Busting the myths of online schooling

In 2020, across the world, many families had an extraordinary experience of online schooling as the pandemic shut down brick-and-mortar schools for extended periods.  All things were far from equal.  Many low-income families didn’t have the data and devices to get their children properly connected; while the middle-class and up could make a much easier transition and better avoid learning disruptions.  Some schools were adept at getting curricula, educators and learners online; others had little clue about online educational pedagogy and floundered, even if they were well-resourced schools. Some parents saw their kids thriving against the odds, which was enlightening; others were highly stressed at finding themselves cast as tutors and overseeing daily learning.

While there is relief in the COVID-recovery times that kids can go back to school and parents back to work, this experience of how the digital-world mitigated against real-world challenges is here to stay.  Whereas online and blended learning might once have been mostly untried and untested, these are now mainstream options for today’s families offering a much wider choice.  Free from physical geography, online school offers more options when it comes to curricula, access to educators and far wider learning options that can possibly take place within the walls of a classroom.

For Mark Anderson, Principal and Co-founder of high-engagement online school, Koa Academy, it’s not a case of online versus brick-and-mortar, but a question of who is delivering relevant, quality teaching and learning that works best for your family.  

Here he busts 3 common myths around online schooling:

I will have to teach my child – “Online learning has a distinct pedagogy and online teachers have particular skills to facilitate learning on the digital platform.  It is the professional teacher’s role to guide your child through the school curriculum, and this does not change at all in the online environment. Parents have the same role when it comes to their child’s learning whether they are in a physical school or an online school.”

My child will not get socialisation – “Parents need to choose a school, online or physical, that suits their values and aims for their child’s education and school experience.  Socialisation at school comes through the intentional creation and maintenance of a high-engagement environment. There are physical schools that do well at this, and others that don’t.  Same applies to online schools.  At Koa, children come together in small 8-person Pods with their teacher which makes socialisation a key part of every school day.  Our kids are learning how to be responsible, sociable digital citizens as well, which is preparing them for a very real world where our activities and work are increasingly digitalised.”

The qualification is not equal or as robust – “Online schools offer the same curricula and recognised qualifications as physical schools.  Like every aspect of our lives in these fast-changing times, schooling and tertiary studies are transforming and being disrupted by better ideas and improved tools.  As parents, we are challenged to keep abreast of these developments and to recognise that our child’s education and further studies will and should be different from what we experienced.  The world has, and continues to change rapidly and dramatically, and it is the role of school to prepare our children for the real world they will encounter as adults.”

Digital learning, fully online or blended, was always where the world was heading.  COVID didn’t change the direction, it has only accelerated the pace.  Technology in education has the potential to solve many deeply-rooted BIG problems in education – accessibility and equity, quality and relevance.  Anderson adds, “We also have to properly consider that we’re educating the generations who are digital natives.  We want to prepare them for participation and success in the real world – that’s the goal of education, no matter the era.  Well, the real world for this generation, and those that will follow, is a world that encompasses a significant digital realm.  Their education needs to include instruction, guidance and experience about how to be a responsible digital citizen because their reality, and their future of work, will not be confined to the material world. An online or blended learning approach is completely appropriate and beneficial in these times, and it is an advantage to families to have this range of choices when they are making decisions about their children’s education.”

There has been a view with the easing of COVID restrictions, that online schools won’t be sustainable.  It’s true that some won’t be, particularly those which hold to a more traditional view of education. However, the rise of the digital realm permeating every aspect of our lives means that online and blended learning will be an increasingly prominent feature of global education – from early childhood to post-grad.  

In Anderson’s view, parents considering online school options should embrace the same level of discernment when considering any other learning option for their children.  

Here are Mark Anderson’s tips for parents when choosing an online school:

Align with your family values – “Think about what you want for your children when it comes to their education.  If socio-emotional learning is important to you, then look for the high-engagement online school options.  If the experience of a school community resonates with your family values then look at the online schools that are active in building community on and offline.  Learn about the values of the school and find the one that fits best with your family values.”

