How do Online High School Classes Work?

Most of the online programs offer the same types of classes as their traditional counterparts. The online high school diploma programs need to be state-approved. Also, you must only go for an accredited online high school. From a generic perspective, coursework and testing for online programs are the same as those of brick and mortar high schools.

The functioning of Online High School Programs

 The online high school diploma programs are taught by certified teachers. These are usually offered through accredited institutions. The top feature of these virtual courses is that these are self-paced. Also, there are no location constraints here. A student living in a desolate area can apply for these courses.

What to know about online coursework?

Usually, the online classes are almost equivalent to those offered in traditional high schools. These classes usually include English, social studies, science, mathematics, visual arts, physical education, foreign languages, and career education courses.

Online students actually have many options to choose from. They might go for the general education curriculum. However, if they want something extra, they can apply for a college-prep diploma or any other advanced online course such as an advanced placement course. Online students are also free to apply for dual enrollment classes. In a dual enrollment class, students can earn credits toward both a high school diploma and a college degree. Usually, these advanced courses are pretty challenging. So, students should take these courses only if they have enough room in their daily schedule to prepare for these courses.

Online schools also enable students to graduate early. Certain specialized courses are provided to motivated students who wish to graduate early, maybe within 3 years. Normally, it takes 4 years to complete an online high school course. Graduating early saves a good deal of time and energy for many kids.

What to know about the course instruction?

When it comes to an online high school program, students receive online as well as offline assignments. Thus, they are not required to be in front of the screen all the time! Online schools provide many feasible ways for students to effectively interact with teachers. This type of communication is pretty different from that of a brick-and-mortar classroom setting. Usually, students receive course materials in various ways. These include video lessons, downloadable lecture notes, and slideshows. In order to interact with and ask questions of course instructors, most of the classroom platforms use many contact options like email, phone, text, and even chat.

What are the Technology Requirements and Other Components?

Most of the students access their work via an online content management system (CMS). The good thing is that all the resources and tools are available all the time. This is because all of those are online! Online schools provide students with assignments via physical media, like books or DVDs. Usually, students require computers with operating systems that can manage online access and CMS applications. There are some software programs that may also be required. This highly depends on the online program. So, you must investigate well before starting your online course. You must have all the requirements ready at hand. After all, you would want your online course to be seamless. Being an online learner, you can communicate with teachers through the CMS or email. However, in some cases, you might be able to communicate through physical mail. It is up to you!

What to know about testing and graduation?

In an online school, students receive transcripts upon graduation. Some of them also receive a certificate of completion. Usually, the online school transcripts verify that a student has taken specific courses and earned particular grades in each of those courses. A vast majority of the post-secondary institutions ask for transcripts to be submitted. This is required to verify an individual's academic prowess and overall credibility. These transcripts prove that you are a potential candidate who is determined and strong-willed when it comes to your career.

How to register for online classes that will count on their transcript?

Almost all of the accredited online schools offer online high school courses that align with state and federal standards. This clearly indicates that the credits will transfer to any high school transcript. Thus, these form major graduation requirements. So, you must make sure that you choose a school that aligns with those standards. This is a vital step. When you zero in on an online school, registration is going to be easier than you think! You will be required to provide certain basic information. You might be required to provide a current transcript. Once registration is complete, you will have to create an account. Then, you will be required to select the courses you are interested in taking. It is then that you will have to talk to an advisor. You will have to attend an orientation before getting started with your course.

How are the online tests conducted?

Effective ways are used to conduct online tests. Usually, tests online are done at the convenience of the student. Students can take these tests when they feel they are prepared. They are not proctored. However, instructors can lockdown screens if they chose to! Online schools usually employ artificial intelligence tools to act as a next-generation test proctoring solution. These read student facial expressions and verify student with facial recognition. Today, most of the online schools allow students to take tests online anytime. Usually, the questions are pretty challenging. In order to score well, online students need to put their best foot forward!

