Some online programs, such as those offered through universities, cater to gifted and talented high school students.
Kathlyn Gray, director of the Stanford Online High School, says the program was created in 2006 to meet the needs of “intellectually talented and academically motivated” students in seventh through 12th grade who have not been able to find the courses they need at their local schools.
But one of the challenges with an online school, unsurprisingly, is maintaining student interaction, Gray says. A climate survey revealed that many students in the online program spend their free time on another digital platform – Skype. The school, which serves about 600 students from 20 different countries, has made a concerted effort to create “the essence of a brick-and-mortar school,” according to Gray. School officials have tried to create opportunities for students to socialize outside of class by encouraging parents to organize meet-ups with peers nearby and by forming clubs and holding school assemblies.
Additionally, Gray says every class – whether the student is taking classes full-time or part-time online – meets twice a week in a mandatory video conferencing system for 70 minutes.
“We have learned that for high school kids, they really need time together,” Gray says. “Learning happens in relationships – with their instructors, as well as with their peers.”