The Benefits of Online Schooling

From lack of transportation, disabilities or feeling unsafe, many students are forced to stay home and miss out on valuable learning opportunities. Students would benefit from being able to attend classes from home because it revokes the need for transportation routes, allows students with injuries or disabilities to participate and allows students to feel safe while learning.

Many areas and school districts are fortunate enough to provide school parking and bus routes for their students. However, many times students need to make an extraneous effort simply to get transportation to school. Many students in my school district need to be driven to their nearest bus stop to even be able to ride for an hour to attend their local high school. Inclement weather or lack of a ride forces many of my school mates to miss class. These absences can be counteracted with the introduction of online classes. Students will benefit from online courses and curriculum without having to worry about having their transportation needs met. Students will be able to participate in an online classroom and engage with others without having to step out of their own home. Weather or lack of a ride forces many bright students to miss out on critical learning opportunities because of circumstantial needs. These aforementioned situations are common around the country and the introduction of online classes will alleviate these unfortunate absences.

Many schools outside of the country don't provide transportation services similar to the US. Students in Germany take the metro to get to school and many other students are forced to ride trains or local buses to their high schools. This may cause many students to feel unsafe and administer a feeling of fear with going to school. In many cases, girls feel unsafe to ride local buses and trains alone due to fear of sexual assault or kidnap. Rape and sexual assault are horrid things to think about but are often times reality for many females (and males) on public transportation. Online schooling offers a way for students to take classes online without having to worry about these issues. It gives students a chance to learn without worrying about their safety and the safety of others.

Teenagers with disabilities or critical injuries will benefit from online schooling because it gives them a chance to participate in an everyday classroom setting without worrying about commute in between classes and bullying from others. I am so thankful that I am fortunate enough to attend such an inclusive and disability friendly school, however, it is important to recognize that not all schools are like this. Bullying is a major issue within the public school system and many times students with disabilities become easy targets. These students are deserving of the same educational opportunities as everybody else and online classes offer that platform. Adding on, online classes revoke the need for commute between classes. There are times in which students in wheelchairs have trouble getting to class due to the overcrowded hallways and bustling of students. Schools with two to more stories also pose a problem of commute if the elevator breaks. These cases are solved with online schooling because students will no longer have to face these issues. Online classes will benefit teenagers with disabilities because they alleviate the potential threat of bullying and the need for commute between classes.

Online schooling is a powerful and new technological advance that needs to be addressed. It will aid students with transportation needs, revoke unsafe feelings and aid students with disabilities. Others may argue that although being able to attend online classes provides a platform that solves transportation needs, it poses the threat of students falling behind due to lack of a physical teacher. Although this is a reasonable concern, there is no need to worry. Students will be able to work with teachers online and there will still be teacher guidance within these classes. Online classes still have a grade book and many times, these classes offer live calls/chats with the teachers. Students will be able to work on their own time and still maintain grades. Online schooling is a benefit to students everywhere. It grants students unimaginable opportunities because it helps those with tranportation needs, aids with providing a feeling of safety and improves conditions for students with disabilities.