School of Adult and Continuing Education
ONLINE LEARNING FAQS
Following are some of the most Frecuently Asked Questions ( FAQs ). If you can not find the answer you are looking for please contact us
      About Online Learning
  1. WHAT IS ONLINE LEARNING?
    Online is a system through which secondary school credit courses are delivered over the Internet. Over the Internet, you are able to connect to our ClassCampus site, logon to the course you are registered to take, and proceed with your course work. This means that you are able to work on course material at any time, and from anywhere, provided you have a computer, Internet access and e-mail.

  2. DO ONLINE CREDITS COUNT TOWARD MY SECONDARY SCHOOL DIPLOMA?
    Yes. Online courses are the same as the courses offered in a regular Ontario Secondary School.

  3. WHAT DOES "CONTINUOUS ENTRY" MEAN?
    All online courses run on a continuous entry model. What this essentially means is that you can sign on to online learning at any time, there is no set start date. This allows you to start at a time that is convenient to you. While continuous entry provides you with a great deal of academic freedom, it does not mean that you don't have to keep up with work during the course..

  4. TIMELINES FOR COURSE WORK
    Once you are enrolled you will be placed into your course(s) (providing space is available). You will be given four weeks to complete units one & two; unit One does not contain any work, only the overview of the course and an agreement that you have read and understand what will be required from you while doing the course. From the date of registration (eg.,May 30, your units 1 & 2 will be due on June 30 and if your course has six units, you will have six 4 week periods to complete it - 6 units x 4 weeks per unit = 24 weeks). Each will be due on the 30th of each month or your registration anniversary date. Once you have been admitted to a course, you will be expected to logon regularly, work at the material, hand in assignments, take tests, etc. If you fail to meet the four week per unit requirement, you will be dropped from the course, unless you have made arrangements with the Online Administrator.

  5. HOW ARE ONLINE COURSES TAUGHT?
    When you register for an online course with the Niagara Catholic District School Board, you will be provided with login information, such as the Internet address (URL) to your course, username, and password.

  6. HOW DO I WRITE MY FINAL EXAM
    Some courses have an independent study for their final evaluation. Other courses have formal exams that must be written. Final exams will be scheduled at the end of the course and students will be notified.

  7. TUTORIALS
    You will have access to tutorials, which will allow you to become familiar with or review grammar, math skills, or computer applications. These tutorials are available for your use once you have registered and paid for a course.

  8. WHY OFFER COURSES OVER A NETWORK?
    Courses delivered in this fashion allow you more flexibility in terms of the courses you are able to take. You must, however, be motivated and focused. If you are motivated and focused, online learning can be rewarding, convenient, and fun.

  9. ARE ONLINE COURSES HARDER OR EASIER THAN REGULAR CLASSROOM COURSES?
    The curriculum expectations for online courses are identical to the curriculum expectations for courses delivered in a regular classroom setting. Studies have shown that both students and teachers tend to spend more time working on courses delivered online when compared to the same course delivered in the traditional classroom setting. If you are not, at this time, comfortable with computers, some of your time will be spent figuring out how to perform different applications on your computer. There is a computer tutorial that you will have access to that will help you with your computer skills. As a general rule, however, plan on devoting at least as many hours to an on-line course as you would to a regular classroom course.

  10. WILL ATTENDANCE BE MONITORED?
    Yes, you will need to check in as required by your teacher. You will also be expected to communicate with your teacher on a regular basis.

  11. WILL I BENEFIT FROM ONLINE COURSES?
    In most cases, this form of course delivery works well. Obvious prerequisites include motivation, computer familiarity, and the ability to work independently and meet deadlines.

  12. WHAT WILL I NEED FOR ON LINE LEARNING COURSES?
    You need a computer, internet access and e-mail. Depending on the course you will also need the following software package: Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) or Corel WordPerfect Suite

      Teachers
  13. WHO TEACHES ONLINE COURSES?
    Certified teachers who are employed by the Niagara Catholic District School Board deliver online courses. Our teachers are assigned to both online and regular day school classes.

  14. TEACHER CONTACT INFO
    You may contact your teacher via e-mail, which is built into ClassCampus. Here you may bring any questions about course material forward for clarification and/or direction. The teacher will respond to your queries usually within 24 hours, except for Saturday and Sunday.

      Resources
  15. WHAT ABOUT TEXTBOOKS AND OTHER RESOURCES?
    The curriculum expectations for online courses are identical to the curriculum expectations for courses delivered in a regular classroom setting. Studies have shown that both students and teachers tend to spend more time working on courses delivered online when compared to the same course delivered in the traditional classroom setting. If you are not, at this time, comfortable with computers, some of your time will be spent figuring out how to perform different applications on your computer. There is a computer tutorial that you will have access to that will help you with your computer skills. As a general rule, however, plan on devoting at least as many hours to an on-line course as you would to a regular classroom course.

  16. WHAT EQUIPMENT IS NEEDED?
    Recommended minimum computer requirements
    • Pentium or greater
    • Browser: Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 or greater
    • Macromedia Flash Player (can be downloaded free of charge)
    • Adobe Acrobat Reader (can be downloaded free of charge)
    • A printer would be beneficial
    • A stable connection to the Internet through an Internet Service Provider. Arranging and maintaining an Internet connection is the student's responsibility.
      Privacy
  17. WHAT ABOUT PRIVACY AND SECURITY?
    You are only able to enter a course with a username and password which is assigned at registration and private to you, the user. No personal information is accessible to anyone else. Privacy is governed in exactly the same way as it is in the regular day school program.

      Fees
  18. ARE THERE ANY FEES?
    Yes. The cost is $40.00 per course. This fee is non-refundable. Some courses require that you purchase a textbook. Please check with the Online Learning Centre for further information.

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