Online Learning Helps Remove Barriers for Oklahoma Students

For many students, success in school depends on more than just motivation — it often depends on whether the learning environment fits their lives. According to Insight School of Oklahoma (ISOK) science teacher Jenica Long, virtual education is helping remove many of the barriers that prevent students from thriving in traditional classrooms.

Long has spent 17 years teaching students in both brick-and-mortar and virtual schools. Through those experiences, she has seen how flexibility and access can transform a student’s educational journey.

“I have witnessed how a wide range of circumstances can impact students of all abilities,” Long says, pointing to flexibility and access as critical needs for student success.

Virtual learning can provide opportunities for students whose lives don’t always align with a traditional school schedule. Students involved in rigorous training programs, frequent travel or creative pursuits can continue their coursework from virtually anywhere. As Jenica says, online schools allow students to attend classes and complete assignments “from wherever, whether that’s a show barn, the back seat of a car or an airport terminal.”

Online education can also provide stability during times of transition or uncertainty. According to Jenica, virtual schools can serve as “a bridge to new opportunities by removing barriers that hinder student success,” including anxiety, health challenges or major life changes.

For many Oklahoma families, the result is a learning environment that meets students where they are — allowing them to stay connected with teachers, continue their education and succeed in ways that may not have been possible in a traditional setting.

To read more of Jenica Long’s thoughts on the benefits of virtual education, click here to read her recent op-ed in the Ellis County Star newspaper.

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