Week 1: Reflections

What did you learn this week that surprised you? What was the biggest question you were left with at the end of this first week?

One of the most interesting read this week is from my coursemate Timothy Cooper where he mentions the current lack of checks on virtual schooling has left some to exploit it for financial gains or circumvent existing laws to aid educational reform. It is amazing how the district can place 35-40 students in a lab with monitor because the existing regulation on 25 student limit does not cover online classes. In Tucker (2007), it was mentioned that virtual schools’ strengths are particularly well-aligned with high school reform, which includes curriculum rigor and maintaining broad menu of course subjects. Perhaps more attention should also focused on alignment of laws and regulations on education.

A lot has been mentioned on the pros and cons of virtual schooling. Like it or not, virtual schooling is going to stay; according to Christensen (2008, p.98), about 50 percent of high school courses will be delivered online by 2019. My biggest question is how we can effectively manage the pros and cons of virtual schooling so that it can translate into meaningful experience for our next generation of learners, who are already doodling on the ipad before they turn four years old.