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posted by cmn32480 on Wednesday June 17 2015, @12:25PM   Printer-friendly
from the telecommuting-isn't-just-for-adults-anymore dept.

For several years, public school students in Virginia who do not have particular courses (e.g. Advanced Placement or Honors courses) offered in their brick-and-mortar classrooms have had online courses available to them.

The Virginia Department of Education announces

The [...] Virtual Virginia program will pilot a full-time, online high school for the 2015-2016 school year. The pilot--available to as many as 100 students on a first-come, first-served basis--will offer all required core academic courses and electives necessary to earn a Standard or Advanced Studies diploma.

"We are excited to offer this opportunity to high school students, especially those with the potential for thriving in a non-traditional instructional setting", Superintendent of Public Instruction Steven R. Staples said. "This expansion of the nationally recognized Virtual Virginia program provides more choice and flexibility to students seeking a high school diploma."

Students in the full-time pilot will be enrolled in their local public school but will receive instruction through Virtual Virginia. As with all Virtual Virginia courses, instruction will be provided by teachers with Virginia certification. Local schools will ensure that students in the pilot have access to technology, textbooks, special services and other necessary materials at no cost.

[...] Courses are delivered through Virtual Virginia's secure, web-based environment, and, like traditional classroom instruction, will include readings, discussion forums, written assignments, media, student presentations and projects, case studies, simulations, lab assignments, models, and opportunities for student collaboration.

The coverage by the Center for American Progress notes

Twenty-six states offer virtual or distance schooling on some level but few--Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming--have full-time programs statewide, according to a 2014 report(PDF) from the Evergreen Education Group.


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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 18 2015, @01:05AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 18 2015, @01:05AM (#197630)

    Understanding is a skill. Deep understanding is found through repetition of analysis, or "rote memorization" as you amusingly repeat over and over while using it to describe different things. You are defending your position with a paradox. Perhaps your education did fail your desire for critical thought.

  • (Score: 2) by Anal Pumpernickel on Thursday June 18 2015, @02:13AM

    by Anal Pumpernickel (776) on Thursday June 18 2015, @02:13AM (#197644)

    Understanding is a skill.

    For a certain definition of "skill".

    Deep understanding is found through repetition of analysis

    Understanding is not gained merely by repeating a very specific process over and over ("Do this, this, and this, and you'll get the right answer."). It's possible that when repeating a process, you ask yourself why it works, but that is a separate issue. You are essentially comparing a very broad activity (trying to discover why and how something works) with merely memorizing information through repetition. The sort of rote memorization in schools is a mindless activity and does not encourage understanding; it actively discourages it.

    In public schools, you get problems asking people to find the missing side of a triangle 10 times over, for example. That is rote memorization and does not facilitate any sort of understanding.

    You are defending your position with a paradox.

    There is no paradox here; that's nonsensical.

    I'm not sure why anyone would question the idea that our school system is a horrendous abomination at this point. Are you willfully ignorant?