The value of learning to communicate through multiple channels cannot be underestimated in the 21st century. This is exactly what online learning offers. In our live online class sessions, students have access to both microphones and text chats simultaneously. When a teacher or student is speaking, other students communicate ideas through text chat, making for a powerful one-two punch in communication that is unmatched by any other form of learning. Student comments and ideas in text chat ignite thoughtful questions and discussions by those on the mic, allowing even more depth to be added via text chat, creating uniquely profound conversations fostering critical thinking and creative, collaborative problem-solving.

 

Each student is able to participate and enrich the discussion through whichever mode they feel comfortable with, while challenging themselves to excel in both verbal AND written communication. Every student has the unlimited opportunity to advance class discussions and engage with the material. This is impossible to replicate in a physical classroom, where a teacher stands in front of a room and students can only speak when called on. At the same time, each student is more consistently engaged while others are speaking, because they themselves also have the opportunity to add to the conversation through relevant and important written communication. Everyone's perspective is heard in a respectful and teacher-facilitated space, capitalizing on the unparalleled opportunity online learning offers to engage with students from widely different cultures and experiences. Broadening one's horizons leads to a more powerful and impactful learning experience.