Say Hello to Colin Goodwin and His Portable Classroom

Colin Goodwin is going to be a senior next year, he has a respectable GPA and is currently eying colleges, but you won’t find him at

That’s because Goodwin – like a growing number of teens – decided to enroll in a virtual school called Ohio Connections Academy in order to receive his high school diploma. 

Goodwin is one of more than 2,700 students enrolled at OCA, and statewide, he’s one of more than 32,000, virtual classroom consultant Heidi Mays said. 

By 2014, national projections for full-time, online students are expected to balloon into the mid seven figures, which may indicate a growing preference toward the virtual alternative. 

“I wake up around nine, eat a little breakfast and get to work on quick checks, quizzes, tests and discussion and portfolio assignments,” he said. “It's all online. It's all just right at my fingertips.

"I spend about 30 hours a week on school work and I can learn at somewhat of my own pace, so long as I keep up.” 

Goodwin has one to two certified teachers per class, has access to textbooks and educational CD’s and can easily join online peer tutoring groups to assist those who need help catching up or learn from those students who are excelling faster than he is. 

Also, to help keep him on pace, his mother Priscilla Eva acts as his learning coach and confers with his teachers to track his learning and progress. 

According to Eva, the advantage of schools like OCA is that they’re free and can suit the needs and expectations of parents and students who prefer the flexibilty of an online learning environment.  

The disadvantage is that Goodwin can’t participate in any Lakewood City Schools’ sports or extracurricular activities, and must sometimes rely on his extroverted personality to meet new people and make new friends. 

“It’s certainly not for everyone,” Eva said. “And the later you put your child into an online school, the harder it can be to transition them into a new way of learning which requires a lot of time management and discipline.” 

“It’s been a great experience, and it fits for me, but some students need a structured school environment to help with their learning and class work,” Goodwin said. “It’s a great alternative, I’ve convinced my friends to join and they like it, but again, it comes back to what’s best for each student.”