When Frank Wilson found out that he would need six weeks to recover from his knee-replacement surgery, the 47-year veteran teacher decided to get tech-wise, according to the Columbus Local News.
Rather than canceling his Advanced Placement government classes at Bishop Watterson High School in Columbus, Ohio, Wilson sought his administration’s approval to conduct classes from his home via Web cam.
“My students all have Tablet PCs, and our government classes are almost paperless,” Wilson said. “We have the technology to pull this off and my students were receptive to the idea.”
Wilson set up the camera in his basement and held live sessions in which he and his class could see each other and hold discussions. For liability reasons, another teacher was present in the room with the students.
“The Web cam allowed us to conduct a near normal class period,” he said. “Most teachers who are off for an extended period of time are too sick to do what I did.”
Wilson’s students, whom he describes as well-disciplined, were enthusiastic about the Web cam arrangement. “It makes you more excited for class, to get to be a part of something like this,” said Watterson senior Nick Gilloti.