The number of online schools across the globe has grown exponentially over the last few years due to a number of factors including advances in technology and, in many cases, the realisation that many traditional schools haven’t evolved sufficiently to meet the needs of today’s world.
Yours may be one of the thousands of families that are considering the transition to an online school and, whilst you may be familiar with how they work, the differences between the schools is not often clear from websites and promotional material. In this blog, we hope to open the lid on online schools and what you can expect from them.
Size
One of the main differences is in the size of the schools. There are several very big schools whose names seem to be in every search results page. These have students numbering in the thousands and offer different models of education depending on the needs and the budget of a family. Positives include a global timetable meaning all students can study in what would be a standard school day, wherever they live. These schools have plenty of online resources but the downside is that you child could just become a number, especially as class sizes are often large in these schools. additionally, to manage the large numbers of students, lessons are often in big groups or with an element of self-study.
Curriculum
There are a number of curricula that are taught widely across the world: the English Curriculum based on IGCSEs and International A levels, and the International Baccalaureate being two well known examples. Individual countries may have their own curriculum which online schools in those countries tend to follow. Make sure when choosing an online school that the qualifications your child receives are ones that are internationally recognised. In addition, the more well-known curricula should follow a set scheme of work so, if you need to transfer between schools, this should be seamless.
Socialisation
One of the criticisms of online education is that it can potentially isolate a young person because of a lack of opportunities to socialise with classmates. An important question to ask is how the online school manages this? Do they offer extra curricular activities, school residential trips etc. Also, what measures are in place to monitor and promote a student’s well-being? What form does pastoral care take? All are important questions to ensure your child is safe and happy in their education setting.
Teachers and Their Qualifications
Teaching standards vary across the globe and with them, the quality of teaching a school is likely to be able to provide. Check out the teachers, their qualifications and their experience before making a decision. Some online schools employ teachers who have no qualifications for teaching, simply experience. Others will employ on the basis that a teacher has a degree in the subject they will teach whilst the best will insist that teachers have a degree in their subject and a globally recognised teaching qualification. Even better still are online schools whose teachers are also examiners, as they will be able to advise students on exam technique as well as effectively delivering the curriculum.
Means of Lesson Delivery
This is very important and isn’t always clear from websites and marketing. Most online schools are businesses and their objectives are often focused more on profit than on outcomes for the student. In any conversations with admissions teams, you should try to gain a picture of whether the school is student oriented or business focused. This can make a big difference in the outcome for your child. One way that some online schools maximise their return is to offer mainly or only pre-recorded lessons linked to a self-study programme on their learning portal. Progress is monitored by automated marking and by weekly tutor group/coaching sessions with your child. This form of online education demands organisation, diligence and dedication from students and, if your child in not strong in these attributes, they can very easily fall behind. At the other end of the scale are the schools that deliver live lessons in a standard school timetable. The lessons are usually recorded too so if illness or other reasons cause a child to miss the lesson, they can catch up. In these schools, classes are usually small and, indeed, some schools promote themselves on the basis of small classes allowing a more personal, individualised education where each student is known to everyone in the school and feels an important and valued part of that school community. Fees can be, but not always, higher for these schools depending, again, on whether they are business focused or prioritising the students.
Communication
In an online school there is no ‘school gate’ where you can catch the teacher for a quick chat about how your child is doing but an important factor to consider is how the online school communicates with you. Some schools have added a ‘Parent App’ to their technology allowing real time access to important elements such as attendance, upcoming assignments and grades. Given the distance between families and online schools, effective and regular communication becomes increasingly important.
External Examinations and Results
Because of their virtuality, online schools aren’t able to have students taking external examinations ‘in school’. Most arrange for students to take examinations in centres close to where they live, often in British Council centres or in schools which accept private candidates. Pearson Edexcel are trialling examinations taken online at home but these are costly because of the technology needed and the small number of students taking part in the trial but this may one day become a common means of taking examinations, reducing the stress of an examination room for a student.
Parents often choose schools based on their examination performance but again, results can be misleading. An online school which is selective, is highly likely to enable their students to achieve top grades whereas online schools which don’t select students on ability and which may have a number of students with learning differences may not achieve the same number. Some schools ask students to undertake a test of learning potential before they start, discussing the outcome with the student and parents and then commit to helping the student at least achieve the suggested potential if not exceeding it.
Whilst often a complex topic for parents to understand, the best measure of a school’s performance is the ‘added value’ it gives to student – in other words, how much better is the outcome for the student than the initial expectations. Another element to consider is that statistics can be massaged and it’s rare for a parent to ask for evidence of grade performance from a school, often just believing what they are told. If grade performance is important to you and your child, dig deeper in conversations with the school before making a decision.
In conclusion, there are many online schools and you need to choose one that will fulfil all the requirements your child needs to succeed. Sometimes the information you need to be able to make the right decision isn’t immediately clear. It’s a big decision, so take your time, ask questions and then decide if the school is right for your child.
