Technology in Homeschooling

In the United States nearly two million children are homeschooled. This accounts for nearly three to four percent of school aged children in the US. (Lines, 2000) Parents decide to homeschool for several different reasons; religious reasons and lack of faith in the public school system are some of the most common reasons provided by parents. Homeschooling parents have access to multiple technologies to help them provide an education for their children. Some of the technologies most used by homeschooling parents are, computers, the Internet, audio programs, movies, television programs, and distance learning programs provided by public schools in some areas. Over the past decade and a half expansion in technologies have given parents more opportunity to homeschool their children and provide them a proper education.

Technologies for personal use have grown significantly over the past decade and a half allowing parents to have more access to information that previously wasn't available for homeschooling. It has become more automated because of the use of computers and televisions allowing parents "to keep children where they can be safe and secure." (Sanborn, Santos, Montgomery, & Caruthers, 2005, p. 28) Parents are able to replace classical education by using the internet to help them find the information necessary to teach their children and find their children help for areas where they are weak. Parents can even take advantage of the newest technology available to parents, Distance Learning Programs. "Using conference software, the students and tutor log into the server address at the stated time for the tutorial and then communicate by talking, typing, and occasionally using other means of communication, such as collaborative whiteboard and collaborative Web browsing to Web sites featuring maps, images collections, online museums, etc." (Allen, 2001, p. 24)

Homeschooling is neither a new concept nor new practice. In fact homeschooling is the oldest form of education in the world. Compulsory education provided by the government was instituted in the early 1900's. Before most children were taught by their parents, as their parents had taught them. Some of the world's greatest minds were homeschooled as children. Abraham Lincoln, Charles Dickens and Mark Twain are some of the many who were homeschooled by their parents. (Jones & Gloeckner, 2004) Once compulsory government education was instituted parents were forced to give up homeschooling because it was deemed illegal to keep your children out of school. "Proponents of compulsory attendance hoped that the new laws would close the gap between rich and poor. Compulsory state education would "Americanize" the great waves of immigrants. Now that child labor was illegal, people thought compulsory state education would improve children's lives." (Woodruff, 2001) In the late 1970's the homeschooling movement reemerged and parents started removing their children from public schools even with the threat of legal action from the government. (Stevens, 2003)

In the late 1970's early 1980's the homeschooling movement reemerged with the help of educational theorist John Holt. Holt believed that children did not learn well in structured school settings. In fact he found them to be detrimental to learning rather than helpful. Holt believed that children learn the best when allowed to "pursue his own interests with the support and encouragement of parents and other adults." (Lines, 2000, p. 6)
The 1970's showed a rise in the secular homeschooling parent; one not interested in homeschooling for religious reasons but rather was homeschooling because of lack of faith in public education. The two types of homeschooling parents, religious and secular, came together as one to lobby for homeschooling to be made legal in the United States.

As more parents made the decision to homeschool their children they were forced to fight for their rights to homeschool. The right of a parent to homeschool their child is established in the fourteenth amendment but that didn't mean the government allowed parents to do it. (Stevens, 2003) As a result the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) was developed. The Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) is a "nonprofit advocacy organization established to defend and advance the constitutional right of parents to direct the education of their children and to protect family freedoms." (Homeschool Legal Defense Association, 2008) Over the years they have helped many parents keep their rights to homeschool and worked to make homeschooling legal in all states.

In the early 1990's the expansion of the internet allowed parents to connect with other homeschooling parents and also allowed parents to gain access to materials that had otherwise been off limits to them before. Affordable technology and access to the internet also opened the door for the working middle class and poor to homeschool their children. (Reich, 2002) In the previous years homeschooling was limited to the religious right and the upper-class parents who could afford to have a parent stay at home. The development of technologies allowed parents from middle to low income households' homeschool their children. These lower classes now had access that to technologies they didn't have before and support that wasn't available before the internet was developed.
With the growth of the internet also came the growth of online communities and easier access to local homeschooling resources. Homeschooling Co-Ops; groups of homeschooling parents who support each other and their children, grew and were easier to access. One dangerous side effect of the internet age though has been isolation by a few homeschooling parents. (Isenberg, 2007) All the information a parent needs is now online or can be ordered to be sent to their homes and some parents have isolated themselves in their homes and do not take advantage of the communities and opportunities provided by Co-Ops and Homeschooling Associations.
Homeschooling is now legal in the United States and with technology more parents than ever are choosing to homeschool their children. Technology has opened a world of knowledge otherwise not available to children and has provided parents with the help and support they need during their homeschooling journey.

With the increased access to internet, educational learning programs, and virtual schools parents reevaluated the reasons for homeschooling. In the early 1990's homeschooling was still primarily religious based. In 2003 the three most common reasons for homeschooling were, "concern about the environment of other schools, dissatisfaction with academic instruction and to provide religious or moral instruction. There is also a significant number homeschooled due to the physical or mental health/behavioral problems or other special needs." (Isenberg, 2007, p. 399)

Homeschooling has typically been practiced by white, middle-class families with two parents in the home but now is seriously being considered by African American and other minority families, families with only one parent at home as well as families that fall within the low-income spectrum. (Lines, 2000) For families with only one parent in the home the type of homeschooling practiced is called part-time homeschooling. With part-time homeschooling families can either enroll their child in a school part-time which allows the school the benefits of receiving assistance for the student's enrollment or a parent can enroll their child in independent study program which gives the family access to teachers, materials, and texts but the independence of working from home.

