Educating Educators for Virtual Schooling: Communicating Roles and Responsibilities

New forms of electronic media have enabled the creation of virtual classrooms in K-12 schools across the U.S. The virtual schooling (VS) movement, in which courses are offered mostly or completely via distance technologies, is expanding rapidly, yet many educators who work in these environments receive little or no foundation for effectively communicating with students at a distance. This paper codifies our current thinking on communication demands for K-12 VS teachers, designers, and facilitators, and provides a conceptual framework to ground further research and development in this critical aspect of virtual schooling. Communication theories which have direct application to the design and implementation of VS can inform practice and enhance the experience of students and teachers who participate in this increasingly common educational option. In this paper we provide an overview of how communication theories can be applied as a lens to inform VS practice.

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