By B.C. Manion
Pasco County Schools is ushering in a new program this year aimed at expanding its online offerings for elementary students.
A smattering of elementary students who excel in mathematics have already been able to take online middle school-level courses, but this school year the district is inviting such advanced children to take a broader array of courses via computer.
The idea is to provide an option for children to accelerate their learning, said David Scanga, the district’s assistant superintendent of elementary schools.
Because this is a new initiative, the district has no idea if it will involve just a few students, or hundreds, Scanga said.
No matter how many elementary children take the online courses, the logistics will still need to be ironed out, said JoAnne Glenn, who oversees Pasco eSchool. She added that the main issues are transportation and supervision.
“It’s really going to be a case-by-case scenario,” said Lori Wiggins, supervisor for curriculum and instructional services for the school district.
In some cases, a child might be able to shorten the school day and take the online course in their house. In other situations, the student may need to go to the media center during part of the day, and then take the online course later at home.
In any event, the idea is to broaden educational options, Glenn said.
Blending online and traditional learning methods is the wave of the future, Scanga said.
Both Scanga and Glenn said there are differences that parents need to understand about the new methods.
For instance, parents must be more connected in their child’s learning when taking an online class.
“The parents play a critical role,” Scanga said. “Kids who succeed in that virtual realm have parents who are very, very engaged.”
Children in elementary and middle school tend to need guidance and mentoring from the parents, particularly in the areas of time management and accountability, Glenn said.
In the elementary online model, the parent is the learning coach and teaching guide, Glenn said.
“The parent is doing some actual teaching,” Glenn said.
Wiggins said students must also be engaged: “Being in a virtual learning process, you have to be sure you are motivated.”
Parents interested in exploring this option should begin by talking to their school’s administration, Glenn said. From there they will bring in eSchool staff as part of that conversation.
Parents of kindergarten and first-grade students who are being home-schooled or who are attending private schools may also be interested in the online option, Glenn said.
Glenn said the district views this option as a way it can help children maximize their potential.
“It opens a lot more possibilities for schools and families to collaborate around the individual needs of students,” Glenn said.
For more information about the district’s online learning opportunities, visit www.pasco.k12.fl.us/pvip/
