Julie McInerney

SLM 521 SP03

02/08/03

In the article, "A New Kind of School," Kathleen Vail discusses the process of setting up an online school in school districts. Ms. Vail goes into the various processes and pitfalls of allowing students to work online. The author explores the reasons behind the educational venture to offer on line schooling. Critics of the online school idea express their ideas of computers replacing teachers. Supporters of online schooling supporters show the benefits of having such a flexible alternative to students who otherwise could not be in actual school building. This article then goes into the actual steps for the reader to follow in order to set up an online school. Aspects such as: who will use an online forum, how one begins an online course, how online schools are funded, teacher training, the technology needed, what type of time students will need, and how teachers can assess are discussed in detail. The pitfalls of online education are presented to the reader who is interested in starting an online course as well. The author provides questions for the reader to answer before beginning such a large task to ensure the least amount of frustration and aggravation.

This was a very helpful article because I was unaware of this possibility in schools today. I agree that this would be a great way to include students who have been suspended, students who need extra help, students in alternate schools, or students in prison. It would be amazing to be able to bring education to the students who want it but are not able to get it themselves. I was able to see that if you really have a drive to offer classes to students online then it is not too far out of reach. Federal, state, and private grants are given to online learning initiatives, which I would never have thought that could be a possibility for a school district such as the one I currently work in. There are some obstacles that I could see happening. For instance, as a third grade classroom teacher, I have a hard time getting my students to get their work done when I am standing right over them, and online students have to be very focused on getting their work done based on self motivation. I definitely can’t see my third graders going to school online right now, but it would be great for older students. Maybe the more experience I receive with online learning the more motivated I will be to offer it to my own students. This article could be a reference to help me start an online school or class on my own!

Vail, Kathleen.(2002). A New Kind of School. American School

Board Journal,September,2002. Retrieved February 5, 2003,

From http://www.electronic-school.com/2002/01/0102f7.html