Also available to parents are programs through Universities and Private Schools which offer the opportunity of having a child attend courses through the internet that otherwise wouldn't be offered to them as a homeschooled child. In an interview with Karen Krall of California she explained how distance education programs have benefited her daughter, "As my oldest daughter entered [high school], she got into a talent search group, the Center for Talented Youth, through John's Hopkins. She really enjoyed and took advantage of their distance learning program. She took classes like creative writing, poetry, Algebra II, and AP Physics by using CDs that they sent to her and submitting her work via internet." (Krall, 2008) Karen also takes advantage of online Tutors to help her with homeschooling with her daughter. These tutors are also known as Techno-Tutors and they provide valuable help to both students and parents with subject that they struggle with. (Allen, 2001) Karen states, "It is not easy for everybody to teach upper level classes, so having access to tutors skilled in a wide variety of subjects is priceless." (Krall, 2008)

Even if parents don't take advantage of distance or independent learning programs they still have access to teachers and materials through local public schools. Some public schools offer their resources to homeschooling families to use. These resources include conferencing with teachers and access to the schools library for informational and educational materials. (Pearson, 1996) In addition to educational material some public schools even offer their services for determining whether a child has a learning disability or not; allowing the parent to structure a curriculum that will work for their child with special needs.

Technology has allowed parents to connect to other homeschooling families through the use of the internet and social networking sites. Sites such as the Homeschool Legal Defense Association and various State Homeschool Associations give parents multiple ways to connect with other homeschooling families. Karen describes what it's like to be part of the Homeschool Association of California, "It is like we are a part of a school away from school. We are all doing our own things at home, but we often join forces out in the community to take classes, participate in sports, explore museums, camp, hike, and just play!" (Krall, 2008)

There are risks to homeschooling and using a curriculum purely based through technology. Even though the internet allows parents to connect it can also isolate families and leave children without the much needed interaction with other children. (Tinglof, 2000) Angelina of California explains how she uses technology in her home, "The computer and movies have allowed another "instructor" in our home and she is much more willing to learn." (Angelina, 2008) Lacking from Angelina for her daughter's education are social activities and learning opportunities outside of her home. Angelina takes full advantage of the technology resources she is given but rarely uses traditional learning resources, such as field trips, group activities with other students, or books on subject matter. In fact Angelina relies heavily on movies and computer games which are harmful if not used properly causing social issues and lack of understanding of how to work well with others as an adult.

Technology has given children the opportunity to receive the best education through their parents. Homeschooled children often score higher on the SAT and ACT tests and Universities have started setting new admission standards to account for the homeschooled students applying to their universities sometimes even viewing homeschooled children as better suited for college. (Ray, 2004) More homeschooled children advance on into College and succeed while there because of the resources they had available to them as children. Not only that, technology helps prepare children for working in the "real world" and being successful without the support of their parents.

Technology gives children the opportunity to work on problems and solve issues without the help of their parents by learning what resources are available to them and learning how to use them. For instance a child may be learning biology and the parent can let the child self teach by asking the child to research the subject and find information online. "If they want to know the answer to anything that I don't know, we just Google it." (Krall, 2008)

As technology has expanded so has the opportunity for families to homeschool their children. Parents have access to long distance learning programs as well as independent programs which give the opportunity to let children understand complex subjects that parents may feel they aren't able to teach and also give a child more access to materials for learning. These programs also give single parent homes the opportunity to homeschool their child as well, when previously this had never been an option for them.

By having accesses to the internet as well as participation from public schools parents have access to more materials than even public school teachers have. Parents can take advantage of teacher's knowledge and school libraries or they can research on the internet and find free curriculum to provide to their children. The internet also gives access to many educational games and the opportunity to explore many different aspects of a subject a child is interested in.

Technology can have a downside though in that it can isolate families and not give the children the socialization they need. Although parents can become isolated many chose to explore and connect with other homeschooling families by joining Homeschool Associations and local homeschool groups. It gives families more opportunities to go out and explore the community and learn with other children. "It turns your geographic area into one large shared learning experience!" (Krall, 2008)

Technology has expanded the homeschooling community and provided valuable resources to families that weren't available previously. As technology continues to grow so does the trend to homeschool and as the trend grows it gains more acceptances in the community. Homeschooling has gone from a taboo practice to a practical option for parents who want an alternative to public or private schools.

Works Cited

Allen, D. (2001). A Classical Education Online. Link-Up , 18 (2), 24.
Angelina. (2008, 09 28). Technology in Homeschooling for You. (P. Ott, Interviewer)
Homeschool Legal Defense Association. (2008). About HSLDA. Retrieved 10 12, 2008, from Homeschool Legal Defense Assocation: http://www.hslda.org/about/default.asp
Isenberg, E. (2007). What Have We Learned about Homeschooling? Peabody Journal of Education , 82, 387-409.
Jones, P., & Gloeckner, G. (2004, Fall). Perceptions of and Attitudes Towards Homeschool Students. The Journal of College Admissions , 12-21.
Krall, K. (2008, 09 26). Technology in Homeschooling For You. (P. Ott, Interviewer)
Lines, P. M. (2000). Homeschooling Comes of Age. Public Interest (140), 74-85.
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Sanborn, R., Santos, A., Montgomery, A. L., & Caruthers, J. B. (2005). Four Scenarios for the Future of Education. Futurist , 38 (7), 26-30.
Stevens, M. (2003). The Normalisation of Homeschooling in the USA. Evaluation and Research in Education , 17, 90-100.
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Woodruff, S. (2001, 04 17). Compulsory threats to education, freedom. Retrieved 10 19, 2008, from Homeschool Legal Defense Association: http://www.hslda.org/docs/news/washingtontimes/200104170.asp