As many teachers can attest, engaging students and ensuring that the material shared actually resonates can be a challenge even at the best of times. Now in 2020, teachers are faced with the relentless task of imparting knowledge via virtual channels, without the advantage of being in the same room to hold students’ attention. This has led to a general belief that virtual learning cannot begin to replicate the emotional responses that students typically receive from live interactions with peers and teachers; virtual learning can be categorized as a distant and uninviting experience.

Beyond both student’s and teachers’ negative experiences, a common complaint is that virtual learning exacerbates the education gap – the socioeconomic and technological divide between students as it pertains to the accessibility of education. However, many do not realize that when done well, virtual learning can bring unexpected benefits and re-shape the future of education. In fact, two annual STEM-focused summer camps: Energy Venture Camp and ASTRO Camp, had been reimagined this past summer to support a virtual model.

  1. A Kit-Based Model Bridges the Digital Divide Although the importance of STEM learning has been widely acknowledged, for many there are still quite a few barriers starting with limited access to the necessary education exasperated by the ongoing pandemic.
  2. Opportunities for Increased Diversity and Inclusion Virtual learning can be a highly equitable avenue, especially for those with special needs or those in underserved communities.
  3. Virtual Guest Speakers Expands the Scope of Lessons Through virtual learning, teachers from different schools can now work together to secure prominent guest speakers and have all of their students attend the lesson at once – broadening the scope of lessons.

Read the full article about virtual learning by Crystal Lovelady-Jackson at Getting Smart.