High school students in today’s world use computers to research, complete assignments and generally enhance their educational experiences. Educators in British Columbia are looking to computer technology to provide experiences and skills for their students that are practical, meaningful and deepen learning. The Province of British Columbia recently launched a virtual school for students and educators. This virtual school relies on the facts that modern students are comfortable with the use of computers and the Internet. Educators are able to enhance student learning with this opportunity.

Many advantages can be found using online courses, which include: flexibility of study time, increasing computer skills, availability of courses, and learning at you own pace. These are just a few benefits that make online courses attractive to many students.

To every advantage there is a disadvantage. Some disadvantages are social isolation, some students have low motivation to complete assignments, and instructors may not always be available when students are ready to learn.

I believe that it will be difficult for today’s educators to balance the opportunities that online courses offer and still develop social skills learned within a classroom environment. School is more than learning a subject or receiving an academic credit. Experiences within classrooms develop other valuable skills for students, such as communication, tolerance, cooperation, and collaboration.

How Do You Feel?

Virtual School in British Columbia
http://www.learnnowbc.ca/

e-newletter about online learning
http://www.achievebc.ca/newsletter/issue10_Winter2007/Stories/story1_new_virtual_school.asp#first

http://www.achievebc.ca/newsletter/issue10_Winter2007/Stories/story2_education_planner.asp#second

Pros and Cons to Online education
http://www.ecsd.net/online_courses/pros_cons.html

http://www.onlyhighschoolonline.com/learning/