Covid-19 has reshuffled the entire education system. Now, instead of traditional learning methods, i.e. on-campus education, or classroom learning so to speak, online education is becoming the “new modality” of learning. Online education is of course not a new concept. It has been in existence since over a decade. However, CoronaVirus has made educationists, learners, teachers, and educational institutes more readily accept the online learning.
Online Education is already popular at undergraduate, graduate, or post-graduate levels. In fact, when people talk about online education, most of the time they talk about higher studies in colleges and universities. Online colleges are common but not much is said about online study for elementary, middle, or high school. There is a general belief that students should be in the classroom five days a week during this stage. Perhaps the whole idea of online school seems confusing. You might be wondering whether the child is prepared for a traditional classroom setting. Below is a complete guide to online homeschooling to answer all the questions you might be having.
Benefits of online homeschooling
The most significant benefit of online homeschooling is flexibility compared to brick and mortar schools. There are different reasons to choose online homeschooling for your child including:
- Better workplace and distraction control
- Allows plenty of time for outdoors, travel, and learning
- Offers children a non-traditional study schedule
- Lifts the pressure put by traditional classroom learning
- No health restrictions that challenge in-person schooling
- Enhances concentration not offered by a traditional school
- Easy access to online teachers for personalized feedback and collaboration
- Allows students to thrive in a time tailored structure without the pressure of class time
How students learn during online homeschooling
Online schools whether private, chartered, or public require accreditation. This makes them cover required core lessons and concepts just like traditional schools. Some public and private schools have a direct online program reflecting their physical classwork but with a flexible schedule. A lot of people believe that the students who opt for online study are free from the pressure of school experience, however, this is not just true. Online learning is not very different from traditional classroom learning. The only difference is learning modality. Instead of a real classroom, online education runs in a virtual classroom using devices like smartphones, tabs, and computers. Administrators and students working in an online environment build high-quality relationships with students and their families. They regularly talk with students on the phone or VoIP getting to know them and their families.
Daily structure for online homeschooling
Each online homeschool offers different programs and formats but balances online virtual classes and independent study. A school might offer a live classroom lecture for about 2 to 4 hours of daily engagement depending on the grade level of the students. This allows students to engage in learning lab discussions and demonstrations. Additionally, tools like Blackboard and Moodle allow students to complete assessments, join group discussions, and submit assignments on time. Parents and tutors keep students on track and communicate with online teachers.
Need for parent-teachers or tutors
A parent or personal tutor balances independent study and online class interaction. Some programs might have online teachers regularly working with the student’s tutor to tailor an individual curriculum. The online teachers work with a parent or personal tutor to give the student a personalized learning experience. This goes in line with academic support and instruction while enhancing the student’s achievement.
Luckily, the curriculum benchmarks for online homeschooling are similar to those of traditional school learning. All use the same teaching and assessment of developmental skills for the student to transition to the next grade. However, online homeschooling allows the timing of grade advancement to be tailored to a family’s schedule. This goes through an accelerated pace for the students to move ahead at a speed appropriate for their needs.
Online homeschooling and socialization of students
Depending on your family’s arrangement, the online school might allow programs to allow students to socialize including:
- Regular virtual interaction
- Real-time engagements between students and teachers
- Field trips
- Supplementary social outings
- In-person science laboratory classes
Activities like these help students to escape from the usual remote learning environment. Additionally, you can also check other community-building programs that your child might qualify to attend.
For the well-rounded balance of social growth and personal development, you can have your child study in the community and at home. Online study allows efficient use of time during a school day and allows students to focus on their interests, develop relationships, review concepts they might be struggling with, indulge in art, or a particular sport.
Online homeschooling vs. homeschooling
The structure for online homeschooling is quite different from that of homeschooling. In homeschooling, parents take on the role of a teacher including creating lesson plans and curriculum. Additionally, the parent has to spend some time with the child during homeschooling. The parent handles tasks including grading, meeting educational benchmarks, and assessing performance.
In online homeschooling, the parent is a direct mentor to the student during the learning process without facilitating or grading instruction. These programs have online teachers with a particular teaching schedule for engaging students in the learning path. The online teachers for online homeschooling are experienced in developing students’ strengths and encouraging them to focus on a subject with all handy resources to excel.
Homeschooling is a learning modality where the kid does not go to school for learning, instead, he learns from home, in a real-life classroom. Whereas, an online homeschooling is a learning modality where the kid will learn from home without going to a real school and follow the study materials developed by an education institution.
Choosing the best online homeschooling program
It is easy to find a chartered online homeschooling agency after checking their statistics, rankings, and accreditations. Take time to research while comparing the details of each school to ensure it meets your child’s learning requirements and schedule. Additionally, speak with the school administrators to inquire whether they offer tailored programs to match your child’s needs. This allows your child to get maximum benefit from the study program that also meets your child’s learning approach without affecting your schedule and lifestyle.
Bottom line
Online homeschooling offers a perfect balance between a home study and a traditional learning environment for kids. This will meet your complex lifestyle and work schedule while tailoring learning to match your child’s requirements.