Is Virtual Here to Stay?

Virtual education, also known as E-learning, has sparked the interest of many people as technology continues to improve. This year in particular has made virtual learning a popular
topic due to it being the reality for many students all over the world. While E-learning is fairly new to most schools, people have very different opinions on the new teaching style. Some believe this will be a great asset to our education, while others believe it is a setback. Is virtual learning truly the education of the future?

According to online statistics, the virtual learning rate grew from 49% in 2015 to a staggering 98% in 2020. The market for online learning is estimated to grow 12.8 billion dollars
between 2020-2024. Many people believe this is only the beginning of virtual learning. Online classes offer many benefits to students such as flexible schedules, working at their own pace, and increased learning materials. Although these all seem like very positive advantages, one major issue is that students lose the ability to communicate effectively in person. Traditional
school provides structure and teaches responsibility. The lack of structure from E-learning is a hard adjustment for some students, but most adjusted well. Lawrence County High school is one of the many schools offering virtual learning this school year. Due to the health and well-being of the community, many students have decided to
attend this school year online. Here’s some opinions of LCHS students and staff members regarding their experiences with virtual learning.

• Joni Mccollum (12th grade) says adapting to virtual learning was “easy” and “simple”.
• Mrs. Jill Woods (family and consumer science teacher)- says she is “sad about not
  seeing her students daily” and “misses the interaction with them”. She believes high
  school will be “more flexible” and “collegiate” in the future.
• Cain Byars (11th grade) states that he believes he is “more prepared for college
  because of the new online classes”.

Whether traditional school is back to normal or virtual school is here to stay, the students and staff members at Lawrence County High School seem very optimistic for the future.

Paige Hancock, Red Hot News Editor