Journal+Review



 Journal Article 1: Online Class

Isensee does a great job of trying to present both sides of the story and all the facts, along with the possible benefits and problems that come along with the legislation. By the end of the article however, the troubles and opinions of critics’ were the main point of discussion. Although, this could have easily been predicted considering the audience the article was originally intended for.

My opinion of this new virtual classroom coincides with the comparison made by Michael Simonson, a technology and distance education professor. “He sees virtual education as a natural evolution that merges modern technology with learning- like when calculators came into classrooms in the ‘60s and ‘70s”(Isensee, 2011). This new legislation does not change that learning is taking place, but instead is providing a new outlet for it to occur, like the calculator in mathematics. I think that it is important that students learn necessary technology skills in high school to be able to take online classes and function at a higher level in college. One of the main concerns about this new requirement was the digital gap, which the schools have addressed by opening additional labs to provide computers and internet for students.

The only concern I really have with the idea of students being required to take an online class is the preparation for this new requirement’s implementation. Have students been exposed to these types of technology at home or at school? Is the same level of technology used in online classes required for some portion of face-to-face instruction classes? If a student is struggling, is there someone in place to help them and encourage them to stay on track and up to speed with the class? As long as proper precautions are taken like these to ensure that a child does not fall behind, I believe that this is a great idea. Although it may not be the most appropriate law in certain school districts, in the long run the Florida legislature has done a favor for those students who chose to embrace this new learning style and use it to their advantage.

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Through completing the journal articles and later watching classmates' Xtranormals on their articles, I discovered many ideas for incorporating technology into the classroom. Often teachers try to make it more complicated than it really is. Most students understand technology and are more than capable of using a variety of programs. Even if they do not know everything about the program, they normally can figure it out with little guidance.