The world of education has been subject to many shifts and changes in the past 20 years. It wasn’t that long ago that taking a college class or earning a degree online was a novel idea. However, current events have accelerated the use of online learning.
Unfortunately, this causes a different problem for homeschooling families. Being overwhelmed by endless choices and succumbing to decision fatigue is a real concern. We’ve all felt this many times while choosing homeschool resources, but now we have the added decision of if and what online resources we wish to implement in our homeschool.
With all of the options available, it can be challenging to find one that will enhance your homeschool while not controlling your time. However, Virtua online homeschool is great online curriculum option thanks to the innovative tech it relies on.
What Is Virtua Education?
Available through Homeschool Buyers Co-op, Virtua Education is a new adaptive, digital learning platform. Virtua Education is a stand-alone product of the Co-op that includes a premium collection of complementary curricula designed to provide a state-of-the-art education. Virtua contains several products, including the cornerstone product, Virtua School.
But what does it mean to be adaptive?
As your child progresses with the program, it uses their answers to assess their strengths and weaknesses. If they have a topic mastered, future questions on that skill are passed over. However, if they are struggling with a topic, further instruction and questions will be given.
Virtua will create an ever-adapting, personalized path to make the best use of your child’s time. By adapting, your child spends time on areas that need improvement and doesn’t waste time on things they have already mastered.
However, there is more to Virtua online homeschool that simply lessons and quizzes. So much more.
Virtua School
The first component of Virtua Education is the Virtua School. This is the central component of Virtua and provides a custom learning path for your child.
First, your child completes a diagnostic assessment and Virtua will identify the areas where your child needs more help. It then introduces relevant micro-lessons, called “nuggets,” into the student’s learning path. The learning path is adaptive and adjusts as the student learns. With Virtua School, your child can learn independently and complete tasks.
Virtua School courses cover English, Mathematics, and Science from Elementary to High School. Courses are recommended as appropriate for age and grade, but the learning material is not based on Common Core or other external standards.
However, you also have the option as the parent to create you own assignments if the assigned path isn’t quite what you’re looking for. This is especially helpful for high school age students when your looking to complete a specific subject such as Physics or Biology.
Virtua Library
If you’re more of an eclectic homeschooler, the Virtua Library is an incredible resource. As part of your subscription to Virtua Education, you have access to their Virtua Library, which contains over 25,000 ebooks, over 3,000 audiobooks, magazines, instructional videos, and the award-winning BBC language series, Muzzy.
However, when you hear “library” you can’t help but wonder how it works.
It’s frustrating when you want an audiobook from the local library, and you’re the third or fourth patron in the queue. It could take months to finally access a digital audiobook. Does the Virtua Library work the same way?
No, and that is what makes this service so great. You are limited to three items “checked-out” at any given time, but if it’s in their library, you can check it out anytime you wish. No waiting for weeks to finally get to the top of the list.
If your family loves audiobooks and wants to have an endless collection at your fingertips, Virtua is a great addition to your homeschool.
What Virtua Education Can Add to Your Homeschool
What makes Virtua Education such a unique online platform is that you can use it in the manner you wish and are not forced into a grade level box. If you already have a math curriculum you love, use grammar and science. If your child could use a break from the workbooks, mix it up with an online learning path with Virtua.
Rather than being narrowly grade level focused, the courses are divided into Elementary, Middle School, and High School levels. This just makes more sense as there isn’t a big difference between 3rd-grade and 4th-grade grammar. It’s typically the same topics over and over again.
The “nuggets” are also brief and to the point, which is great because dragging things out with unnecessary busy work is a waste of time.
However, the biggest bonus of Virtua Education may be access to the Virtua Library. The audiobooks alone are an amazing addition to your homeschool.
Getting Started With Virtua Online Homeschool
Implementing the addition of an online learning platform in your homeschool can be challenging. Often, parents seem to have the hardest time getting it set up and understanding how to use all the wonderful features.
Virtua Education is very generous with their time and wants you to have success with their program.
Even before you subscribe, you can attend webinars that give you a behind the scenes look at Virtua School and Library. The current webinars offered are:
- Introduction to Virtua
- Introduction to Virtua School
- Introduction to Virtua Library
- Introduction to Virtua Book Clubs
- Differentiating with Virtua
- Doing More in the Virtua Library
- Creating and Running a Book Club with Virtua
In addition to their webinar offerings, you also have a Teacher User Guide and a Teacher Quick Start Guide in your Homeschool Buyers Co-op subscription tab.
Access to Virtua Education is $29.99 monthly per student, but you can get a 30-day trial for only $1. A trial will give you the opportunity to see how the curriculum works, how to set up your students, and take a look at all the library has to offer.
Give Virtua Online Homeschool Curriculum a Try
Virtua Education can make a great addition to your homeschool in so many ways, no matter your homeschooling style:
- A full stand-alone online curriculum in Reading, Grammar, Science, and Math
- Use as a supplemental activity to reinforce concepts or differentiate for various learning styles
- Provides a beneficial activity to give to one child while you work one on one with another child
- Get a subscription just for the Virtua Library! It’s so worth it.
Virtua Education makes it so easy to give their adaptive curriculum a try in your homeschool with their $1 trial. So here’s how you can get started with your Virtua Education trial and see how it fits into your homeschool.
- Make sure you have a Homeschool Buyers Co-op Membership.
- Check out all the Virtua Education Website for more information and to register for a free webinar.
- When you’re ready, start your 30-day $1 trial for Virtua!
Also, if you decide Virtua isn’t for your family, it’s simple to cancel your membership right within your Homeschool Buyers Co-op account. So don’t worry, you aren’t locked into a year subscription and won’t have any trouble if you decide to cancel.
I’m always on the lookout to improve my homeschool and use my time and resources wisely. Virtua Education gives me an incredible library right inside my home, saving me extra trips (and late fees!).
Virtua School provides an adaptive learning curriculum that eliminates your child doing busy work just because it’s in the curriculum. Instead, you can spend your time focusing on the areas that need improvement.
Give a try and see how you can easily use Virtua’s online homeschool resources in a way that fits your unique family.
