Socialization Study

New Study Determines Students in Full-Time Online Public Schools Possess Strong Social Skills

A newly released study concludes that the social skills of students enrolled in full-time, online public schools are higher than or not significantly different than students enrolled in traditional public schools.

The independent study was completed by Interactive Education Systems Design (IESD), Inc., in collaboration with The Center for Research in Educational Policy (CREP) at the University of Memphis. It represents the first significant national research effort on the social skills of students in full-time, online public schools.

Spanning February through August 2008, IESD and CREP conducted an evaluation research study involving more than 250 students in grades two, four, and six who were enrolled in four full-time, online public schools: Arizona Virtual Academy, California Virtual Academy at San Diego, Idaho Virtual Academy, and Ohio Virtual Academy.

"Online schools are rapidly growing across the country due to demand from administrators, teachers, parents and students," said Dr. Jay Sivin-Kachala, Vice-President of IESD, who led the research project. Yet some concerns have been expressed that students enrolled in online public schools may suffer from a lack of opportunities for socialization, and consequently may fail to develop important social skills. The results of this study answer those concerns and provide substantial evidence supporting the conclusion that typical, mainstream students enrolled in full-time, online public schools are at least as well-socialized as equivalent students enrolled in traditional public schools.

Want to know more? Fill out the form to the right to download the full study or the white paper abstract.