We know online learning to be popular in higher education, sure but what about in high school? There is a school in San Francisco called Flex Academy. It is part of the public school system therefore tuition is free. Their purpose is to sort of mimic what the work life will look like later on.
These students come to school, sit in cubicles for the day, set up appointments or meetings with their teachers via email, and work on their online lessons throughout the day. The way it works is that they each have to take their core classes such as English, Math, Science, and History but they also pick an elective class from over 100 options (these can range from Art History to Macroeconomics). There are teachers around to help if they need it and students are encouraged to roll their chair to another students desk and ask for help if needed.
It’s an interesting concept but one that these students seem to truly enjoy. Quoted from the article one student says “I don’t really know who’s in my grade, I just talk to everyone”. The school has installed software on their computers so students can’t access Facebook either. Another interesting quote from the article was “A lot of the students we get are not ready to be self-motivated. We have to teach them those skills so they can be successful at directing their own learning.” Students seem to really enjoy once they learn the self paced program, once they learn how to get things done that way. They can decide how they want to do their work, whether they want to get the classes they don’t really like out of the way first and then work on the classes they enjoy or vice versa.
Just with higher education, online learning in high schools are going to have it’s advantages and disadvantages. You’ve seen some of the advantages, now let’s talk about some of the disadvantages. What happens when the internet goes down? Yes it’s a pain, however, they are prepared. They make copies, teach, and use their books. There also aren’t extracurriculars such as marching band or sports like there are in normal high schools.
However, with all of this being said I truly believe Flex Academy might be onto something. What do you think? Do you think online learning should happen more in high schools?
http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/03/at-flex-academy-high-school-mimics-the-workplace/
http://www.k12.com/sfflex/home#.UjnL8WR4aLs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtDKuj863a4
I think that this is a good opportunity for those who require an alternative learning style. It seems that the Flex Academy will further their business and computer skills, which could get them a head start on their careers. Personally, I wouldn’t be able to make it in the school for a day. I would probably get kicked out for talking to the person in the cubicle next to me and in front of me all day. In order for me to learn I need to be in an open setting. Even if the Flex Academy fails, I think it was still a good try to cater to individual needs.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Caroline. Flex Academy is good for people who like a different type of learning styles. I think that this is a good idea for a school to have, sort of like online tutoring. When students need help with homework, this would be nice to have for students to have different videos of a different way to learning and explaining things.
ReplyDeleteI feel like Online learning is going to be thriving in the future. With everything and everyone catching up with the fast growing technology, I could see E-Learning doing really well in the future.
Although online learning contains numerous learning styles, and it's adapting to different ways to teach students; I think a student must be truly motivated to study/learn online.
ReplyDeleteAlthough online learning contains numerous learning styles, and it's adapting to different ways to teach students; I think a student must be truly motivated to study/learn online.
ReplyDeleteI also really like this idea. I remember being bored out of my mind in some classes because I already knew how to do whatever we were covering. I also really like the idea of being able to pick your classes earlier in life. When I got to college I felt like I still had no idea what I wanted to do because in high school we wasted time doing classes I knew I didn't care about. So far learning how to play a recorder in music class still seems pretty pointless.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a very unique concept and one that could help high school education overall in the future. I especially liked the part about teaching kids to be self motivated. When I was in high school, I would always get distracted whether it be boring material or preferring to play video games instead of doing homework. Flex Academy could potentially be a platform to not only make high school students more knowledgable, but also help prepare them for the work environment better.
ReplyDeleteI am torn on how I feel about allowing high school kids opt out of the traditional classroom setting and focus on online learning. There are obvious benefits, but it just seems that at the younger ages, while kids are still learning life skills, that we are forgetting that the ability to focus and absorb what others are saying is a skill that must be learned.
ReplyDeleteBeing a successful, well rounded individual encompasses more than just what we have learned from a book, or in this case, from a computer screen. In our classes here at the university, we often sit through three hour lectures, which is a source of most of the material we learn. If that changes in high school, and kids sit in front of a computer all day, will they have the attention span to learn from a speaking individual? That is a learned skill. I notice that a lot of the younger students here already have issues with paying attention in the classroom. The use of cell phones during class is more common than not and computers are often used for personal web use and chatting more than actual note taking.
There is no doubt that technology has changed our world, and in a lot of ways, for the better. However, the art of listening is something that most of us should be better at. Book knowledge is great, but it is the knowledge that we get from truly listening to another person that will enrich us, and that is a skill we cannot learn from a computer screen.
There are some studies that show that students do better in school with extracurricular activities. I guess I should've explained better in my blog that even though the students do not participate in extracurriculars through Flex Academy, some and most do participate in something outside of the school. There is a student that is attending college next year on an athletic scholarship, it's just she does athletics through playing on leagues outside of Flex Academy.
ReplyDeletei am also very torn on this matter. My learning style ofter requires me to re-teach myself outside of class time. While i appreciate the option to work independently, I feel that high school lays the ground rules for authority and networking. With loosening the reigns from authority in high school, do you think these high school students will become more entitled? I appreciate the thought of making the transition into the real world easier, however what happens if a student works for a micro manager? I feel that a strong or rigid high school routine helps prepare more. I cannot imagine not knowing who was in my class...
ReplyDeleteI think this is a excellent idea! The kids who are motivated for schooling with succeed but the students who do not care will be weeded out. I think college does the same to students. I love online classes and I wish I could take all my classes online. I can mandate my timemore effectively. My schedule will then be set to my liking and school would be done as I see appropriate. I see the down falls but I wish I had that motivation while I was in high school. Great article!
ReplyDeleteI think online learning like Flex Academy is beneficial for high schools. I agree that having something mimic work life and require self-motivation and time management skills is a good idea for high school students. It seems these disciplines are lacking in normal high school education. I also like the better flexibility with courses that students get. I think it shouldn’t be the only learning method however, but required part of the time at least.
ReplyDelete