Student Questions
The questions are grouped into the following categories:
Computer & Experience Requirements
What type of computer, software and internet connection would I need in order to take a course? 
A 486 or higher PC compatible or MAC machine is required. The browser software should access graphics, such as Netscape 4.0+
or Internet Explorer 5.0+. To derive maximum benefit from the scripting within the courses, Netscape 4 or Internet Explorer 5 is
necessary as revisions to the courses contain JavaScripting for interactivity. Some courses also
require Real Media Player and Macromedia
Flash. Both of these programs are available to download from the Internet for free. We also recommend that you have a 56K
modem. The courses can be accessed through a dial-up connection, however some pages may be slow to load depending upon the
speed of your connection. [return to top]
Do I have to be knowledgeable in computers in order to take a course?
You do not have to master any software or hardware except be able to use a browser (i.e. Internet Explorer) to access online courses over the Internet. As well, you should be able to receive and send e-mail. All of our courses were designed for ease of use, so do not feel intimidated by the “virtual” aspect of learning, it’s fun and easy! The Learning Management System is Desire2Learn.com and their LMS is being touted as the most user-friendly in the
marketplace! [return to top]
Costs
What is the typical monthly phone bill for a student enrolled in a typical online course?
There are no long distance phone charges for our online courses via the Internet. If you are already 'online' then there will be no additional charges beyond the usage time that your particular Internet Service Provider charges. These charges will vary among providers. [return to top]
What is the tuition?
As a registered private high school in Ontario, Virtual High School (Ontario) (BSID#665681) we receive no direct funding from the Government of Ontario. Thus there has to be a tuition fee attributed to you in order to take a course. Currently the fee is $499 for each full-credit course
and $399 for each half-credit course. There are no other fees or textbooks to buy. [return to top]
What about refunds?
There are no tuition refunds as a lot of administration goes into establishing the student account, enrolling the student into the course, contacting the teacher, contacting the school, etc. In an extremely rare case, there may be a refund returned to the student within three days of the original enrolment. In such a case, there will be a $125 administration processing fee applied to the refund. The decision of the Principal will be considered final in all cases involving requests for refund. A student who has not completed an assessment nor an evaluation in the course and who wishes to withdraw from the course must notify Virtual High School (Ontario) within seven days of enrolment. A student requesting withdrawal will receive a course credit minus a $125 administration processing fee. The course credit must be applied to a subsequent course within one year of the original registration. Only one course credit will be granted per original enrolment. The decision of the Principal will be considered final in all cases involving student requests for withdrawal. While the student is allowed to move through their course at their own pace, Virtual High School (Ontario) reserves the right to unenroll any student from their course if the student goes for a prolonged period of time without logging into the course or if the student goes for a long period of time without completing any evaluation in their course. The decision of the Principal will be considered final in all cases involving student unenrollment. Tuition refund policies, course credit policies and student enrollment policies may be modified at any time at the Virtual High School (Ontario) website. The use of Virtual High School (Ontario) courses indicates that the student accepts these tuition refund policies, course credit policies and student enrollment policies.
[return to top]
What are the typical costs for submitting assignments?
All assignments are submitted electronically - thus no cost! Some teachers prefer to return corrected assignments by
mail and we absorb these costs. [return to top]
What about the final exam?
The student is responsible for arranging a proctor for their final exam. There may or may not be a fee charged by
their proctor. The student is fully responsible for this fee, if it
exists. [return to top]
What about the OSR?
Generally most students leave their OSR at their current school and when a credit is earned from us, we simply transfer
that credit to the school and they enter it onto the OSR. Some students wish that we host the OSR, which we must request
formally from the previous school host. There is a one time fee of $200 for this service. We are then responsible for arranging
the marks to be submitted to OUAC, etc. and making sure that you have met all of the requirements for the OSS
Diploma. [return to top]
How will I be evaluated and by whom?
How will I be graded in a course like this?
The assessment and evaluation process is fairly consistent among the courses. There is ongoing formative assessment
throughout each course which may be taken at anytime with immediate feedback via the teacher and even the Learning Management
System at times. One portion of the evaluation process will involve the submission of assignments to the teachers via an
electronic Dropbox. In most courses, randomly generated online tests will be made available upon completion of each unit for
you to complete online. These tests are timed and secure, with the result immediately logged for student access. All course
will have a final assessment, a portion of which will be a proctored final exam. The achievement level chart, designed by the
Ontario Ministry of Education, is used in all courses. [return to top]
Are the teachers trained in assessment and evaluation?
