Gallery

From Virtual to Vista

These scenic photos were taken by Washington students, and they are vivid evidence of the reach of online learning. The student photographers were enrolled in an online photography course through the Federal Way Internet Academy when they took these shots from far-flung hometowns and vacation spots.

Learning from the same veteran teacher and artist, who taught the online course from a small business park in Federal Way, these students mastered the rudiments of camera mechanics and photo composition. Their teacher, Lowell Schaefer, taught for 25 years in a conventional classroom at Seattle's Thomas Jefferson High School before trying his hand at online teaching. He was won over by the intimacy of one-to-one computing.

Schaefer and a former student share their thoughts about online teaching and learning in the story, "Long-Distance Relationships".

"What I have found is that working with students on the Internet I actually get to know them better, in many cases, and get to know more of them in a more personal way than I ever did in the regular classroom."

—Lowell Schaefer

Photo credits for Federal Way Internet Academy students: Matt, Alexis, Matt, Jonathan, and Karen

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