The Future of Online Learning

The future of online learning is hard for me to predict.  I am still just learning about what tools exist to facilitate online learning, so I feel like I am just beginning to fathom the possibilities.

One of the easiest predictions to make is the rise in online learning for subjects that are difficult to staff with fully qualified teachers.  The Georgia Physics example is just one example.  I think foreign languages will be another subject area that can truly capitalize on online learning; hopefully, schools will finally be able to offer languages that have been largely unavailable to date.  

Another easy-to-predict use of online learning will be to use it for gifted and talented students.  When a student has the talent and desire to really delve into a specific subject area, online learning will help facilitate learning for that student.  They will be able to go further than perhaps they would have otherwise, and hopefully students will be able to learn from experts in the field of study.

I think it will take the next generation of teachers, those who grew up knowing nothing different than the always-connected, social media –filled world, to truly move education further along the online learning road.  These future educators will be skilled in blended learning and online learning environments because it will be how they learned, how they collaborated, and how they created knowledge.  Exciting to think about, but difficult to predict!

I have a hard time imagining a world with no face-to-face learning and brick-and-mortar schools, but it is definitely easy to predict a shift to include more online learning and more flexible scheduling to accommodate for more specialized learning for all.