Research into K-12 Online Learning

This weeks topic in the Virtual School MOOC, is on reasearch into K-12 online learning. I gathered from this report, that much more research is needed in this area. However, the the current research has been asking the wrong question. The research moving forward needs to be what makes online learning successful or not successful. Also, educators look at online learning as a threat. They think that online learning is trying to replace teachers. This is simply not true. Online learning is a new means to the same outcome everyone is striving for--student success. These teachers need to be worried about getting the appropriate professional development in order to join the fight. We can reach a whole new group of learners in this format that were lost in their current style of education. It does not surprise me that it takes more skills to be an instructor in an online or blended environment. The one thing that this report confirmed for me was that there are successful online programs and unsuccessful programs, just as in the traditional brick and mortar environments. This will never change just as in won't in a face to face classroom. The thing that surprised me was the lack of research in the propler direction!