Online Education: are you using it?

As more and more universities post content online, start up distance learning programs, and education becomes more and more accessible it opens up new opportunities as well as new challenges. The following TED talk is a fascinating look at the opportunities created through programs such as Coursera and other sites where content from top universities is made available free of charge to students around the world. I think that this video is definitely worth watching as it reveals not only the exciting possibilities of online education, it should also be encouraging to home schoolers and educators seeing to engage their students in new ways.

Upon watching the above lecture, it struck me that in some ways online lectures could be more interactive than your traditional classroom lecture. The Two Sigma problem is one we have indirectly addressed here in our talk about the need for engagement in education. When parents and educators seek options outside the classroom, more often than not, the students benefit. Being able to engage more creatively with students is what home schooling is all about! It's also foundational to teaching history using literature! Teaching history this way is not about filling a student's head with knowledge, it's about teaching them to engage with ideas and see history in a new way. 

I have to say that I think there is a lot to be valued in the trend toward online education. I was fortunate to take online classes back in 1997! Even at that very early stage in the world wide web, I enjoyed the interconnectedness offered by the courses. Despite having to listen to the annoying whine of a dial-up modem, it was fun to interact with fellow students around the world, get feedback from peers, and read lectures prepared by the teacher. The internet and online classes have come a long way in the past 15 years! 

So I would love to know what you thought of the video! And do your students take part in online classes? Are they thinking of enrolling in a distance learning program for college? What benefits and downfalls to you think are inherent to the type of education?

You may also enjoy:

Curiosity: the Essential Element

History Points: The Bayeaux Tapestry

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Sir Ken Robinson on Education

One of my favorite websites is ted.com. It features talks given at Ted conferences by experts in science, health, history, literature, education, and much more. I find many of the talks challenging, inspiring, and thought-provoking. One of the most challenging lecturers is Sir Ken Robinson, a British academic, who questions the educational paradigms of our day and seeks solutions to the problems that face our school systems. He argues that our current school systems, with their emphasis on grades, standardized curriculum, and testing, stifle creativity. The importance placed on getting the "right" answer causes students to squelch their naturally curious instincts. He argues that the ramifications of this are widespread and dangerous. Like he says, "If you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything original." The implications of this for creating leaders who are able to think outside of accepted norms places us at a distinct disadvantage for finding solutions to the problems facing our society, whether economic, medical, agricultural, artistic, technological, or social. The following talk is fascinating and I highly recommend taking twenty minutes to watch it.

As homeschooling parents who have opted out of the traditional classroom setting, I would love to hear what you are doing to encourage your children to be creative thinkers? How do you uphold educational standards while fostering children's inherent curiosity? Or do you think these standards are artificial? How are your children inspired?

Over the next weeks I will be sharing more videos and I hope you find them encouraging and inspiring.