Virtual Schooling

Virtual Schooling or otherwise known as online-schooling or distant learning is the use of technology to deliver instruction instead of going to school in-person. All schooling is presented online via the internet. Virtual learning gives students educational opportunities from the comfort of their homes. 

A young girl, sitting at a table,
sitting in front of a laptop,
holding instruments smiling

In this blog, I will discuss the advantages and disadvantages that I have witnessed in Virtual Schooling. To begin, I believe that doing school in the comfort of your own home is a lot less stressful and more enjoyable. My first semester of college was right when COVID got  bad. All of my classes were virtual. I had a few self-paced classes that gave me a more flexible schedule.  To me, this was helpful, especially when starting my first semester of college. For me, it made college less of an adjustment and allowed me to ease my way in. I will say online classes require a high level of self-discipline. At the start of my online classes, I did not have self-discipline which made the adjustment harder.  After I had time to adjust and become self-aware, online classes felt like a breeze. While these classes connected me to people from all around the world, and allowed me to create my own schedule, and work at my own pace there were many disadvantages that came along with it. An example of one of these disadvantages was not having physical interactions with those in my classes and the loss of building relationships. My first time on campus was very nerve-racking because I did not know anyone. By having all my classes online, I had trouble finding places on campus and building connections with others. I also felt like online schooling did not teach me anything. After being in a classroom and listening to a professor I understood why face-to-face classes were important. You can ask questions, build relationships, and truly engage in the material. I feel like sometimes when you do school online you get lost in the movement instead of understanding and knowing the material. While online classes are a great alternative; I believe that you receive a better quality education from face-to-face classes. When you are in person you get to hear other people's opinions, build relationships, have conversations, and ask questions. That is what education is. Not just reading and completing assignments. 

Negatives of Standardized Testing

Standardized testing is used in the school system as a way to not only assess children's performance but to also see the effectiveness of the curriculum being used. A standardized test is usually multiple choice. There can also be true or false questions on standardized tests. This makes the test process fair and objective. During these tests every student receives the same questions, time limit, and environment. Time limits can vary if someone has a IEP and needs a longer amount of time or someone to read the test for them. 

(Male child sitting at a desk
 with his head down, holding a
 sign that reads "help" with
 books on one side and pencils
 on the other side.) 

In this blog, I will discuss how standardized tests are a flaw in the education system. To begin, I believe that standardized tests have unrealistic expectations for children. It is expected that everyone ate breakfast, is having a good day, and is prepared. This is not always the case. If a child wakes up late, does not get breakfast, and then gets yelled at, would they perform well on a test? Probably not. Standardized tests are very stressful for children. Some children work really well under pressure but others just completely choke. Standardized tests are not an effective way to measure a child's intelligence. It also does not give the teachers any feedback on how to help and assist the children in learning. Standardized testing is not an accurate display of what children know. Think of how many children cheat during standardized tests because they know how much it will impact them. Standardized tests do not value diversity within children. Every child gets the same amount of questions and the same exact questions. Testing does not take into account that some children are not proficient in English, the wide variety of cultural backgrounds, or learning styles. Standardized test are not what we need in the education system to predict how children are doing education wise. It is not beneficial or accurate.