FAQ - Educators
I’m a school counsellor. How do I provide students with information about taking a distributed learning course?
A student in Kindergarten to Grade 9 can enrol in one school only. If they are already enrolled in your school, you can make arrangements with the distributed learning school to offer that portion of the education program. These arrangements may involve trading course enrolments (“if you let one of my students take Foods 8, I’ll let one of your students take French 8), or negotiating an exchange of fees between boards (because the Ministry is paying your board to provide the full program). If this student ends up taking part of their program from your school and part from a DL school, your school would still provide all achievement information on the student’s report card and Permanent Student Record.
A student in Grades 10-12, whether school-aged or a non-graduated adult, does not need anyone’s permission to take a distributed learning course. Students in these grades may take more than one course, from more than one school,as long as they are different courses. If a student does this, there is no financial penalty to your school. However, in this scenario schools will have to work together to coordinate the transcript, provincial examinations, the Passport to Education, tracking Graduation Program credits, and other services. Your school and the DL school must exchange any student record information that will help each of you meet your program obligations, and generally should cooperate in supporting the student’s program.
Each school will produce its own report card. Final student grades and course credits are submitted automatically from each enrolling school to the Ministry of Education. At the ministry, this information is combined with the provincial examination results to produce a provincial transcript which is then made available to students.
Aren’t distributed learning completion rates low?
Many of the concerns about low completion rates arise from the past when correspondence courses were offered without teacher or student interaction and few support services. New technologies and expectations for interaction between students and teachers have increased completion rates. Students have more support than ever before in distributed learning, but there will be some students that will still have difficulty in DL courses, just as some students have problems in classrooms. If you are concerned about completion rates, talk to the DL school to find out what it is doing to improve student performance and what can be done to support students who want to learn in this way.
Aren’t distributed learning courses easy credits?
Many students believe these courses are easier, and then drop-out once they realize what is expected of them. In distributed learning surveys, student frequently say they had to work when taking DL courses; in some cases, they say they had to work harder. Students have to complete assignments and tests, write essays and do group work. They sometimes have to attend ‘virtual classes’, and sometimes have to attend a school one day a week. They also have to write the same provincial exams as their classroom peers.
Is it true that some universities and colleges may not accept distributed learning credits?
The British Columbia transcript does not distinguish between classroom courses and distributed learning courses. Any course that follows the provincial curriculum is identified the same way. Successful distributed learning students demonstrate the same qualities as successful university students.
How does a DL school know that the students have done their own work?
This is also an issue for classroom teachers who expect students to submit homework done on their own time. DL schools typically ensure that major tests are written under supervision. Teachers also often create assignments that require more than simple responses. Teachers in a distributed learning environment work very closely with students and know their abilities. Teachers also develop this sense through occasional face-to-face meetings, home visits, participation in interactive online chat sessions, and ongoing computer-mediated communications. Most distributed learning teachers ensure there is more than one way to assess a student on a regular and continuing basis throughout the course.
I’m a DL school counsellor working with a student attending another school. What do I need to send to this student’s other school?
If the other school is responsible for TRAX and other services, you need to work with the other school to ensure provincial examinations go to the correct place and that course marks are submitted to TRAX. The schools must also share student record information. If the student is in grades 10 to 12, each school board or authority is responsible for a permanent student record.
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