The teachers of each course in our school are well qualified. They do not have to 'teach' in the traditional sense because all curriculum is online and accessible at all times. Thus, their focus is on explaining or answering any questions that you may have about the content of the course.Many of our teachers have actually written the courses that they teach so are very familiar with the curriculum and the way that it is laid out. Teachers may participate in a special program to ensure that they can handle the typical problems that students will encounter with software and hardware. [return to top]
How am I evaluated throughout the body of the course?
As you progress through the course content you will come across clearly marked assignments that you will have to do and
then submit to the electronic DropBox for the teacher to evaluate. The teacher will then mark it and provide you with feedback
and a grade which you can view in Grades. [return to top]
How am I evaluated at the end of the course?
Your final exam is an online proctored final exam. A proctored exam is one that is overseen by an impartial individual, the proctor, who monitors and supervises you while you take the online final exam. The proctor ensures the security
and integrity of the exam process. Students in online courses must fulfill their responsibilities in arranging and taking a
proctored final exam. You must first inform your Principal of your intention to take the final exam. This should occur at least
two weeks ahead of the date you intend to write the exam. You will then be sent two documents; one which outlines the Proctored
Exam Procedures and the other, a Proctor Approval Application form. You and your Proctor must complete and submit the Proctor
Approval Application form to your Principal. Your Principal will then review your selection of the proctor and will then
contact your proctor if approved. You must comply with any payment schedule that may be required by your approved proctor. You
must then take your exam online in the presence of your proctor. [return to top]
What is the student to teacher ratio?
The ratio is dependent on the course. The typical ratio is 6 - 12 students per teacher, although there may be periods in which this ratio is lower or higher than the usual range. The low ratio means more time is devoted to student learning. Students get immediate help, opportunities for re-teaching are also immediate, and communication is varied, easily accessible and constant. More individualized student attention and high quality learning is the goal of
maintaining a low student-teacher ratio. [return to top]
The 5 W’s
Who would take an online high school course?
Those students who cannot go to a regular high school or complete an in-class course for various reasons;
- confined to home due to a disability;
- home-schooled students;
- parents;
- students already registered in a school but who cannot get a particular course in their high school timetable;
- students already registered in a school but who cannot get a particular course at a particular time;
- students who have been suspended;
- summer-school students;
- students who have chosen to leave school early and who would like to now graduate with a diploma;
- students who are already registered in a school but who would like to fast-tract or upgrade.
These are some of the reasons as to why a student would choose to participate in an online course with
Virtual High School (Ontario). [return to top]
I am a home based learner, can I take courses from your school?
Students who are in a home education program can take courses from the Virtual High School (Ontario). The student is given the opportunity to be in charge of their own academics with flexible, learner-focused courses and the opportunity to work at their own pace because there are no strict time schedules. Thus if the student is interested in the Grafting Assignment in Grade 9 Science and arranges with their parents a visit to a local nursery to view grafting in progress, then the course has really become an extension of the home learning environment. [return to top]
When and where do students have to take the course?
Students are able to start their course at any point in time during the year. Because the internet is the mode of delivery, they may be located anywhere in the world as they start and move through their course. Students progress through these courses at their own rate and so can complete the course at
anytime. [return to top]
Why should I take an online course through the Virtual High School (Ontario)?
The Virtual High School (Ontario) offers students a unique and flexible way to learn, while also permitting them to become confident in computer usage. Our exceptional communication tools, in the Desire2Learn Learning Manage System, enhance students’ learning experience via the internet, allowing them to communicate with other students in their class thus providing a greater amount of flexibility in their schooling. Of course, the most important reason, is that we have great teachers to work with the students in excellent pupil-teacher ratios. [return to top]
How do the Internet courses work?
Once students have registered, they are given a password which allows them access to the Internet course. As the student proceeds through the interactive course, they participate in self-assessments, formative online assessment processes, group
discussions, and many other internet-based applications. And of course, students have direct contact with their teacher and
other students through email, chats, discussion groups, and instant messaging. Upon completion of the course and when the
expectations of the course have been successfully evaluated, then a credit is granted to the student. [return to top]
Tips on How to Handle Online Courses
How many hours per week should I devote to a course?
