REASONS FOR CONSIDERING ONLINE HOMESCHOOL AS A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE

With technological innovations taking us all by storm, every year, several parents across the United States are pulling their children out of traditional schools and enrolling them with online homeschooling programs. Online learning programs in the country have witnessed an unprecedented rise in enrollments with more and more children preferring to go the online way. This has left many looking for reasons behind this exponential rise and its increased acceptability. But why do students prefer virtual learning over traditional schooling methods? Why are parents suddenly more open to adopting technology and new-age methods of imparting education as opposed to our traditional system of delivering knowledge? The reasons are fairly simple and straightforward. With changing times, we all need changing solutions. Old-school methods do not seem to be efficient enough in getting things done today, especially when we have access to better, modern techniques. Here are some of the reasons why parents are increasingly favoring online K-12 courses as effective teaching methodologies.

Numerous parents have been complaining about the steadily increasing volume of homework children are assigned. This in turn, leaves them with either no time or very little time to indulge in any hobbies or develop their talents. Most children love pursuing other interests along with their academic curriculum but the way things are progressing seems to leave them with no other option but to forgo those interests. Online home schooling helps address this issue. Being able to study online at home with minimal distractions under the supervision of parents helps children get their coursework done a lot faster, which leaves them with more time and room to take on other interests. This is an option that is very appealing to parents, which is why they prefer to have their children study online as opposed to sending them to a traditional brick-and-mortar school. In addition to this, studying online also leaves children with a lot more time to spend with family.

ELIMINATES TEDIOUS WORK AND RIGOROUS STUDY SCHEDULES

With hectic work schedules and rigorous study schedules, parents and children are finding it increasingly difficult to spend time with each other. Factor in the amount of time that is spent traveling and you have even lesser time that can be devoted to the family. Having the flexibility of an online learning environment allows children to stay at home and complete their coursework at their own pace. Apart from spending time learning with their parents, studying online also allows them to spend more time with their parents after completing their coursework for the day. Add to that the time saved in lieu of traveling and you certainly have a lot more to look forward to. Virtual learning programs allow families to spend more quality time together while helping children pursue their academic interests. The flexibility and convenience offered by online schools are unmatched and unparalleled by traditional schooling programs.

This has always proved to be a major hindrance with traditional schooling programs. The pace of teaching in a classroom is generally suited to cater to a majority of the students. This results in a situation where all the students in the class are required to keep up with the designated pace or be left behind. While this methodology may prove to be counterproductive, there seems to be little that can be done other than providing the weaker students with extra help after school or over the weekend. The downside here is that most students prefer to just give up and eventually are sidelined. This is one of the major reasons for the high dropout rates in America, an issue academicians are aiming to resolve by employing online K-12 courses as a remedial measure. Being able to study at one’s own pace eliminates the binding requirement of being forced to cope with an already set pace.

ONLINE TEACHING METHODOLOGIES LET STUDENTS TO LEARN AT THEIR OWN PACE

Students are free to increase their pace when covering topics they are able to grasp easily and slow down when they are faced with difficult ones. As long as they complete the given coursework within the stipulated deadlines, teachers seem to agree that online learning programs are more suited to helping students develop their full potential. In fact, Online schools contribute the success they’ve had with high school dropouts returning to mainstream education to the effective implementation of online K-12 courses. Also, being able to study online helps students get away from negative situations that may involve bullying, sub-par teaching, questionable curriculum, traveling long distances, restricted access to courses due to non-availability and other such issues. Enrolling with online schools can certainly benefit children intellectually as well as emotionally by taking unwanted distractions out of the picture and helping them focus solely on their academic curriculum.

Another great benefit of online homeschool that’s being talked about is how it helps students develop a sense of independence. While students from lower grades require support from their parents, those from higher grades are taught how to study independently and submit assignments online within the stipulated deadlines. This instills a sense of self-discipline in students and is very vital to their overall development. Studies have shown that those who are able to inculcate a sense of responsibility in themselves have a better chance at being successful in the real world and developing great careers. This is the result of having access to an environment that is geared toward the holistic development of students and equipping them with the right skill sets. Studying online has other advantages too. Students are provided with the opportunity to learn vital technology skills essential to their learning environment.

Living in a world that is increasingly dependent on technology requires our children to cope with new innovations springing up every day. They need to be aware and have access to that technology in order to leverage their learning, and virtual learning programs provide them with that opportunity. Moreover, access to online schools provides students and parents with several more options in terms of educational courses, which are otherwise limited by the availability of schools in their vicinity. All things considered, learning online can prove to be a great boon to those who are willing to work hard at it.