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From the Daily Kos, we see how virtual schools have exploded:
“One major phenomenon that has blossomed as part the corporatization of education in the two most recent presidential administrations is that of virtual charter schools — schools with no mortar and brick buildings, or building of any kind. The teachers and students communicate in virtual space. In some cases these schools receive as much public funding per student as would a
 traditional public school, but without the heavy expenses for maintaining a physical plant, including light, heat and water, janitorial staff and supplies, and so on…”
And we hear from a virtual teacher… “…Given the extensive needs of the students, this set up does not serve them well. Most of my contact with students was by email, through which I answered questions about everything from login issues and technology glitches to clarifying of assignments, and even that communication was only accessed by a very small percentage of students.
“In addition, because students continuously enroll, no one was on the same assignment at the same time. I taught high school English. In a given day in mid-November I would grade introductory assignments, diagnostic essays and end-of-semester projects, and everything in between, for each course (this month I had 30 separate courses). I found it to be impossible to meet the learning needs of my students in that situation…” |