Teachers, Take Down That Wall!

Before I  simply dive into all the great things a blended/online course could provide for certain students, let's take a look at some of the resistant type language I often encounter when the subject is brought up.  I'll use those comments almost like a dialogue to show how the negative perspective to blended/online learning may come from a place of naivete or a reluctance to see the bigger picture of what these programs could provide to some students.

Barrier toward e-learning:

I just don't think students would learn as well from a computer as they would from face-to-face interaction with a teacher.

Barrier removed:

Let me preface this with the fact that I was skeptical of online courses at first.  It took a lot of evidence to convince me that online courses could be as effective as a traditional course.  I started to adjust my thinking when I looked at it from the angle of preparation and oversight.  Would a student learn effectively in a brick-and-mortar environment if the class was poorly planned and ineffectively monitored?  The answer is obviously no.  It works the same for blended/online courses.  As long as the course is setup in a thoughtful and rigorous manner and the e-teacher monitors the participating students comprehensively the learning experience will be authentic and rich.  Providing students with a variety of learning opportunities allows us to reach more students and gives those students who may have special circumstances more resources to achieve.

Barrier toward e-learning:

Students need the social interaction that a traditional classroom offers.

Barrier removed:

As in the first comment, many people are quick to generalize our students and assume that they all need to be exposed to the same type of learning experiences.  The fact is, a blended/online course should provide opportunities for all types of social interaction.  The concept of digital communication is nothing new to today's students.  Many of them participate in a variety of social networks or forums.  I would venture to say that some students may be more expressive and interactive with their peers in an online environment than a brick-and-mortar environment.  The key is identifying the type of student who would benefit the most from an online learning experience.  We have to be careful not to lump every student together.

Barrier toward e-learning:

Online courses are eventually going to replace the traditional classroom and teachers in general.  This another way for superintendents to save money and pay less teachers.

Barrier removed:

I can understand the fear that online curriculum brings to educators.  Especially if the state government continues to expand the number of students each e-teacher is responsible for.  However, if I know educators, I know we are two things.  We are great at adapting and we are great at making our voices heard.  First, I would encourage today's teachers to educate themselves on e-learning and begin identifying which of their students may benefit from an online course or two.  Also, I would encourage them to advocate for strict oversight and specific guidelines when it comes to rigor, oversight, and student-to-teacher ratios.  I would hope the goal is not to shift every student into an online environment, but rather selectively identify those students who need this resource the most.