Technology in distance Education.

I am creating this blog as part of a class.  We are examining the use of technology in Distance Education.  As a school librarian, I will be specifically looking at how to use technology in the library to improve education in our schools. I am very interested in the fact that there are virtual schools in many states and see a huge future for this level of student.  High schools in particular do not cater to all students.   We have advanced students, who may not be challenged simply because a teacher can only move at the speed of the slower students.  We have pregnant students who cannot or choose not to attend regular classes.    We have students who don't fit the mold for one reason or another.  We have students who want to study subjects that the average school may not be able to support because of a lack of teachers, or even interest.  Obviously, a school cannot provide a teacher for 2 or 3 students that want to study a foreign language that is not routinely offered.  Even in the event that there are enough students to fill a class, a teacher simply may not be there in that location.  It is possible for a student to struggle in one area, such as Language Arts but be advanced in another area.  Not everyone moves at the same pace. Students who have failed classes could be able to repeat classes during the summer - or outside of regular school hours - to catch up.  Students of parents who move frequently - such as the military- may be disadvantaged as all states have different requirements.  These virtual schools will fill an important role for the students of the 21st century. In addition to the regular public school students, there is the potential to reach a large segment of home schoolers in many states. 

As we move through this class, I'll be able to look at how we can use technology distance education and explore how we can potentially use it at the K-12 level, both in the classroom and in the library.