How do online group projects function?

Most of the online schools come up with such collaborative projects to promote socialization as well as team spirit. These are important attributes of an ideal employee in the work field. Usually, students are first connected via teachers in live lessons or in discussion forums. Then, students form groups for future projects.

How does grading take place?

Grading happens on the basis of the child’s performance, just like in any traditional school. The child is usually assessed from an overall perspective. Thus, this grading system is genuine and fair.

How Online Learning Can Help Us Improve Our Education System

The high dropout rates of schools across the United States have been playing on the minds of educators and parents for quite some time now. However, conventional schooling systems have had limited success in tackling this rising problem. Globalization has virtually revolutionized everything around us and as the world comes closer together, competition for jobs and work has increased dramatically. A high school diploma is no longer sufficient to help our children secure a steady job and the sooner our children realize that, the better off they will be. Online home schools across our country seem to have taken the bull by the horns when it comes to helping our nation improve its student graduation rate. With the job market demanding more employable skills, students everywhere are now seeking more efficient alternatives that will help them succeed in a more globalized world. If statistics are to be believed, alternatives such as online learning programs seem to be doing a really good job at it too.

If you are looking for an opportunity to secure a quality education, The Ogburn Online School has a few words of encouragement for you. Not only is it the right place for you to begin your journey but they also have all the necessary credentials that make them the ideal choice for you. They are a regionally accredited school by the Southern Association of Colleges & Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI), and a nationally accredited member of The National Council for Private School Accreditation (NCPSA). Additionally, The Ogburn Online School offers you a holistic environment for your education. Joining an online homeschool with all the necessary accreditation is absolutely essential to your long-term progress, which is why they provide you with a course curriculum that has been aligned and articulated to the Common Core State Standards and the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards.

To know more about the programs they offer, log on to www.ogburnonlineschool.com. There’s plenty of information for you to browse through that will help you better understand how technology can help you secure a better education. For those of you seeking a second chance, you need to understand that a high school diploma is just a starting point. There is so much more that lies ahead of you. Virtual learning has the potential to open up opportunities you’ve probably never even thought possible. Of course, harnessing those opportunities will require you to put in a lot of hard work. If you are willing to put in the effort then The Ogburn Online School is there to support you every step of the way. Online learning programs aren’t just about earning diplomas and degrees; they are about opening up new avenues and helping people access opportunities once considered out of reach.

Technology has made things so much easier for us. The question is – Are we able to leverage that in our favor to deliver a better future for our children?

Preparing for Your Online High School Courses

The fact is that online high school programs provide students with a good deal of flexibility. The student needs to be organized and good at time management.

Here are some common ways to prepare for your online high school courses:

Take your online high school course seriously
This is truly vital. And, this is the least you can do! Make sure to take your online school course seriously. As far as online classes are concerned, you need to be self-disciplined. You need to be a diligent learner and be devoted to your online learning course. Prepare a proper learning schedule and stick to it. Since online school classes are highly flexible, you might tend to get too comfortable. But, this is not a good sign, especially if you want to succeed in your online high school course. Challenge yourself whenever possible. Take part in all the activities that are brought forward by your online high school.

Make sure to follow through. Treat your online high school course as seriously as you would treat your traditional high school course. Log in regularly. Even if you end up missing a particular class, make sure to resume back as soon as possible. Take ownership of your education and reach your true potential!

Cut down distractions
This is equally important! Many of you might feel that there are zero distractions in an online learning environment. While the number of distractions is less, you would still have to fight some specific distractions. Digital distractions are pretty common here. And these distractions can derail your studies. You would have to come up with wise strategies to reduce these distractions. Make sure to set aside time to focus on your learning. You would have to show a good deal of determination and will power if you truly want to succeed. You can increase your concentration level by listening to a playlist of motivational music. You might want to switch up your learning spaces sometimes. You might go to the nearby coffee shop and work on your assignment. It might cut down boredom if any. Thus, you would have to be honest with yourself and find out ways that work for you.

