Why Online Learning
Students take online courses for a variety of reasons. They may be full-time online students, taking all their courses over the Internet Grade 1 - 12, or they may be part-time online students, that is, supplementing the courses they take at their school with online courses (Gr 10- 12). Many students use online courses for credit recovery when they have failed a class that is required for graduation or a post-secondary entrance requirement. Students may also wish to take the online course to improve their overall mark to meet an entrance requirement for a post-secondary program. Prairie South School Division has many schools in rural Saskatchewan which may not offer a course which the student would like to take. Some students use online courses for elective credit and personal enrichment.
Today’s learning environments are changing. From the student’s point of view, online learning is attractive because it is:
- Personalized to my needs and interests. When students select their courses, they take greater ownership.
- Flexible so that I can try different ways and/or times to learn. Online learning allows scheduling to accommodate health, sports, employment and family circumstances.
- Interactive and engaging lessons. Grades 1 - 9 students meet via Zoom in a real-time synchronous safe environment. Interactive software is used in online learning to provide different ways of learning. Grades 10-12 students learn asynchronously, learning at their own pace.
- Relevant to life. Students gain more experience using the 21st century technology tools used in college, university and in the workplace.
- Learn at your own pace in your own place. Students engage in asynchronous lessons in grades 10-12 allowing them to move faster or slower through assignments and track their own progress toward their goals. Take classes from school, at home, while travelling - anywhere.
- Constantly informed by different ways of demonstrating and measuring my progress. Educational technology can measure and share student progress quickly.
- Responsive and supportive. Communicating outside the typical school day is supported by the online learning culture. Students can email and/or text their online teachers questions throughout the day - 7 days per week.
- Challenging but achievable. Online learning reinforces lifelong learning skills, time management skills and promotes information literacy and communication skills as well as critical thinking and problem-solving skills.