Online Learning: Cyber Schools Complement Homeschooling Programs
By Mimi Rothschild
Online learning is gaining ground in the homeschooling community. Parents who have made the decision to homeschool are discovering the many benefits offered through the virtual classroom. Homeschooled students can take advantage of online classes to learn about subjects their parents would otherwise be unable to teach. Additionally, homeschoolers who work online are presented with far more resources than can be typically found in school textbooks, most of them free of charge. Internet-capable homeschool students have a decided advantage when it comes to education, and homeschooling parents are rapidly realizing this.
Online learning also addresses the difficulties with socialization faced by many homeschooling families. Contrary to what one may expect, an online learning environment can actually cultivate more social interaction than a face-to-face school setting. Online students connect with their instructors and fellow students using e-mail, message boards and instant chat programs. Homeschoolers who are already familiar with Internet navigation will find a great degree of connection with online learning; those who have little computer experience will be presented with the opportunity to rapidly develop those skills.
Many homeschooling parents are finding an online learning environment particularly conducive to homeschoolers, from the primary grades through the realms of higher education. More and more colleges are offering completely digital degree programs, ensuring students that they never have to set foot on a college campus in order to complete their degrees. This can be a great advantage for the homeschooling student who enjoys and thrives in an individualized learning environment. Online learning also eases the financial burden of education by eliminating housing and transportation fees.
The rest of the world is becoming more accepting in regards to online education as well. Most employers are now willing to accept online degrees from both homeschooled and traditionally educated students as job credentials. In fact, many companies prefer to hire homeschooled students as well as those who have engaged in online learning, since the environment demands a greater degree of self-discipline and competent decision-making and planning skills than the typical brick-and-mortar institution. Online learning is a growing field with more opportunities than ever for homeschooling families. Whether homeschool parents choose to supplement their children's education through online learning or enroll them in a completely digital program of study, the benefits of cyber education cannot be ignored. The future of homeschooling just might lie in online learning, if not the future of the entire educational system. No parent should refuse to consider the powerful tools available through the Internet.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mimi Rothschild is a homeschooling parent, children's rights activist, author, and Founder and C.E.O. of online education company Learning by Grace, Inc. Rothschild and her husband of twenty-eight years reside in suburban Philadelphia with their eight children.
Feeling that “our current system of education has broken its promise,” Rothschild co-founded Learning By Grace, Inc. to provide families with Internet-based multimedia education to PreK-12 children all over the world.
In addition to her twenty years of experience as a homeschool mother, Rothschild has written a number of books dealing with education published by McGraw Hill and others. Her Home Education Websites Blog consists of helpful online content and activities for Christian homeschooling families.
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