The Future of Online High Schools
May 8, 2022
In 2021, EdTech Magazine: Focus on K-12 and other news sources reported an increase in enrollment in full-time online schools in the United States, with indications pointing to continued rising enrollment in the future.
While concerns were initially raised about online education for certain students, many others–and their families–have discovered that they prefer online learning to an education in a traditional school building.
After two years of the pandemic, the message is clear: Online education, particularly at the high school and college level, is here to stay.
Tech Savvy
Online learning is a good fit for today’s technically savvy students.
Gen Z students – those born between 1996 and 2010 – grew up with ever-present technology, and online learning comes naturally to them. A Pew Research survey found that 95 percent of the Gen Z generation has a smartphone and is online “almost constantly.” With the world at their fingertips, students ages 11-24 are profoundly impacted by technology.
In addition to being tech savvy, Gen Z is also on track to be the most well-educated generation yet. A recent German study found performance of K-12 students in an online-learning environment for mathematics increased during the COVID-19 schools shutdown, suggesting online learning helps students learn more effectively.
Even prior to the global pandemic, students were drawn to online learning. A 2018 Pearson Education report reported that Gen Z is more likely to prefer learning through a video or app than with the printed textbook preferred by Millennials.
Gen Z students understand the importance of rigorous education, and they know it will help them reach their academic, personal, and professional goals.
Dwight Global Online School
Madison Awalt, the Director of Admissions of the accredited, established, and highly ranked Dwight Global Online School, is seeing this trend in real-time.
“This generation of students is adept at learning online, staying organized, managing their time, and building relationships online–all keys to a successful online education experience. During the COVID-19 schools shutdown, many students realized that they preferred learning online over learning in-person, and we at Dwight Global are delighted to offer a sound educational option for these students and their families.”
The Benefits of Digital
As more families and teachers embrace full-time online high schools, more are coming to understand its benefits.
This is especially true if a student is enrolled in a well respected online school. Dwight Global, a leader in online secondary education, offers students personalized online learning and scheduling; allowing students to combine extracurricular pursuits, pre-professional studies, athletics, and family travel with rigorous academics. Dwight Global expertly promotes an international mindset and sets students up for success in the global marketplace of the future.
Increased Focus and Flexibility
Another online learning advantage for many students is fewer distractions than an in-person classroom, which frees students from the daily stresses and concerns regarding clothes and fashion. Many students report an increased focus on their studies when they work in virtual classrooms, lectures, and study sessions.
An online curriculum also offers flexibility that the physical classroom schedule cannot provide. Students involved in sports or other extracurricular activities can plan their competitions and performances around their studies, and, in the long run, learn valuable time management skills.
Online learning can also be a good fit for students who are not satisfied with their local school. With online learning, students have many options and are no longer confined to a school near them.
Finally, many students also feel that online education helps improve soft skills such as critical thinking, attention to detail, and writing skills.
A World Online
Effective online schools have proliferated in large part because technology continues to advance, allowing students and teachers to access richer and deeper online programs with ever-improving features.
Wi-Fi speeds are improving, digital platforms are continually growing and evolving, and software developments are turning the current world into a more tech-reliant society. Aspects of school that previously could be done in person only are now increasingly possible online. This increased access to improved technology worldwide offers students and their families more online school options each year.
To learn about Dwight Global Online School, an online high school that has been educating students remotely for almost a decade, click here.