[PamalaLauren]

Good Morning Everyone!

I'm a student at Kaplan University and taking my Capstone course right now. The final project is a paper on technology. We had to pick a subtopic and I picked homeschooling since I've been writing about homeschooling through my entire time at Kaplan. So my topic is Technology in Homeschooling and how it opens doors up to parents who thought they couldn't do it, but now can with technology.

For my paper I can conduct personal interviews. I was hoping that some of you would respond to my questions so I'd have this information for my paper. So if you can take some time to help me out that'd be great. I would need the following questions answered, in as much detail as you want to give. I also will need your full name and location (for citation purposes). Also once I'm done I can send you the paper (I'm in week five of a ten week course so in five weeks I'll be done) so you can see that I actually am writing a paper.

What I recommend since I'm asking for full names for citation purposes is replying to me privately so that it's not out there on the board unless you're okay with that.

These are the questions I need answered:

Basic Info:

1. Name
2. Location
3. How many children you homeschool.

Questions:

1. How long have you been homeschooling and why did you decide to homeschool?

2. What technologies have you used or use in your homeschooling? (Internet, computers, videos, audio, etc...)

3. Do you feel that technology has opened a lot of doors for you in regards to homeschooling (you're able to explore more subjects, etc...)? Why or why not?

4. Do you feel that technology has given you more opportunity to "socialize" your children? Why or why not?

5. What technology do you wish you had access to that would help you better with homeschooling?

6. Do you believe that technology is good for homeschooling?

That's all the questions I have. Feel free to expand on anything if you want. Thank you for all your help with this, it's greatly appreciated.

Pamala O.

[ahermitt]

You are going to have some problems getting people's information unless you leave a personal email for them to send it to... but since I write the homeschool blog, I have no privacy here anyway. So here goes



Basic Info:

1. Name: Andrea Hermitt
2. Location GA
3. How many children you homeschool. 2

Questions:

1. How long have you been homeschooling and why did you decide to homeschool?
5 years, because my kids were having serious issues in school from. One behavoral, the other was bored.

2. What technologies have you used or use in your homeschooling? (Internet, computers, videos, audio, etc...) Internet, computers, CD Rom

3. Do you feel that technology has opened a lot of doors for you in regards to homeschooling (you're able to explore more subjects, etc...)? Why or why not?
Yes. In the younger years we were able to use animated interactive website and programs that captured their imagination and taught them at the same time.

4. Do you feel that technology has given you more opportunity to "socialize" your children? Why or why not? No. I don't let children use the internet to socialize... we visit with people face to face.

5. What technology do you wish you had access to that would help you better with homeschooling? I wish there were some video games that taught... beyond the v-smile for little kids. I really could use a video game for Spanish and Grammar right now.

6. Do you believe that technology is good for homeschooling? Yes.

That's all the questions I have. Feel free to expand on anything if you want. Thank you for all your help with this, it's greatly appreciated.

Pamala O.[/quote]

[deedee1231]

Pamala, I pmed you.

[twinzplus3]

No please do not leave your e-mail on this board unless you love spam. (Even if you do, please don't leave a personal e-mail on this board!) But for anyone who wants to answer and doesn't know how to PM if you click on the ops name on her post (at the top) you'll get a message that says send pamelalauren a private message. Then do that and there you go. With that said, I'm on my way to PM you now.

[SeekingmyLord]

Basic Info:
1. Name: L.T. (You did not leave your full name either. )
2. Location: West of Atlanta, GA
3. How many children you homeschool: 1

Questions:

1. How long have you been homeschooling and why did you decide to homeschool?

I started homeschooling from birth, but formally when my daughter turned 3 years old, just over 4 years ago. Just about every reason to homeschool is why I do it, but here are the top three reasons.

1. I have been a student of law and I have never felt comfortable with the fact that the state supersedes parental rights, while the child is on school property. "Parents give up their rights when they drop the children off at public school." -- Melinda Harmon, Federal Judge, 1996

2. My daughter was advanced from birth. At the age most children were learning ABC's, she was breezing through compound words, like "something." By the time she was school age, she was so far ahead that she would have been bored. She also has such a wonderful imagination and such creativity that she would have been discouraged to use in a classroom environment. She is currently at least two years ahead or more depending on her interests and the subject.

