The Effects of Cyberschools on Public Education - Essay Example

Table of Contents Table of Contents 1 Introduction 2 2 ment of the Problem 2 3 Definition of Key Terms 4 3 Cyberschools 4 3.2 Public Education 5 3.3 Homeschooling 5 4.0 Review of Related Literature 6 4.1 Contrary Perspectives 6 4.2 The Homeschooling Alternative 7 4.3 A Viable Alternative 8 5 Hypotheses 11 7 Research Evaluation Methods 12 7.1 Research Approach 12 7.1.1 Quantitative versus Qualitative 12 7.1.2 Deductive versus Inductive 14 7.2 Research Strategy 14 7.3 Data Sources and Data Collection Methods 15 7.4 Credibility of Research Findings 15 8 Findings 16 10 Further Recommendations 19 11 References 20 1 Introduction The research shall explore the effect of cyberschools on public education. Huerta, Gonzlez and d'Entremnont (2006) affirm that the popularity of cyberschooling is on the rise, largely consequent to the fact that it expands the educational environment beyond geographically imposed limitations, on the one hand, and because it furnishes students/learners with an array of previously unimaginable learning tools and aids. Cyberschools are effective education delivery media and allow for the student-student and teacher-student interaction relationship models which are considered integral to successful schooling (Huerta, Gonzlez and d'Entremnont, 2006). There is, as many professional educators and researchers have contended, little doubt that cyberschools are a positive addition to the education and information delivery models available. The cyberschool, may function as a viable and valid alternative to public schools in instances where the latter are not available to students or whose attendance is problematic. 2 Statement of the Problem The economic collapse which western Pennsylvania suffered in the 1980s did not simply lead to an 80% unemployment figure but it effectively constrained the capacity of the state government to support the public education system. Indeed, the feasibility of operating a public school became increasingly questionable as the western Pennsylvanian population experienced a severe decline consequent to migration in search of jobs and school enrollment figures substantially declined. It is within the context of the stated problem that, as explained in a study undertaken by KPMG Consulting (2001) that the Midland, Western Pennsylvania High School was shut down and a cyberschool system introduced as an alternative. When the Western Pennsylvania cyberschool opened in the 2000-01 school year, 525 grade 12 students were enrolled in it. In the 2001-2002 school year, 996 students were enrolled (KPMG Consulting, 2001). Indeed, demographic figures are a testament to the success of the Western Pennsylvania cyberschool for, not only are enrolment figures steadily n the increase but, an increasing number of students and parents are opting for cyberschool as a preferred alternative to public schooling, with the result being that that while 48% of the enrolled students are former home schoolers, 52% are former public school students from twelve south west region counties. Added to that, 27 of the enrolled students are classified as gifted' and 117 are special education needs students (KPMG Consulting, 2001). The implication here is that, within Western Pennsylvania at least, cyberschooling is emerging as a viable, valid and vital alternative to public schooling. Within the parameters of the outlined problem, the research shall attempt the determination of the impact of cyberschools on public education, with the focus being on Western Pennsylvania. 3 Definition of Key Terms The focus of this action research is well-defined and limited to the relationship between public schooling and cyberschooling, on the one hand, and the emergence of cyberschools as an alternative to both home and public schooling. The focus, as stated, allows for the identification of three key terms, those being cyberschools, public education and home schooling. Each of these terms shall now be defined in order to contextualize their usage in the research. 3.1 Cyberschools Rutkowski (1999, para. 1) defines cyberschools as "virtual schools," or schools "schools without walls, without buildings, or without classrooms" which, exploiting the latest internet technologies, deliver education to the student, wherever he/she may be. Concurring with this definition, Anijar (20040 maintains that cyberschools are the schools of the future. They adhere to a national curriculum, fall under the stringent governance of a bard of education but, importantly, are liberate from the confines of geographic space, in which case, they facilitate access to education. Based on the above stated, the term cyberschools shall be employed in this research to denote virtual schools which adhere to a set and nationally approved educational curriculum but which take education to the students, rather than demand that students come to them. 3.2 Public Education There is, of course, no disagreement or controversy over the meaning of public education. Olebe (2005), a professional educator and the associate director of public school programs at California State University, contends that the term hardly requires definition, insofar as it is self-explanatory. Public education is, in briefly, the nationally approved and funded primary to high school educational system established by both federal and local/state governments for the education of citizens. It is the medium through which the greater majority of American school-age children and teenagers, access education. This is the definition for public education that will be employed in this research. 