Homeschooling can be a daunting task for a parent. Not only is there a necessity to come up with lessons and curriculums which must suffice the child’s educational needs, the parent also has to guide the child through each step of the learning process. The decision on whether to keep the child matriculated in a conventional school, or to pull out from the state-prescribed educational system and go for homeschooling, is naturally a crucial one for every parent. But there is hope for those who are at the end of their wits in finding the right method of child education. The child can learn tried-and-tested curriculums as offered by an online educational provider.

Homeschooling a child with the use of an online technique is a relatively new concept. It is a curious hybrid of distance learning and homeschooling; by combining the autonomy of instruction in homeschooling, and the set curriculums of distance learning, online homeschools (so to speak) have provided a practical solution to both the parent and child’s dilemma. Parents have more to gain with such an arrangement, as they would not have to wrack their brains out in search of the next day’s lesson sources. Online homeschools services come packaged with all of the materials the child needs; textbooks, workbooks, even loaned computers and free internet access. All the parent has to do is log on to the day’s lesson and assist the child through it.

Children will have more reasons for studying when the lessons are more structured, and the interaction with the teacher and other homeschooled ‘classmates’ is possible with a click of the mouse. Teachers can keep touch with the child’s progress through online correspondence, either through email, or online voice and message chat. This affords the parent the convenience of focusing on the development of the child, and not on the intricate details of instruction. To ensure that online homeschool packages don’t gravitate towards the ‘traditional’ teaching methods prescribed by conventional schools, parents can choose between numerous tried-and-tested homeschooling methods, from the school-at-home method to the natural learning method; these options are provided so that homeschooling parents can select the instruction arrangement which they deem to be more appropriate for their child’s particular needs.

As with most homeschooling methods, there is opposition as to the effectiveness of online homeschooling. The main issue is concerned with the child’s autonomy in learning. The child may be distracted if learning is situated within a ‘non-conducive’ learning environment, such as the kitchen table or the playroom; but this is where the role of the parent is essential. The latter serves as the primary mediator between the instruction resource, and the child’s receptiveness to it. There is no method or technology which is effective without some sort of outside intervention, especially when the beneficiary is the child who does not have a clear idea of what concepts to accept and which way to go. Homeschooling is a viable alternative to conventional instruction, but only if the parent takes an active part in the child’s holistic development.