3. This last one is not the least of the reasons, but I would say that all the reasons, including many more that I have not listed, contributed. When I asked the Lord what He wished me to do to raise His precious child, whom he placed in my care, I firmly believe He led me to homeschool.

2. What technologies have you used or use in your homeschooling? (Internet, computers, videos, audio, etc...)

Everything. My husband's work is in technology, so we are definitely into it. Internet, DSL, software, DVDs, CDs, wireless routers, desk and laptop computers, printers, scanners, phones, DVR (to record educational documentaries), and even GPS (my daughter really gets into geography and maps). What I do not use and probably will not for many years, if at all, is an online school.

3. Do you feel that technology has opened a lot of doors for you in regards to homeschooling (you're able to explore more subjects, etc...)? Why or why not?

I love books, but there are some things that are learned better when experienced with more of the senses; technology provides that kind of presentation. I would say that we could explore nearly every subject without it, but it can enrich the exploration of very specific subjects.

Sharing files with other homeschooling parents is much easier.

I also find that technology has promoted the ability to self publish books. Many homeschooling parents have created their own curriculum and do not have to go through the long process of impressing a publisher to make them available to the public. There are E-books and publshers who print on demand making some excellent materials highly accessible and affordable.

4. Do you feel that technology has given you more opportunity to "socialize" your children? Why or why not?

Tricky question. In my particular area, we have a local message board with a sub forum specifically for homeschooling families. I use it to meet and stay in touch with other homeschooling parents and be aware of events, because I am not part of a formal homeschool group. So, while my daughter does not use it herself, she indirectly benefits in the area of socialization.

5. What technology do you wish you had access to that would help you better with homeschooling?

A money making machine! Okay, back to being sreious.

For nearly a year I wanted one very particular thing: MS OneNote. It is just a homeschooling parent's dream in the world of sofware. Now that I have it, it is even better than I thought. I use it for so much from creating unit studies to organizing recipes to keeping a private journal. My daughter will use it too, eventually, for certain projects.

I have wanted a foreign language software, but I just ordered it...finally!

I would like to see more software that is geared toward homeschoolers. In particular, a history timeline software that was easy for children to use, affordable, but does not look like technology is over 10 years old.

6. Do you believe that technology is good for homeschooling?

Yes and no. I don't believe it is absolutely necessary for learning at any level, but I think it serves the education the children for them to be familiar with technologies. In general, it certainly has made my part easier in some ways, but also more complicated in others--many more choices. All in all, it depends on how it is used. I like to make learning fun like a game, but I am not in favor of using videos games too much, particularly with young child, because I think it trains the brain to be hyperactive and reliant on that type of stimulation to learn.

[Michelespreemies]

Basic Info:

1. Name
Michele H.
2. Location
West Palm Beach, Florida
3. How many children you homeschool.
I homeschool 3 children

Questions:

1. How long have you been homeschooling and why did you decide to homeschool? This is my third year homeschooling my older 2 and my youngest this is her first year.

I do not agree with the public school systems ignorance with teaching gifted children.


2. What technologies have you used or use in your homeschooling? (Internet, computers, videos, audio, etc...) computers, internet, CD's, DVD's, DVR, online lessons.. much much more

3. Do you feel that technology has opened a lot of doors for you in regards to homeschooling (you're able to explore more subjects, etc...)? Why or why not? I think it enables us to communicate and share more ideas, but I still rather the old way of learning through hands on experience and reading books...

4. Do you feel that technology has given you more opportunity to "socialize" your children? Why or why not? It scares me to death in that sense!! I think a child should socialize with his or her peers by interaction other then on the computers..

5. What technology do you wish you had access to that would help you better with homeschooling? I sure wish that I could find books for my curriculum (I make my own up) easier.

6. Do you believe that technology is good for homeschooling? Yes some what..

That's all the questions I have. Feel free to expand on anything if you want. Thank you for all your help with this, it's greatly appreciated.

[PamalaLauren]

By the way thank you for all the information it's been very useful. I know I haven't been around because I've been busy trying to write this paper and sometimes I'm just darn forgetful. But they were all very helpful and helped me focus the paper towards the more common technologies. It's not done yet, I have two more weeks of school before it has to be complete.