Education is no longer limited to physical school buildings, classrooms, and strict eight-to-three schedules. In today’s era, technology has introduced viable alternatives to traditional classroom settings such as online schools and homeschooling. As the name indicates, online schooling is a type of education in which teaching is virtual, in either synchronous or asynchronous forms. Online schools allow students to receive education from anywhere as long as they have a suitable internet connection.
Homeschooling is another option in which parents or guardians take up the primary responsibility of teaching their children. They choose the curriculum according to the child’s needs and family values and everything is taught at home. Online schooling and homeschooling have a lot in common. Both offer significant flexibility and personalization. They are also different in several ways like the nature of instruction and socialization opportunities etc.
In this article, we explore both educational options. If you’re a parent wanting to find out which one of these non-traditional options is the best for your child, stick with us through this post.
Differences Between Online Schooling and Homeschooling
Difference-1: Curriculum
A major difference between online schooling and homeschooling is their curriculum. Online schools offer a more comprehensive, formal, and thorough curriculum with many classes in various disciplines. These are core classes as well as electives that follow certain standards, scope and sequences, and pedagogical strategies.
On the other hand, homeschooling is regulated completely by parents so they are not bound by any fixed curriculum. Rather they decide the curriculum for their children based on children’s interests and abilities. So there’s more flexibility in choosing a curriculum. In terms of flexibility, online private schools may be closer to homeschooling than public schools. Private online schools provide a level of flexibility that public ones don’t.
Online schools, private or public, offer a wider range of courses and provide qualified educators in different subject areas, and a robust technology infrastructure than homeschooling.
Difference-2: Instruction
Another aspect in which online schooling and homeschooling differ is instruction. In online schooling, certified and trained instructors teach the students. They use different methods, platforms, and tools like video lessons, interactive exercises, and tests to maintain an educational standard that is similar to that of traditional education. Teachers regularly contact students to provide them necessary support and feedback.
Homeschooling, in contrast, requires parents or caretakers to maintain every aspect of their child’s education. They take up the role of teachers, design schedules, map out curriculum, monitor progress, and provide guidance. It requires a lot of effort and commitment from parents. On the plus side, however, homeschooling allows a more personalized and intimate teaching experience that caters to a child’s learning style.
Difference-3: Socialization
Online schooling and homeschooling, both allow different degrees of social interaction. Online education provides students the ability to virtually interact with peers through online forums and chat rooms. Students may participate in group-based projects where they collaborate and learn from one another. Obviously, this isn’t the same as in-person social interactions but it still fulfills students’ need for peer interaction to a certain extent.
Socilizations is more challenging in homeschooling. The only people students interact with may be their family members. Homeschooling parents need to be mindful of it and put forth a concerted effort to arrange playdates, field trips, and extracurricular activities. This lack of socialization is usually the biggest reason that holds parents back from homeschooling their children.
Similarities Between Online Schooling and Homeschooling
Similarity-1: Flexibility
Flexibility of time and space is common in both online schooling and homeschooling. Both break away from the restriction and scheduling of classroom settings and allow students to learn at their own pace and schedule work whenever it suits them. This level of flexibility is especially critical for students to accommodate other activities such as part-time work, sports training, music, art, and other hobbies.
In online schooling, the course material is usually accessible all the time except for pre-planned live lectures and discussions. Students are not restricted to learning at specific hours of the day. They can complete their assignments and review material at their convenience.
Homeschooled children cover the course material according to their learning style rather than the timeline determined by the school. They can fast-track topics or slow down when it gets challenging. If anything unpredictable happens in their lives, homeschooled children can adapt their schedules to avoid interruptions in their learning.
Similarity-2: Personalized Attention
Both online schooling and homeschooling provide personalized attention to students. They cater to the unique needs and preferences of the students and provide them the support they need for their academic success.
In online schools, teachers provide personalized guidance to each student through communication tools and one-on-one sessions. The digital nature of this type of education also provides students with adaptive learning tools and resources to personalize their learning.
Homeschooling also provides personalization as parents serve as primary educators of their students. They closely monitor the progress of their children, identify needs, and modify curriculum and learning methods accordingly. The first-hand knowledge of children’s strengths, weaknesses, and interests empowers parents to create a personalized learning experience.
Online schooling and homeschooling both provide students with personalized attention and create a learning environment that maximizes their chances of growth.
Similarity-3: Technology-Centric
Online schooling and homeschooling are intrinsically technology-centric. The utilization of technological devices is the backbone of these educational models.
In online settings, online learning management systems (LMS) are developed to deliver education. Students use these LMSs to listen to lectures, ask questions, and submit work. It is important that students are savvy users of digital devices and the internet to benefit from this mode of learning.
Homeschooling also relies heavily on technology. In a home setting, digital devices are necessary so that the children can watch video lessons and use various homeschooling resources such as educational apps for learning.
Conclusion
Online schooling and homeschooling both are nontraditional methods of education. They are similar in some aspects but different in others. Both provide a lot of flexibility to the students. They allow them to schedule their learning hours.These methods are also more personalized, maximizing the academic performance of the students. Use of technology and the internet is a must in both settings.
On the flip side, online schooling and homeschooling differ in terms of their method of instruction and curriculum. In online settings, a trained teacher delivers the lectures and sets the curriculum, while in the case of homeschooling, parents take responsibility for everything. Also, online schooling provides a bit more opportunity for socializing than homeschooling.
So what’s the best for your child? Only you can answer this question. Now that you know everything about both modes of learning, it’s time to evaluate your child’s needs and your resources and see what suits them best.
