STEUBENVILLE - The advances in online education were discussed during Friday's luncheon meeting of the city Rotary Club at the city YWCA.

Nick Trombetta, chief executive officer of Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School; Mike McVey, superintendent of Steubenville City Schools; and Chuck Kokiko, curriculum director for the Steubenville Cyber Academy, told Rotarians cyber schooling for education was the wave of the future.

Trombetta said the Midland, Pa.-based cyber school had approached the Franciscan University of Steubenville about developing an online program for its online instructors to further their education.

"We asked (several colleges and universities) if it could put together a master's program," he said. "Franciscan University was the only school to say yes. Franciscan University embraced it."

Trombetta said the program was growing, and 50 graduates recently completed the university's online program. He also briefly discussed how the online charter school was a model for others throughout the nation, including how it took a small steel town and turned the area into an major, widely-respected educational hub.

Before introducing Kokiko, McVey told Rotarians establishment of the school district's cyber school was necessary if the district was to thrive in the future.

"We have to go this way," said McVey, adding the district was losing too many students and state funding to charter schools. "It's now competitive. This is where education is going. It's also the fiscally responsible way to go."

In discussing the district's cyber school, Kokiko cited statistics on the rise of online learning nationally and internationally.

"There will be a 158 percent increase in online learning in the next five years," said Kokiko, adding $2 billion was spent on online learning in 2011-12.

He said the Steubenville Cyber Academy was purchasing online curriculum through the National Network of Digital Schools, which serves more than 300 school districts nationwide.

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Online education discussed at Steubenville Rotary Club