3.3 Homeschooling Homeschooling, as defined by Lubinski (2000) is a "flight from the modern American school." Implying the removal of children/students from the public education system and the transformation f their home environment into an educational one, with parents functioning as the educators, it may further be defined as the response of many American parents to the troubles confronting the public education system (Lubinski, 2000). For the purposes of the present research, homeschooling shall be defined as the alternative which many parents have sought in response to the educational and social problems confronting the American public educational system. 4.0 Review of Related Literature This section of the research shall review literature on cyberschooling as an alternative to public schooling and the rise of homsechooling in the United States. 4.1 Contrary Perspectives Despite the seeming popularity of cyberschools and arguments to the effect that it is a preferred alternative to Homeschooling and in many cases, to public schooling, some professional opinion and empirical evidence has suggested otherwise. An Alliance for Childhood (2005) article maintains that cyberschools, with their multimedia environment, prevents the development of a child's imaginative capabilities. By providing students with the text and the accompanying colors, sounds and images, they do not give them the chance to use their imagination or, as a matter of fact, to engage in the experience. Fuchs (2006), referring to a German cyberschool pilot experiment, agrees, adding that the multimedia environment of cyberschools transforms students into passive recipients of information, as opposed to active and involved participants. Accordingly, the potential proliferation of cyberschools and the accompanying creation of multimedia learning environments will have more negative than positive educational consequences (Alliance for Childhood, 2005; Fuchs, 2006). The implication here is that cyberschools are neither a valid nor viable alternative to the public school classroom. 4.2 The Homeschooling Alternative Despite the fact that some educational researchers have dismissed the notion of cyberschools as an effective alternative to public schools, the fact of the matter is that increasing numbers of American parents are pulling their children out of school and Homeschooling them. Caviness (2002) maintains that this evidences the state of today's public schools and the increasing inability of the public system to provide students with either an effective or secure educational environment. Kiesling (2004) agrees, although she does concede to the fact that within the context of the Homeschooling environment, learners are deprived of the social interaction with peers and teachers which is considered such a vital part of the educational experience and an integral part of the learning process. Similarly, Wichers 9001) expresses some reservations regarding the isolationist nature of the homeshooling environment, although she does concede to two important facts. The first is that the public school system is no longer living up to its own objectives of educating students in a secure environment and the second is that the academic performance of home schooled children far exceeds that of public education schooled children. The literature reviewed leads to two conclusions. The first is that the problems confronting the public school system has motivated many to opt for home schooling and the second is that the public school system no longer functions as an effective educator, as evidenced in the superior performance of home schooled children. Nevertheless, home schooled children are deprived of vital social interaction, itself identified as an integral component of effective education. 4.3 A Viable Alternative Proceeding from the above stated, cyberschools emerge as a solution to the problems which beset the public education system, on the one hand, and the socially isolationist character of home schooling, on the other. More importantly, and as the literature reviewed in the below shall illustrate, it is an effective and efficient education delivery medium. Anijar (2004) introduces and defines cyberschools as the technological response to the failures of the public education system. The latter is spatially crowded to the extent that there are increasing imbalances in the student-teacher ratio as constrains the capacities and abilities of either to teach and learn. More importantly, ever increasing public school student populations implies that individual students are not getting the attention or the education they need, on the one hand and the student body, as a whole, is not receiving the requisite supervision. The consequence of the aforementioned is a breakdown in both the educational and social environment of public schools. Cyberschools are a response to the aforementioned. Huerta, Gonzlez and d'Entremnont (2006) concur with the but differ in that they do not present cyberschools