Since the dawn of the 21st century, various alternatives to K-12 public education have become more common. One of the rising school choice options available to parents, which reflects the reality of how students learn nowadays, is online education. Online education (1) is designed around the learner, allowing for self-paced learning that provides students with opportunities to speed up or slow down as necessary; (2) provides the flexibility offered by online technologies to support the needs of diverse learners; and (3) opens a wide array of options to all learners1.
In a post-pandemic world, online education has drawn more attention not only from the media but also from academia and health organizations. In the fall of 2020, many public and private schools switched from in-person to remote learning. A decrease in teachers and students’ physical presence in the classroom resulted in an increase in interest in online learning. This is why parents wanted to enroll their students in an online school such as Enlightium Academy: to prevent gaps in education in times of crisis. One parent reported that they enrolled their child “due to COVID and that their public school was not fully equipped for remote learning” (Parent of a 6th-grade student, WA).
Ken Robinson2, an international advisor on innovative education, noted that a solution to the downsides of public education is individualized learning through the use of technology. Using technology in education allows students to discover their individual talents, puts students in an environment where they want to learn, and helps them naturally discover their true passions.
Individualized Approach to Education
The physical classroom design with the teacher located at the front of the room is changing nowadays to an online delivery model that impacts students on an individual level3. This allows students to have more teacher interaction. Teachers can focus their attention individually on a student instead of sharing the attention with a classroom of students. Teachers also have the ability to address concerns that students may have, and students experience less anxiety than they would have otherwise experienced compared to having to ask a question in front of a classroom of students.
An individualized4 approach to education provides students the opportunity to do what they naturally do best on a daily basis. Online education is reinforcing the five core social-emotional learning competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making5. Throughout the years, we at Enlightium have developed various student-learning programs using parent-led and teacher-led options, which allows Enlightium to meet the individual needs of its students.
Engagement with Online Teachers
A strong, online teacher-student bond is a key factor in creating a learning environment where a positive relationship with a student has the power to break through online barriers. Researchers6 identified nine constructs that relate to student’s well-being and academic success: (1) academic engagement, (2) belonging, (3) discipline/fairness, (4) extracurricular activities, (5) school enjoyment, (6) student's voice, (7) peer relations, (8) safety, and (9) teacher support. An online teacher educates the student on how to engage with the idea, not the person. At Enlightium, teachers unlock the natural curiosity of each student by guiding the student on how to become an independent learner and by inspiring each student to ask questions and find solutions.
Future Ready Students
New pedagogy, new technology, and a new environment form a triad for the new era of engaged, individualized, and future-ready learning. Online schooling is a safe haven for students who are bullied in traditional schools, have issues with attendance, need a modified curriculum due to giftedness, disabilities, or academic struggles, or who participate in sports at the professional level. At Enlightium, we offer honors courses for high achievers, and Intervention Support for struggling students.
Because students learn from and within their environment, a student must be present in an online environment to make progress successfully. This progress can then serve as a measure of attendance similar to the measure of seat time in brick-and-mortar school settings7. At Enlightium, we partner with parents to empower students to achieve their highest potential with a wide range of support and accountability options. Our counselors and teachers meet students where they are in their educational journey and bring them to the next academic level.
Parental Role in Online Education
Online learning requires not only increased student motivation but also increased parental support, especially for younger children. Parental involvement includes educational aspirations, implementing future plans for their children, educational decision-making, support with school work, and participation in school activities8. Parental involvement also includes praising their child’s achievements, encouraging their child to do more than required, and connecting education with life experiences.
Given the significant role that attendance plays in a student’s achievements, parents need to be sure that their children are completing school work consistently, which will instill good study habits. At Enlightium, we stress the importance of parents being leaders in their children’s life: leading them by example, being consistent in discipline, instilling good study habits, and building character that is able to withstand life circumstances. The Bible advises parents to live as an example by leading their children in the will of God (Deuteronomy 11:19).
The Learning and Life Connections
Enlighitum offers a wide range of core and elective classes, including college preparatory and interactive Career and Technical Education courses. In addition, students in grades 6–12 take part in the Naviance program, a comprehensive college and career readiness platform, that enables self-discovery, academic planning, career exploration, and college and life preparation for millions of students around the globe. We also promote social and character education that has a positive impact on students’ emotional and academic growth.
Naviance connects interests to career fields, identifies best-fit careers, and provides an opportunity to learn from leaders as well as a plan for life after high school. At Enlightium, we encourage our students to be a light to the world for the glory of God (Matthew 5:16) and make a difference in the hearts and minds of others. We require our high school students to support their communities by doing volunteer work that benefits both themselves and their communities.
Why Enlightium Academy?
Each year, parents face the important decision of where to enroll their child in school. Parental satisfaction is integral, and choosing where to enroll your child involves numerous factors that must be taken into consideration: values, personal preferences, child-rearing practices, social networks, and aspirations for your child.
Below are some real-world reasons why Enlightium Academy may be a great fit for your family:
- Enlightium Academy has provided quality Christian online education since 2003. We developed various programs from parent-led to teacher-led options, which allows us to meet the individual needs of our students and budgets of their families.
- At Enlightium, we have a unique, Christ-honoring school culture where collaborative, respectful, and Christ-like attitudes are effectively modeled by faculty and staff.
- Enlightium teachers are highly qualified, each holding a bachelor’s degree in their area of discipline taught, with several also holding postgraduate degrees.
- Enlightium offers a wide range of core and elective classes, including college preparatory and interactive Career and Technical Education courses.
- Enlightium offers honor courses for high achievers as well as specialized accommodations for students who need additional support.
- Enlightium partners with parents in educating their children and provides educational webinars, articles, and a mobile app to assist them with Christian parenting.
- Enlightium holds several accreditations and approvals including the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).
- Enlightium is a highly-rated online school; see our reviews on TrustPilot, Facebook, Niche, and Google.
- Enlightium Academy additionally supports each student’s spiritual journey by providing prayer for students and families, live peer Bible studies, the Mission Program, and monthly chapels.
- Enlightium remains committed to innovation and continually invests in cutting-edge technology to drive student engagement and learning.
Enlightium Academy is a private Christian online school that serves homeschooling families by offering a Bible-based, flexible, accredited, teacher-supported, and affordable education from the comfort of your home. For any other questions about Enlightium, please call (509) 319-2288, or visit EnlightiumAcademy.com.
References
1 Liu, F., Black, E., Algina, J., Cavanaugh, C., & Dawson, K. (2010). The validation of one parental involvement measurement in virtual schooling. Journal of Interactive Online Learning, 9(2), 105-132.
2 Robinson, Ken. June 2006. “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” TED. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_do_schools_kill_creativity
3 Vanderhorst, J. (2017). Parents’ perceived benefits of full-time online K-12 education as an educational placement option. Doctoral dissertation. ProQuest Number: 10634413.
4 Nolan, A. W. (2016). The social and emotional learning and character education of K-12 online students: Teacher perspective. Doctoral dissertation. ProQuest 10144133.
5 Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students' social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development, 82(1), 405-432.
6 Libbey, H. (2004). Measuring student relationships to school: Attachment, bonding, connectedness, and engagement. The Journal of School Health, 74(7), 274-83.
7 Archambault, L., Kennedy, K., & Bender, S. (2013). Cyber-truancy: Addressing issues of attendance in the digital age. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 46(1), 1-28.
8 Kerr, M., Stattin, J., & Burk, W. J. (2010). A reinterpretation of parental monitoring in a longitudinal perspective. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 20, 39-64.