To print this page, select "Print" from the File menu of your browser

Back to Graphic Version

Editor's note

One of the most surprising things to learn about online education is that it's a deeply human endeavor. Call it "e-learning," "cyberschool," "virtual." Call it what you will, it stirs genuine emotions. In the print and online stories that appear in this issue of Northwest Education, teachers and students tell us that the intimacy of one-to-one computing has let them get to know and understand each other better than they ever could in a crowded classroom. In "Long-Distance Relationships," a blind student speaks about the uncommon bond he feels with the online teacher who taught him to design Web pages. Similarly, a teacher featured in "The Online Teacher: When the Wee Hours Are Prime Time" says one of the greatest rewards of teaching online is when students express themselves freely in the personalized environment of her online courses.

Administrators tell us, in a rush of enthusiasm, that their online programs are drawing former drop-outs back to school. Read the Web Exclusive story, "Giving Fresh Starts," in the online version of the magazine at www.nwrel.org/nwedu/10-02/. In a story about Alaska's radical experiment in distance education, "Crossing the Public School-Homeschool Divide," homeschooling parents express relief and gratitude that they can tap high-quality resources that are available from online education programs.

It's not roses every day, of course. Online education is playing havoc with public education as we know it. Policymakers are scrambling to write new laws and guidelines to support this new mode of delivery, while respecting the principles of public education, such as free and universal access, equity, and local control. State legislatures and education departments are quickly catching up with the explosion of online programs that are being launched from Barrow to Brookings. But the pressure to make weighty decisions, in the midst of so many uncertainties about this educational innovation, can make even steadfast proponents anxious, frustrated, and testy. Nevertheless, we heard a lot of optimism and conviction in the voices of the men and women who talked to us about the future of online education in this region. Be sure to read "The Search for Funding" as well as the Web Exclusive story, "Minding the Gap: State Cybersolutions to NCLB Mandates."

While the jury's still out on how—and how well—online education can serve young people's learning needs, researchers are setting to work in this new field of study. They have much to do to fully uncover the strengths and weaknesses of online education at the elementary and secondary level. Nevertheless, it looks like it's here to stay. As many as 1 million high school students in the nation are taking online classes, according to one estimate, and online learning is a staple offering of colleges, universities, and professional development providers.

Teachers tell us that being a good online teacher requires every bit of the art, craft, and professional skill that it takes to teach in a conventional classroom. But it is different. As one teacher puts it, online pedagogy requires a teacher to be warm and engaging over a keyboard. There are practical strategies for achieving that kind of personal touch, says NWREL's Kirk deFord. A member of the Northwest Educational Technology Consortium (NETC), deFord speaks around the country about the art of online pedagogy. In December he helped lead an Online Teachers@Work Symposium in SeaTac, Washington. Teachers from all over the country came, sharing their tips and insights so that NETC can prepare resources to help teachers excel online.

Visit NETC's expanded Digital Bridges Web site, www.netc.org/digitalbridges/, where you'll find tools and resources for Web-based learning as well as videoconferencing. The fruits of the Online Teachers@Work Symposium will also be made available on this Web site when they're completed next summer.

Online education is a sprawling topic. We chose to focus mostly on statewide online programs that are coming from the K-12 public school sphere. We also give special attention to what is taking place at the state level. But we're focusing on moving targets. As I write, I can be certain only that the circumstances and details of the programs and people we've featured here are changing. These are stories that are still in the making. Online learning is a new frontier for K-12 schools, and the risks and benefits can be substantial, but the Northwest has always been rich with enterprising pioneers. Some of these hardy and visionary folk are featured in this issue of Northwest Education. With forward-thinking pragmatism, they are making tracks in new territory.

—Denise Jarrett Weeks