How to Vet an Online School or Distance Learning Program
An online school can be the right answer for a relocating family, particularly in a location with few good options, but it needs to be assessed as carefully as any bricks-and-mortar school. Accreditation, the real curriculum, how much access a student has to teachers and how alone they’ll be in their learning are the questions that matter most.
The world of online schools and distance learning programs has grown and changed enormously in recent years. There’s now a wide array of options, from full online schools that issue their own diplomas to individual courses a student can take alongside a local school.
For companies relocating employees, that’s good news. Online learning can fill a gap where the local schools teach in a language the child doesn’t speak, where there’s no international school, or where a student in their final years needs to keep following a particular curriculum. It’s also one of the building blocks we look at when a company is moving families to a remote location.
But a polished website tells you very little. As with any school, the label on the door, or in this case on the homepage, isn’t the same as what a student actually experiences.
Start With Accreditation
The first question is whether the program is accredited, and by whom. Accreditation is how a school’s credits and diploma come to be recognized by other schools, universities and education authorities.
It’s worth checking two things. Is the accrediting body a recognized one? And will the credits be accepted where this student is going next? A program can be properly accredited and still not line up with what a student’s home system will expect when the family returns. If the family plans to go home in two or three years, ask how a transcript from this program will be treated there.
Look at What the Curriculum Really Is
Programs describe their curriculum in broad terms. It’s worth looking more closely at:
- Which curriculum it follows, and whether it’s the one this student needs to stay on track.
- Which subjects and levels are actually available at the student’s grade, including advanced or exam courses.
- How students are assessed, and whether exams are proctored.
- Whether the program leads to a recognized qualification at the end, such as a diploma or exam results that universities accept.
Ask How Much Access Students Have to Teachers
This is where online programs differ most. Some have teachers who teach live lessons, know each student by name and respond within hours. Others are largely self-paced, with a teacher who grades work and answers questions by message.
Useful questions include:
- How much of the instruction is live, and how much is recorded or self-paced?
- How many students does each teacher work with?
- How quickly do teachers respond, and can students speak with them directly?
- Who checks in if a student falls behind?
Ask How Alone the Student Will Be
The question we find families and companies most often overlook is how alone the student will be in their learning. An adult working through an online course can manage their own time and motivation. A twelve-year-old in a new country, without classmates down the hall, often can’t.
So it’s worth asking whether the program builds in contact with other students, whether there’s a counselor or advisor, and what support exists for students who struggle. If a student has learning differences or special education needs, ask specifically what accommodations the program can provide and how they’re delivered online.
It’s also worth thinking about what surrounds the program. Will there be a supervised place to study? Can the student join a local school or community program for part of the day, for sport, music or simply the company of other children? In some locations, a hybrid of online learning and local activities works far better than either alone.
Questions for Your Shortlist
Before relying on an online program for a relocating family, it helps to have clear answers to these:
- Who accredits it, and will the credits be accepted where the student goes next?
- Which curriculum does it follow, and what’s available at this student’s level?
- How much teaching is live, and how many students does each teacher have?
- How are students assessed?
- Who notices, and acts, if a student falls behind?
- What contact does a student have with other students?
- What support is there for students with learning differences?
- What will the student’s day look like where the family is living?
How Bennett Helps
Online schools and programs need to be vetted as carefully as bricks-and-mortar schools, and that’s part of the assessment work we do for employers. We look at accreditation, the curriculum as it’s actually delivered, teacher access and the support around each student, with the particular child or cohort in mind. You can read more about our independent school assessments, or about planning education for a group move to a location where options are scarce. Families considering learning at home may also find our piece on homeschooling helpful background.
Considering an Online Program?
Tell us about the location and the students involved, and we’ll explain how we’d assess the options.
Ask us about assessing an online program →
Bennett International Education Consultancy works directly with hundreds of families each year across the globe. We support families by helping them make informed decisions about the best-fit schools for their children; with our guidance, they secure placement in preschools, private day schools, public/state schools, boarding schools, colleges and universities, including schools with particular programs, such as special needs support.