Financial security of the school – “This assessment is no different from how you would evaluate any of the private brick-and-mortar school options in South Africa. Pay attention to the planned scaling to ascertain if it is a sustainable business model.  Make sure that fees are not growing too fast.  Consider the financial ramifications if there are physical campuses involved.”

Do the due diligence – “Make appointments with school leaders and meet them face-to-face – digital meetings are real connections too.  The fact that a school is online doesn’t mean it should be opaque.  You’re not signing up to ‘a platform’, you’re enrolling your child in school.  Ask your burning questions and follow up on references.”

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How Impaq helps you work through the CAPS curriculum

Whether you are a homeschooling veteran or a nervous newcomer, looking at all the content you need to cover can be overwhelming. Luckily, Impaq makes working through the CAPS curriculum easy! All you have to do is pick a grade, complete your registration, and you’ll be provided with everything you need to complete the year at home (and have some fun along the way). Here’s how we help you make learning at home a breeze.

Read more here: From CAPS to Cambridge and everything in between

Planning for the year ahead

 

Dale Carnegie knew a thing or two about planning for success as he famously said: “An hour of planning can save you 10 hours of doing”. And by now, you might be wondering how many hours you need to spend planning for the year ahead to save time down the road. The answer? Almost none.

With Impaq Homeschooling, the planning is already done for you. We provide carefully crafted lesson plans that tell you exactly how much time you need to spend on each subject, and how to integrate the lesson plans with the learner material. The curriculum is broken down into bite-sized bits to help you and your child know exactly what to focus on during each term. Lesson plans, along with weekly calendars and additional resources are available on the Optimi Learning Portal (OLP).

CAPS made easy

As a homeschool parent, the CAPS curriculum can seem content-heavy, and you might be wondering what to focus on. As of 2024, Impaq will be providing our learners with a framework of what to concentrate on for each subject. We have organised the content to make it easier for homeschool parents to work through the curriculum challenges and ensure that their child masters the basic concepts. All these resources can be found on OLP.

All the support you need

 

As a homeschooling parent, you will receive your very own facilitator’s guides to help you teach your child at home. These detailed guides accompany the lesson material your child receives and give you step-by-step guidance to set your child up for success. Prepping for tests and examinations is also made easy as you can find suggested timetables for Grades 4 to 9 on OLP. You can then decide whether to stick to these timetables or to create your own. Grade 10 to 12 learners write tests and exams according to a strict timetable

If you find yourself needing some additional support, especially in certain subject areas such as Mathematics and Physical Sciences, you can reach out to our team of education specialists. They are always happy to assist and support parents with any academic queries. You can also find the answers to most of your homeschooling questions on our client helpdesk.

Enjoy online resources

The Optimi Learning Portal (OLP) serves as our learning hub and contains a treasure trove of digital resources. Along with the lesson material your child receives, they can find additional resources per subject on OLP, including educational videos, quizzes, previous examination papers, helpful notes and much more.

Learners can also easily access both live and pre-recorded subject guidance sessions on OLP. These sessions focus on providing guidance on how to complete specific assessments, revision for more difficult concepts, as well as enrichment lessons.

Track your child’s progress

 

Tracking your child’s progress is as easy as logging in to OLP. With the click of a button, you will be able to see which lessons your child has completed (marked in green) and which lessons they still need to complete (marked in red). You will also be able to capture the marks for their tasks, tests, and examinations (depending on their grade) and generate report cards.

The advantage of keeping track of your child’s progress is that you can easily see which subjects or topics they need a bit more help with. This individualised attention ensures that your child fully grasps the concepts before moving on to more advanced topics.

A fun adventure

Now that the planning is done, the content is sorted, and you have access to additional support, you can spend your time on making learning fun. With everything laid out for you, you’ll have more time to focus on your child and plan exciting excursions and activities.

If you find you have some extra time or your child is especially interested in a certain subject or topic, why not incorporate it into your daily lessons? Learn a new language like isiZulu, take up a new hobby such as robotics, learn how to develop successful study habits or take your learner on a virtual adventure through the African bush.

