Virtual Schools - Um, No Thanks!

With a good number of government bodies tightening their belts, a number of school districts are turning to virtual schools to offer online course work. Those who are proponents of such an education point to the fact that it literally opens up the world to its users aside from the fact that it is a cheaper form of education.

I am sure some students will make great use of online courses. However, for the vast majority of children I see virtual education has having many damaging deficiencies.

There is much about the current delivery system of education in which students must attend school, rather than staying home to be educated, that should not be lost. In and of itself, the mere fact that there is a schedule where young people have to get up at a certain time, catch a bus, and run through a structured day offers a certain degree of discipline that is needed and will likely be lost if students stay at home for their studies.

One of the biggest drawbacks to virtual education (staying home) is the fact that face to face contact with teachers is all but lost. Students always have questions about the material and need clarification. That one to one contact has always been critical when it comes to learning. Looking at a keyboard and screen just won't cut it relative to interaction.

School is also a socialization process and virtual education wipes this out for all practical purposes. People may not think this is a vital part of ones education but it truly is an important one. We all have to learn to deal with different people in different situations and school attends to that need. Where will online courses offer that positive socialization process.

By the way, to those who are supporters of virtual education, the vast majority of teachers and schools are already making great use of computers in the education of children. It's not like the valuable uses of the computer are being ignored at present time, quite the contrary.

People may want to see reform take place in education but virtual education is not one that I see as having positive results compared to the negatives that would flow from not attending traditional schools.

Dick