Keep your study time fixed on a daily basis. During this study time, make sure to turn your cell phone off. This would help you avoid minimizing focus every time a notification pops up on your cell phone! You can even go further and get a website blocker downloaded. You can use several applications such as Cold Turkey and Freedom to help cut down distractions by blocking some apps or websites. Spend less time on social networking sites. In other words, keep a track of time. Do not waste your free time. Take short breaks only.

Identify your learning patterns
This is an important one as well. Before you choose any online high school program, you would have to identify your own learning patterns and objectives. When you have established where you would learn, think about ways to accomplish your work. You can simply put on a soothing playlist and work on your online high school course. Study diligently!

You might have some great study habits and might have some bad ones as well. Identify as to which ones are the bad ones. Procrastination can be a really bad one in this context! Make sure to work on your bad habits. Adopt healthy lifestyle habits as well as study habits. Learn as to what type of learner you are! You might be a visual learner, a kinesthetic one or an auditory one. You might even be a mixture of all! If you are a visual learner, you can print out transcripts of the video lectures for reviewing purposes. If you are a kinesthetic learner, you can listen to your online lectures while jogging or doing some exercise! Most of the online high schools make sure to provide you with the facility to learn in multiple learning formats. Thus, all you need to do is to choose the right learning format and going forward with it.

Manage time smartly
When you are an online high school student, you would have to learn wisely. For this, you would have to make good use of time. You must avail of the flexibility to create your own learning schedule. Without a proper learning schedule, you can never do your online classes properly. For this, you would need to have various time management skills. Do not procrastinate if you truly wish to succeed in an online high school course.

In order to manage your time wisely, you would have to schedule your time wisely. Make sure to be familiar with your learning style as well as personality. In order to enhance your time management skills, you would have to take a few steps.

First of all, go through the syllabus. Do this right at the start of the semester. Make sure to make note of prominent assignments. You can then mark them on a study calendar. And, you must check this calendar daily. Thus, you would be well-aware as to what type of workload is coming in the upcoming weeks. Keep your prior commitments in mind. After all, these might interfere with your daily study schedule. In such cases, make sure to give yourself additional time to finish off assignments. Make sure to create a weekly schedule and follow it. Make sure to read more, watch lectures, finish off assignments, taking part in forums and studying, etc. You can set reminders for yourself to finish off these tasks. While working on your assignments, go for time-blocking. Here, you would have to set yourself a particular amount of time for every task.

Keep a check on how you are spending your time. You must dedicate a good deal of time to course reading plus assignments. Reflect upon yourself, identify your strengths and work on your weaknesses.

Be accountable
Write down about your goals, short-term as well as long-term. Do set goals right at the beginning of the semester. You would have to set personal deadlines to stick to those. 

Online Learning Is Misunderstood. Here's How

Here are the top myths related to online learning:

Online classes are not that effective
Many believe that online classes are not as effective as conventional school classes. This belief is so strong since there are no ‘live’ teachers and peers in an online environment. Also, there is no rigid schedule. Textbooks are usually not required. However, it is nothing but a big myth.

Though some of the online courses might be ineffective, not all are the same. If you take online school classes from an accredited online school, you are bound to experience a wholesome learning journey. This is because you are allowed to prepare your personalized learning schedule and follow it. You are also allowed to follow your own learning pace. Thus, online learning caters to your academic needs and objectives. You can slow down when you come across a difficult topic and take time to explore more on the topic. Also, you get to interact easily with your online teachers whenever you have doubts.

You have to be technologically brilliant to take an online course
Many believe that one needs to be an expert at technology in order to succeed in an online learning course. This is untrue. Yes, you do need to know the basics. But, so does any traditional school student!