 

Also read: Say yebo to isiZulu! The benefits of multilingualism

Register today

With Impaq as your guide, homeschooling has never been easier. Ready to get started? Register online or send an email to [email protected] 

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Inspiring journeys: Success stories from the Impaq Online School

Meet three students who have found themselves thriving at the Impaq Online School. With diverse backgrounds, each student brings a unique perspective to the digital classroom. We learn more about how they have adapted to this new way of learning and how they have transformed along the way.

Choosing the Impaq Online School

Grade 11 Impaq Online School learner Matthew J Dunn switched from homeschooling to online schooling in 2023. Grade 9 learners Kalyn Payne and Carla Roets switched from classroom walls to digital calls at the start of 2024.

 

For Matthew, switching to online learning gave him the freedom of flexibility: “The Impaq Online School is more travel-friendly than traditional schooling because I can learn from anywhere”. But besides being a school you can pack in a bag, online schooling has proved to be an effective strategy to beat the bullies.

Kalyn’s mom, Ronel Payne, says that Kalyn was being bullied at her previous school. “Not only did this impact her emotionally, but it also affected her schoolwork,” Ronel explains. They decided to switch to online learning to see if it would make things easier for Kalyn, and it did: “I now have a changed child at home,” Ronel says. “I have a happy child for the first time in a long time,” she adds.

Many parents feel that their kids get lost in traditional brick-and-mortar schools. This was the case for Carla, who says she made the switch because she wasn’t doing as well as she wanted to. “The Impaq Online School offered me a fresh start,” she explains.

The best of IOS

Not only did Carla get a fresh start at her new school, but she could now also enjoy the daily interactive classes. Carla says she loves connecting with her peers: “I love to participate in class conversation with the teachers and my classmates”. However, these connections are not limited to school hours, as Carla made three new best friends. “I can be myself with them,” she adds.

Ronel says that what she and Kalyn enjoy the most about the Impaq Online School is that there is no pressure around sports and extramural activities. At the Impaq Online School, learners receive a holistic education with mental wellness and physical activities included in the school timetable.

Read more: Winter warriors: How to stay active in the cold

On the other hand, Matthew says he enjoys the special events the most. The Impaq Online School hosts fun events throughout the year to encourage student participation. Matthew’s favourite is the virtual bake-off.

 

Learners can also join mentored social clubs, including the Impaq Online School leadership team and journalism club.

Experiencing the difference

Matthew, Kalyn and Carla say that they love learning online! When we asked what they liked most about the Impaq Online School (as opposed to a traditional school environment), they had a whole list of benefits:

  • More freedom and flexibility to embrace hobbies.
  • Great peer engagement.
  • Fun virtual events.
  • Never worry about transport.
  • No concerns about fitting in at school.
  • No more school uniforms.
  • More options when it comes to subject choices.

Also read: Do’s and don’ts of online learning

A 5-star learning experience

At the Impaq Online School, our SACE-registered teachers are passionate about making a difference. Ronel says that Kalyn loves her teachers. “Kalyn is no longer afraid to send an email or speak to any of the teachers. This was a concern in normal school as Kalyn never asked questions,” Ronel explains. Matthew also says that a helping hand is always close by. “All my teachers are always ready to assist with any of my questions”, he adds. “If I could give Impaq a rating, it would have to be 5/5 stars!”. Carla agrees and says that her teachers are kind and helpful.

 

Strategies for online learning success

Matthews says that when he is faced with a challenge, the Impaq Online School provides him with many solutions. Here’s how he goes about it:

  • He watches educational videos on the Optimi Learning Portal (OLP).
  • He reaches out to the specific subject teacher for extra classes.
  • He asks his homeroom teacher for clarification on the issue.

Carla says it was challenging to start again with different learning methods, but she was willing to work hard and focus on understanding all her subjects. Ronel says that so far, it has been smooth sailing for Kalyn. “I love what I have seen,” Ronel says. She explains that Kalyn now understands the work and no longer complains that it is too difficult.

At the Impaq Online School, learners get additional academic support through extra classes, intervention classes, master classes, and the Grade 12 Winter School.

 

Thriving in the virtual classroom

Switching to the Impaq Online School has been transformative for Kalyn. Ronel notes a positive change in her personality: “She is friendlier and more excited about projects”. Achieving 80% on a task for the first time reflects her newfound dedication to academics. “Now she cares, and she puts the effort in,” Ronel adds. Carla agrees: “I have more confidence in myself now that I am able to achieve what I set my mind to”.

