The implementation of lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic made parents consider online learning post covid. Several schools have since opened their (virtual) doors to prospective students.
However, parents don’t always know how to determine these schools’ quality objectively. It has now become clear that over the past year, many schools which on the surface appeared of a high standard were unable to fulfil their promises to students.
Principal at Evolve Online School Colin Northmore said it is essential for parents to carefully weigh up different schools against factors that can mean the difference between success and failure.
He said choosing an online school should not come as a surprise as it requires the same kind of due diligence from parents as an in-person school would.
“However, there is still a misconception that online schools and their offerings are comparable because they use similar technology, stick to a curriculum, require a child to have a device and some self-discipline, and from there, it’s smooth sailing. The reality could not be further from the truth, as good online schools must offer much more than a curriculum and some tutoring from behind a screen,” added Northmore.
According to Northmore, many young students who started online schooling this year are finding themselves in difficult situations, after having signed up with online schools whose marketing did not live up to their delivery, and with parents now trying to remedy the problem so that their children don’t need to repeat the year.
“Online school is a great option for students who work better on their own, families who are mobile and need to ensure consistency of education while travelling, and so forth – there are many reasons for choosing to attend an online school. But we implore parents to carefully weigh different schools against the objective factors that can mean the difference between success and failure.”
Northmore has provided a checklist of what parents should look out for when investigating and comparing online school and these include:
Registration and accreditation
The most basic first check is to ensure that the school is registered and accredited by the relevant authorities. The registration is difficult to check because the Department needs a policy for online school registration. Without this certainty, parents can check if the school is a stand-alone or part of a group of schools. They can also find out if the school is registered with an examining body like the Independent Exams Board of Cambridge International. Registration with an examining body should be non-negotiable.
Academic excellence, reputation,track record and institutional support
Is the online school part of a school group with a proven track record of academic excellence in its brick-and-mortar schools? Do their students have a reputation for excelling and thriving online and in-person schools across the board? These are essential questions to ask to determine whether a new school is exploiting the growing demand for online schools or whether they have a history, track record and the requisite institutional support to deliver quality education.
Logistical competence
Can the school deliver assessments, lectures, and materials timeously and stick to the annual calendar without floundering around? Online study requires a great deal of discipline and independence. The last thing a student needs is to have their progress hampered and frustrated by an institution logistically incapable of delivering a consistent quality offering.
Rounded education/screen time vs green time
Is the school committed to the whole child and a rounded education? Simply being a delivering and testing factory is not going to cut it. An excellent online school will incorporate diagnostic testing to determine the exact level of proficiency of a student before placement and during the educational journey; asynchronous learning so that learners can move through content at their own pace and according to their own proficiency, with direct access to teachers who will facilitate extra activation classes; synchronous learning where students will also be able to attend live interactive lessons, and socialisation opportunities with academies, studios and day camps so that students can mingle with their peers and balance their screen time with green time.
Northmore stated that parents should continue to interrogate all claims, as promises are easily made but hard to keep in the online education environment.
“Are you confident that they are responsive and accessible after dealing with the school? Are you confident your child can access additional support easily and routinely? Online schooling is much more than a delivery of the curriculum. An online school should be focused on helping students to grow, develop and perform at their best academically while also supporting them to grow into confident and competent members of society.”
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