Traditional classrooms could learn a thing or two from online teaching. This according to a University of Illinois professor Caroline Haythornthwaite who says e-learning methods and techniques can be used to augment traditional classroom learning.

While growing in popularity in university settings, families of elementary, middle and high schoolers may need to look a bit harder for e-learning opportunities. One place to start is with the freebies. Find out if your child’s classroom textbooks are supported with online practice problems, quizzes, or video instruction. Also, keep in mind that many teachers make themselves available to students via email, often replying to homework questions or sending links to educational websites during evenings and weekends.

But what about when a student needs more than quick reinforcement? Can real learning take place online? Thanks to about a million homeschoolers in the U.S. alone, the answer is yes. The e-learning business is taking off and, with persistence, you can find help in pretty much any subject. The links below will give you an idea of various types of e-learning options:

• Aleks Math Courses
• Brigham Young University
• Keystone Online School
• Khan Academy Math Videos
• Stanford University
• Thinkwell Home Schooling

However much e-learning may reshape education, Haythornthwaite noted that it’s not necessarily meant to supplant classroom learning, but is more of a supplement to it.