as an alternative to public schools but as an evolution of the public school system. Cyberschools adhere to the same curriculum as public schools and benefit from the same calibre of instructors but, are given a much wider array of educational tools and, indeed, an educational environment which is infinitely more conducive to learning. It is thus that Huerta, Gonzlez and d'Entremnont (2006) maintain cyberschools to be an evolved form of public schools. To a degree, the report on cyberschools issued by KPMG Consulting (2001) and commissioned by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, agrees with the notion of cyberschools as an advanced and cost-effective form of public schools. As stressed upon in this evaluative report, cyberschools offers public education to those who do not have access to public education, primarily because of geographic distance or time constraints, supposing that many High School students are often forced to seek employment in order to support themselves. They further function as an alternative educational option for those who have determined to terminate their school education due to exposure to bullying, racism and any other form of social and physical discomfort and threat. In other words, and as emphasised by KPMG Consulting (2001), cyberschools are the answer to many of the problems which students confront in the public education system; problems which can function as a motive for the termination of education. Apart from being defined as an alternative to, or an evolved form of, public schools, several educational researchers have identified cyberschools as a fundamentally more efficient an effective educational delivery medium. Buffington (2007), a professional educator, reports her own experiences in using the World Wide Web as a medium for education. As she argues, the key to effective education such as which engages students' interests and motivates them to attain their full potential is critical thinking. Students learn best when they engage in critical thinking. Arguing that the World Wide Web presents a rich source of information and is an invaluable interactive educational tool, Buffington (2007) contends that her own experiences as a cybereducator have led her to conclude that it is both an effective educational tool and as a medium for inspiring critical thinking. Similarly contending that cyberschools are an effective alternative to public schools, Jonnavithula and Kinshuk (2005) argue this to be the case because today's school students are a multimedia generation. A substantial amount of their time was spent playing video-games and besides making them highly accustomed to multimedia environments, it has made them highly computer and technology literate. The implication here is that the traditional public school classroom setting no longer engages this generation and the customary teacher-centric approach to learning bores them. As a result, they do not benefit as they could from their classroom experiences. Cyberschools resolves this problem and addresses the current generation's needs and interests, making it a more effective medium for the delivery of education than is the traditional public school classroom (Jonnavithula and Kinshuk, 2005). Kymes (2005), Limson, Witzlib, and Desharnais, (2007), McGrail, (2007) and Shin (2007), all professional educators and education researchers with experience in cyberschooling, or the use of the internet as a medium for the delivery of education, have determined that cyber schools are emerging as an increasingly feasible alternative to pubic education and, importantly, as a preferred medium for education. 5 Hypotheses The literature reviewed in the preceding section allows for the formulation of the following hypotheses regarding the possible effects of cyberschools on public education. As the public education system becomes more and more crowded, disallowing for the effective supervision and education of students, security and safety concerns, on the one hand, and academic concerns, on the other, will motivate parents to opt for cyberschooling. The cyberschool phenomenon will force the public school system to reassess its education delivery strategies and adopt multimedia educational tools as would allow for the more effective and efficient delivery of learning. 6 Action Plan The testing of the proposed working hypotheses will unfold through two strategies, both of which aim to compare the effectiveness of public schools with cyberschools. In the first, literature on the performance of cyberschool students versus public school students will be compared. In the second, interviews with cyberschool students and their parents will be carried out in order to determine the motives for the transition from public to cyberschools and whether or not cyberschools deliver an education which either matches or exceeds the quality delivered by the public education system. 7 Research Evaluation Methods This section shall provide an overview of the research design selected for application to the defined study. 7.1 Research Approach Selection of the research approach is, according to Creswell (2003) a critically important decision. The research approach does not simply inform the research design but it gives the researcher the opportunity to critically consider how each of the various approaches may contribute to, or limit, his study, allow him/her to satisfy the articulated objectives and design an approach which best satisfies the research's requirements (Creswell, 2003). 