Learning online

The Missouri Virtual Instruction Program appears to be working well for the 1,800 students enrolled statewide, including nearly 100 students in Cape Girardeau, Bollinger, Scott, Perry and Stoddard counties. The program, administered by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, offers a planned course of instruction through the Internet.

There are any number of reasons why parents would choose MoVIP for their children. Homeschooled children are among the users in this first year of operation. So are students who have had to miss classes due to health problems.

It's good to see that the program includes homework assignments and special projects that must be mailed in for grading. The program appears to offer a fair balance between academic structure and the freedom to progress at one's own pace.

It's still too early to tell if MoVIP is a total success, but early indications from parents and students alike is that the online instructional program is working and serving a good purpose.