Personal computers and the Internet have revolutionized entire sectors of American society. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Skype and other online communications media have allowed billions of people around the world to share ideas in a matter of seconds, mostly at a very low cost. These advances in computer technology are as remarkable as they are familiar.
But most people are not aware of how computers and Internet technology are transforming the way students learn. This emerging education paradigm is often called “virtual learning,”[*] and it has the potential to improve student achievement, educational access and schools’ cost-effectiveness.
Specifically, virtual learning uses computer software, the Internet or both to deliver instruction to students. This minimizes or eliminates the need for teachers and students to share a classroom. Virtual learning does not include the increasing use of e-mail or online forums to help teachers better communicate with students and parents about coursework and student progress; as helpful as these learning management systems are, they do not change how students are taught.
Virtual learning comes in several forms:
Similar forms of virtual learning are sometimes grouped into broader categories:
Online learning has become increasingly popular in primary and secondary schooling over the last decade. The K-12 online education market is growing by an estimated 30 percent annually. Nationally, course enrollments in online classes rose from about 45,000 in 2000 to 320,000 in 2009. According to the nonprofit International Association for K-12 Online Learning, nearly every state allows at least some students to enroll in online learning programs and schools to some degree.[1]
[*] “Virtual learning” is also known as “digital learning” or “e-learning.”
[1] “Fast Facts About Online Learning” (International Association for K-12 Online Learning, 2009), 2, 8, http://www.inacol.org/press/docs/ nacol_fast_facts.pdf (accessed June 1, 2010).