Link to WEBINAR ARCHIVE
I virturally attended Micheal Horn's webinar, titled "How Digital Curriculum is Transforming Learning." Being a supporter of online learning environments, I was very interest in this particular webinar. Horn discusses his belief that in the next ten years 50% of all high school curriculum will be taught online. He has written a book titled, Disrupting Class. Horn uses a term called "disruptive innovation," to describe how changes in technology have led to making products and services that were once very difficult to obtain to practically universal to obtain. He uses computers as an example of "disruptive innovation." Originally, computers were extremely expensive, very complex, and not portable- they were huge main frames. Today, computers are extremely portable, user-friendly, and inexpensive in comparison to a two million dollar mainframe. This has allowed for the broad transmisson of services and products to almost everyone- people have computers in their cell phones! The idea of portablility combined with broad band internet access leads to the possibility that just about anyone-anywhere can have access to all types of services. Including educational services.
Horn believes that education is following the same pattern. Originally, students experienced what Horn calls "non-consumption;"nonavailability of services. Students had no way to make up credits for failed classes, the dropout rate in the U.S. is 30%, rural areas had students home schooled, etc. Today, this has transformed into 27% of all high school students participated in an online course in 2009. Online learning can be taught using multiple intelligences, can allow for students to go at their own pace, and can motivate students to excel. Horn discusses blended learning as utilizing both classroom instruction and online learning.
Horn left us with some interesting concepts to ponder. Within 60 days every student in the US could have access to advanced classes online. The only thing stopping that from happening is us. He believes the focus must be on quality. The quality is measured by the outcome of the students. I believe that the future of education is going towards online learning, and although I believe that their are wonderful educational and social advantages to traditional classroom learning, I can't help but imagine how many more students could be reached through online learning. It may be the proponent that removes the socio-economic divide for students. For more information please visit the two links that I have provided.
CASE STUDY- comparsion of 3 schools online learning
