Earning an education online, referred to as distance learning, has grown significantly as a popular example of instruction via technology. Students in distance learning participate in online classrooms and complete their assignments virtually. Flexibility is the flagship asset of distance learning; their computer, not their physical location, determines where they learn. They also can schedule their schoolwork around other responsibilities, instead of vice versa. Online education typically costs less than brick-and-mortar programs as well, and can accommodate a greater number of students per class.
Virtual technology permeates traditional education as well, with programs that marry online elements with in-class instruction. Moodle, one such program, lets teachers interweave websites and online activities into their lesson plans. Many educators have also taken to "wikis," a web page that visitors create and revise. Wikis can encourage active participation by students, particularly those who are not vocally expressive. After launching a discussion on famous chemists, for example, a teacher could invite students to research the topic and post their findings on a wiki, which the class can peruse later as a group.
Moore's Law encapsulates the speed of technological innovation. Originally applied to transistors on integrated circuits, it now represents the belief that technology will improve at an increasingly faster rate over time. The dramatic increase in technology in everyday classrooms speaks to this understanding. However, this emphasis on virtual interaction potentially can strain a classroom populated with flesh-and-blood students. Some teachers have responded to Moore's Law by emphasizing their class' academic atmosphere. Requiring active participation is one method that achieves this, as is requesting "teach-backs:" assignments that require students to create original content on a topic using tools, like YouTube.
In addition to curricula and tuition fees, parents now also must consider technology, or lack thereof, when deciding on a potential school. Most classrooms acknowledge technology's importance, yet some schools abstain from virtual learning means. For instance, as reported by The New York Times, Waldorf schools employ a teaching method grounded in hands-on, physically active experiences; it holds that computers stunt important concepts, such as creative thinking and attention spans. In contrast, important groups, like the National School Boards Association, believe that failure to expose children to computers early in their education jeopardizes their futures.