The thing that stood out to me most this week was our class meeting with invited guest, Julie Young, from the Florida Virtual Schools. I was intrigued by what she has developed for the state of Florida.
As a side note, I was at first reminded of how much influence one person can have. Julie Young is a great thinker and innovator, one who is not afraid to step out and do something new. The Florida Virtual School had to start as a vision of someone. Just like all other inventions and innovations….they start as an idea. My mind, once again, turns to my own children, the students of my classroom. Am I encouraging them to create, to innovate? Do we study people in history that changed the world and do my children see them as real people? Do my children see themselves as a world changer?
I am also fascinated and excited with the possibilities that schools such as this bring to the home school community and also to those within public or private educational settings who may have circumstances that make it difficult for them to attend a face to face class. We now live in a world where educational alternatives are becoming the norm rather than the exception. No longer do we educate every student exactly the same way. We don’t have to! There are options available that make it feasible for us to individualize instruction.
We are certainly navigating new waters, but the waters are becoming less rough. More innovations, brought about by up and coming innovators, will spur us on even further. Now, I wonder if I have any ideas in my own head that might be worth exploring a bit more??
References:
Hilton, J. L. (2005). In praise of sharing. EDUCAUSE Review, 40(3), 72-73. Also available at: http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERM05310.pdf
Lynn,
ReplyDeleteJulie was a most interesting speaker. How dynamic and innovative! I remember when I heard the first rumblings of Florida's virtual school. My first thoughts were really not about the quality of the education, as many people thought, but rather how accepted would it be. Would people accept the nontraditional environment? Would they try to discredit it because teaching and learning was not taking place in a brick and mortar?
I'm pleased there is something for everybody and that it doesn't all have to "look" the same. It is exciting to have so many open source avenues available to assist in education and learning!
Thanks for your thoughtful post... ~Cyndi
I agree with the "something for everybody" concept. Sometimes it feels like we are being asked to choose - online or classroom, online or blended, etc. From our guest speakers, readings, and discussions, it is increasingly clear that it's ok to be "cafeteria-learners". The Florida Virtual School has really high enrollment numbers but a relatively low percentage of full-time students. So people are getting what they need and want from a variety of educational sources. I hope that this continues but I also feel that we need to be vigilant that plans offered as educational solutions are not simply diversions of funds to private sector pockets.
ReplyDeleteLook at the proliferation of for-profit schools in response to so-called "Workfare" legislation. They preyed on vulnerable people, especially single mothers, and enrolled them in "certification" programs for jobs that don't pay much more than minimum wage. The tuition at these schools is inordinately high and, when it was still allowed, they also did a lot of business in student loans. As a result, many low-income students are heavily burdened with debt and have gained skills that will never result in much compensation.
Sorry for the rant. I drive past one of those places frequently and used to see young people getting off the bus to attend classes. Now the school has changed hands for at least the 3rd time in recent years.
I guess my point is that, as educational opportunities expand, so do educational scams. So it's back to critical thinking and hoping that we can pass it along to people who might fall victim to some of these schemes.