Homeschooling from online websites or computer programs can be used to supplement one or more subjects or as an entire curriculum. The number of Internet or computer-based learning sites has been growing rapidly. Popular subjects to teach or supplement with the computer include keyboarding, math drills, music theory and foreign languages. Online courses are commonly used by high school students. These are offered publicly or privately. Synchronous scheduling requires students to stream lectures, take exams or hand in assignments at set times, while asynchronous scheduling allows students to log in or submit assignments at their convenience, sometimes with a course completion deadline.

STRENGTHS

• some online academies or virtual schools offer accreditation
• some parents feel more comfortable having a third party oversee their child’s education, for some high school subjects in particular
• good choice for families who need their children to work more independently
• good for students who have a more visual learning style or simply prefer a high-tech learning environment
• websites can be accessed from anywhere and at any time, a good option for families that travel or participate in activities out of the home
• good for families that live very far from a school or library
• compatible with different homeschool styles

POINTS TO CONSIDER

• Internet safety precautions should be considered
• cost for tuition or use of websites can vary from free to costly
• having children work independently reduces the opportunity for parents to learn alongside their  children or the ability to keep up with what they are learning
• level of academics might be too easy or too difficult to keep the student interested
• level of technical, educational or teaching support varies
• an online website might not thoroughly cover all the important aspects of a subject

RESOURCES

• Khanacademy.org
• K12.com
• BrainPop.com
• FunBrain.com
• schoolathome.ca
• virtuallearning.ca