(PART 3 of 3) Distance eduction has long been used to teach academic subjects to students geographically separated from their classroom. But itB次元官网网址檚 also possible to teach subjects such as phys-ed online.

Rebecca Hayman, considered an B次元官网网址淎B次元官网网址� student in P.E., didnB次元官网网址檛 have to achieve the high score in an online basketball game or spend hours toiling in her Farmville garden on Facebook to earn the high grade.

For her online P.E. 12 class, the 17-year-old student continued her active involvement in figure skating, while also completing hand-in assignments on such topics as fitness and nutrition.

B次元官网网址淚t made it a lot easier to get the credits I needed without having to do everything a normal gym class would have, like playing basketball and soccer,B次元官网网址� she says.

Hayman has been a part-time student at SIDES (South Island Distance Education School) for four years. SIDES offers 93 per cent of its courses online to its 4,000-plus enrolled students.

B次元官网网址淭he trend lately is geared more towards personalized learning: your path, your pace,B次元官网网址� says SIDES principal Kevin White. B次元官网网址淭echnology is more than just a tool, itB次元官网网址檚 the medium for our students to learn.B次元官网网址�

Erik Oinonen, one of the online phys-ed teachers at SIDES, says the course doesnB次元官网网址檛 take the form of a normal in-school gym class with individual sport units where grading is done on a performance-based level. Instead, the course is designed to help students set personal goals and find activities in which theyB次元官网网址檙e interested to get them into healthy habits.

B次元官网网址淭he building blocks of a good P.E. program are good activities that the student finds enjoyable,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淲e want to see improvements through the goals they set, not necessarily the time and speed that theyB次元官网网址檙e doing it.B次元官网网址�

Distance education used to be an option just for students who couldnB次元官网网址檛 attend class for one reason or another, usually health problems, travel or a demanding extracurricular schedule.

Nowadays, distance ed is also a viable alternative for students interested in taking more responsibility for their education, or students whoB次元官网网址檝e had a bad experience in a community school.

ItB次元官网网址檚 also an option for high school students looking to take courses for credit that arenB次元官网网址檛 offered at their own school or for adults looking to upgrade their eduction.

Hayman used to go to school in Saanich but moved to Coquitlam to focus on figure skating. She now attends class just four hours a day on the mainland and fits her SIDES courses in when she can.

B次元官网网址淚 have spares set up so I can go to training without missing classes. On the Island, I found it hard to catch up all the time,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淚 usually try and do work (for my online courses) once a day, so itB次元官网网址檚 like IB次元官网网址檓 taking a class.B次元官网网址�

That ability to be responsible for the pace of your learning is a huge benefit, she says. She completed everything she needed for P.E. 12 in one month, despite having a full year to complete a SIDES course.

Teachers at Claremont secondary see the potential of online classes and personalized learning. The school has created a B次元官网网址渉ybridB次元官网网址� Planning 10 class that is part web-based, part classroom-based.

Jill Marshall and Rimo Bussoli teach the hybrid course, which, after one semester, has received strong positive feedback.

B次元官网网址淭he way teachers have used technology hasnB次元官网网址檛 changed, in the sense of trying to find something which brings the curriculum alive,B次元官网网址� says Claremont principal Mark Fraser. B次元官网网址淭he biggest change is truly that sense of bringing the world into the classroom.B次元官网网址�

The planning course allows students to move at their own pace B次元官网网址� to an extent B次元官网网址� while still having the luxury of some structure and face-to-face assistance.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the old classroom way of teaching, but introducing it with technology,B次元官网网址� Bussoli says. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the best of both worlds B次元官网网址� and it blows the doors off a traditional classroom setting.B次元官网网址�

But SIDES teacher Holly Mair acknowledges that online courses are not for every student, nor are they for every teacher.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the same type of workload, but there are different stresses. ThereB次元官网网址檚 no discipline, thereB次元官网网址檚 no bell, but there are a lot more responsibilities,B次元官网网址� she says.

Those responsibilities are worth the luxury of more free time, independence and personalized lessons, Hayman says.

B次元官网网址淚t takes a bit of getting used to, taking classes online, but itB次元官网网址檚 made it a lot easier for me to manage my time and work on my courses,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淚 feel like IB次元官网网址檓 taking a more active role in my education B次元官网网址� and I donB次元官网网址檛 need to try and schedule my life around school.B次元官网网址�

kslavin@saanichnews.com

Socialization networkB次元官网网址�

At any one time at the SIDES campus, there are no more than 30 kids roaming the hallways. Because the distance ed school allows its 4,000 students to work from home B次元官网网址� or from anywhere in the world they can access the Internet B次元官网网址� being in class doesnB次元官网网址檛 require students to physically be in class.

SIDES student Jordan Sipos, 13, does his entire course load through SIDES and actually attends the school every day (albeit only for three hours) to focus on his work.

B次元官网网址淚 find it nice working on your own. You donB次元官网网址檛 have to deal with all the drama of high school,B次元官网网址� he says.

But SIDES students do socialize with one another. During V-Class sessions (virtual class), teachers can separate students into groups as they collaborate on projects and share ideas.

There are also picnics and meetings where online classmates meet, so long as theyB次元官网网址檙e in the country.

Both Hayman and Sipos say the lack of socializing with classmates online is made up through the friendships built in the extracurricular activities that keep them busy. For Hayman thatB次元官网网址檚 figure skating. For Sipos, thatB次元官网网址檚 tennis, golf and judo.

SIDES teacher Rachel Morris says the atmosphere of online courses allows for a B次元官网网址渃oming togetherB次元官网网址� of all types of learners.

B次元官网网址淣o one knows why youB次元官网网址檙e there. No one knows that kidB次元官网网址檚 been bullied, or that kid is brainy, or that kid struggles in a particular area,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not a bad sort of anonymity.B次元官网网址�

PART THREE:

PART TWO:

PART ONE: