A Charter school in cyberspace

About my experience as a parent when I decided to switch my teen child from traditional public school to an online charter public school.

It all started in the fall 2010. A new school opened in my city, the first of its kind they say. It's not exactly 100% online. Students have the option of physical attendance or to stay as far away from the campus as possible. As long as there is Internet access they never have to play hooky. That is what makes it unique. Although it has been an uphill battle. During the first semester the students had to physically attend classes in a newly reconstructed building because the online program was not up and running. So, in the beginning it was more like traditional classroom settings, including the student disruptions. Conflicts continued to arise I think because the students expected to get the 'perks' they were told about in the beginning like a laptop. So far that has not happened. Furthermore, the students experienced administrative changes which added to an uphill experience (rollercoasting along).

On with the program...
The software program used once the computers were up and running was Elluminate. I'll spare the details because I really did not get familiar with it until much later in the term and then only briefly. Elluminate is a classroom that takes place live online. Rather than watch the teacher teach at the blackboard the students watch a whiteboard on the monitor. They don't see the teacher in-person because teaching is done from the teacher's computer. The students can hear the teacher through headphones, see the writing on a whiteboard and are encouraged to participate online. This system is fairly complex and takes time to explain so I'll just provide a link to explain (click here --> http://www.elluminate.com/).

I would like to learn of other parents' experiences in school cyberspace. Leave me a comment if you'd had one.

thanks