Since the pandemic, students have been moving to online education. As the debate builds, officials weigh in.
There has been a steady increase of online enrollment at the university level, according to the Arizona Board of Regents. That has left parents wondering where to send their children for their primary and secondary education.
As online and hybrid education become more available to students in grades K-12 throughout the state, officials encourage students to stay in person.
“There is no good substitute for the relationship between the teacher and the student — in person, in the classroom — that’s the best way for kids to learn,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne.
While schools are constantly working to fill gaps, online education does have its own perks like adaptive learning. Adaptive learning concepts only allow the student to move onto the next concept after mastering concepts through questions and quizzes.
“The benefit of online education is that you can go at your own pace. When you are in the class, you know, they aim it at the middle,” Horne said.
AI and other tools are being introduced into classrooms to make in-person instruction more appealing.
“It helps the teachers, it’s no substitute for the teachers, but it helps them. It’s like giving them assistance so they can focus more on creative teaching,” Horne said. “And even more important than that, is it can give tutoring to the students.”
He said this would benefit schools by providing better access to tutors and being cost effective for students.
