Elisha Hunter's Personal Inquiry Project
Why explore Alternative Education?
Alternative Education is important for the same reasons that every individual student is important.
Every child is different. Every child learns differently and is motivated differently. Alternative forms of education exist to meet the needs of all children, for not all children fit easily (or at all) into the traditional school system. Alternative programs are programs operated by a public or separate school board that emphasizes a particular language, culture, religion, or subject-matter, or uses a particular teaching philosophy. These settings are of interest as incubators of change and as showcases of innovation. Often, they share an intention to change the way education is offered, since previous schooling experiences did not work well for their students. As a result, in many countries alternative and flexible education settings are now a small but significant part of the education sector in which students learn and teachers work.
This makes an investigation of learning and teaching in these settings of interest in its own right, as recognition of the relevance of these settings as immersive and effective learning and teaching environments. The success of alternative programs for learners therefore has the potential to inform change in mainstream education as well.
The Purpose of this Personal Inquiry Project
Going into my final practical teaching semester at the University of Lethbridge, I became curious about the possibilities that exist within the realm of alternative education for students and teachers in the province of Alberta. I was placed at one of Palliser Beyond Borders online outreach sites teaching grades ten and eleven English online. This experience sparked my interest in exploring Alternative Education and helped develop the questions that this Personal Inquiry Project hopes to explore. This website was created with the hopes of acting as a resource that could shed some insight into what alternative education looks like for students, parents, and educators. I have chosen to highlight a variety alternative education programs in the province of Alberta with a special focus on Southern Alberta with the hopes of offering insight into this inquiry question. Please explore this site at your own convenience to find out more about some the various and wonderful Alternative Education programs in Alberta.
Every child is different. Every child learns differently and is motivated differently. Alternative forms of education exist to meet the needs of all children, for not all children fit easily (or at all) into the traditional school system. Alternative programs are programs operated by a public or separate school board that emphasizes a particular language, culture, religion, or subject-matter, or uses a particular teaching philosophy. These settings are of interest as incubators of change and as showcases of innovation. Often, they share an intention to change the way education is offered, since previous schooling experiences did not work well for their students. As a result, in many countries alternative and flexible education settings are now a small but significant part of the education sector in which students learn and teachers work.
This makes an investigation of learning and teaching in these settings of interest in its own right, as recognition of the relevance of these settings as immersive and effective learning and teaching environments. The success of alternative programs for learners therefore has the potential to inform change in mainstream education as well.
The Purpose of this Personal Inquiry Project
Going into my final practical teaching semester at the University of Lethbridge, I became curious about the possibilities that exist within the realm of alternative education for students and teachers in the province of Alberta. I was placed at one of Palliser Beyond Borders online outreach sites teaching grades ten and eleven English online. This experience sparked my interest in exploring Alternative Education and helped develop the questions that this Personal Inquiry Project hopes to explore. This website was created with the hopes of acting as a resource that could shed some insight into what alternative education looks like for students, parents, and educators. I have chosen to highlight a variety alternative education programs in the province of Alberta with a special focus on Southern Alberta with the hopes of offering insight into this inquiry question. Please explore this site at your own convenience to find out more about some the various and wonderful Alternative Education programs in Alberta.