Dist. 204 will expand its online course menu

Indian Prairie Unit District 204 tested the waters this year by offering two online courses for students. By next school year, educators hope all of their students will catch a wave and begin surfing online courses.

About 30 students are enrolled in online AP English and health courses throughout the district. In 2009, the district intends to offer several more online courses, including 20th century literature, astronomy, consumer economics, math analysis and U.S. history.

"It's time that we launch this rocket. We've been getting it ready, but it's time that we really launch it and make this available to students," said Deputy Superintendent Kathy Birkett. "We've had great opportunities, and they have been very successful. We believe that that will come triple-fold or quadruple-fold very quickly."

She said the opportunity to take online courses will better prepare students for college where online courses are more common.

In online courses, students complete course work during study hall, free periods or on their own time at home, while still meeting curriculum deadlines and communicating electronically with classmates and the teacher.

Neuqua Valley High School health teacher Laura Kurtyak is teaching an online health course for 28 students and said the new format has a learning curve but that both she and her students have benefitted from the new medium.

"The very first thing that came to mind is preparation for students' future opportunities and challenges using technology both in college and the workplace," Kurtyak said. "Online courses can provide practice for more formal interaction between teachers and students. Students can also learn how to be appropriate with different people and different situations."

She said the new structure also has given her a greater chance to communicate with each student. "I've gotten to know some of my online students better than the students I see every day," she said.

Director of Industrial Technology Jeff Hunt said online courses will benefit the district's nontraditional students and students who don't always benefit from face-to-face interaction.

"There seem to be two sets of skills students can learn, and one is the course curriculum and content," said board member Curt Bradshaw. "And probably more importantly, the skills it takes to be an independent learner."

The current online courses will be revised before next year as teachers learn from what has worked this year.