You do have to know how to do basic interactions on a computer. And, many present-day students know that! There are many online educators who truly work hard to create accessible online courses. Most of these courses are student-friendly and success-driven. All the online student needs are just some basic computer skills that one needs in their daily lives.

Online classes are too easy
Some students and parents believe that online schooling is just too easy. In fact, some do enroll in an online school because of this same reason. However, they tend to suffer later! An online course is simply as challenging as any traditional school course. The syllabus is almost the same. The only difference is that an online school embraces various learning formats to keep the student engaged and stimulated. Also, since in an online learning environment, there are fewer distractions, students are able to finish off their daily online course work faster. The workload is almost the same as that of any traditional school course. However, online learning is easy since it is fun!

There is no interaction with teachers or peers
Many believe that online students are not able to talk to their teachers when they have doubts. After all, there is no direct interaction in this learning environment. However, direct interaction does not prove to be beneficial for the student all the time, does it?

An online school enables its students to interact smoothly and effectively with the online instructors as well as peers. Usually, online classes provide the opportunity for instructors to join in on certain discussion room chats. They also tend to offer webinars or conduct effective video chats with students. This benefits students who need personalized attention and guidance. One-on-one interaction is conducive to a student’s success in any learning system. Teachers provide students with genuine instant feedback after monitoring their performance in some classroom activities. Most of the feedback is provided from positive space to help the students grow personally as well as academically.

Many online schools provide students with discussion forums, group webinars, and virtual collaborative projects to facilitate online students. During an online course, students get to interact with each other easily. In fact, introverted students find it easier to open up through online platforms since they do not fear being judged.

Online school diplomas are not accepted by employers or institutions
This is one of the most common myths surrounding online schools. Many believe that diplomas from online schools are not acknowledged by universities, colleges, and employers. But, this is not true.

If you take classes from a regionally accredited online school, your diploma is bound to be accepted by colleges, universities and employers alike. Keep in mind that all online courses are not the same. So, aspiring online students ought to be cautious while choosing an online school. They should do a good deal of research and background check to determine the accreditation status and credibility of the online school course.

Online classes are not credible
It is certain that all online classes are not alike. Also, not all are credible. An online school is certainly credible if it is regionally accredited. So, aspiring online students need to make their choice wisely. They need to check the accreditation status of the online school before choosing it. One can visit the school’s credible website to check the level of accreditation. When students get enrolled in a regionally accredited online school, students and parents can rest assured that they are getting quality education as per the Standards of the state.

You can easily cheat in an online course
With the evolution of technology, the chances of cheating are reduced in the online learning environment. There are various browser blocking functions that are implemented at the time of test sessions. These are used for tracking purposes. In fact, today, most of the online school courses have great cheat-proof functions.

Also, in an online schooling environment, students are evaluated very differently from that of a traditional school. Since online school courses need interaction in classroom discussions, video presentations, and various micro-quizzes, it is not that easy to search for ways to cheat! It can be said that in an online school environment, there is less room for cheating.

Online credits are not transferrable
Some online school credits do not transfer to another school. There are some online school students who face problems while transferring credits. However, this has nothing to do with the online learning mode. The student might have been subjected to the same issues if he/she had studied in a traditional school. It can be said that credits from online school programs are as easy to transfer as conventional school credits.

The Ogburn Online School- Providing you with more than just a second chance!

Over the years, the United States has witnessed a high rate of dropouts from school, which has been a cause for alarm in every sphere. Academicians and parents everywhere are concerned about the future of the younger generations given the rapid pace of increasing globalization. Will our future generations have jobs to look forward to? Will they be able to sustain themselves? These are valid questions very relevant to the present-day situation. A high school diploma was once considered sufficient in the United States to secure a good, well-paying job, which could sustain a family. But that no longer holds true. With more and more work being outsourced, students these days need to be prepared for a diverse range of scenarios ranging from sudden layoffs to becoming redundant in a company’s overall functional design. The Ogburn online School is an accredited online homeschool in the United States that helps students equip themselves with the skill sets they need to survive in a globalized world.