7.1.1 Quantitative versus Qualitative The quantitative tools for data analysis generally borrow from the physical sciences, in that they are structured in such a way so as to guarantee (as far as possible), objectivity, generalizability and reliability (Creswell, 2003). Here the researcher is viewed as external to the research and results are expected to be constant if the study is replicated. Accordingly, the matrix of quantitative research techniques is inclusive of random and unbiased selection of respondents. It is primarily used for the production of generalizable data for such purposes as evaluation of outcomes, tending towards the near total decentralization of human behaviour. It is such decentralization that raises criticisms amongst those who tend to exhibit preference for qualitative tools, arguing that these offer insight into perceptions and interactions. Accordingly, whereas questionnaires is a leading tool for the first, qualitative methods include interviews, observations and focus groups, designed to explicate the underlying meaning/cause behind selected phenomenon . In other words, while qualitative tools analyze the reasons behind a particular phenomenon, quantitative tools analyze the phenomenon itself, independent of human perceptions of reasons why (Creswell, 2003). Punch (2000) advises that a research's value is inevitably maximised should it exploit both approaches. The reason for doing so is that some aspects of the research problem require qualitative analysis and investigation, while others demand quantitative analysis (Punch, 2000). Even while conceding to the validity of Punch's (2000) assertion and acknowledging the inherent value of either approach, the dissertation is primarily limited to the qualitative approach. Quite simply stated, time-constraints limited the researcher's ability to collect such primary data as would allow for the analysis of the defined issue from the quantitative perspective. In addition to that, the very nature of the research, its defined aims and objectives and selected research questions, impose a qualitative approach upon the study, insofar as it underlines the necessity of understanding the issue from the perspective of the identified stakeholder group. 7.1.2 Deductive versus Inductive Marcoulides (1998) defines the deductive approach as a testing of theories. The researcher proceeds with a set of theories and conceptual precepts in mind and formulates the study's hypotheses on their basis. Following from that, the research proceeds to test the proposed hypotheses. The inductive approach, on the other hand, follows from the collected empirical data and proceeds to formulae concepts and theories in accordance with that data. While not disputing the value of the inductive approach, the research opted for the deductive approach, or the top-down,' as opposed to the bottom-up' method. 7.2 Research Strategy Creswell (2003) identifies three research strategies, or plans for responding to the research question. These are the experimental, the survey and the case study strategies. A researcher may select one, or even all three of these strategies, depending on the requirements of the research itself and the nature of the study. Naturally, scientific researches exploit the experimental strategy while the social sciences tend towards the survey and the case study strategies. The nature and concerns of the current research have underscored the imperatives of exploiting the survey. Semi-structured interviews will be held with small focus group, comprised of approximately six respondents. The interviews will attempt to uncover the reasons why students are turning to cyberschooling, whether or not it is a feasible and viable alternative to public schooling and the degree to which, from professional educators' viewpoints, it satisfies the objectives of the educational system. 7.3 Data Sources and Data Collection Methods While the research shall utilize the interview methodology for the collection of important primary data, it will do so on a limited scale. Neither the resource nor the time allowed the researcher allow for wide-scale primary data collection. Hence, the data collection methods utilised will be primarily limited to desk-based research. The data sources that will be used are (1) online documents; (2) print documents; (3) journal articles; and (4) books. 7.4 Credibility of Research Findings Ultimately, the data collected is used to inform the research findings. If the data is not verifiable, the implication is that the findings are potentially suspect. Accordingly, it is incumbent upon the researcher to validate his/her findings (Sekeran, 2003). Saunders et al. (2000) contends that a research is valid only if it actually studies what it set out to study and only if the findings are verifiable. There are three methods for establishing validity. As Saunders et al (2000) explain, construct validity entails the establishment of accurate operational measurements for the research's core concept. This is done by establishing a chain of evidence throughout the data collection process; by verifying key information through the use of multiple sources of information; and by presented informants with a draft of the study for review. Besides establishing construct validity, social science researches need also establish external validity by testing the applicability of the findings to external case studies (Saunders et al., 2000). While conceding to the importance of external validation methods, they are beyond the scope of the current research. Consequently, the research shall seek the verification of its findings through construct validation. 