Distance Learning Explodes in Popularity

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High school students sign up for distance learning

By Maya Suryaraman

©2005, San Jose Mercury News, KRT.

Distributed by TMSI.

 

Distance learning, a phenomenon already entrenched in colleges and universities, is now growing explosively in public high schools. The Internet, video conferencing and other technologies are enabling students to take those dream electives and Advanced Placement (AP) classes that aren’t offered on their campuses. Schools can instantly expand their course catalogs — without having to insist on minimum course enrollments or deal with teacher shortages.

 

Today, nearly one in 10 of America’s public schools offer distance-learning courses to students, according to a survey released in March by the U.S. Department of Education. “It’s not just on the fringes anymore,” said Susan Patrick, the Department’s director of educational technology.

 

Smaller schools benefit

 

Schools in poor neighborhoods or in rural areas — such as the 68-student Pescadero High School on the California coast — are heavy users of distance-learning courses. For these students, online courses serve as an equalizing force, allowing access to college-prep classes that wouldn’t be available otherwise.

 

Pescadero High has only one science teacher, Wayne Johnson, whose hands are full teaching basic courses. So to make AP chemistry available, the campus depends on a distancelearning provider, Seattle-based Apex Learning. Johnson, who oversees the students’ labs and proctors their tests, said he’s satisfied with the online course.

 

Not for everyone

 

Online learning is not always a good fit. Tannis Martinez, a junior who’s taking an online astronomy class, says that getting help can be difficult. “A regular class is easier,” Martinez said. “You can just go up to your teacher and tell them your problem, instead of having to send e-mails” and wait for an answer.

 

Certainly the traditional classroom teacher is in no danger of being replaced. “Students will take at most one or two classes online,” Patrick said. “We all like ‘high-touch,’ even if we live in a high-tech world.”

Vocabulary Focus

entrench (v) [in5trentF] to establish something, especially an idea or problem, firmly so that it cannot be changed

fringe (n) [frindV] the outer or less important part of an area, group or activity

equalize (v) [5i:kwElaiz] to make things or people the same in amount, number or size, or the same in importance and deserving the same treatment

have one’s hands full (idiom) to be so busy that one does not have time to do anything else

 

Specialized Terms

elective (n) 选修课程 an optional course or subject in school

Advanced Placement (n) 大学先修课程 a U.S. program that offers college credit to a high school student if the student successfully completes a certain course

course catalog (n) 课程目录 a book listing the classes offered by a school

proctor (v) 监考 to watch people taking an exam in order to check that they do not cheat

远程教学正在蓬勃发展

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高中学生使用远程教学

远程教学，一个已经在学院及大学里根深蒂固的现象，现在在公立高中里有着爆炸性的增长。互联网、电视会议，以及其它科技，使学生可以上那些自己学校没开、但渴望学习的选修课程和大学选修课程。学校可以立即扩充其课程目录内容——省去了坚守最低课堂人数或是处理教师不足的麻烦。

根据美国教育部3月份发布的一项调查，现今几乎每10所美国的公立高中，就有一所提供远程教学。教育部科技组组长苏珊·帕特里克说道：“远程教学已不再位居次要了。”

 

小学校获益

位于贫穷地区或乡间的学校——例如位于加州海岸边、只有68个学生的派斯克戴罗高中——有许多远程教学的学生。对这些学生而言，线上课程是一个让他们与其它高中学生平等的媒介，让他们能研修无法以别的渠道研修的大学先修课程。

派斯克戴罗高中只有一名自然科学老师韦恩·约翰逊，而他光教授基本课程就已忙得不可开交。所以为让学生能上大学先修化学课，学校必须仰仗总部设于西雅图的艾佩克斯学习公司，一家提供远程教学的企业。约翰逊监督学生做实验及监考，他表示对网上课程十分满意。

 

并非人人适用   

网上学习未必适合每一个人。正在网络上研修太空学的大三学生天妮斯·马丁尼兹说，有问题可能很难寻求帮助。她指出：“一般课程上起来会比较容易。你只要去找老师并告诉他们你的问题，而不用寄电子邮件，”再等待解答。

毫无疑问，传统在课堂授课的老师不会有被取代的危险。帕特里克说：“学生顶多只会选修一到两堂的网络课程。我们还是喜欢与人互动，即便我们生活在一个高科技的世界里。”