For those seeking a second shot at getting a good education, The Ogburn Online School is the perfect place to begin. They are a regionally accredited school by the Southern Association of Colleges & Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI), and also nationally accredited by Accreditation International (Ai). Making sure the online school you enroll with has all the necessary accreditation is important to your long-term progress. Higher education and employment opportunities are certainly affected by the presence of qualified credentials or the lack thereof. Students and parents who have overlooked this fact have often ended up with diplomas and degrees that have rendered them very little use, and starting from scratch in the right manner is not always feasible. In being fully accredited, The Ogburn Online School has set itself apart from the run-of-the-mill institutes in the country.

In addition to having all the right accreditation, they also provide you with a full curriculum that has been aligned and articulated to the Common Core State Standards. It is never too late to begin afresh and if a second chance is what you’re looking for then they’re that chance for you. A online high school degree is just a starting point. There’s so much more that you can do with your life if only you wish to. However, getting anywhere in the current world requires certain qualifications, and we’re ready to help you with that. Online homeschooling can offer you so many opportunities you never knew you could have. All it takes is an open mind and the willingness to learn.Traditional schools are slowly becoming a thing of the past and if we are to truly succeed in the Information Age, online learning systems are certainly the way forward. So head to day to http://www.ognburnonlineschool.com and enroll yourself. The professional counselors are available to guide you thru the process.

Tips for Using Virtual Elementary School to Homeschool

Traditional homeschooling can be a big challenge. You will have to take a lot of responsibility in this case. However, when you incorporate a good virtual elementary school program, you will have fewer responsibilities. This is because these online programs come with the pre-designed elementary virtual curriculum as well as a solid faculty to assist your child. This is enough to make sure that your child reaches his/her full potential. However, you must look for an accredited online program that supports your child.

This is why supplementing your homeschooling routine is required. If you believe that your child deserves the best right from an early stage, go for virtual elementary school programs. However, you will have to choose the most befitting one! In the present times, online elementary homeschooling can be the smartest alternative to traditional elementary schooling.

At the time of choosing to supplement your homeschooling routine, most of you go for online learning. In order to teach your elementary-school students, you might think of resorting to a virtual elementary school for homeschooling. It is required of you to research a fully online program for your child, in order to choose the right virtual elementary school program.

Keep in mind that today there are thousands of options to choose from. In present times, online learning mainly continues to grow with more advanced technologies.

When you resort to a virtual elementary school program to homeschool your kid, keep in mind that it involves immediate feedback and vibrant lessons and videos that will keep your child engaged. Also, online learning can build up the atmosphere and environment your child needs to reach his/her full academic potential.

Here are some of the top tips for using the virtual elementary school to homeschool your kid:

Go for the right fit
Choose the right online homeschool program that fits your child’s needs and learning objectives. That is why you are required to identify your child’s learning style before you choose an online elementary homeschool program.

When it comes to online elementary learning, you are bound to get multiple options. However, keep in mind that what you are drawn to might not fit your child! So, you will have to start by first finding out how your child learns best. You need to be aware of his/her learning patterns and pace. It is vital to incorporate your child’s learning style. Get to know what type of a learner is your child, whether he/she is a kinesthetic learner, a visual learner or an auditory learner. This way you will be able to use hands-on manipulatives during project-based assessments.

Keep in mind that online homeschooling should be engaging. It must be success-oriented. The virtual elementary program must have a proven success rate. It should be of high quality. It must include video lessons, immediate feedback, assessments, quizzes, fun-filled activities etc. Prior to anything, try to understand your child’s learning style.

Look into the accreditation status
It goes without saying that your online elementary homeschool program must be accredited! There are many online learning programs to choose from, today. Not all are regionally accredited though!

An accredited institution is one that opens themselves up to a 3rd party review process in every part of their program. It ranges from admissions to finance to grade reporting. If an institution is accredited, you can be sure that your homeschool partner is entirely supporting their claims. Thus, accreditation is important.

