Online Discussions

The most successful distance learning environments, year in, year out, are those in which groups of learners form a “community of learners” with their teacher around the course subject and topics. Learners (kids or adults) come to know each other, respect each other’s differences and contributions, and work together. (Learn more about the parent’s role .)

With the complex topics and concepts encountered in high school courses, there often isn’t a lot of opportunity to discuss topics and concepts at home. The Federalist Papers, for example, is probably not a weekly conversation topic in most homes! With the K12912 program, students (with guidance from their teacher) talk with one another and wrestle with unfamiliar content together—formulating questions and comments, and getting and giving input. These online, teacher-monitored discussions provide students with both practice and confidence in the underlying concepts and skills of a particular subject or topic, as well as practice in communicating with others around a specific topic.

Another value of these virtual conversations is that there’s no “hiding in the corner” or “hiding behind the talkers”—each student is required to participate, and they can take the time they need to think through what they want to say. Teachers can both coach one-on-one, privately, and provide direction to the whole group at once.

Teachers and students often find that they know each other much better from their ongoing work and discussions in an online course than from an equivalent classroom course – each student appears as they are, not hidden away. In fact, working with other kids can build a close connection and commitment between students and teacher – a bond within the learning community itself. This enhances kids’ interest in finishing what they’ve started, and gets them interested in helping each other as well.

Next section: Teacher Interaction