The Future of Education and Online Grade Schools

Article: http://www.cnbc.com/id/44255406

This article discussed the increased use of Internet based grade schools as an alternative to traditional public schools. This form of education is different than homeschooling in that the subjects studied and the curriculum are still controlled from the state level, but there are usually more options (especially for advance learners) than may be available in traditional schools. To me, it makes sense in this age where everything can be done through a computer that schools would also begin to move in this directive, even if it is still such a small percentage of the population that currently uses chooses to use online schools for their children's education.

While the presence of online public schools has allowed new possibilities for certain parents that prefer the setting or the flexibility of online schools, I think the implications and applications of this kind of education can go much further. As this kind of education expands, families that live in areas with low performing schools will much more easily be able to get a (potentially) more favorable education for their child at no extra cost. As discussed in the article, the constant cuts in school budgets we are seeing during the recession will not affect online schools to such an extent due to their much lower costs to operate. In the future, as access to technology expands even further, children across the world could be able to take advantage of this type of learning that goes so far beyond what is often available in schools now. Of course, this is dependent on the access to the computer and the Internet, but as we discussed in class there have been several efforts to give children access to these technologies in the name of education.

This expansion of online schools could also impact other important aspects of attending school, such as socialize and becoming part of society as well as after school sports, clubs, and activities. Additionally, the decreased enrollment in certain districts could harms performance even more for children still attending traditional schools, or they may push schools to improve in such a way that would make them competitive with other emerging means of education. In any case, the potential of having education tools so easily available to children can have huge impact on their lives.