The debate of virtual learning vs. conventional methods of teaching has thrown up some very insightful questions that we all ought to consider before jumping to any conclusions. There are those who strongly support the tried and tested methods of education. But what they probably fail to see is that those methods may no longer be as effective today as they once were. There are several reasons for this. For one, the previous generation could easily find a steady, well-paying job with just an Online high school diploma. That is not longer true and the sooner we accept this fact, the sooner we can start searching for solutions that will work for our children. Technology is the foundation for everything today. This means a platform that isn’t based on advanced technological solutions stands to become obsolete very soon.

Add to that the aftershocks of the recent financial crisis the entire world has just been through. While there are many who would like to believe that we’ve started moving forward, we are by no means out of the woods yet. Governments around the world are reeling under severe financial pressure and quantitative easing doesn’t seem to be providing them with the results they expected. While the employment data right here at home has been encouraging, we still need to evaluate how long it will be before things can get back to normal. Considering the manner in which different governments have been reacting to the challenges we currently face, that could be a while. The limitations of current educational infrastructure combined with a shortage of qualified, licensed teachers have compounded the issue. This has resulted in increased interest in the viability of online courses as alternative solutions for education.

Online High School has certainly helped open up various avenues for our children. The greatest benefit about online avenues is that they don’t teach children to solely aim for a high school diploma; they help instill in them a holistic learning process. It is this process that will help sustain them in the future. There are several reasons why one should consider opting for such online avenues. These are just a few of them –

ONLINE COURSES – EXTREMELY FLEXIBLE SOLUTIONS

Traditional methods of imparting education have always been plagued by limitations. However, those shortcomings didn’t really have a major impact on the quality of education until now. With disruptive technologies on the rise, our children can no longer count on old school methods if they want to succeed in life. They will certainly need a lot more than that. As parents and teachers, it is our responsibility to ensure that they understand the gravity of the situation.

In such times, virtual learning has proved to be a silver lining. With students favoring destinations other than America for higher education and more and more jobs being off shored to Asian economies, such online avenues offer better opportunities for our students to compete in a globalized world. These are flexible avenues that focus more on the overall delivery of information and provide an environment that is extremely conducive to learning. They allow students to vary the pace of learning as needed and classes can be scheduled according to one’s own convenience. When compared with traditional methods of learning, online schools certainly have a lot more to offer.

VIRTUAL LEARNING – A NEW WAY TO IMPART EDUCATION

The unfavorable teacher-student ratio is one challenge that has come to the fore in recent times. As teachers struggle to deliver their best with overcrowded classrooms, online courses have proved to be a very viable alternative. For those apprehensive about moving to a platform that is completely web-based, there are options that will allow them to enroll for supplementary courses. Students can use this option to take on additional courses along with their regular course curriculum.

In a classroom based environment, teachers are compelled to establish a pace of learning that will cater to the majority of their students. As a result, students who fail to cope with that pace of learning tend to lose interest in learning and eventually drop out of school. This is one of the major factors responsible for the high dropout rates in America. Getting our children back in school and keeping them there till they earn their high school diploma is going to be a herculean task. We need all the possible tools we can grab a hold of in our arsenal.

With virtual learning, each student is allowed to log in to their own specific study material. Moreover, students are provided with the flexibility to alter the pace of learning in a manner that best suits them. This in turn makes for a more encouraging environment and students actually want to learn. This is a priceless advantage and we need to ensure we use such platforms in an optimal manner.

IT’S ABOUT MORE THAN JUST A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA

Online platforms deliver high quality education in addition to the flexibility and cost viability that come along with them. However, what most people need to understand is that they are perfectly legitimate platforms for education and diplomas awarded by accredited online schools are accepted across the country by both colleges and universities. Ensuring compete transferability of credits is another major benefit of employing online learning solutions.

With the costs of utilizing such solutions making them very affordable, students everywhere can now have access to a good education. Traditional schools have often failed on this count when considering the penetration rates of education in rural districts. However, with easy access to the internet even in rural areas, things are slowly changing. Students from such places can now interact with other students from practically any part of the world. They also have access to some of the best teachers across America. This has helped increase their exposure to the world and has opened up new avenues for them not just in terms of a good education but also in terms of new opportunities.

The question is – Are you willing to explore new horizons?