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Preamble

As education evolves it is imperative that students around the world are included in public education. Distance learning is one of the methods that can help maintain this inclusivity. This blog seeks to examine the benefits of distance learning while also weighing the potential challenges.

What

The confines of a traditional school environment are not necessarily conducive for the learning of, or inclusivity of all students. Rural settings, social and, or emotional difficulties, work schedule conflicts, non-scholastic activities, limited access, or health difficulties are all limiting factors which may prevent students from attending a standard brick and mortar school. As education is not only legislated as a requirement, but is also essential for gaining meaningful employment in modern society, parents have few options to educate their young, if they are not able to send their children to a standard school. The first of such options is home-schooling. This may inevitably result in some challenges, especially at higher grades, as parents may lack the requisite knowledge, or may not have the time to effectively teach the requisite courses. On the flip side, students may also have a difficult time accessing and decoding the information needed to be successful in a home-school setting. The second viable option to help students succeed that need an alternative education, is called distance learning or distance education.

So What

Much like classroom learning, distance education is taught by British Columbia certified teachers and the courses follow the British Columbia curriculum. This is a boon for parents seeking meaningful education that does not place the added burden of learning and teaching content on the caregiver. Similar to classroom teaching, distance education teachers are responsible for providing every student with meaningful and relevant content. They are also responsible for all of the administrative tasks that a classroom teacher is responsible for, such as individualizing education to meet the needs of the students, delivering meaningful lessons, assessing student success, reporting on student progress, and maintaining caregiver contact. 

Although distance learning may sound like an ideal replacement for a standard schooling experience, it is not without its challenges. The most challenging aspect of distance learning is effectively engaging students with course content while not having them face to face. It is extremely difficult to build a relationship with, and therefore effectively connecting with students, without interacting with them on a regular basis. This lack of a regular relationship makes it difficult to form a bond with each student, which ultimately helps them succeed. It is important to remember that “kids spell trust like T-I-M-E” (Josh Shipp), and without this direct time investment, it is difficult to have distance students trust you, and therefore work most effectively for you. The second challenging aspect of distance learning is the sheer numbers of students distance teachers often get tasked with. 

In discussion with a distance learning teacher, I was told that there are no traditional limits placed on the distance learning teachers. Because of this, these teachers will often manage hundreds of students each term and may have to teach a plethora of different courses. There are also no limits on the number of students that may contain IEPs (Individualized Education Plans) or have learning difficulties. This ultimately means less time to interact with each student, which may result in less student engagement and ultimately lower course success rates. The third challenging aspect of distance learning is technologically based. 

Technology, while at its core makes distance learning possible, also creates a number of difficulties. This first of such is that for a teacher to teach distance learning, they need to have a great deal of knowledge pertaining to the specific types of software or web-based platforms that will be used for instruction. When I discussed this with a current distance teacher I was told that it is often assumed that any teacher can become a distance teacher; minimal training is generally  provided to ensure a teacher is familiar with all of the technology to do the job. This often makes the transition difficult, and less efficient than it could otherwise be. Furthermore, Ni She et al., (2019) write that “educators who move from traditional teaching to the online environment often bring their traditional pedagogies with them, which may not be as effective in the online environment; they need professional development on using online pedagogies” (p. 45). On the flip side of this, students also need to become familiar with the software they will be utilizing to complete assignments. Without caregivers that are familiar with the technology, and if the student has had little prior knowledge, it may take some time before they are able to receive enough direct instruction to effectively work through their material. 

Now What

Distance learning has proven itself to be an effective way to educate students outside of the traditional school system. The school district I teach in (SD #91) has ran an effective distance learning program for the last twenty-five years called E-Bus Academy. E-Bus has embraced the rural relationship many students have with education by employing the motto “Learn in our community, Live in yours.” By using technology, it has become possible make public education accessible for people that would otherwise not be able to attend a public school. Further technological advances only seek to enhance this system and make distance learning more enjoyable for students. Video conferencing software, multimedia advances and virtual reality should help to make distance learning more meaningful and engaging for all students. Distance learning is here to stay, we just need to ensure it is continually improving to deliver the best education possible to our youth. 

 

References

Building student success – BC’s new Curriculum. (n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2020, from https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/

EBUS Academy. (2017, February 27). Retrieved January 11, 2020, from https://ebus.ca/

Ni She, Caitriona & Farrell, Orna & Costello, Eamon & Brunton, James & Donlon, Enda & Trevaskis, Samantha & Eccles, Sinead. (2019). Teaching online is different: Critical perspectives from the literature. 10.5281/zenodo.3479402.  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336879238_Teaching_online_is_different_Critical_perspectives_from_the_literature

SD91 Nechako Lakes. (n.d.). Retrieved January 11, 2020, from https://www.sd91.bc.ca/

Shipp, J. (2019, May 9). Every Kid Is ONE Caring Adult Away from Being a Success Story… Says Former Foster Kid. Retrieved from https://joshshipp.com/one-caring-adult/