Everyone Deserves the Opportunity to Learn ...

 

My decision to pursue the study of distance education at the graduate level, is largely a result of my interest in multiculturalism and creating opportunities for learning among groups of people who otherwise may not have access.  In particular, there is a need among the non-native language learners which has gone largely unaddressed.  And although this growth has been attributed largely to the number of Hispanic and Asian school-age children that were born in the U.S.  It has been reported that seven-in-ten school age children in our growing immigrant popoulation were non-native learners. 

 

Research in this area is incredibly lacking.  This coupled with the August 2014 report by the U.S. Department of Education, that for the first time student enrollment in the public school systems would reach a minority-majortiy (i.e., more non-whites than whites) indicates that interventions are needed.  Furthermore, although non-native language learners are provided with instruction in English as a Second Language, they often become ghost students, shying away from active participation in classes.  This places them on the fringes of the educational system. 

 

Given this dynamic, I believe that absent the development of culturally and linguistically sensitive distance education systems many of these students will be disinclined to continue in our educational system.