Florida Virtual School is one of many online alternativeschooling options around the country that have become increasingly popular inrecent years. Most high school students will take at least one virtual classduring their four years in school. In Florida, students are now required totake at least one class online before they graduate.

Although virtual school is a useful option for those who donot have time in their schedule to take the class at school, or those whoseclasses are not offered at school but is it really a tool that can replaceeducation in the class rooms?

Most might say it can because it is efficient andinexpensive. However, there is a conflict among students who take these classesabout whether or not they are effectively teaching them.

“Honestly, it’s a lot of information to digest for a courseyou’re taking without the aid of a physical teacher,” Christopher Romero, asenior in Graphic Design said.

There’s a majority of those who feel this way about theironline classes. As opposed to coming into a class three times a week, it ismuch more difficult to remember to go online and work on another class,especially for those students who have busy schedules.

The virtual experience provides many useful resources, liketeacher assistance seven days a week and flexibility with working hours.However, a virtual teacher cannot replace a classroom teacher who can explainmaterial to a student so that it is applicable.

“You learn something, but it’s not enough to make you feelcomfortable with the curriculum in general. Communicating with your teacher isa hassle,” Romero said.

 Learning online ismostly done through reading of lectures which become lengthy and thoroughlyboring. It doesn’t appeal to students who are auditory learners as much as itwould to someone who prefers to simply work on their own.

Other students welcome the idea of virtual schooling.

“I feel like I’m learning more math than I’ve learned atschool and I’m doing so faster and easier,” Eliani Lorenzo, a senior, said.

Although virtual school is much faster than traditionalschool, the average time spent by a student who received an A in the class is18.62 weeks, – according to the Florida TaxWatch. Are students really learning?

It seems that in that amount of time, a student can onlylearn enough to pass the class, but not really retain any information thatmight be useful later on.

Virtual education is rising; an astounding 68% increase instudents from 2006 to 2007. It is becoming more accessible to students and morecost effective for school districts. This is not a replacement for traditionalschooling and should not be seen as one.

“I wholeheartedly prefer daytime school,” Romero added.