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- Any student enrolled in a local public high school (or middle school with counselor approval) can take a VHS course. Students must discuss their plans to take a course in VHS with their counselor and receive verbal approval.
- We are not able to enroll private school students per VDOE regulations.
- Home-instructed students can enroll after registering at their local base (zoned) school.
- To better assess your readiness for an online course, please take a moment to review the tips below:
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Characteristics of a Successful Online Student:
Here are seven attributes that should have or need to develop for successful online learning:
- You have to have a sense of self. Successful learners online have an awareness of metacognition -- self-motivation, self-starting, and ownership of one's actions. In other words, they reflect on how they learn as well as what they learn.
- You need to be able to manage your time wisely. They must be able to lay out their tasks with a critical eye, plan them accordingly, and follow them through to fruition -- many times without someone looking over their shoulder.
- You have GOT to know how to collaborate. This is a biggie. More than an understanding of technology, more than a perfection of writing skills, the ability to collaborate is one that must be used comfortably online.
- You need to be able to set goals for yourself. Being able to see the target and backwards plan towards that target is vital.
- You need to communicate well in writing. The entire online community is based on the language of words and how to communicate them effectively. One cannot use texting language and expect to be heard. A student needs to use their best level of writing.
- You must follow the community norms. Just like a classroom has a set of rules, so does an online class. A student must function within the norms and rules of netiquette set up by the instructor (or, better yet, agreed upon by the class itself).
- You must be your own advocate. As slam poet Taylor Mali once wrote when asked if they would be tested on the material, "If not you, then who?" So does it go with being one's own advocate. If you won't ask the questions, take control, and make sure your voice is heard in a positive way...then who will?
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/digital-learning-seven-tips-heather-wolpert-gawron
Access to a Computer with the Proper Configuration:
Additional requirement starting in summer 2017: students must have a webcam that is either part of their computer hardware or plugged into a USB port to participate in video assignments/assessments - mobile web cameras are not compatible at this time.
Click to:
Test your computer
Desire2Learn/D2L - the VHS@PWCS learning management system also has a "system check" link on the course homepage that can be used for any computer.
If you are planning to take an online course, please keep in mind:
•Online learning coursework cannot be neglected because of personal or family circumstances, unless there are compelling reasons.
•Some students prefer the independence of online learning; others find it uncomfortable.
•Online learning courses give you greater freedom to schedule your work, but they also require more self- discipline.
•Some people learn best by face-to-face interaction with other students, but online courses do not allow much opportunity for this type of interaction. Students collaborate asynchronously in a threaded discussion board.
•Online learning courses require you to work from written directions, without face-to-face explanations by the instructor.
•Online courses use technology for teaching and communication. You must be comfortable with basic computer techniques and file management.