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Tez

Internet School

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An internet school is due to be launched in UK in 2005. Details of exactly how it will work are sketchy, but I find the idea appealing. Has anyone got any great knowledge, other than what is stated on the web site as to how it will work? What do others think about it?

 

 

 

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Edited by Tez

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Thanks Tez, it's looks very interesting.

 

On first investigation it looks like a good idea and could be a great option for some of our kids. What about the parents who can't afford it though? It might be the case that some kids with SEN could get the LEA to provide it if there was no other options. Maybe this is another one of my fantasies!!

 

Nellie

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Mmmm...I have mixed thoughts on this one.

 

Auriel's mainstream school tried to get an email link going with a LSA to do an ICT course with him. It didn't work, because I think it was too 'nebulous' for him...no concrete contact as it were. Whereas he loved his 1:1 home tuition.

 

Bid :wacko:

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Hi Tez,

Had a look at the website but would probably want to know more about it. My girl is only 6 so I haven't thought that far ahead, although I probably should be.

I suppose it could be a solution for those parents who don't know what else to do for their child who may be struggling at high school. Again though, all these things cost money and it's another added pressure for families.

Vickixxx

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Again, I think its a good idea if it suits your child, but i know it wouldn't work for Ryan if i was trying to tutor him at home. And its the cost, trying to get Lea's to pay for anything else is hard enough! :huh:

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My daughter likes the idea as she is so comfortable around computers. But as she uses the computer for recreational purposes she would find it difficult to switch into work mode, I think. It must be a bit like trying to do your homework at a party.

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I think the potential is huge, but there are the obvious pitfalls already highlighted...

As far as the fees go, don't LEA's pay home educators? May be talking out of my hat, but i thought they contributed for purchase of materials and that sort of stuff (or is it a tax concession on the main breadwinners earnings?)- no ideas on figures, but would possibly take the sting out of the fees...

For some of our kids, secondary school is not going to be a (workable) option, and not everyones going to blossom with a home tutor... This has got to be a good idea when all else has been tried and discarded, but need to give some serious consideration to the 'stick and carrot' end of actually getting the pc fired up and the kid 'on parade' for active duty. That said, though, if the child recognises that this is the 'best of a bad lot' (in their estimation) on offer, they may well go for it so they don't have to do the other... Very interesting; one to watch, I think...

BD :D

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Hello everyone,

 

I am actively looking into the workings of such "virtual classrooms" and am awaiting information from Lancashire County Council on the nuts and bolts of this type of system.

 

The following is a link to a press release which will explain a little more:-

 

http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/corporate/new.../11/11/0006.asp

 

The whole project is being funded and supported by Lancashire CC. Wakefield County Council are also looking into the same sort of thing.

 

I have had a quick peek at the website of Interhigh, which is the private organisation and they have a system of signing on at 8.30 a.m. and this is recorded and parents informed of all sorts of information including, not signing on.

 

I am very keen to find out more and find a workable system that could be the model for all areas and would welcome any input.

 

I am hoping that when I eventually get the information from Lancashire County Council, I can put together some kind of logistical and financial plan that may be of interest to parents and our LEA!

 

Best wishes

 

Helen

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I agree with the getting fired up comment, my son wd think he could switch fromschool to games and back again, as it is he sometimes has the playstation, computer, and a film on tv all going at once, and keeps nipping in and out fo rooms, to get snippets of them!!!

 

How the heck he keeps track is anyones guess, but woe betide anyone else who wants to use either of these things !!!

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I have to say that for those of of who home educate it would have to be much more flexible than logging on at 8.30am. (Yes we are a lazy bunch of so and so's) I would love to have this kind of facility but one that is flexible. I also think that this is something that LEA's will have to take on board to tackle the problem of school refusers and other children who, for whatever reason do not attend. BUT it should be offered to parents with SEN children at no cost to them.

 

Carole

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Hi Everyone,

 

I am currently evaluating an online subscription service from th Guardian called LearnPremium.

 

I accessed the website and after phoning them, I am on a 14 day trial. It is used by schools and the home educators and is not a live service. It cover the curriculum from Foundation to AS Level

 

Web site is

 

http://www.learnpremium.co.uk

 

I would like to rant on for a few hours about education but it is late and I must get some shut eye.

