One silver lining of the pandemic was the explosion of online programs. Children’s authors, libraries, museums, non-profits, schools, and work places all developed new educational content for their websites or social media accounts. The delivery differed – some of these programs took place synchronously (occurring live at designated times), others were asynchronously (occurring at times convenient to the learner) – and the outcome differed – some of the learning was formal college courses offered for credit, others were professional development workshops for employees, still others were personal enrichment activities in a wide range of subjects or hobbies, such as art, music, and science. However, the option to learn anytime, anywhere, from anyone, made online activities highly attractive to so many learners.
Some of these programs, though, were done on the fly and lacked finesse or effectiveness. Students and parents started to question the value of online learning. However, in the months (and now years) since the lockdown, research has clarified what makes quality online instruction. Veletsianos, writing for The Conversation, notes how good online courses are interactive, providing opportunities for the development of a vibrant learning community. Veletsianos also writes that ” good online course is engaging and challenging, inviting students to participate … and capturing their interest and attention.” Finally, he says that “good courses involve students in “doing” — not just watching and reading — “doing again,” and in applying what they learned.” Thankfully, providers have embraced this research and revised their offerings, which is a HUGE benefit to home school families.
For home school families, online learning is an essential addition to their school day. Online learning can be used to supplement, reinforce, or expand instruction. Sometimes students just need concepts explained differently to better understand them. In those moments, online lessons make wonderful companions. We frequently incorporate math and science lessons from Generation Genius. The combination of video lessons with hands-on activities make them a student favorite. Other times, students need multiple touch points with concepts before they can engage with topics on a deeper level. In these moments, we often view history and social studies topics from Crash Course. And finally, sometimes students want to delve into topics outside of a parent-educator’s comfort or expertise. In these moments, having an online resource, such as Rosetta Stone for world languages, is critical.
The pandemic forced our family to make tough choices about the education of our children. Yet, in a way, one outcomes of the pandemic – online learning opportunities – were a great benefit to our educational decision. I can’t imagine making this journey without all the wonderful online lessons, programs, and tools that were developed when life as we knew it took an uncertain turn.