Computers let you pace yourself

Francisco failed his 12th-grade government class. He needed to retake it so he could graduate with his class in June. With time running out, the Sequoia High School student is working at warp speed to complete the course online.

Francisco spends fourth period each day learning the U.S. system of government from a computer terminal in Room 201 at the Redwood City school. He also works from his home computer on evenings and weekends. "I would rather take all my classes this way," he says. "I can finish a class in just one month if I want to."

After whizzing through a multiple-choice quiz, he says, "I just finished studying the executive branch. Now I'm moving on to the courtroom section."

Francisco is surrounded by other students staring at computer terminals. Karesha, a junior, failed algebra, but expects to get a B instead of an F this time around. Christian, 18, is taking Introduction to Auto Mechanics because he needs one more elective to graduate and didn't have time to take a regular class before the school year ended. "It's teaching me things I didn't know," he says. "And I work with my dad, who's a mechanic."

Throughout the school day, most of the students who come to Room 201 are enrolled in the school's Phoenix/Opportunity Program. They take distance-learning classes under the watchful eye of instructor John Reguero, a member of the Sequoia District Teachers Association. The NovaNet courses were designed by Pearson Educational Technology.

Students must meet one of the following criteria for eligibility: they need to make up a class failed during a previous semester or grading period; they have entered the district too late to earn credit in a regular school program; or there are other extenuating circumstances, such as extended absence due to illness. They must also be referred by their counselor and have parental consent. Some special education students also take computerized courses because of disabilities.

Online curriculum is a mainstay of many alternative education programs, especially continuation school and independent study programs. The goal is to increase graduation rates by giving students credits they desperately need. In addition to helping students who have been absent, truant or failing, online courses can be an alternative for students whose behavior is disruptive in regular classrooms.

At Sequoia, the desired outcome of the three-year-old Phoenix/Opportunity Program is to raise student attendance, enhance learning, increase graduation rates and improve the campus climate, says Reguero.

"Some students take a year to finish a course. Some take two or three months, which is less than the 4.5 months in a semester," says Reguero. "If they have a computer with Internet access from home, they can work day or night, any day of the week. The timeline depends on the motivation of the student. These courses can be pretty demanding; mastery is not easy. But the good thing is that students can work at their own pace and review information as much as they need. And if they have questions, I can try to answer them."

For Karesha, the opportunity to review entire algebra lessons has been particularly helpful. "If I went to the teacher in a regular class, the teacher would answer questions, but not review everything," she says. "I like to review the information and not feel rushed. I can work at my own pace."

Unfortunately, the program may end up being axed due to budget cuts. With each of the 25 computers hooked up to NovaNet for a $1,300 annual fee,the program is costly. The up side is that several students can work on each computer throughout the day.

"I have been told the principals are fighting to keep the program, because they understand it's valuable for students," says Reguero. "We know what will happen without it. Students will drop out, continue to have attendance problems or get F's. And that could be much more costly in the long run."