ed061008

On the homepage

Vikings

Favre's stats put him in MVP picture

Out There

Pardon Board

Not all forgiven

Petters

Petters jury will resume deliberations Tuesday

Home | Opinion Exchange | Editorials

Editorial: Power up laptops, but don't unplug schools

Use online learning to supplement traditional learning.

Last update: June 9, 2008 - 6:14 PM

Print this story

Follow Opinion Exchange on Twitter

ONLINE LEARNING

• Minnesota has 19 state-certified online schools that enroll 4,500 students in supplemental or full high school diploma programs. Thousands more are estimated to do some online course work through their home districts.

• In 2007, an estimated 1 million students were enrolled nationwide.

Minnesota Department of Education (education.state.mn.us), and North American Council for Online Learning (NACOL.org).

More from Editorials

For growing numbers of Minnesota students, heading off to school doesn't mean boarding a bus, catching a ride or getting behind the wheel. Increasingly kids are simply hopping up out of bed and grabbing a laptop.

Online K-12 schools are expanding rapidly here, across the nation and around the world. As part of that trend, new cyber programs are recruiting Minnesota students. Using technology more effectively to enhance education represents progress -- with a caveat. Online learning should be part of the state's menu of educational options -- not a replacement for brick-and-mortar schools. And results matter. Before Minnesota school districts turn to online learning in even greater numbers, we should learn more about student achievement online.

Cyber schools are gaining in popularity for many reasons. Homebound children can keep up with their studies via the Internet. Students can study at their own pace on their own schedules. Teens can take accelerated courses or language classes that they can't fit into their schedules. Smaller rural schools can use distance learning to offer a broader array of courses.

And two of the new local programs, iQ Academy and Insight Schools of Minnesota, provide laptop computers -- an especially important feature for lower-income kids. iQ is affiliated with the Fergus Falls School District and will serve sixth- to 12th-graders. Insight has a partnership with the Brooklyn Center School District to provide instruction for high school students. Both use licensed teachers and must meet all state education standards.

The growth of computerized education has generated legal and legislative discussion around the country -- much of it focused on funding as virtual programs compete for public dollars. Concerns have also been raised about online teaching for younger children, the use of cyber courses in home schooling and the need for student-teacher interaction.

One of the most contentious debates occurred this year in neighboring Wisconsin, where online learning supporters persuaded legislators to keep 12 virtual schools open despite a court ruling against them and the opposition of the teachers union. Several years ago, Minnesota's teachers union filed a suit against Virtual Academy in Houston, Minn., but the case was dismissed. Other states have had similar controversies, but online programs continue to grow.

To address concerns about the lack of teacher-student contact, some of the schools wisely connect students online and encourage periodic face time with other students and teachers. Nevertheless, virtual education can't replicate the shared learning experience offered in classrooms. In the best traditional schools, students learn about community, citizenship, teamwork and other life lessons that are tough to pick up from a computer screen. Communal education can be a great equalizer and a democracy builder.

It's pretty clear that the $4-a-gallon-and-rising pain at the pump will drive even more of us to turn to home computers for work and school. And the explosion of college and other adult cyber learning confirms that online education is here to stay. But at the K-12 level, cyber schooling should be used to supplement traditional schools, not supplant them.

Recent Editorials stories

Editorial: This Bud Light's not for U - June 9, 2008

Editorial: This Bud Light's not for U - Anheuser-Busch's ill-advised 'Fan Cans'' promotion. More

Comment on this story | Read all 2 comments | Hide reader comments

New ideas for the public sector

THERE'S NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME to create a more efficient Minnesota. Facing large budget deficits at the state, county and local levels, Minnesotans are seeing with new clarity that the public sector must adapt to new economic realities. Only the smartest, most strategic reinvention will ensure that our tax dollars are spent on the best programs and services. Read more

About Opinion Exchange

Opinion Exchange is produced by the Editorial Department, which is dedicated to hosting the discussion on a range of issues of interest to Star Tribune readers online and in print. In its new format, it's our hope that Opinion Exhange will create a more dynamic dialogue between Star Tribune readers and the Editorial Board. Many individual posts will be written and signed by members of the Editorial Board and will reflect their own opinions. Daily editorials will continue to represent the institutional voice of the newspaper and be researched and written by the Editorial Department, which is independent of the newsroom.

Subscribe to RSS|Learn more about RSS