69ý

Classroom Technology

Report Says E-Learning Redefining K-12 Education

By Kevin Bushweller — May 15, 2002 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

Cyber schools, online teaching and testing, and other e-learning initiatives are emerging quickly across the country, changing traditional notions of how K- 12 education is provided, an Education Week report released last week concludes.

Education Week subscribers receive Technology Counts 2002 in the mail. The report is also online, as is ordering information for print copies.

Already, 12 states have established online high school programs, and five others are developing them; 25 states allow for the creation of so-called cyber charter schools; and 32 states have e-learning initiatives under way, according to Technology Counts 2002: E-Defining Education. The report is the fifth edition of the newspaper’s annual 50-state examination of educational technology.

“E-learning is poking holes in the walls of the traditional American classroom and giving students unprecedented access to challenging courses and academic material,” said Virginia B. Edwards, the editor and publisher of Education Week. “But there are still problems and unanswered questions about this way of teaching and learning. And one of the chief concerns is ensuring the quality of online courses.”

Beyond that concern, the report addresses a list of other issues that must be resolved: Are online courses aligned appropriately with state academic standards? Who is responsible for students’ technological needs when they are taking online courses? Are online teachers trained effectively to teach via the Internet? And what is lost when students and teachers forgo face-to-face interaction?

In an effort to look at e-learning from the perspective of students, the authors of Technology Counts 2002 received access to student course evaluations from the Florida Virtual School, the nation’s most prominent state-sponsored online school. Among other findings, the course evaluations show that 68 percent of the virtual school students say their online courses are at least as hard as, or harder than, regular high school courses.

The report also continues to track the latest trends in computer access, training, and use by teachers and students.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the May 15, 2002 edition of Education Week as Report Says E-Learning Redefining K-12 Education

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
AI and Educational Leadership: Driving Innovation and Equity
Discover how to leverage AI to transform teaching, leadership, and administration. Network with experts and learn practical strategies.
Content provided by 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School Climate & Safety Webinar
Investing in Success: Leading a Culture of Safety and Support
Content provided by 
Assessment K-12 Essentials Forum Making Competency-Based Learning a Reality
Join this free virtual event to hear from educators and experts working to implement competency-based education.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Classroom Technology Most Teens Believe Conspiracy Theories, See News as Biased. What Can 69ý Do?
Teenagers—like adults—struggle to recognize accurate, unbiased information in a chaotic digital media landscape.
6 min read
Fake News concept with gray words 'fact' in row and single bold word 'fake' highlighted by black magnifying glass on blue background
Firn/iStock/Getty
Classroom Technology Spotlight Spotlight on Blended Learning
This Spotlight will help you analyze key research on school tech use, explore strategies for engaging virtual instruction, and more.
Classroom Technology Opinion This Group is Trying to Teach ‘Digital Literacy.’ Here’s How
How can students avoid getting duped by deepfakes online?
6 min read
Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
Classroom Technology Opinion 69ý Are 'Digital Natives,' But Here’s Where They Struggle
The internet is awash with dubious claims. How can educators teach students to distinguish fact from fiction?
6 min read
Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty