Is Virtual Education Good?

The process of education is one of the oldest and most universal aspects of society. No matter who we are or where we come from, it seems that human beings, one way or another, develop a way to teach our children about a variety of subjects that they will need to live successful, happy lives. The goals of education rarely change, but the methods and subjects can change quite a bit. As new technology develops and the structure of society evolves, we adjust our practices accordingly, sometimes for the better, and sometimes for the worse.

In this day and age, the spread of high speed internet connections, and the proliferation of online video has created a very new and exciting, although potentially problematic, option for high schoolers, which is the ability to take high school classes online. Is this a good idea, and a step forward for students and educators alike? It is hard to say at this point, because this sort of thing has only just become plausible and realistic recently, but there are certainly both advantages and disadvantages to be considered when evaluating the efficacy of this new practice.

One great advantage of taking high school classes online is sheer convenience, and that convenience can take a lot of forms. It can mean rural students, or students who access to certain types of classes is otherwise limited, would have the opportunity to take a wider range of classes. Students also have the ability to take the classes at their own pace. In other words, a more advanced student may be able to speed through the material and have some time to learn the more advanced side of a subject, while a student who is struggling can take the time to review lectures and make sure he understands a concept before moving on.

Elementary School Teachers, Counselors, and Career Education

As teachers and counselors, you know that the elementary school years are important. During the elementary school years, your students build visions of what they desire to do in their lives as they contribute to the workforce. With your help, your students remain open to new career ideas and possibilities. As you work with your students, your students do not make premature career choices or career preparations. For your students, elementary school is a time to build awareness.

As elementary school teachers and counselors, you use career education to promote self-worth, skill development, and decision making strategies. Your activities are designed to build self, family, school, community, and career awareness. You use age-appropriate materials that match your students' developmental levels. These activities expose your students to a variety of different jobs, career information sources, and the reasons why people work.

When you prepare to develop age-appropriate materials products, tests and tools, you use career models like the National Career Development Guidelines (NCDG). The National Career Development Guidelines (NCDG) have domains, goals, and indicators. Each domain represents a developmental area. Under each domain, there are goals or competencies. For each goal, indicators highlight the knowledge and skills needed to achieve the goal. The National Career Development Guidelines (NCDG) prepares you to make materials that are suitable for your students.