Virtual education encompasses a wide range of teaching methods that do not require students and instructors to interact in person, at least not in the same room. While some of these types of education do involve real-time meetings, the teacher and student are usually in separate locations and communicate with each other via computer. Furthermore, real-time connections are not available in all forms of virtual education. Material is sometimes prepared ahead of time, and any discussion takes place with time delays, such as via email. These various forms of virtual learning are becoming increasingly popular as alternatives to the traditional classroom’s face-to-face learning environment.
Soon after the Internet was born, teachers began experimenting with virtual education. It wasn’t uncommon for some teachers to use multi-object oriented (MOOs) sites to conduct at least some instruction in the early 1990s. With the advancement of Internet technology, it became possible to teach entire classes online or with only a few in-person meetings. This concept was used to some extent in universities and junior colleges to provide students with more learning options.
It also spawned an entire secondary industry of virtual colleges and, more recently, elementary and secondary schools. Though the quality varies, they have allowed many people to pursue education that would otherwise be unavailable to them. Many people can’t get to a physical location to learn, such as a college campus, for a variety of reasons, but they can easily learn from their computers and virtual connections to teachers.
Virtual education is delivered in a variety of ways. Some classes may be held in real time, with teachers and students communicating via video conferencing software, chat rooms, or virtual worlds such as Second Life. Other classes provide students with textbooks and assignments, as well as email support for any questions they may have. Instructors receive completed assignments via email. Reading materials sent to students the instructor or video or audio files, which are essentially “lectures,” are examples of additional instruction modes.
Virtual education could lead to a variety of different outcomes or goals. It is merely informative in some forms, though the quality of the information cannot be denied. People can, for example, listen to full podcasts or listen to recordings of entire courses from some of the world’s best universities for free. Unfortunately, there are no college credits associated with listening to these podcasts.
There are few free programs that lead to a college diploma, but there are a number of free, accredited online high schools that could provide an alternative way to earn a diploma. There are many brick-and-mortar colleges that offer at least some virtual classes, and there are even schools that focus solely on virtual education. These come in a variety of prices, aren’t always accredited, and must be assessed for quality and reputation.