With the increase in technology, learning in a virtual environment is more popular than ever. In fact, it's estimated that more than 30% of American students are enrolled in at least one online course. While traditional, in-person learning has its benefits, online learning opens up a whole new world of education. High-quality online learning ensures your child gets the finest education possible in a uniquely flexible environment.
But does that mean it's a good choice for your family? Below, we break down the different pros and cons of online learning.
Pros of Online Learning
Inclusivity
Online schools may be able to better serve students of all backgrounds, levels of ability, and learning styles. In fact, some students with learning difficulties may thrive in an online environment. The student-teacher ratio can be even lower than in a brick-and-mortar school so each student receives the support they need to be successful. The curriculum can also be easily customizable to meet students' specific needs.
Flexibility
Students can control the time, place, and pace of their studies, which allows them to plan school work around life – instead of the other way around. Schoolwork is divided into weekly modules that empower students with the freedom and flexibility to complete their assignments when and where they choose each week. Another advantage of online school is that students can plan to do their schoolwork when they are most productive. Many middle and high school students aren't at their peak productivity at 8 am. This flexibility allows students to organize school around jobs and passions like sports, dance, and musical instruments. At Mountain Heights Academy, we have multiple students who are professional athletes, actors, rodeo riders, and world-traveling musicians.
More One-on-One Teacher Interaction
Because teachers don’t spend all of their time reteaching the same lesson to different groups of students each day, they are able to set aside four hours, per day, to offer one-on-one support to students. Students can reach out to a teacher by chat, email, or video and know they’ll get a quick response. At Mountain Heights, teachers are actively engaged with each student and they genuinely care about student success.
Transferable Skills
The skills students learn in a digital classroom – such as time management, prioritization, written communication, and how to leverage technology for efficiency – are portable skills students will need in college and in the workplace. Creative thinking, flexibility, and "work anywhere, anytime" are the world's new currencies.
Supplement Your Education
In the state of Utah, students can mix and match in-person and online classes in order to try a different elective, take classes that don’t fit into their in-person schedule, or adjust their schedule so they can do schoolwork during hours when they are most productive. Online classes include everything from art to science, honors classes, and concurrent enrollment college courses.
Cons of Online Learning
It's Not Any Easier Than Traditional School
Flexibility in your studies doesn't mean simplifying your workload or retaining less information. Accredited online schools undergo rigorous certification to ensure all courses meet a high academic standard. All courses at Mountain Heights Academy require time management, prioritization, and a desire to learn. With courses built by thoughtful and passionate educators and students who use their time wisely to engage themselves in their education, Mountain Heights Academy achieves higher test scores and completion rates than any online school in the state.
Social Isolation
The biggest stigma with any online school is that students lack social interaction. While our classes are taught online, we offer face-to-face ways for students to connect. Our students participate in service learning opportunities, collaborative group projects, field trips, and social events, including prom. We understand how important social interaction is for adolescents, so we provide students the opportunity to socialize inside and outside of school.
Not All Online Schools Are Alike
Just like with in-person schools, not all online schools are the same. Mountain Heights Academy has spent the past 14 years refining curriculum and teaching methods to best serve students online. Digital education is the intentional, thoughtful, well-designed use of technology to maximize student learning.
Dr. Tonks, Mountain Heights Academy’s Executive Director explains "It is valuable to distinguish between emergency remote learning which is what the majority of students and teachers in Utah experienced during the pandemic, and intentional digital education, which is offered at online charter schools such as Mountain Heights. Emergency remote learning was implemented very quickly, primarily because it was not expected to be a long-term solution. It is not surprising to see that academic progress slowed down a little bit. At Mountain Heights Academy, we were business as usual - helping students succeed.”
Enroll at Mountain Heights Academy
Mountain Heights Academy has been redefining digital learning since 2009, offering unparalleled teacher interaction and personalized instruction. As leaders in digital education, we understand how to help students succeed. Discover all the benefits of our full-and part-time options. Feel free to call us at 801.721.6329 for more information.