Praxis Makes Perfect

I’ve been playing with a rather simple, but interesting idea in my head, when it comes to online schools in K-12 public education. Many of the controversies in states implementing online charter schools are due to a fundamental misalignment between the policies and organizations of the established school system, with the new possibilities of online schools. I think the key for anyone interested in seeing online options for schooling, or even using the Web for “outside the box” schooling models (e.g. here), is understanding how this can and cannot happen within the current edu policy framework can be helpful. More after the jump.

There are many places of alignment and misalignment. For me, I’ve been thinking about the idea in terms of “what does the Internet enable” and “what does our public education system enable”. Some examples:

1. Online schools hypothetically enable students to enroll from any geographic area. But most education systems are set up where students must attend school within their own geographic district. Open enrollment, and school choice programs such as that in Minnesota tend to align with allowing students to enroll across boundaries. What about enrolling between states?! Or countries?!
2. Online learning can enable students to learn at their own pace. But most education systems are designed with a set calendar, where students are supposed to “learn” everything they are supposed to in a set number of days. Maybe we should consider options like a year-round calendar and promoting students based on credits earned rather than seat time.
3. Online learning is quite individualized and caters to each student. But most education systems are geared towards very rudimentary standardized tests that test students based on grade (aka seat time) versus whether or not students have actually been exposed to all material. Could we monitor and test students based on what credits they have completed instead of a single test for all?
4. Online schooling often redefines the role of teachers, parents, and other adults. But most education systems (including teacher unions) get queasy about new definitions of the “teacher”. Many conflicts arise because folks are worried about online teachers who don’t work set schedules, who don’t spend their time in a physical classroom, who email and call their students every day, who find individualized learning opportunities for the students they mentor, who are able to successfully cater to more students through the use of technology etc. etc. etc. Maybe we need to rethink and redesign teacher education and teacher policy to take into account alternative models of education.