Try to put learning into action
Boredom can be a sure enemy to the growth of your child! In order to help your child thrive with online learning, learning needs to be action-oriented. Also, you must encourage breaks from online learning. Take your kids for outings. Make him/her read textbooks and get involved in hands-on projects. This is bound to keep your child engaged by every means.

Keep in mind that a good online program is one that focuses on a variety of media. This keeps your elementary-school kid engaged. He/she tends to take a genuine interest in studies this way. Most of the common formats include video lessons, online quizzes and tests, project-based learning, and note-taking guides. Most of the online resources and hands-on tools tend to meet various learning styles. Thus, these cater to every type of learner. In case the online program you’re using does not allow for work away from a computer, go for a different online elementary program.

Go for the right learning schedule
It is more than important to come up with a feasible personalized learning schedule for your elementary-age kid. Most importantly, the learning schedule must work for your child. Since your kid is small, you will have to take the responsibility to devise the entire learning schedule. You can take help of the online instructors at the time of preparing the right learning schedule. It should be attainable by your kid. Do not keep it too loaded, else it might over-burden your child! The schedule should reflect a good combination or fun and education. Online learning needs to be flexible. So, go for a flexible learning schedule as well!

Provide personalized support
When your child is taking classes online or is homeschooled, you will have to get involved in educating him/her in some way or the other. Particularly, when your child is of elementary-school age, you will need to intervene to a great extent! After all, without proper guidance, your young kid will feel lost. So, you will have to provide ample support and motivation to them.

In a virtual elementary homeschool program, your child should meet the expectations with as much accuracy as possible. At least, that should be your top aim! Choose an online program that allows you to log in and looks into your child’s progress at any time. You should also be enabled to speak with someone to get your queries answered. This is bound to provide you the assurance that your child is progressing indeed! You must monitor on a regular basis. This way you can ensure that your child is mastering the concepts.

Do More Than Just Credit Recovery With Virtual Learning Programs

With increasing high school dropout rates and the widespread use of virtual learning in the form of credit recovery programs, there have been certain people questioning the effectiveness of the entire concept of online learning. These credit recovery programs are being developed and targeted at students who have failed high school with the objective of offering them a second chance at graduating and earning their high school diplomas. There are several such students across America who are probably just a couple of credits away from graduating high school. Improving graduation rates and offering such students a second chance at college are important objectives online platforms seek to achieve. These objectives are absolutely vital to the long-term success of such students and also help them become more independent.

Most of these online programs are usually of a shorter duration than the original courses and can be completed via online learning or in person. They offer students the option of customizing their curriculum to help them grasp concepts and skills they may have missed out on the first time around. Although credit recovery isn’t all that new, providing students access to credit recovery programs via virtual learning is slowly gaining ground. Of course, along with that come apprehensions about the effectiveness of such programs and their long-term viability. Summer school is probably the oldest form of credit recovery that offers students a second chance via conventional schooling and has been used for a very long time to help students catch up on their credit scores in order to graduate. Moreover, scheduling classes via summer school programs works out to be very effective since it avoids any conflict with regular school curriculum.

However, the use of online learning programs is not limited to credit recovery. While such programs do contribute significantly to the overall development of weaker students and provide them with a second chance at completing a course they may have failed or quit, the reach of online school courses goes much beyond. They do much more than just help students catch up on their credit scores in order to graduate. The use of virtual learning in this manner is more common among high school students with the primary focus being cast upon helping students graduate. But students from middle school and elementary school have also been employing such courses to help students improve their grades and have witnessed remarkable progress in terms of their grades and overall learning capacities. While most usually connect the use of such programs with a high school diploma, in reality, they are so much more than that.

To know more about online programs, log on to www.ogburnonlineschool.com. It is time for us to work together to ensure that our children have a bright future they can look forward to.