Also read: Beating burnout: mental wellness for online learners

Matthew, already a top achiever, credits Impaq for further academic advancement. He cheekily adds that his favourite experience at the Impaq Online School is the award ceremony.

The transformative power of online learning

Kalyn, Carla, and Matthew’s success stories show the profound impact online learning has had on not only their academic journeys but also their personal wellbeing. From newfound enthusiasm and dedication to enhanced confidence and continued academic excellence, their experiences underscore the transformative potential of online learning.

 

Are you ready to make the change? Click here to learn more about the Impaq Online School or contact us at [email protected].

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From classroom to clicks: how to make the switch to online learning

The educational landscape is evolving, with more and more South African families embracing online schooling as an alternative to traditional schools. Getting quality education from the comfort of your home has never been easier, but is online schooling the right choice for your family, and how do you make the switch to online learning? With the right approach, swapping the brick-and-mortar classroom for a virtual one can be a smooth and rewarding journey.

Structuring success: Maintaining a structured routine

Maintaining a structured routine is one of the biggest adjustments when moving to online schooling. At the Impaq Online School, we offer full-time, structured schooling with a fixed timetable for learners from Grades 4 to 12. This structure creates a stable learning environment while fostering self-discipline, which allows learners to develop strong organisational skills.

Tip: Create a dedicated learning space at home. Having a specific space for schoolwork can help learners distinguish between when it’s time to learn and when they can use their time for leisure.

 

Read more: Studying from home: Impaq learners and parents share their tips

Live and interactive: Make online learning click

Unlike some online programmes, the Impaq Online School offers live, interactive classes led by qualified teachers. This allows learners to engage in real-time discussions, ask questions, and receive immediate feedback.

Tip: Encourage your child to prepare for and actively participate in their online classes. Interacting with teachers and classmates can enhance their understanding and retention of the material being covered.

Guided growth: Personalised feedback and support

Consistent feedback is essential for academic growth. At the Impaq Online School, we are dedicated to each child’s development. We ensure that learners receive regular feedback on their performance and provide personalised support to help them reach their full potential.

Tip: Review your learner’s progress reports to understand their strengths and areas for improvement. You can also contact the relevant teacher for additional resources and support to help your child stay on track.

Connect and collaborate: The social side of online learning

A common misconception about online schooling is that it’s an isolating experience. However, at the Impaq Online School, we value social interaction and collaboration – from group activities to virtual clubs and online events, learners have numerous opportunities to connect and collaborate with their peers.

Tip: The Impaq Online School is a bully-free space. Encourage your child to join in on group projects or participate in any of our exciting virtual events to help develop social skills and make their online schooling experience more fulfilling.

Read more: Inspiring journeys: success stories from the Impaq Online School

Beyond academics: Building healthy habits

At the Impaq Online School, we know that physical health and emotional wellbeing are key contributors to your child’s overall development. That’s why we incorporate fitness and wellness sessions into the timetable and use the It’sOK app to ensure that learners stay active and well-balanced.

 

Tip: Remind your learner to take regular breaks and to make time for leisure activities. A balanced routine can improve concentration and reduce stress. The Impaq Online School counsellor is also available to all registered learners for additional support and advice.

Read more: Beating burnout: mental wellness for online learners

Tech titans: empowering learners for a digital future

Digital literacy is the cornerstone of online learning. Our focus on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) helps learners succeed in their day-to-day online learning activities and prepares them for their future careers in a technology-driven world.

Tip: The Impaq Online School provides a comprehensive induction course. Review the course with your learner to ensure that they are ready to hit the ground running! You can also find an overview of the systems we use here.

Read more: Tech troubles: overcoming common challenges in the digital classroom

A new way of learning: investing in your child’s future

 

Transitioning from traditional school to online learning can open up a world of opportunities for your child. By choosing the Impaq Online School, you’re not just embracing a new way of learning; you’re investing in your child’s future.

Make the switch today! Register online or call us on 087 405 2233.

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