Various forms of school-based education have been with us for over two millennia. Throughout most of this history, schools in every society have been characterized by the physical presence of teachers and students gathered at designated locations.
During the 19th century, however, education by postal correspondence was established in some areas of England, Germany, the U.S., and Sweden. In the 20th century, additional forms of distance education that made use of radio and television emerged. Virtual schooling, another [1](1. ancestor of 2. type of 3. alternative to) distance learning that uses online computers to provide some or all of a student’s education, first appeared in the closing years of the 20th century.
Virtual schools make it possible for students to do coursework at convenient times, in their homes or elsewhere, rather than being subject to meeting at specified times and places. Because computers serve as the [2](1.preceding 2. principal 3. principle) media of instruction, virtual school courses tend to be rich in audio, video or other graphic contents, and usually incorporate email, instant messaging blogging, and other forms of online interactivity.
Over the past several years, virtual schools have dramatically proliferated around the globe. A major educational technology research and consulting firm estimates that in the United States alone, more than one million students now enroll in virtual schools each year.
Perhaps the most serious concern about virtual schools is whether they can teach students to work cooperatively, and to [4](1. acquire 2. interrupt 3. reject) the humanistic and egalitarian values that are the foundations of democratic society. Many who oppose on demand virtual schools claim that, because such schools do not [5](1. prevent 2. provide 3. propose) live interaction, they are destined to diminish civic engagement and deepen the social isolation that can be seen among so many of today’s young people.
Arguments [6](1.related 2. responsible. resistant) to direct experience are not new. The Greek philosopher Aristotle argued in The Rhetoric that temporal distancing [7](1. compares with 2.contrasts with 3. contributes to) a lack of sympathy, because it is difficult for people to feel close to events of the past or future. The English philosopher David Hume made similar comments about spatial distancing in A Treatise on Human Nature (1740), maintaining that it is difficult for people to feel any relation to objects from which they are [8](1. logically derived 2. far removed 3. separated by time).
Defenders of conventional schooling make parallel arguments, claiming that children need the physical and emotional peer connections that they experience in classroom activities, school assemblies, club meetings, and the like in order to develop the social skills they will need to [9]( 1 .participate in 2. borrow from 3. retreat from) democratic society. On the other hand, some argue that virtual schooling can actually promote civic participation because it provides a [10](1.measurement 2. mechanism 3. messenger) by which thoughtful communication can take place among a nearly limitless range of students.
This point, however, is called into question by the fact of socioeconomic inequality. Technology mediated education may, at least in the short term, prevent people at the lower end of the income scale from participating in online education. Indeed, students whose families can afford Internet access and the required hardware and software currently [11](1. regulate 2. reduce 3. constitute) the majority of those participating in virtual schooling. However, as computers and Internet access become less expensive, they will come within reach even of disadvantaged groups. At that point, debate will likely focus on the overall quality of the online educational experience rather than on [12](1. access 2. excess 3. success) itself. Therefore, it will probably become necessary to demonstrate to potential users that high-quality education is being provided. One way this can be accomplished is by establishing standards for teacher certification and course content with which virtual schools must [13](1.comply 2. contend 3. contract).
Another point in favor of virtual schooling can be seen in the positive effects of on demand discussions. In most conventional school classes, discussions tend to be dominated by the few, most [14] (1. excluded 2. extroverted 3. indifferent) students. Also, the number and variety of students in a given class are [15](1. limited 2. multiplied 3. unrestricted) by the size and location of the classroom in which they gather. In the online classroom environment, spatial barriers are removed, and discussions enter a new dimension. When a virtual school instructor posts a question on an online discussion board, students are given a certain number of days in which to respond. For many introverted students, this type of discussion [16](1. rejects 2. revives 3. represents) a first opportunity to “speak up” in class. Also, the fact that classmates cannot see each other promotes the participation of students who are socially marginalized for one reason or another. Finally, because the discussions do not take place in [17](1. broadband 2.cyberspace 3. real time), nonnative speakers have the extra time they need to contemplate questions and contribute their points of view.
Supporters of virtual schooling also argue that, while virtual Schools may not be for everyone, they play an [18](1. questionable 2. trivial 3. vital) role as policy levers in contemporary educational politics. Their very presence and proliferation continue to challenge the status quo on issues of instructional equality, the quality of teaching, and the way schools are organized to deliver services.
Over the past century, we have witnessed an evolution of approaches, structures, and technologies related to distance education. Since the advent of the computer and the Internet, this evolution has [19] (1. accelerated 2. accentuated 3. accorded) to the point that no one can confidently predict how the educational landscape will look in the future. While there is ample research on distance education, research on virtual schooling is still in its infancy.
As virtual schools become more prevalent, they will compete with conventional schools for funding, teachers, and students. It is likely that there will be [20] ( 1. a lack of interest in 2. harmonious discussions on 3. heated debates on) issues such as teacher training, course certification, academic standards, teaching methods, access, and socialization. It is to be hoped that the result of these exchanges will be a renewed consideration of the means and ends of education in contemporary society.
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