Technology has enabled us to become more mobile even while standing still—it allows us to

connect with others easily in ways we couldn’t before. With this technology comes a new
opportunity in education for teachers to reach students with mobility issues and for students
to attend classes and pursue degrees at their own pace.
Distance learning is hardly a new concept—for years many universities have offered
correspondence courses. However, today’s distance learning isn’t just for college kids
anymore. During the 2002-03 school year, almost one-third of public school districts in the
U.S. had students enrolled in distance education courses. Among these schools, 76 percent
were high schools, 15 percent were combined or ungraded schools, seven percent were
middle or junior high schools and two percent were elementary schools.
Based on these statistics, it’s highly likely that your school’s students may have the chance
to become distance learners, if they aren’t already. It’s also likely that your school is
seeking ways to ensure that these students still gain the classroom community feel even if
they aren’t in a physical classroom. We’ve compiled a few tips and ideas to help your school
and your students get the most from distance education:

 Hold virtual office hours by instant messaging via your school’s online learning
platform, or use technology like Skype™ or AIM™ to ensure that you are available to
students and parents virtually.

 Require unique contributions to forums or discussion boards. By forcing students to

respond, they will be motivated to respond quickly and to further review materials.

 Use role playing. Assign students a role applicable to the area of study, such as a
political figure or a historical person, and have them field and respond to questions from
one another.

 Encourage the use of e-folios to share student work with one another or to prepare
student work for virtual parent-teacher conferences.

 When using video conferencing, make all mailed handouts color- coded to easily refer
to materials throughout class. Encourage the use of color coding with tabs like this
handy book.
 When video conferencing, consider the use of special background materials that will
increase visibility or reduce background distraction, such as a tabletop display.
 Provide students with a photo and a brief background about yourself and a welcome to
class gift, likepencils or apple-shaped stress balls prior to the class’s start date. Encourage
them to post their own introductions online, too.
 Once students complete an online course, stay connected with students and parents
through direct mail or e-mail marketing opportunities in order to promote upcoming
courses. Entice them and keep your programs top of mind with branded items like Post-it
Notes or a Drawstring Tote.
Just because students aren’t physically in the classroom doesn’t mean that they have to
miss out on the camaraderie and interaction of the classroom setting. Give them the tools
and support to feel like part of the community today.
"Fast Facts." National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Home Page, a Part of the U.S.
Department of Education. Web. 20 Apr. 2010.
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