Each course has a demanding curriculum. These are not 'Mickey-mouse' courses as are offered by many providers. These are serious high school courses, written by curriculum writers who are often teachers themselves. Because the courses are designed to teach the Ministry of Ontario expectations, it is difficult to arrive at a minimum amount of time required as there are so many variables; the number of other courses that you are doing at the same time; how quickly you wish to do the course;
your abilities; the grade you wish to obtain; etc. In general, a good rule of thumb is that each course will demand the same amount of time that a normal course in a mainstream classroom demands - 110+ hours for a full-credit course. [return to top]
When would be the best time of the day for me to do the course?
You are able to access and work on the course 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, synchronous communication with your teacher or fellow students will probably occur during the regular day and reasonable evening
hours. [return to top]
How will my attendance be monitored?
Your assigned teacher will monitor your course work as you progress through your courses. You are required to meet all your assignment and course work deadlines. Your Principal and teacher will monitor your logins and if a prolonged absence
occurs, you will be contacted. [return to top]
Virtual High School (Ontario) Benefits
Would it be better to take my course in a typical high school classroom?
Not necessarily. While a typical high school class offers a host of benefits and advantages that an Internet delivered course can never achieve, these online courses have many benefits in that they allow you to develop initiative, self-motivation, event management and a host of other learning skills, and other attitudes necessary for survival in today's academic and work
milieu. [return to top]
How would a course from the Virtual High School (Ontario) differ from a typical correspondence course?
The expectations of the curriculum do not differ from the two types of courses but the manner by which that curriculum is presented is markedly different. Our online courses have animations, visuals and auditory devices to reinforce its curriculum. The online courses are also scripted to provide feedback for problem solving. They have formative assessment devices built into them to give the student feedback about the quality of their learning. Correspondence courses and other
'online course providers' usually rely upon textbooks whereas the curriculum within the Virtual High School (Ontario) is delivered entirely online. In short, our courses provide more interaction, faster communication, and an improved learning experience to the student. [return to top]
How do I know I'll get a good education from taking courses through VirtualHighSchool.com?
Our whole staff has made a commitment to providing the best education possible via the Internet. All of our courses are prototyped with select students prior to making the course available to the general public, which ensures smoothness of delivery and operation. Read the testimonials to hear what our students and their parents are saying about us. [return to top]
Ways to Communicate & IT Concerns
How would I communicate with my teacher and other students in the course?
The communication tools have been built for this purpose as discussion takes place via email, threaded discussion Boards, online chats, instant messaging, news, and updates. The collaboration tools are designed to allow for easy identification of changes the teacher has made on the user home page. We also encourage students to communicate with each other regularly in order to discuss the course content and questions regarding the course that they may have. Some courses will
also include group projects in which the learning coach will set up the groups. [return to top]
Whom do I contact if I experience problems?
Depending on the nature of the problem you have several options if you experience problems. You can contact your teacher or fellow students using the tools provided if you have problems with the course content or any other pressing issue you can contact the Principal who is listed in the ClassList of every
course. [return to top]
What do I do if my Internet connection is down while I am enrolled in a course?
If your connection is down and you are unable to contact your teacher, you can
contact the Virtual High School (Ontario) Principal and he will contact your teacher and pass on the information. It is essential that you attempt to correct the problem as quickly as possible so you do not fall behind in your course work. To contact KWPS, call (519) 589-3444 and ask for Stephen Baker, Principal. [return to top]
Will I Earn Credits? How many courses can I take?
Will I get credits for each course that I take?
Our school is regularly inspected by the Ontario Ministry of Education. Their official go-ahead allows the Kitchener-Waterloo Private School, upon your successful completion of the expectations of the course, to issue you an official OSSD credit. This credit will be applied to your student record card (OSR), just like a course from a brick-and-mortar school. [return to top]
Am I allowed to go to a brick-and-mortar high school and take a course through the Virtual High School (Ontario) at the same time?
Yes, you do have the option to do both at the same time. Most of our students fall into this
category. [return to top]
Is there a limit to the number of courses that I can take online at one time?
We would recommend that you start with one or two courses starting out, to make sure that you have the motivation to learn in this environment. We also recommend that you take no more than 8 online credits within a typical school year. [return to top]
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Student Questions