8 Findings The research findings, as deduced from both the literature review and the limited survey carried out indicated that cyberschooling is not just a valid alternative to public school education but, for many, the preferred option. The three parents interviewed stated that they had removed their children from the public school system and had decided on Homeschooling because of both educational and psychological concerns. On the educational front, they believed that their children were not receiving the level of education required for later career success. On the psychological front, the decision to remove their children from the public school system was primarily consequent to bullying and experiences with racism. These reasons corresponded with those outlined in the literature reviewed and, thus, were deemed valid. The evolution of the cyberschool, compounded with the positive reports that the parents interviewed had heard of this educational option, motivated them to enroll their children in cyberschools. The parents reported that they were satisfied with the decision and believed that the quality of education which cyberschools delivered was far superior to that which public schools delivered. The three cyberschool students interviewed confirmed their parents' statements regarding the quality of education they received. Therefore, within the context of the stated, the findings from both the literature and the primary data indicate that cyberschools are a viable option to public schools and a superior education delivery paradigm. Accordingly, the first research hypothesis was validated. The findings of both the primary and the secondary data indicated that cyberschool student performance tended, on the average, to exceed that of public school children. The reason for this was both the educational tools exploited within the cyberschool learning and teaching environment and the option fir one-to-one guidance offered. As indicated by the findings, the first research hypothesis was validated. The data, however, neither validated nor invalidated the second research hypothesis. 9 Conclusions The research and data analysis carried out allows for the statement of a set of conclusions. The first of these is that the public school system is under tremendous strain, both because of increasing student populations and decreasing qualified teacher populations. The consequence of the aforementioned is the decreasing capacity for effective education and an ever dwindling ability to ensure the safety and security of students on school grounds and property. The stated has led many parents to turn to Homeschooling and, eventually, to cyberschools. As pertains to cyberschools, the research data allows for the conclusion that it is an effective, viable, vital and feasible alternative to both public education and Homeschooling. Given that no data was found on the actual effect that cyberschools have had on the public school system, it is difficult to present definitive conclusions regarding this relationship. Nevertheless, one may assume that cyberschools will be integrated into the public school system in due course, thereby relieving state and federal governments of a substantial percentage of the cost involved in the maintenance and running of public schools and allowing access to education for those who, for a variety of reasons, had no previous access. In other words, cyberschools will not function as a threat to public schools but as a support system. 10 Further Recommendations There are a number of important questions which this research did not answer and which future research can, and in so doing, contribute to the body of knowledge on cyberschools. The first of these questions pertains to the manner in which cyberschools can co-exist alongside public schools and indeed, function as a support system. The second is the extent to which cyberschools resolve the isolationist nature of Homeschooling and whether or not they afford students the social environment they require for personality development and evolution into social beings. The third is the strategies for the integration of cyberschools into the public school system , allowing for the transfer of students experiencing problems in the public school system to cyber schools. Should future research investigate these questions, they will substantially contribute to our understanding of the relationship between public and cyber schools. 11 References Alliance for Childhood.net. (2005). Fool's gold: A critical look at computers in childhood. 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(2001) Homeschooling: Adventitious or detrimental for proficiency in higher education. Education, 22(1), 145-151. Retrieved March 23, 2007, from Academic Search Premier database. Read More