Technology has improved learning in many ways. There are learning tools in the classroom that help expand courses that are offered and accelerate learning, engagement, and motivation. Students are linked to a wide range of resources, and teachers can connect with professionals all over the world.
Online or Virtual Learning
Online learning opportunities have helped to reduce the cost of instructional materials and increase opportunities for learning. 48 states and the District of Columbia have online learning opportunities.
Some are supplemental to classroom learning, and others enroll students full-time. These opportunities allow students to dual enroll for college credit, earn credits in credit recovery, attend summer school, and take advanced classes.
Full-Time Virtual Schools
The following is a list of full-time virtual programs. Their students only attend online, and they earn all of their credits there.
- Florida Virtual School: This offers full-time learning to students in K-12. The districts can work with the school to provide blended learning opportunities as well.
- Utah Electronic High School: This is an 18-year-old online high school that offers courses all year round. They award diplomas to home-schooled students or those who drop out.
- North Carolina Virtual Public School: This is an online high school that offers 120 courses during the school day and after school. They also have AP courses, honors courses, world languages, electives, credit recovery, and online college courses.
In addition to these state-operated schools, there are some district- and charter-operated schools around the country.
Blended Learning Opportunities
There are online blended opportunities, where students can have in-person and online classes. This type of program varies in different schools, but it can be used to accommodate the diversity of students’ learning styles.
There are different programs, such as Michigan Virtual School and district-operated or school-operated programs. This type of program offers support to students who need it and opportunities as well.
Open Education Options
There are some open education resources that exist in the public domain, and they are free and available to anyone. They contain podcasts, digital libraries, and more, and they are accessible to students with disabilities. One example is the Open High School of Utah. It uses open educational resources to create an open-source curriculum.