The Role of Primary Students and Parents in Virtual Schools

Almost all colleges and universities in the United States offer distance education courses (de la Varre, Keane, & Irvin, 2011). Likewise, online classes have been offered to advanced middle school and high school students.

Increasingly, elementary students are also taking online classes. Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek (2012) stated there has been exponential growth in the number of kindergarten through 12th-grade virtual schools. About 31 states have online schools. Some virtual schools may have evolved from charter schools and are funded by their respective states (O’Hanlon, 2012). Additionally, the instructors are certified by their state and the curriculum is established by state standards (O’Hanlon, 2012).

Virtual elementary schools are similar to traditional elementary schools (O’Hanlon, 2012). Students complete projects, read books, and write papers. Reasons for parents enrolling primary students in virtual schools vary depending on the individual student. It has been suggested that some of these students began as being homeschooled, but desired to have a teacher (O’Hanlon, 2012). Some students may have been physically bullied and are afraid to attend traditional classes. Additionally, some students may have busy schedules, physical limitations, or medical conditions that present challenges for attending traditional schools on a regular basis. And, the “one-size fits all” traditional curriculum may be boring for advanced learners.

According to O’Hanlon (2012), parents decide to enroll their children in online virtual schools for various reasons. Flexibility to access course material during any time of the day is one factor that explains why families choose to enroll primary students in distance education courses. Distance education offers learner-centered and personalized educational experiences that fosters communication and collaborative skills that are instrumental in producing lifelong and independent learners (Hathaway, 2009; Papastergiou, 2006; Rumble, 2001). Furthermore, distance education connects a diverse group of students into one classroom (Simonson et al., 2012)

Researchers have concluded that there is no significant difference in learning outcomes of students enrolled in virtual schools as compared to traditional schools (Carr, 2000; Parker, 1999, Roblyer, 2006; Simpson, 2004; & Zweig, 2003). Virtual elementary schools offer a plethora of opportunities for primary students to complete assignments at their own pace. Online distance education delivers individualized, learner-focused educational experience that facilitates the communicative and collaborative skills needed by the twenty-first century workforce for lifelong and independent learning (Hathaway, 2009; Papastergiou, 2006; Rumble, 2001). Furthermore, through virtual schooling, school districts and states can “provide advanced placement courses and enrichment courses to rural school and those in other smaller, less affluent locations” (Simonson et al., 2012, p. 138).

The primary factor that prevents online primary students from being successful is lack of parental involvement. “Parents’ involvement in their children’s education is associated with a variety of benefits, including higher achievement” (Pryor & Pryor, 2009, p. 45). There is a greater risk of academic failure for students who have parents working in locations outside of the home (O’Hanlon, 2012). Students need at least one parent to be actively involved in their academic careers in order to monitor the students’ progress.

Other concerns for enrolling primary students in virtual schools is the students’ potential feelings of isolation and lack of interaction with other students or teachers. Students may become frustrated due to the lack of nonverbal cues. Isolation and frustration are factors that increase dropout rates in virtual schools. Geographical distance can also be problematic (Hobbs, 2004) and create feelings of being disconnected. Some students who transition from traditional classroom settings to virtual school settings are acclimated to teacher immediacy or psychological closeness between the student and teacher (Arbaugh, 2001).

As virtual schools continue to expand, students are able to meet and engage in social activities and field trips with other students and their teachers (O’Hanlon, 2012). Additionally, on-site facilitators of virtual schools encourage teachers to develop a positive community of learners. Likewise, they encourage students to interact with each other (de la Varre et al., 2010). Families may also opt to enroll their students in courses that are delivered entirely online or in blended (or hybrid) courses that allows student to interact daily with local students and teachers (de la Varre et al., 2010) to decrease student feelings of being disconnected from others.

Parents of online students must be active to support the students’ academic success (E-School Student Parent Handbook, 2015). Singh and Dika (2003) suggested a correlation between positive learning outcomes and parental support. The parents serve as “teaching coaches” to assist students through coursework and projects. The younger the student, the more support will need to be provided by the parents (O’Hanlon, 2012). Kindergarten students should not be expected to be autonomous learners or take ownership of their learning initially. As the students become older, less parental support may be required. However, parents are still encouraged to ensure their students are completing and submitting assignments in a timely manner. Other roles of parents of online elementary students include:

• Ensure students have personal computers, including required software, hardware and the Internet to access course information and materials.

• Maintain an active role and take an interest in what the student is learning.

• Ensure students log into courses daily.

• Discuss academic progress and grades with students

• Insist students comply with virtual school guidelines and rules.

Simonson et al. (2012) recommended that students understand expectations and requirements in order to successfully complete online courses. It is recommended that students take ownership of their own learning and know appropriate times to seek assistance or guidance. Additionally, primary distance education students need to be tech savvy and know how to transfer information and interact with teachers and other students. Additional roles of virtual primary students include:

• Enroll in an orientation course to become familiarized with online management systems such as Blackboard or Moodle.

• “Attend” or log into courses daily.

• Complete coursework in a timely manner.

• Submit original work.

• Contact the instructor for questions about grades or course content.

• Contact a help desk technician to resolve technical issues.

Distance education teachers use the Internet to provide information and resources to supplement instruction. Howard (2013) stated that school personnel have an ethical obligation to provide appropriate and safe websites that will be accessed by students. Online learning management systems such as Blackboard and Moodle provide safe learning environments for students to communicate with teachers and share ideas with other students. Since distance education students have continuous access to the World Wide Web, parents may want to monitor their children’s online activities to ensure the students do not access inappropriate online content or disclose personal information.

Howard (2013) suggested there are concerns about privacy and confidentiality when students are on the Internet. Parents are encouraged to discuss Internet safety policies with their children. Freeh (n.d.) recommended that parents inform children to “never give out identifying information such as their name, home address, school name, or telephone number. Likewise, it is advised that students do not ‘upload pictures of themselves onto the Internet or online service to people they do not personally know’ (Freeh, n.d., p. 5). The Children’s Internet Protection Act (n.d.) states schools must employ Internet safety policies to address (a) access by minors to inappropriate matter on the Internet; (b) the safety and security of minors when using electronic mail, chat rooms and other forms of direct electronic communications; (c) unauthorized access, including so-called “hacking,” and other unlawful activities by minors online; (d) unauthorized disclosure, use and dissemination of personal information regarding minors; and (e) measures restricting minors’ access to materials harmful to them.

Students also need to become aware that private contact on the Web is considered to be “Internet whispering” (Howard, 2013). It is advised that parents should not become accustomed to Internet whispering between students and faculty or other adults who are not known to other students, parents, and school administrators.

When deciding if an elementary student can be a successful candidate for online learning, parents should consider allowing them to complete a readiness quiz (Martinez, Torres, & Giesel, 2006). There is a positive correlation between student success rates and online readiness.

Simonson et al. (2012) noted that it is not mandatory for students to inform instructors about special needs. However, it is recommended for students to provide adequate information so instructors can accommodate their individual needs.

Distance education has the potential to overcome geographic barriers that prohibit students from accessing challenging coursework and highly qualified teachers. Students can receive individualized instruction and advance through courses at their own pace. It is imperative that students and parents abide by Internet safety guidelines and take responsibility for their roles in virtual schools in order for the students to be successful lifelong learners.