Websites on e-high school programs

There are many websites dealing with e-high school programs but one that was particularly helpful was for the Cobb County Virtual Academy found at :

http://www.cobbk12.org/eHigh/eHighSchool/eHighclass.htm

Another website with a lot of information on the use of technology in distance learning programs is the U.S. Dept. of Education Office of Adult and Vocational Education found at:

http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/AdultEd/tdlearn.html

Distance Learning in High School

This is my first blog and I am going to use it to look into the use of distance learning for high school students. I am primarily interested in the technology used in distance learning to make the educational experience more interactive, and how that impacts the experience of the students and their relative success or failure in high school courses. A quick search on the Internet shows how many distance learning high school programs are available. These are not GED programs but rather accredited high school programs that can be used by students that for one reason or another cannot attend a traditional high school. Some of these programs are using a combination of hard copy written work (much like the correspondence courses of years ago) along with email and other computer applications. However, some are making use of all the capabilities of the computer including the use of microphones so students can interact with their instructor in a more traditional way, allowing student and teacher to speak with one another. In the E-high school program used by the Cobb County school system in Georgia students are required to have a microphone along with their computer to allow them this greater level of interaction. In future blogs I will be researching and discussing whether this vocal interaction makes a difference in how the students view the class and whether it helps them to be more successful in their courses. I will also be looking into the logical progression of distance learning tools such as virtual meeting technology and if this is being pursued as another step in making distance learning more interactive for students. As the technology available increases in capability and decreases in cost it will be interesting to see if the traditional programs of high schools and colleges begin to use distance learning to enhance or replace courses currently only available on-campus and in-person. The current generation of high school students are so comfortable with technology and view it as a seamless part of life rather than a tool to be used for work as most of the older generations do. Will their adoption of technology as a "normal" way to communicate drive the educational system to increase their investment in technology as an adjunct or replacement to the traditional classroom setting?