Running head: ONLINE LEARNING IN K-12 ENVIRONMENT

Online Learning in K-12 Environment

Sonya Swartzentruber
Regent University

ONLINE LEARNING IN K-12 ENVIRONMENT

Introduction
Online learning in the K-12 environment is fairly new, but it has been rapidly growing
and becoming more common across America. It has been useful in offering courses that are not
offered in schools; for credit recovery for those who failed a course; for differentiating
instruction for students; and many other ways. Online learning can be very helpful in a wide
variety of ways in K-12, but there are still barriers for both the students and instructors. For
every benefit of online learning, there are arguably just as many downfalls in K-12.
Online K-12 Instructors
In the article Everybody is their own Island: Teacher Disconnection in a Virtual
School, there is discussion on many of the aspects regarding online learning in K-12, but the
most significant focus is placed on the feelings and thoughts of online instructors. Online
teachers have very limited interactions with students, which often causes them to feel isolated or
disconnected, especially when comparing their role as a teacher with the role of a traditional
teacher. Teachers felt a disconnection in three different areas, including disconnection from their
students, from their traditional notions of what it meant to be a teacher, and from their fellow
teachers (Hawkins, Graham, and Barbour, 2012). The article also discusses the vital roles of
teaching presence, cognitive presence, and social presence in the online classroom to create
meaningful learning experiences, as well to foster a sense of community.
Benefits and Barriers of Online Learning
The article Examining the extent and nature of online learning in American K-12
Education: The research initiatives of the Alfred P. Sloan, discusses some of the many benefits
and barriers of online learning in K-12. Online learning in K-12 is rapidly expanding across
America and continues to do so, with some of the benefits being meeting needs of a large variety

ONLINE LEARNING IN K-12 ENVIRONMENT

of students, which is not limited to, but includes homebound and special needs students, allowing
students to take classes that may not be offered at school (Picciano, Seaman, Shea, & Swan,
2012). That is just one of the benefits, followed by credit recovery for those who failed a class;
offering college-level courses; accommodating student schedules; differentiation; et cetera.
These benefits also come with barriers, including the question about quality of online education;
funding; teacher training; and policies regarding attendance. In addition, the article discussed that
there are concerns about the quality of online courses and indicated that students need maturity,
self-discipline, and a certain command of basic skills (reading and mathematics) in order to
succeed in these courses and many students in K-12 do not have that self-discipline (Picciano et
al., 2012).
Effectiveness of K-12 Online Learning
The article An Empirical Evaluation of Distance Learnings Effectiveness in the K12
Setting discusses the effectiveness of online instruction in K-12 compared to traditional
instruction. One of the most interesting finds says that, in the past online courses attracted more
college-bound, high-achieving advanced students, current virtual classes have been expanded to
offer more courses for credit recovery and for special-needs students (Harris & Sgol, 2015, p.
9). Due to the fact that online courses are now attracting a different audience, research now
covers a different and greater variety of people. It is found that the most successful students in
online courses can learn independently, manage time, possess motivation, et cetera, which not
many students have. It was found that students perform better in the traditional classrooms than
online for K-12, but there are some online schools that have the same or better results than
traditional schools (Harris & Sgol, 2015, p. 15).

ONLINE LEARNING IN K-12 ENVIRONMENT

Importance of Findings
The findings from these articles are important because they show the different results
from online K-12 instruction compared to traditional instruction, as well as the many roles of
online instructors. These articles are helpful in understanding some of the benefits and barriers of
online learning, especially compared to traditional learning. The findings explain how rapidly
online learning is expanding across America and discuss areas that should be changed to make
online courses more effective over time. In addition, they express reasons online educators often
feel a disconnection and provide suggestions on what teachers should expect and how to combat
that disconnection in the online classroom. These articles could help future educators by helping
them understand the differences of teaching in a physical classroom and an online classroom to
make the most of the experience and best reach students. The findings could also help future
educators by informing them of the benefits and barriers of online learning and how those could
change in the coming years, to help prepare them.

ONLINE LEARNING IN K-12 ENVIRONMENT

References
Harris-Packer, J., & Sgol, G. (2015). An empirical evaluation of distance learnings
effectiveness in the K-12 setting. American Journal of Distance Education, 29(1), 4-17.
Retrieved December 13, 2015, from Regent University Ebscohost.
Hawkins, A., Barbour, M., & Graham, C. (2012). Everybody is their own island: Teacher
disconnection in a virtual school. The International Review in Open and Distance
Learning, 13(2), 123-140.
Picciano, A., Seaman, J., Shea, P., & Swan, K. (2012). Examining the extent and nature of online
learning in American K-12 Education: The research initiatives of the Alfred P. Sloan
Foundation. The Internet and Higher Education, 15(2), 127-135. Retrieved December 12,
2015, from Regent University Ebscohost.