online learning

This from Dave Warlick, quoting Susan Patrick at the ncdla:

1. Online expands options (high schools offer online course because otherwise they would not be available)
2. Online learning is growing rapidly (30%/year)
3. Online learning is effective (research shows that it is equal to or better than face-to-face)
4. Online learning improves teaching

You take a teacher who’s been teaching for a few years, if they go through an online learning to teach online, they become a better teacher.

Patrick just said something that I think is very important. Please typically write more in an online learning environment than in face-to-face. This is important, because as people write about what they are learning, they tend to become more fluent in the issues of the topic.

The last 2 items are very interesting to me: teaching online makes one a better teacher, and writing (more) improves understanding.