Distance education and online learning have become a popular choice among homeschoolers and traditional schools alike. With schools moving to a new system of hybrid and online schooling, this fall the norm of distance education is apparent.
Online homeschooling has been around for quite a while, but distance education as a mainstream option jumped into the driver seat this year with COVID-19, sending schools scrambling for different options.
Distance education can take on many different forms. For many homeschoolers, online classes are used for a few subjects or as a full curriculum. The combination of traditional homeschool and distance education provides homeschoolers with the home environment of learning in combination with being taught in an online classroom, many times with other students and a traditional teacher.
There are many different options for distance learning opportunities, and each provides a different type of learning experience. Each has its own set of pros and cons, and each family will see the opportunity differently. Let’s look at a few of the positive parts of distance education.
Location
Take your education anywhere. With distance education, learning can take place on vacation, in a coffee shop, or in your own backyard. All you need is a computer, internet, and any necessary supplies.
Interaction
While some distance education involves no interaction with teachers or other students (recorded online options), many programs set up classes online with all students present at the same time.
While the social interaction is different from a traditional class setting, interaction is still a part of the class. Discussions and questions can be asked, providing an environment of collaboration and togetherness.
Flexibility
With the different types of distance education, some offer programs that you can work at your own pace. This type of learning allows you to complete assignments when it is most convenient for your schedule, giving you more flexibility for your own education.
Technology Advancement
Using a computer for your daily classes makes technology an important aspect of your learning experience. Knowing how to use the technology needed for your distance learning classes provides a learning experience on its own.
Accountability
When taking a distance education class, the student must present accountability for their own education. Students must use self-discipline to put in the effort for their own classes. Because a teacher is not standing in the same room as the student, the student must do the work on their own and be accountable for their choices without someone reminding them.
This year, distance education is taking on a stronger role in education, not only for homeschooling families, who have used this approach over the years, but also for traditional school families around the world.
While there are many pros and cons for both sides of the distance learning debate, distance education is becoming a popular learning path.
Check out some of the Canadian online schools listed at Home Based Learning or just do a Google search yourself with something like homeschool distance learning Canada.
This article has been written by homeschooling staff writers of The Canadian Schoolhouse (TCS). Enjoy more of our content from TCS contributors and staff writers by visiting our Front Door page that has content on our monthly theme and links to all our content sections.
"Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6).