Challenges that Online High School Students Face
Online education has several benefits. It makes education more accessible to students, helps students who don’t perform well in the traditional education models and eases the social pressure.
You’ll find that the internet has many articles explaining the benefits of online education for young students as well as adults. But there are also certain challenges that need to be addressed in certain cases.
Online education is still a developing model and everyday improvements are added to the system. There’s vast potential but there’s also room for improvement. Here are some of the common challenges that students face.
Time Management
Time management is perhaps the most difficult challenge for students to overcome because it depends entirely on self-motivation. Students need to be serious about their education, learn how to manage time and set their daily schedule, and learn to study when they want to do something else.
Unfortunately, students who lack the self-control and motivation find it difficult to keep to a self-imposed pace. In these cases, it’s vital for the students’ parents to monitor their progress, especially at the onset. If students can form a habit of setting their own schedules, it becomes much more likely they’ll succeed in their classes.
Social Interaction
One of the most often mentioned conditions of online, virtual education is that students have little to no face-to-face interaction with others. Online students may feel isolation or loneliness outside the traditional high school environment, but there are still ways to interact with other students.
Achieve Virtual Academy instructors encouraged students to interact via feedback or participation in webinar-style discussions. Another way to overcome feeling isolated is to join sports clubs or other such organizations that provide some social interaction without the pressure of the traditional high school environment.
Lab and Practical Applications
Lab and practical application in chemistry, biology, and other such subjects can’t be easily taught over the online medium. However, educators have come up with ways to overcome this hurdle. One program Achieve utilizes is a program called “Gizmo Labs.” These are the only college board approved online virtual labs – although they are still not hands on, they do function as a science lab.
Dealing with Social Implications
Occasionally students feel some social implications of studying online, such as it’s easier than traditional classroom teaching or less efficient – but in fact an online class curriculum is the same, and is often far more efficient time-wise. This can actually be an added benefit for students who have part-time jobs.
Worrying about College
Some students and their parents may have concern over online schooling negatively affects their chances of getting into a desired college or university. But again, the curriculum is state mandated, and has the same standards as all public schools. There might even be an advantage to be gained if students use time to participate in volunteer work, extracurricular activities, and other opportunities which enhance their education.
While there are challenges to any form of learning, there are ways to overcome the challenges associated with online learning – especially when it’s the right environment for the student.
For more information, contact Achieve Virtual Academy.
