eLearning

Online Opportunities and Education

Through participation in the The VHS Collaborative, SevenStar Academy, and other organizations, students acquire the skills needed to succeed in an increasingly technological world. Online learning helps students to master course content, as well as develop communication, collaboration, and creative problem solving skills.

This year Dalat students will have over 200 courses to choose from. Students can go online, to the VHS website at www.govhs.org and the SevenStar website to view the complete catalogue of courses. Students interested in taking an online course must request approval from the guidance office and the e-learning coordinator.

Dalat also offers its own “hybrid” eLearning courses to students through DIScourse. Many Dalat teachers are using the DIScourse technology in the classroom and some courses are taught entirely through this system

Online Education

Dalat International School has offered online courses to our students through various providers since 1999. Online courses give students an exciting and challenging new medium for taking courses and have a proven track record as not only a viable alternative to the traditional classroom, but in some cases a superior delivery method for course content. Online courses give students flexibility in scheduling, provide upper level classes for motivated students, and serve to enrich Dalat’s curriculum offerings. Online courses have unique demands on students and typically require a high level of individual accountability and self-motivation.

We also offer several “hybrid” classes that combine the best of the traditional classroom teacher support along with the benefits of online delivery. In these classes students attend the course online but meet face to face with their teacher for one class per week on campus.

Because of the nature of online classes unique policy is needed to clarify expectations for all students. 

Outside Providers

Dalat has also formed partnerships with a selected group of accredited providers of online high school curriculum. We will refer to them as ‘outside providers’ from this point on.

Who is Eligible?

What is the Cost?

Registration

The availability of online courses is limited and not guaranteed. Priority enrollment will be given to upperclassmen and to students pursuing graduation requirements. Priority will also be given to students enrolling in their first online class.

Registration times will be announced for all online courses each spring for the coming school year. Once the registration and enrollment window is closed, students who change their online course selections will be charged a course change / late registration fee of USD100.

Scheduling

Due to the rigorous nature of online Advanced Placement ( AP) courses, the required study hall policy in the student handbook will be strictly enforced. That is, students are required to have one study hall in their schedule if they take two AP courses, and two study halls with three AP course. Students are strongly encouraged, but not required, to schedule one study hall for EACH online AP course they are enrolled in because online classes are more time intensive than other subjects.

ELAB Classroom Ethics

Students are expected to abide by the Digital Citizenship Policy contained in the handbook.

Pacing

Some of our outside providers have a rigid course structure, and students must complete a given number of assignments per academic week.

Some of our outside providers allow you to create your own pace chart for assignments. It is important to understand that although you are given the freedom to create your pace chart at the beginning of the course, it becomes a binding contract between you and your online teacher. It requires you to submit certain assignments by the recorded deadline. The pace chart needs to accommodate all Dalat and family holidays. Once agreed upon the pace chart may not be changed.

Grade Reporting

Students’ progress will be reported in PowerSchool at the end of each quarter whenever possible. However, some online course providers’ grade reporting calendars do not match ours and their grade reporting may not allow these grades to be available concurrently with Dalat grade reporting. Parents and students are encouraged to track more detailed progress in the gradebook hosted by the online course provider. Dalat may report these grades in a follow up report at a later time and adjustments will be made to honor roll calculations.

Students are required to complete all of the assignments for the quarter by the deadline given in their course syllabus or on their pace chart. Assignments not completed at these deadlines will be recorded as a zero and no credit will be given.

Students will not be allowed to make up late work after their quarter grade has been recorded in PowerSchool.

Probation

Policy guiding academic probation for Dalat students applies to online courses at quarter and semester reporting periods. Additionally, student grades will be checked every two weeks for online students. If they have a grade lower than 70% in any two consecutive grade checks they will immediately lose open campus and senior lunch privilege and be assigned to either the e-Lab or Learning Lab during any free periods. They will also not be allowed to participate in sports.

Additionally, students who end a semester on academic probation due to an online course grade may be un-enrolled from the next semester of the course or not allowed to enroll in future online courses at the discretion of the high school principal. The student will be required to pay for any fees associated with dropping the course.

Transfer Online Classes

With some of our providers it is possible that a student may enroll in an online class outside of the normal school calendar. To have this course included on a Dalat transcript, prior approval to take the course must be granted by the Dalat high school counselor and e-Learning coordinator.

They will then establish the date for the required completion of the course at which time a final grade must be submitted. The student will pay the full cost of the course. These courses will only count to fulfill elective credit.