Cyber Charter Schools

by Eric Specht

Today, more and more American kindergarten through senior high school (K-12) students are attending cyber schools as oppose to traditional brick and mortar structures. Cyber school education is similar to traditional schools because the state warrants the education. However, students that attain an online education accomplish the process in the comfort and luxury of their home. There are many reasons why students and parents choose an online environment as oppose to a traditional setting, but what force influences cyber school assertions.

My children attend Agora Cyber Charter School in the state of Pennsylvania. The online charter school is simply a computer-generated public school that operates independently from school districts, but accordingly to Pennsylvania’s educational policies. Similar to traditional school systems, charter schools foster a partnership between teachers, parents, and students to establish an extensive supplementary system. Additionally similar, teachers, parents, and students are accountable for learning progressions ("What Are Public Charter Schools? ", 2012). Although there appears to be similar ideals, cyber schools are dynamic.

The major initiative and mission of Pennsylvania’s Agora Cyber Charter School are subtle. The foremost initiative of the school is to develop a model of education based on modern innovations, which have created a completely new world of learning opportunities for students. With a modern design, the cyber charter school’s mission is to nurture all students indiscriminately to satisfying demands, challenges, and changes to become leaders in the digital era (Brown, 2005). The mission leads the school’s initiatives because without implementation of today’s modern technology and learning principles, the mission will not transpire.

However, a major decision with the Agora Cyber Charter School was implementing real life activities into the online curricula. The system understands that real life experiences are important contribution to learning growths, so Agora offers online synchronous instruction, clubs, competitions, and service project opportunities to create real connections within our 21^st century online learning environment. Moreover, the school organizes socially academic field trips to museums, parks, zoos, and other interesting, enjoyable, and educational places for their students (Williams, 2012). Offering real life involvements continues to be an essential method of education because it enhances learning growths by creating meaningful and memorable experiences (Allen, 2007), so it was an important implementation by the Agora Cyber Charter School.

Although the school’s status is currently up to par, the future of Agora Cyber Charter School depends on the ability to continue with modern innovations. Technology is advancing at an exponential rate (Beekman B, 2006), so it will be difficult to sift through all the new devices, programs, and software that portray their importance in education. For example, Agora provides performance computers to correspond with today’s demands merely because dial up connections simply will not suffice. Additionally, research reveals modern teaching and learning principles, which will create difficulties with developing and/or choosing the most effective module to convey knowledge. In order to maintain existence, it appears the Agora Cyber Charter School need to perform and analyze a variety of assessments in preparation for future decisions.

The philosophies, theories, and factors that influence Agora Cyber Charter School are adaptation and adoption. In order for Agora Cyber Charter School’s mission to transpire to their population of Pennsylvania students, the school needs to be unbiased to all diversities. The strengths, weaknesses, and needs of learners vary; therefore, it requires the school to adapt to a learner-centered approach as oppose to content centered. In addition, the school system needs to adopt new learning principles and modern technology to provide each student with the knowledge and skills needed in real life.

"What Are Public Charter Schools?". (2012, n/a n/a). Retrieved from The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools : http://www.publiccharters.org/About-Charter-Schools/What-are-Charter-Schools003F.aspx.

Allen, M. W. (2007). Designing Successful E-Learning Forget What You Know about E-Learning and Do Something Interesting. San Francisco: Pfeiffer.

Beekman B, B. G. (2006). Tomorrow's Technolgy and You. (ninth, Ed.) New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.

Brown, D. J. (2005, October 1). ACCS Charter School. Haverford, Pennsylvania, USA. Retrieved from ACCS Charter School.

Williams, S. (2012, n/a n/a). Letter from our Head of School. Retrieved from Agora Cyber Charter School: http://www.k12.com/agora/who-we-are/letter.