On September 5, 2007, Doug Covey, CEO of Blueprint Education, was a featured guest on “Here and Now,” a production of KJZZ, the Phoenix-area affiliate of National Public Radio (NPR).
The program was dedicated to various issues in K-12 education, and the main guest was Arizona’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Horne. Covey’s role was to discuss the advantages and challenges of online learning programs, such as Blueprint’s Hope High School Online.
Steve Goldstein, reporter and host for KJZZ, conducted the interview with Covey, calling online schools “the newest concept in K-12 education.” Goldstein noted the increasing popularity of online programs and asked Covey to characterize the types of students that take online courses. Covey replied that students do so in order to accommodate busy schedules, to recover credits, or to accelerate their academic progress.
Often, students who take online courses do so while they are pursuing other goals. “We’ve had National Merit scholars, professional athletes, and actresses that are pursuing their lifelong dreams and are challenged to fit that into a traditional school,” said Covey.
Covey noted that distance learning is not for all students, since it requires a high level of support, motivation, and commitment. He also discussed the need for students, educators, and parents to select online schools that are fully accredited so that credits will transfer.
The interview concluded with Goldstein asking Covey for advice to parents and students considering online education.
“The key is choosing the right school,” Covey said, also noting the importance of time management and connecting with teachers. Online education, he added, “is built around the flexibility of the student and their lifestyle. If the student is self-motivated and can work individually, it certainly will fit their needs.”
Horne agreed that online learning is playing a larger role in K-12 education, particularly since younger students are more technology savvy than previous generations. “Distance learning or online learning is really something of the future…this new generation are glued to their laptops or computers, and they are native speakers of technology,” he said.
Horne also said that online learning can be a useful way to overcome some of the challenges with which the educational system is faced, such as the shortage of qualified math and science teachers in rural areas.
About Blueprint Education Blueprint Education is a non-profit organization that has been helping students succeed since 1969. Services offered by Blueprint Education include distance learning, curriculum design, and alternative education. Blueprint Education’s programs and courses meet the high quality standards of the NCA Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement, CITA, and the NCAA.