What online tools are available today to facilitate these interactions among learners?
There are many tools available for individuals in order to interact online in an edifying manner. The tools can be computer, fax, telephone and other wireless forms of technology, such as fiber optic networks. In addition, Skype, email, and instant messaging are used to communicate between the trainer and trainee or educator and students. According to George Siemens (2010), the online tool used is dependent upon the educational needs of the organization that is creating the curriculum. The academic classroom could be in a virtual schools, collaborative systems or mirror curriculum. The business world also uses online tools to train their employee because they are located all over the world.
In education, a virtual school has classroom without walls. School districts have virtual schools for high schools where students can get high school degree. The student would take all of their classes online through the computer, fax, telephone and other wireless forms of technology. The collaborative system utilizes a fiber optic network that connects statewide classrooms, so that educators can share educational resources. South Dakota and Iowa use a fiber optic system in order to consolidate their educational resources and teacher expertise. This allows many schools to pay only a portion of the expense but their students can benefit from the resource. The classroom without walls may actually reflect the same number of students in a regular in a classroom.
The business world would also use the same online tools that are available in the public sector to train their employees. However, distance education and training are more accepted by the private sector because it is cost effective to train their people concerning new policies and skills in this manner. Distance educations in the public sector are encouraged by district superintendents. There is not an online education czar to set up rules and regulations for the use of online tools in the educational world.
Reference
“Distance Education: Higher Education, K12, and the Corporate World” Retrieved from
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Your post about virtual schools in the high school setting made me realize that I would not want my own children to be a part of distance learning in the high school setting. Although I have enjoyed persuing higher degrees through online courses, I want my children to experience college the traditional way of attending classes, meeting friends, and 'hanging out' at the library or student center.
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