Week 12 Discussion

1) Who is responsible to pay for students attending virtual high schools?
I would say that the students should have to pay for their online schooling. As was said in the screencast, "Technology is a right, not a privilege" and so if the student would rather "attend" an online school, it should be his/her reponsibility to pay for it.

2) Should all public schools have a virtual high school component?
It seems to me that online classes take a lot of planning, effort, and I am assuming money to make them both interesting and effective, and I don't believe that some schools could afford to make something like that, especially here in Montana. I feel though that if a school can afford it, and has a capable staff able to create and maintain it, that an online high school would be an effective alternative.

3) How should parents be notified of the opportunity for online courses?
The awareness of online high schools should be readily available for anyone interested, so maybe a mailer, or perhaps informational handouts in high traffic areas, such as grocery stores and post offices.

4) Should teachers receive a degree in teaching online courses before being allowed to teach an online course?
I don't think a teacher should necessarily need a degree in it, but they need to have a good amount of experience and knowledge about it. Problems are going to arise in any classroom, and the teacher needs to be prepared to handle anything that can come up. Also, without having a designated classroom to have to go to, some students might find it hard to commit to online classes, and end up becoming lax in their commitment. In that case, the teacher also needs to make sure they know how to keep an online course interesting and engaging, making the students want to come back often and learn.