With the rise of fast and inexpensive Internet connections, online instruction has become a popular tool to reach students that may not have had access to a formal education. Online degree programs for high school students and beyond are now a reality for many. Program like K-12 offer accredited equivalency programs for students. Homeschool instruction also benefits from this technology by supplementing instruction with online tools and applications.
A growing trend in school equivalencies is online schools or high schools such as K-12. These schools are fully accredited and the courses are maintained by instructors and proctors. Students sign in for daily instruction and can receive feedback. Some programs even offer mobile applications to take the lessons anywhere.
K-12 is a popular online schools available to the public. Courses from Kindergarten through grade 12 are available and they can even be purchased individually to supplement traditional face-to-face instruction.
Source: www.k12.com/
Homeschool instruction benefits from the rise in online instruction by incorporating more varied lessons and educational programs. Instead of receiving a curriculum in the mail, parents are able to receive them by email and incorporate videos and instructional multimedia into lessons.
One of the obvious and most talked about drawbacks to this type of instruction is the lack of social interaction for students. Some students may suffer with this problem, but others will excel in this environment. The level of education for parents will also determine the effectiveness of the lessons for students. Standardized testing could also pose a problem. In states like Louisiana, these tests are required for further education.
