An early bird, a worm, and virtual learning

The well-known saying goes, An early bird catches the worm.

And while I know the meaning behind the phrase, I have often wondered about the worm. He too got up early and look what it cost him.

It's about perspective, and it's all relative really in that it is reference dependent. If you are the bird, well, rising early might prove beneficial. However, if you are the worm, perhaps there is validity in sleeping late.

When it comes to virtual schools, too many times we build them from one perspective -- starting inward and looking out. I recently read a blog post titled The Top Five Attributes for Online and Blended Learning that mirrors this inward-outward perspective and provides a glimpse of why virtual learning is falling short of its original promise.

In the post it posits that rigorous and engaging curriculum, tracking student progress, teacher availability for intervention, training and clear expectations for the students, and well-trained instructors able to deliver the online courses are the five most important attributes for success.

It all sounds great, and I am sure Fuel Education has the products for each of these attributes, however they are all from the bird perspective, and they forget about the worm.

Show these to educators and it would be hard not to agree with them. Show them to students and I wonder if the reply would be the same.

Or, perhaps the students would see them as good reasons to sleep late.

It is time to re-imagine virtual.

houston@figment-consulting.com