Exploring

Online Education

As many as a million high school students in the nation are taking online classes—just one indication that e-learning is a growing force in K–12 education. The risks and benefits of "virtual" schooling—as well as the funding issues—are examined in the latest edition of Northwest Education, "Online Schools: A New Frontier in Public Education."

Editor Denise Jarrett Weeks observes that "one of the most surprising things about online education is that it's a deeply human endeavor." Although providing lessons over a computer keyboard is different, "[it] requires every bit of the art, craft, and professional skills that it takes to teach in a conventional classroom," notes Jarrett Weeks.

It may also surprise readers to learn that the intimacy of one-to-one computing helps some teachers and students get to know each other better than they could in a crowded classroom.

Lowell Schaefer is one teacher who was skeptical about his ability to forge personal relationships with students online. But, the Federal Way, Washington, art and photography instructor is now a believer. In Northwest Education, we meet Schaefer and one of his students, Darrell, who is a senior at the Washington State School for the Blind in Vancouver. Darrell, who has 20/200 vision and works about an inch away from a high-contrast computer screen, says, "I feel like I made a better connection with [Schaefer] than I have with any other teacher, except for a very few others, out of all my classes in high school." Schaefer appreciates the fact that he's able to give Darrell and his other students immediate attention via e-mail.

Other articles look at how one tiny Alaskan district has created a vast online network for homeschool students and how another district in that state is using a computer-based Russian language translation program to connect to parents of Slavic students. The publication also describes how each of the Northwest states is grappling with funding online programs. Web exclusive articles cover the art of online pedagogy and surprising places to find funds for technology. "Online Schools: A New Frontier in Public Education" can be accessed at www.nwrel.org/nwedu/10-02/.