Learning communities on the Internet: teaching in the Queensland virtual schooling service

Education Queensland´s Virtual Schooling Service has been created to address the need for flexible curriculum delivery options and contact with students in more isolated areas. With increased access to computer technology, 60.2% of homes in Queensland compared to 56% nationally having a computer and 44% of homes in Queensland compared to 37% nationally having Internet access, online learning is the way of the future. VSS teachers have been using the best mix of face to face and e-interactions in computer mediated communication employing a variety of specific teaching and learning strategies while learning what it is really like to have a teacher/tutor role in a virtual community. Although many organisational, pedagogical and learning issues still need to be addressed, students enjoy using computer technology in an interactive setting to work collaboratively solving problems, sharing ideas and information in cyberspace.