Virtual Schools

Flash Appointments is proud of the longstanding relationships we´ve nurtured with a wide variety of educational institutions, and none more so than those educators and innovators we have met through their work in virtual schools.

For those of you unfamiliar with the concept of virtual education, Wikipedia describes "A virtual school [ ] describes an institution that teaches courses entirely or primarily through online methods. It has been suggested that a virtual school is an online learning platform offered by an educational organization whereby individuals can earn credits in the particular area of interest which can be counted toward graduation or advancement to the next grade."

While that is certainly an appropriate summary, it´s somewhat of a long-winded description of something very simple — committed organizations and devoted teachers teaching people online.

A far cry from yesterday´s "correspondence courses" (submit some work, get a degree), this new and improved version of virtual education offers everything from guidance counselors, face-to-face instruction via video, tutoring and group work, and even online graduation ceremonies with (almost) all the pomp and circumstance one might expect from an old-school graduation ceremony.

Over the past decade, the growth in virtual education has been enormous. With yearly enrollment increases tracked at between 25-54% in some studies, virtual education is not merely a trend in education, but an emerging norm. No longer limited to the ranks of collegiate and degreed programs, virtual programs are serving kids in the K-12 arena from coast to coast, and impacting countless rural and urban communities in between.

Why virtual? Aside from the obvious cost benefits associated with online learning (no buildings, no football team, no electric bills), virtual programs offer their patrons a very unique learning process, and the ability to choose courses and programs that may not be available in their specific geographic region.

We are proud to serve our virtual educators. They represent work being done on the cutting edge of technology, while at the same time filling the age-old need of teaching our youth. Here at Flash Appointments, we have had the great honor of speaking directly with many "virtual teachers", and guess what? They sound just like "regular teachers"... caring, charming, funny, and just as committed to excellence as the teachers that came before them.

So the next time you´re watching that teenager on the bus stare at his iPad, just remember, he might actually be in class.

Cheers,
Team Flash Appointments