 

Best wishes

 

Helen

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Hi All,

 

Just forgot to mention that I was given the price as a potential school and it was so reasonable (comparitively speaking). It is sold to primary schools with up to 150 pupils for an annual cost of �325 (just of �2 per child per year!) and the school get E Learning Credits from the Dfes to pay for them. I think that if your school subscribes to it, then I think that the licence covers parents and kids being able to access the programme at home. It is worth checking out with your schools so that if your child is off for a while, then you have curriculum materials that are accessible via the internet.

 

When I spoke to the lady at Learn Premium, she told me that she would also be able to quote me a price to use the content as a home educator.

 

I am finding the content easy to use.

 

Regards

 

Helen

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Hi Barefoot

 

Thanks for that link- I have requested information and they will deal with schools and organisations that are not necessaily LEA.

 

Thanks again

 

Helen

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I have personal experience as I took some classes here in Sweden by internet/distance mode. Although I am not ASD myself I have an AS daughter and the comments that I would like to add are:

 

~ This could be a good method of learning for a bright older child as there is a certain level of self motivation and organising involved.

 

~ There is a risk that there would be little opportunity to practice social skills and their is a risk of isolation. Although one option would be if one or two subjects couls be taken in school. I did this as I took my A level Swedish in class and took A level History and Social Studies at the internet school.

 

~ It is a bit limited to traditional academic or IT subjects as it would be more difficult for languages, art. PE or practical subjects.

 

~ However technology could be used more flexibly - I knew one person at the FE college who was dyslexic and followed a special internet programme and the 3 time a week came into college to sit in a small group (2 or 3) where they video conferenced with a specialist teacher.

 

hope this helps

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Hi Puffin,

 

Thanks for your reply.

 

Ideally, I would like to have a connection to a local school so that use could be made of their facilities for Sport and other subjects not covered by the core subjects. This would also help with the socialisation/inclusion issues, as it would be socialisation in a very organised way and hopefully would suit those kids who find unstructured socialisation a problem. It would also allow an element of inclusion in mainstream.

 

I wish there were 50 hours in the day!

 

Best wishes

 

Helen

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hi Tez,

looked at the virtual school on first impressions looks a good idea but what about parents who can't afford the fees or like me you home educate some days my son is switched on and other days getting out of bed is a major achievement .Recently we've had one or two difficulties and have basically been told to get the LEA to contribute to any other type of school facility our son would have to re enter a school system he can't cope with to be assessed once more! to be able to gain a education that he can cope with in other schools. I'm sure that i'm not the only parent in this situation ,maybe LEA's should be looking at alternatives especially virtual schools where for what ever reason children aren't able to access a physical school model an alternative is available especially as in my son's case face to face conversations are so difficult but speaking to others using the net isn't a problem

 

taz

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I agree with the worries about cost for these online materials. I just e-mailed learnpremium, asking if they had any concessions for kids with disabilities and asking for costs for homeschoolers. Here is their reply...

 

"To subscribe to our materials would cost the following for home use:

 

�100 primary (Reception to KS2)

�200 secondary (KS3 to AS Level)

�250 combined (all the above)

 

All our prices are ex. VAT @ 17.5% and are payable in full and up

front

before access can be given. We do not currently accept credit or debit

card payments.

 

If you would like a free trial of our service please complete either

the

online or faxable form which can be found at the following link:

http://www.learnpremium.co.uk/user/info/subscribe.aspx

 

Many thanks,

 

Lisa Spiller

Customer Services Manager

 

Learnpremium

5th Floor, 79 Farringdon Road

London EC1M 3JU

Tel: 020 7713 4021

Fax: 020 7713 4108

www.learnpremium.co.uk"

 

There are, apparently, no concessions, and the fees quoted are annual. The fees are per household, so presumably more than one child could access the material. Works out slightly more than �2 per child!

 

Sorry folks,

 

Valiant-Skylark

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Hi Valiant

 

That is a bit of a poo - I thought that their prices would have been a lot less for home educators.

 

The �2 per child was the cost for up to 150 children accessing it.

 

I was told that "Education Otherwise" have a subscription and that they sell on to parents for an annual fee of about �25.

 

The answer may be for a group of you to purchase the subscription and share the annual cost. You would probably have difficulty getting 150 of you together to make it an annual cost of �2 per child but if the whole package is �250 then shared between 10 of you would be �25 per annum or less than 50p per week per child.

