While Open Access College has been conducting online classes for years, it’s only recently that the concept of distance learning has truly been noticed by most of the Aussie population. And the challenges that “learning from home” brings has prompted a lot of discussion, for example, questions like: “Is online learning really good for children?” or “Don’t students need more face to face interaction?”
Most of us who work at Open Access College would have come across the casual question from friends and acquaintances, “Isn’t it better for students to go to a regular school?” And most of us would have replied with something along the lines of - “sometimes…”
Online learning can be truly beneficial to select groups of students, in fact, many of our students couldn’t do their schooling any other way. We have some who are so remote that going to school is just not an option, or elite sportspeople who could not possibly train and compete without a flexible schooling system.
Then there are those students who are disadvantaged in some way - students with physical medical conditions who need to stay at home, or students with mental illness who need to recover from severe bullying or other problems at their normal school. Our Student Wellbeing Leaders tirelessly check on these students, to see how they are tracking, and if it’s viable for them to go back to their regular school.
And then we have our senior students who want to learn specific subjects, so they can follow their career dreams - but perhaps their school doesn’t offer the subject at a time they can attend, or maybe not at all. So they can enrol in just one subject with OAC.
Our teachers, leaders and support staff all feel passionately that online learning is a force for good, and has an important place in the education system. But don’t take our word for it, our students have told us so.
Please see the Open Access College page to see our student stories and videos.