Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-2024

Keywords

Virtual schools; cyber schools; at risk; at-risk; learner supports; affective supports; behavioral supports; cognitive supports; academic communities of E; adolescent community of engagement framework

Abstract

At-risk students face a variety of challenges that encompass cultural, social and environmental contexts and identities. Full time virtual schools offer help for at-risk students through the provision of a personalized learning option where students can catch up with past work or complete school work in a non-traditional environment. The purpose of this study was to understand parent perceptions of at-risk learner’s affective, behavioral, and cognitive engagement supports in a fully online school. Although research exists on at-risk learners in blended environments, this topic has not yet been fully explored for fully online schools. We need a much fuller understanding of at-risk learners’ supports in online schools. These data are critical for the future success of at-risk students who are increasingly enrolling in full time online schools. Results showed that parents of at-risk students enrolled in a virtual school described affective engagement in terms of relationships, communication with teachers, and communication with students. Interestingly, parents emphasized that the structure of the traditional in-person schooling experience hindered long term relationships. Parents saw behavioral engagement in terms of learning expectations, help with technological issues, and self regulation skills. Parents of at-risk students enrolled in the virtual school also described cognitive engagement opportunities in the areas of teaching and tutoring of academic content, co-learning with students, and collaboration between students. Discussion focused on how virtual schools could embrace innovative staffing models to better support at-risk students who are enrolled in a virtual school as their ‘last resort’.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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