Virtual classes expand Bigfork curriculum

Do you want to learn about Caribbean art history? How about investing in the stock market? Or peacemaking, Portuguese or pop music?

Thanks to Virtual High School, there's a class for that.

Bigfork High School is in its second year of offering the program, which allows students to take some elective classes online. Virtual High School is a consortium of teachers from around the world teaching classes over the Internet.

The program has more than doubled Bigfork's course offerings, giving students a wider range of educational opportunities, Principal Matt Jensen said.

"It's neat because ... they're classes [students] are interested in," he said. "It's individualizing their schedule with 200 options."

Jensen, Bigfork librarian and activities director Matt Porrovecchio and guidance counselor Christina Nadeau spearheaded the district's efforts to introduce Virtual High School classes into the curriculum. Enrollment was shrinking and the district couldn't afford to offer a wide spectrum of classes to attract students, Jensen said.

The online program was a relatively inexpensive way to expand the district's offerings, including introducing Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses. Jensen, Porrovecchio and Nadeau were intrigued by the ways online classes could enrich the high school's course offerings, Nadeau said.

"Just because we're a small, rural school doesn't mean we're stuck as a rural school," she said. "It opens up a whole new world, literally."

For Kayla Carlson, a 17-year-old senior, Virtual High School opened up a fascinating world of controversial medical topics. She took an online virtual biotechnology class as a junior last spring.

The class discussed current issues in the medical profession, such as genetics and stem cell research. For a prospective family practitioner such as Carlson, the course was fascinating.

"It's a big topic of debate," Carlson said of the class and its information about stem cells. "It was interesting and informative."

Even if she changes her mind about a medical career, Carlson expects to benefit from the online experience. Most college students take at least one online class, she said, and Carlson appreciated the chance to learn how to take a virtual class in high school.

Students don't get college credit for the classes, but Virtual High School doesn't differ from programs many colleges use, she explained.

Carlson said she appreciated being able to work at her own pace in the class.

Others found it difficult to learn to work without a teacher hovering nearby. Jenna Egdorf, a 16-year-old junior, said it took time to make that adjustment in her online psychology class.

"It's really difficult without a teacher on hand," she said, explaining that her instructor teaches two online psychology classes and several classes at an actual high school. It makes the teacher sometimes difficult to reach, a challenge that is compounded by the fact that the teacher lives a few time zones away.

"I have to fit my times with her times. I kind of don't like it for that reason," Egdorf said.

But there are three other girls at Bigfork taking the same class, she added, which means they can help each other with assignments.

Fifteen Bigfork High School students are taking online classes this semester, Jensen said. Four students at Whitefish High School and one from Whitefish Middle School also are also taking virtual classes.

"We joined as an experiment this first semester," Whitefish Superintendent Jerry House explained. "We're just test-driving it."

Whitefish bought the "seats" from the Bigfork School District. Each school that participates in Virtual High School is allowed a certain number of seats for students based on the number of teachers trained to teach online classes. Limiting the number of seats prevents the classes from getting so big that high-school students won't be able to get help, if they need it, from the teacher.

Last year, English and journalism teacher Charlie Appleby was the only Bigfork teacher trained to teach an online class. This year, Jensen said, the district has three teachers trained in the program.

Bigfork had more seats available to students than it had students apply, he said, so the district sold extra seats to Whitefish.

"It's a good deal for both schools," Jensen said. "Whitefish doesn't have a teacher teaching [online classes], so they would have to buy an individual seat. We did all of the enrollment and took care of the site coordinating, and we can sell it to them cheaper."

Bigfork also has opened up the program at no cost to local home-school students, Jensen said. Two students are taking classes this fall.

It's an ideal situation for everyone, Jensen said. The home-school students can take classes they might not otherwise have access to. The high school will benefit from having increased enrollment.

Although home-school students taking virtual classes are enrolled part time, they will count toward the school's population, which will increase the district's budget from the state.

Home-school students may take any class offered through the program, but Bigfork students are a little more limited. If a class already is offered at the school, students must take the Bigfork class rather than signing up for the online version.

That was important to the district's teachers union, the Bigfork Area Education Association, president Mike Boshka said.

"Obviously we don't want these classes replacing full-time employees," he said. "But we don't offer anything [online] that's offered on campus."

For further information about the Virtual High School program, visit www.govhs.org or call the school at 837-7420.

Reporter Kristi Albertson may be reached at 758-4438 or by e-mail at kalbertson@dailyinterlake.com