Schools are the latest addition to the digital world. The US-based K12 International Academy, an online school offering courses for students from kindergarten to Grade 12, recently opened a branch in Dubai Knowledge Village.
Instead of having to physically attend schools, students of this virtual school, which has students in 27 countries, determine the courses they want to take, the pace and time - at their convenience.
There is no specific date for registration and this falls in line with the purpose behind this school, according to Sara Syed, Head of School and regional representative in the Middle East. "Students don't have to go through the trauma of changing schools and making new friends every time their parents change countries," Syed told Notes. Instead of going to a traditional school, students study at home with the help of their parents and a certified tutor of the K12 International Academy faculty.
So how does this schooling work? Technology is at the heart of the curriculum. Students are given materials to study from and are given an online account through which they attend virtual classes, sit through lectures, discussions and even take exams. Tutors guide the students, run the virtual classrooms and grade the students according to their performance.
Why the UAE?
Twenty-five families in the UAE have enrolled in this programme. The school expects more to register by next Autumn. "There is more demand for high schools because when families come to Dubai, they find difficulty finding a high school where they can prepare students for university," Syed said.
Alternative to mainstream education
Children with problems or talents, artists and athletes who don't have time to attend school, or kids who travel a lot are the sort of students who will find this kind of education suitable.
This is not a programme for every child, according to Syed. "There are gifted children who get bored in normal classrooms and who are criticised for being noisy in classrooms. In this programme they are looked at as individuals and assessed on their capacity and talent," she said.
Socialisation
Students have the chance to socialise with other enrolled students through participating in the various social activities that the school organises. Parents who are worried about the socialisation factor can rest assured that the students can meet friends from all over the world online and, occasionally, participate in gatherings, athletics and recreational programmes, according to Syed.
"There have been studies on socialisation but research does not indicate that this kind of education causes introversion," Syed said.
Accreditation
K12 students receive an accredited diploma from the US and the UAE. The school has been approved for licensing by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, according to Syed.
How do you ensure there is no cheating on exams or plagiarism?
"This is a programme people sign for voluntarily and we explain to them what plagiarism and cheating is all about," Debra Enos, High School advisor at K12 International Academy told Notes.
More information
Students can take full-time or part-time course in order to reinforce their knowledge in a specific subject. "We take students' English language proficiency into account and help them work towards career-planning courses," .
"K12 lessons are very comprehensive. Students can work in groups on this website, see the same desktop, chat or speak on a microphone, raise their hands virtually to speak, etc," she added.
High school students, she said, can take career planning and exploration course as they are graduating from school to help them make the move to university.
The tuition fees from kindergarten through Grade 8 is Dhs18,300 and Dhs25,600 for Grade 9 through 12. More information can be found online at www.k12.com.
