if it is like that in my district, most districts should have near 100% students with access.

You should find out how many have a computer with home Internet vs phone vs can to a relative/friend for Internet. Also, I have found it can sometimes be unreliable. Kids have the Internet one day and not the next. That is cool the flipped thing is working though. I tried and had issues with too many kids not doing their "homework" which made the next day just turn into me reteaching it to half the class and unable to really get around to help the kids that did view the lessons at home. How do you get the kids to do the work at home?

 

[Hooper31]

IMO a quality education starts with building a relationship with a student. I don't see this happening online.

 

[NutterButter]

great idea. But if everyone in the school doesn't have access to internet and a computer then its not going to work. Now if the schools setup access for the students that cant afford it, then maybe that might work.

The article is silly b/c all its talking about is not having to make up snow days by having a virtual classroom. Seems like an awful waste of money to prevent having to have an extra day in june or to lose a vacation day. If it was about more regular virtual classrooms, then the cost saving of not having to bus the kids so much would almost pay for the internet. My kids go to Montessori school and for some reason, we get reimbursed the busing costs since we don't use the public school bus; it like over $800 per year per kid.

 

[roadkill1292]

It might be cheaper for local governments to provide laptops and wifi access to their students than it is to run/replace/build the infrastructures that we currently need. I don't think the traditional school buildings will disappear but they sure might change from what we're used to.

The socialization issues are really interesting to think about. But we should be examining some traditional concepts, like is it really all that great to be swirling around in the midst of 1,000+ other adolescents? Not many people work someplace with that many co-workers.

 

[Clown Car]

My homeschooled kids were not amused that they still had to do their work while the school kids were off. But my senior takes classes at the community college. The campus was closed, so her online classes were also suspended those days. I thought that was weird.

 

[Riversco]

Can't they just go to the library if they don't have a computer and internet?

 

[Grace Under Pressure]

Technology could be helping us all attain better work-life balance and school-life balance, but instead technology seems to typically add more hours to the workday (checking e-mails constantly, etc.) and actually serves to further impede a healthy work-life balance.

Hopefully technology helps more people become freed up from the old-fashioned ball and chain, 5 day on 2 day off, 8-5 at a central geographical location paradigm in the coming decade. It could be that managers and executives may never fully allow this due to perceived lack of control.

As for school, it seems kids would need to have their full attention span and a pretty high level of discipline to succeed in a virtual learning environment. At what age is this a reasonable expectation of kids?

 

[saintfool]

imo, blended learning is the way: virtual instruction paired with in-class instruction. it is "team teaching" for the new generation.

 

[Prince Myshkin]

great idea. But if everyone in the school doesn't have access to internet and a computer then its not going to work. Now if the schools setup access for the students that cant afford it, then maybe that might work.

I teach in a poor, rural district. Over 85% of our students qualify for free or reduced lunches. I did a survey with my students at the beginning of the school year, and only 11 of 93 did not have access to the internet outside of school. Now granted a lot of those students are using their phone or iPod and not a fully functioning computer, but I've been doing a lot of flipped classroom stuff based on the high number of students with access. I'm sure if it is like that in my district, most districts should have near 100% students with access.

You should find out how many have a computer with home Internet vs phone vs can to a relative/friend for Internet. Also, I have found it can sometimes be unreliable. Kids have the Internet one day and not the next. That is cool the flipped thing is working though. I tried and had issues with too many kids not doing their "homework" which made the next day just turn into me reteaching it to half the class and unable to really get around to help the kids that did view the lessons at home. How do you get the kids to do the work at home?

I did break that down on the survey. It worked out about half had internet at home on an actual computer and the rest either used their phone or went somewhere else.

As for getting the flipped concept to work, we do mainly project/activity stuff in class (I teach science, so that part is pretty easy). No homework, no activity. I'll have a textbook assignment or have them finish the notes while everybody else is doing a lab of some sort. Kills their souls to be sitting there answering questions out of the book while everybody else is doing something "fun". Also, I try to give them several days to do the homework, and we have an after school program one day a week where they can stay and get on the computers then.

 

[PinkydaPimp]

Can't they just go to the library if they don't have a computer and internet?

on a snow day? probably not.

 

[igbomb]

If it's just for snow days, I'm all for it.

Bad weather days are rough on my kids and wife right now since they usually accompany extreme cold and everyone gets locked up inside all day.

But I would never consider it for full-time instruction. My son has a hard enough time creating and maintaining friendships.

 

[mr roboto]

There's a model of private/homeschooling called the University Model. It's essentially like college - 15 hours of classroom instruction with self-guided (and parental assisted) study from home. It attempts to blend classroom instruction and teacher-student and peer-to-peer interaction with the benefits of self study and efficiencies of home schooling. I don't know much about it, but it seems to be an interesting middle ground.

