10 Reasons to Love Live Online Courses

Today, over 56 million students are using and enjoying virtual classrooms from every grade level and for almost every subject area. Innovative technology-driven classrooms are here to stay, which is why here at Bridgeway Academy we are excited to announce our live online learning labs have been expanded with year round options! Read on to learn about the benefits of this empowering platform to educate, engage and excite homeschool children at every grade level.

Ten things to love about live online school programs:

1. EXPERT TEACHING: One of the benefits of live online courses is the availability of a real-life, real-time subject matter expert. Since parents rarely categorize themselves as experts in all things, it is a blessing to have the teacher presenting new material, facilitating the group, working with individual students, and supporting work assignments.
2.  INDEPENDENT LEARNING: Once students transition out of the homeschool learning environment into a college, trade school or career, it is essential the students understand what it means to be accountable for their success. Live online courses provide a natural environment for students to acquire greater self-discipline, responsibility, and self-advocacy.
3. INTEGRATION OF REAL WORLD SKILLS:  Far beyond just word processing – presentations, projects and work within the virtual classroom help students become better public speakers, mesh technology and their creativity, and learn the same skills required by businesses regarding working in a collaborative, virtual environment, as well as traditional settings.
4. PEACE OF MIND:  Live online courses provide parents with feedback about what a child can and cannot do independently, but with the added benefit of having a teacher available to assist in framing a path to greater success for the students as they tackle new tasks, lessons and courses. In other words, the virtual classroom is just as much a homeschool parent resource as it is a child’s tool. These teachers are there to advocate for the success of the homeschool parent and the child.  
5. TIME AND FLEXIBILITY: Because many students naturally understand the tech realm, they quickly become capable of navigating the virtual classroom features and content on their own. That frees the parent up to teach another child, fold a load of laundry or maybe even get a cup of coffee while observing the online class session.
6. POWERFUL INTERACTIVE TOOLS: Content comes to life in online learning labs because of these exciting tools.  
   • An interactive whiteboard that allows students to Illustrate and create new content, Label diagrams and color documents or images inserted by the teacher, Respond to writing prompts and construct graphic organizers.
   • LiveChat to entice further conversations and questions within the classroom.
   • Student surveys and breakout rooms which provide teacher-supervised areas for discussing questions and sharing ideas.
   • Digital media such as movies and slide presentations.
   • Downloadable documents directly from the virtual classroom while instruction is in progress.
   • Notes section in the virtual classroom where students can take their notes and convert to a downloadable PDF document after the class
   • Live-streaming via webcam so students can share projects (and pets), creating an engaging environment for learning
7. TEACH EFFECTIVELY TO DIFFERENT LEARNING STYLES: Each child has a primary learning style in which they most effectively process information. That’s why some kids love watching videos and others prefer a more tactile approach such as building a puzzle or playing with toys. It’s essential to teach and communicate in each child’s learning style. The three main types of learning styles include Visual Learners, Auditory Learners, and Kinesthetic/Tactile Learners. And some children respond best to material delivered with a combination of learning styles in mind. With online learning labs, your child will grow and love learning as the labs target multiple learning styles.
8. BENEFITS TO CHILD DEVELOPMENT: The development benefits are many, but the highlights include: an increase in memory capacity, a boost in computer and simulation fluency, a fast strategic thinking and problem-solving, hand-eye coordination, and skill-building from the coaching of the online educator.
9. IMMERSION IN THE MATERIAL: Flexible homeschooling, where students immerse in a collaborative, interactive learning environment is a major benefit of online learning labs. These exciting courses take engaging subjects like Marine Biology, art, or even essay writing to the next level with real-time instruction and interactive whiteboard technology. Utilizing virtual classroom tools, students can engage with their peers from around the world without ever leaving home.
10. LOTS OF COURSES AND OPTIONS: Bridgeway Academy’s Online Learning Lab Program includes Elementary, Middle, and High school courses.  Depending on the age level and subject matter, your child will go to class for 60-90 minutes and can choose from fun electives or some core curriculum. Your child will also receive grade reports and accreditation for each class completed.

Bridgeway Academy is pleased to offer an ever-growing list of highly interactive live online courses referred to as Learning Labs. Our passion is to encourage each student to love learning and engage with new ideas and content.  Find out what courses will fit your child’s personality and build their love for learning by visiting our website!