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Brooke Point senior Jordan Ross takes Advanced Placement biology online through the Virtual AP School program.
Senior Jordan Ross is the only student enrolled in Advanced Placement biology at Brooke Point High in Stafford. She says taking the course online through the Virtual AP School lets her accomplish more because there are fewer distractions than in a traditional classroom environment. Although she's happy with the Internet course, she misses hands-on dissection opportunities. |
Planning for a career in marine biology, senior Jordan Ross signed up to take Advanced Placement biology at Brooke Point High School this fall.
Unfortunately, she had little company, and the Stafford County school couldn't offer the course.
In the past, Ross would've had to take a different class. Instead, she enrolled in the Virtual AP School, a Virginia Department of Education program that helps students who are having a hard time signing up for AP classes by offering them online or via satellite television.
It's part of Gov. Mark Warner's Senior Year Plus program. Designed to help students get a financial and academic head start on college, it aims to enroll more high school seniors in college-level courses.
The Virtual AP School kicked off this July, offering a mix of 15 popular and slightly more obscure AP classes to high school students.
So far, Ross is pleased with her choice. She spends sixth period at a computer station in her school's library, reading assignments and doing class work.
She said she has excellent access to her virtual teacher--who takes questions by instant messaging every night from 9 to 11--and is able to approach her work with greater focus.
"Sometimes, I feel like in the classroom I don't learn as much because there is distraction from other kids, but in the virtual classroom it's me by myself and I can get more work done," Ross said.
While she misses the hands-on dissections that are normally a part of biology, she says benefits outweigh any drawbacks.
In 2003, just over a million students nationwide took 1.7 million AP tests. In Virginia, 22 percent of high school juniors and seniors--36,597 students--took at least one AP exam last year.
The exams are administered annually in May, and, depending on a student's score, can help secure college credit.
But not all schools offer AP courses.
Statewide, almost 600 students have signed up for the Virtual AP School, said Greg Weisiger, associate director of teleproduction services at the Virginia Department of Education. Most live in the southwest and southside regions of Virginia and attend rural schools.
"I would think generally when you think of rural, you think of small and they may not have be able to offer a wide range of college-level and advanced-level courses that suburban and urban schools may be able to offer," Weisiger said.
In the Fredericksburg area, high schools offer the more popular AP courses--U.S. history, calculus, government--but typically omit foreign languages and economics. Some schools allow students to take AP courses as an independent study.
Many schools face the same dilemma as Brooke Point--interest from a few, but not enough for a class. At King George High School, for example, only a handful of students sign up to take AP chemistry each year. That's not enough to assemble a class, said principal Joseph Pociask.
But with the Virtual AP School, a handful of students could create their own class, he said.
Virtual AP teachers hold state teaching licenses, and many are already employed by school districts in Virginia, Weisiger said. Several were contracted specifically to teach one AP course.
Schools are required to provide students with the necessary technology equipment to take the class, and appoint someone to administer tests and quizzes.
Students submit homework and class work by fax or e-mail, and often participate in class discussions using a real-time message board program.
Teachers are required to hold office hours when they can be reached by students from around the state.
Surprisingly, students report having more time with distance learning teachers than classroom teachers because they're more accessible by e-mail, fax or phone, Weisiger said.
Still, in an ideal world, every student would have a teacher on site, Weisiger said.
"In my opinion, nothing takes the place of a teacher-student individual relationship," he said.
But Rebecca Danello, an instructional coordinator for Stafford schools, said the Virtual AP School will provide another option for advanced students.
"We're really excited about having another opportunity to offer some acceleration for students," Danello said.
ON THE NET: pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/technology/VAPS.html
To reach KELLY HANNON: 540/374-5436 khannon@freelancestar.com