One thing I KNOW for sure - there are massive inefficiencies in our current 8 hour a day classroom model. It is clearly not the best way to educate a child. It may be the only way to mass educate millions of children though.

 

[Clown Car]

There's a model of private/homeschooling called the University Model. It's essentially like college - 15 hours of classroom instruction with self-guided (and parental assisted) study from home. It attempts to blend classroom instruction and teacher-student and peer-to-peer interaction with the benefits of self study and efficiencies of home schooling. I don't know much about it, but it seems to be an interesting middle ground.

One thing I KNOW for sure - there are massive inefficiencies in our current 8 hour a day classroom model. It is clearly not the best way to educate a child. It may be the only way to mass educate millions of children though.

This is kind of how our co op works. We meet as a group one day a week, the different teachers give lessons and homework for the week. We are all available to each other to answer questions if needed, but they are all elementary or middle so it isn't too difficult for the parents.

 

[igbomb]

There's a model of private/homeschooling called the University Model. It's essentially like college - 15 hours of classroom instruction with self-guided (and parental assisted) study from home. It attempts to blend classroom instruction and teacher-student and peer-to-peer interaction with the benefits of self study and efficiencies of home schooling. I don't know much about it, but it seems to be an interesting middle ground.

One thing I KNOW for sure - there are massive inefficiencies in our current 8 hour a day classroom model. It is clearly not the best way to educate a child. It may be the only way to mass educate millions of children though.

Do we really know that there are 'massive' inefficiencies. What is the 'best' way to educate a child?

Say that only 3 hours out of a given day are really constructive learning time (just a number for conversation's sake). What do you think we should do with the rest of that time? More aggressive education so that kids get further ahead (intense learning for 6+ hours)? Less time in the school building (shorten the school day)?

For me, the social side is every bit as vital. Could I home school my kids and go faster? No doubt. But I think you would have a hard time to correlate a faster approach to happiness and success.

 

[Flying V]

My son tried this last year for 7th grade. It was actually a quality program, but if your kid is not self-motivated, it's not going to work very well. My boy is back in his old middle school for 8th grade.

 

[Ilov80s]

Can't they just go to the library if they don't have a computer and internet?

On a snow day, maybe not. Also, that takes effort. At least where I work, you would be shocked at the laziness.

 

[Slapdash]

There's a model of private/homeschooling called the University Model. It's essentially like college - 15 hours of classroom instruction with self-guided (and parental assisted) study from home. It attempts to blend classroom instruction and teacher-student and peer-to-peer interaction with the benefits of self study and efficiencies of home schooling. I don't know much about it, but it seems to be an interesting middle ground.

One thing I KNOW for sure - there are massive inefficiencies in our current 8 hour a day classroom model. It is clearly not the best way to educate a child. It may be the only way to mass educate millions of children though.

This makes a lot of since. The 8 hour school day ends up being a gigantic waste of time.

 

[MCguidance]

So Christie and his administration said the virtual school day does not count yet mandate PARCC testing online. Go figure.

 

[Captain Quinoa]

There's a model of private/homeschooling called the University Model. It's essentially like college - 15 hours of classroom instruction with self-guided (and parental assisted) study from home. It attempts to blend classroom instruction and teacher-student and peer-to-peer interaction with the benefits of self study and efficiencies of home schooling. I don't know much about it, but it seems to be an interesting middle ground.

One thing I KNOW for sure - there are massive inefficiencies in our current 8 hour a day classroom model. It is clearly not the best way to educate a child. It may be the only way to mass educate millions of children though.

This is kind of how our co op works. We meet as a group one day a week, the different teachers give lessons and homework for the week. We are all available to each other to answer questions if needed, but they are all elementary or middle so it isn't too difficult for the parents.

This is how we did it when we homeschooled

 

[Mr. Ected]

Wonder how this would work for younger kids. If It doesn't, then you can't do it, since you need to have all of the kids in 'school' the same number of days.

If it did work, I wonder if it would work for a county like mine. A little background. We are a fairly big and varied terrain county about 45 min west of DC. We have horrible snow removal, so there are some strange days called off. (They do build in 15 days into the school calendar by counting hours instead of days as needed, so by making each day longer and not extending the year in June.) There are some days that are fine in one part of the county and not in the other, but they have to call the whole county to keep every one even. In theory if this worked, you could call the part of the county that was hurt by the storm more, and have those students work from home. You might get some P.O.'d students, but such is life.

I believe the schools should provide each student with a 'loaner' computer, so everyone is working from the same level. Maybe you could get a wireless company to provide internet.