I am homeschooling my children but instead of using printing materials I am using online curriculum. Am I doing the right thing? Is anybody out there doing it?
I think only you can determine if it's the right thing . I don't know how old your kids are, but I think in the younger grades, especially, it is good for them to have a teacher present. I also like that I can teach my kids at whatever various levels they are at, and at whatever pace they need. But for some kids it works better if their parent is not their teacher. In that case online school may work well. I'm sure there are other reasons for choosing online curriculum as well.
Some of it, I would think, would depend on what online learning is being done. In no way would I choose the public virtual charters - both K12 and Connections are available in Louisiana. All I have heard about them is that they are not flexible like they falsely advertise, they demand way too much screen time per day, and they're the same Common Core most people are trying to avoid by homeschooling. I've heard many people say they're "a great way" to get introduced to homeschooling, a "stepping stone", but I have heard from very few who like either one. I have heard from many that they like Easy Peasy allinonehomeschool, or DiscoveryK12, which are both free, and some few who are doing Acellus, which is not but is pretty inexpensive. I can tell you that I personally would not choose anything online with the exception of a program here or there for practicing math, or perhaps a history or a science course that has lots of videos I wouldn't have access to otherwise.
As a homeschool mom I like a mix. I think they need to learn how to function in the online world but I love books!!
One thing we liked doing was to do online work for the core subjects to get a solid base of learning. This allowed us time to delve into areas where our children were passionate about the rest of the day/week. Trips to the library were a weekly habit and we often took out our limit of books. (When they were younger, it was 30!) We also did projects - both short term and long term. When they were in high school, they participated in different activities that often required traveling or other time consuming activities that allowed their passions and abilities flourish. However, if you do a public online school, you will need to complete specific assignments daily and attend weekly online meetings. It's not flexible. Some students like that because they like the feeling of having a similar educational setup as their non-homeschooling friends and relatives. Plus, they thrive in that type of stable and supported environment. For us, we value the communication and connections we have as a family. It was the sharing of passions and time working on things that facilitated those connections of heart. I'm not against any particular type of schooling but I disagree with parents that only "do their own thing" while their children always work alone on an online program. Having co-created an online school (Uplifting Education), I see that the more the parents are involved, the more the students thrive.