 

Geographical location would not be a problem as you would have one person as the main subscriber who gives out the access codes.

 

There must be more than 10 of you on this forum who are Home Educating and it may be worth considering. I myself, would have to rely on this as I haven't got a clue about the curriculum and what kids should be doing! I could organise a pee up in a brewery but not a home education lesson plan.

 

Best wishes

 

Helen

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Thanks for the thoughts, Helen. My sister home educates and is a member of EO, so I'll ask her about it. �25 per annum is certainly a lot more reasonable than �300!

 

Just as an aside, you don't actually have to follow the national curriculum at all if you home educate. From what I have heard/read, home education doesn't tend to lend itself very well to formal lesson plans anyway. (Big sigh of relief!)

 

I guess for a kid like mine, home education might include things as diverse as learning to tie his shoelaces, learning to use public transport, learning to cross a road, as well as the more academic subjects. Indeed, the thing that always worries me so much is how my son fails to apply to the real world the things he's learnt in the school setting. School may consider that he "knows what he's doing", but in the real world his learning often fails to generalise and I really don't have the faith that they have that he will be okay in the future.Perhaps it would be better if he learned "in the real world"?!!!

 

Anyway, I'm off to e-mail my sister...

 

Thanks again,

 

Valiant-Skylark

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Hi Valiant,

 

I understand! Well educated but haven't got a clue! - I am describing my husband (no DX but I am Kylie Minogue if he isn't AS).

 

I know that the LEA only say "Broad and balanced" but I am such a scaredy cat I would really need a format to follow.

 

Life education is more relevant to our kids but I suppose that I am of the old school, carrying the guilt and can keep hearing my mums words"you'll get nowhere without an education".

 

As it happened, I did drop out and caused her bitter disappointment but decided in my 30's to go for it and now again in my 50's (not quite the oldest mum in the world yet!) I am going for it again and doing the Uni Cert in ASD via Birmingham.

 

My husband also had a complete career change one year ago and you could have blown me down with a feather. He worked as an engineer since leaving school (at the same place) and because he is not comfortable with people, he has enjoyed working with machinery and been known as a vey solitary person. He applied for, and got the job as the Health and Safety Co-ordinator and now travels all over the UK presenting his work to the other factories. It seems to fit him like a glove. But at home he is a nightmare. Leaves tools in the middle of the hall, stanley knives with the blades exposed left in the bathroom and broken cups not wrapped before putting in the garbage (sliced the top of my ###### finger off a few weeks ago because of this). He argues that at home he is not a Health and Safety Co-ordinator! I don't know how I got onto this tac - maybe I just needed to tell someone how lovely he is but how ###### infuriating and that yes, I can see what you mean- like my husband, there does not seem to be a need to apply the lessons learned to other places and situations.

 

There is a time and a place!

 

Best wishes

 

Helen

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Oh Helen,

 

Ah bless! :rolleyes:

 

You've given me my first smile today. :thumbs:

 

Anyway, really I suppose one needs both life skills and hopefully a few academic skills. Life with just one or the other can be tough.

 

How is the course on ASD turning out? Must be really interesting? I'd imagine it's a lot of hard work.

 

Sis hadn't heard of learnpremium at all, but gave me some other links to follow up, which I'll do when I have a bit more time.

 

 

Valiant-Skylark xx

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Hi Valiant

 

Course only started this week so I have a long way to go. I wanted to learn to be able to help my little one through education and out of that grew my idea/dream for a bespoke school for our kids.

 

Had in the post today some blurb from Nisai Education. The link to it was posted by Barefoot Wend on 10th Jan. It is a teacher led virtual classroom and is very expensive but is usually bought by an LEA. The website shows which LEA's are using it. Because LEA's will fund "out of borough" school provision - why could they not fund "out of borough" virtual classroom provision? The cost to them would be a lot less than the "Home Tuition" service. In the style of Mark Lamar, I use the word "service" very loosely!!! (I have two pals who are outreach teachers and what they tell me makes my hair curl!)

 

And as far as Home Educating parents,- why can they not be given access to the service by the LEA's for a very small fee. It is claimed that they will provide parents with Curriculum materials!

 

Hope this plants some ideas!

 

Best wishes

 

Helen

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