The Future of Virtual Schools

A Literature ReviewBy Amanda Ellis

IntroductionVirtual schools are transforming education and removing walls and boundaries of traditional schools. This literature review examines virtual school trend in a K-12 setting. Through the use of peer-reviewed articles and government/corporate reports this review will investigate the following trends in K-12 virtual schools.

History Types of virtual schools

Purpose of virtual schools Benefits

Student Experience Challenges

HistoryThe earliest form of a virtual school, which was actually an independent study high school, emerged in the 1920’s (Clark & Berge, 2005).

Most virtual schools across North America were focused on the highest achievers and college bound students (Mulcahy, 2002).

The recent history of virtual schools shows they are rapidly changing; however, the concept of K-12 virtual schools is still relatively new.

Types of Virtual Schools Six types of virtual schools based on who operates the program

(Clark & Berge (2005) .State funded

In 2012, Florida was the first state to offer both full and part-time virtual schooling options to all of its students in grades K-12 (Watson et al., 2012).

Collaborative A combination of universities, state, and/or private schools

Charter Schools State designated

University Based Most are independent study or gifted/talented high schools.

Private Companies K12 Inc. enrolls more K-12 students than any other private

education organization in the U.S. (Miron & Urschel 2012).

Purpose of virtual schoolsInnovate way to offer an educationOffer classes that would not normally be

accessibleCourse credit recoveryIncrease graduation ratesMeet technology requirements

Student ExperienceIn a synchronous setting… Students generally had very positive experiences and enjoyed the independence and freedom that the virtual class offered.

In an asynchronous setting…

Students had a more difficult time understanding concepts and spent more time off-task than completing on task activities.

Benefits

Access of classesCourse recovery opportunitiesAccess to instructors and experiences

worldwideDecrease costsGive students a global viewpoint

ChallengesAccreditation

Accreditation is a way of ensuring a quality education and requires virtual schools to evaluate their vision, strategies, priorities, leadership, programs, and resources (AdvancED, 2013).

Resistance to changeResistance centers in and often succeeds in the

governing bodies of schools (Chubb, 2012). Funding

Most of the state virtual schools are funded with a fixed amount then supplemented with tuition often paid by students (International Association for K-12 Online Learning, 2013).

ConclusionResearch shows that K-12 virtual schools are a

growing trend. It is predicted that by the year 2016, five million K-12 students will be enrolled in virtual school courses (Picciano et al., 2012).

Virtual schools are seen as cost effective solutions to improving graduation rates, a way to build towards college careers, and a way to differentiate instruction (Picciano et al., 2012).

Virtual schools will continue to grow in the 21st century, it is necessary to evaluate and plan for their expansion and impact on the United States education system.

ResourcesAdvancED. (2013). What is accreditation? Retrieved from http://www.advanc-ed.org/what-accreditation.

Chubb, J. E. (2012). Overcoming the governance challenge in K-12 online learning. Creating sound policy for digital learning. A working paper series from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. Thomas B. Fordham Institute. Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED530433.pdf

Clark, T. & Berge, Z. (2005). Virtual schools and elearning: Planning for success. 19th Annual Conference on Distance Education. Retrieved from http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/Resource_library/proceedings/03_71.pdf

International Association for K-12 Online Learning. (2013). Fast facts about online learning. Retrieved from http://www.inacol.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/iNACOL_FastFacts_Feb2013.pdf

Mulcahy, D. M. (2002). Re-conceptualizing distance education: Implications for the rural schools of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Morning Watch, 30(1-2). Retrieved from: http://www.mun.ca/educ/faculty/mwatch/fall02/Mulcahy.htm

Picciano, A., Seaman, J., Shea, P., & Swan, K. (n.d). Examining the extent and nature of online learning in American K-12 Education: The research initiatives of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Internet And Higher Education, 15(2), 127-135.

Watson, J., et. al. (2012). Keeping pace with K-12 online & blended learning: An annual Review of policy and practice. Evergreen Education Group. Retrieved from http://kpk12.com/reports/