Interactive Online Education; Revitalizing our Classrooms

I will admit, until recently I was against shifting our classrooms to using interactive online studies. But additional research and innovative models have changed my mind.

Online interactive programs, such as Khan Academy which was highlighted on 60 minutes last night, may have revolutionized the face of education. Supported by brilliants like Bill Gates, it reforms the classroom, and could possibly bring more equal education to every student in the world, with access to the internet.

It not only changes the way students learn, but it changes the role of the teacher, and the structure of the classroom. Teachers are then freed up to act more as tutors, and spend more individual time with students. Students can be learning at different levels, and within different time-frames, all within the same classroom.

Is it answering to today’s children, who are proficient in technology application, and who respond, relate and understand this methodology better than traditional classroom formats? Studies are showing promising results of increased test scores.

While this methodology may be difficult for older generations to embrace, they must remember today is a very different world. This will not replace teachers; it will just change their role, freeing their time to teach more creatively, as well as freeing their modern-day students from the old school lecture/textbook format of classrooms.

Classrooms could function more like workshops, combining online programs, with hands-on, place-based learning experiences, could inspire more students to enjoy learning.