IFJ-P1 - BLENDED LEARNING

Preference is for PSSD Students to enroll in PSSD offered courses; in-person, blended or online.  

Students taking out-of-division courses may incur a charge and should not expect to be reimbursed.

Blended Learning

The Prairie Spirit School Division is pleased to offer students a means of furthering their education through blended learning courses courses. Blended Learning opportunities are a means to provide high impact courses that normally would not be offered to students, due to low enrolment or lack of qualified personnel.  To be successful in an blended learning class, a student must be able to work independently, stay on task, and maintain a regular schedule. 

Certain standards are expected of students enrolling in these courses.  Behavioural and academic expectations of students in classes are high, due to the  independent nature of the courses. The following procedures and regulations are intended to make both students and parent(s)/guardian(s) aware of the standards expected of students enrolling in courses offered via this medium.  

• The PRAIRIE SPIRIT SCHOOL DIVISION DISTANCE LEARNING AGREEMENT form included in the “Prairie Spirit School Division e-Learning Guidelines and Procedures” must be completed by public school students.

• PSSD Colony Blended staff are required to review the Prairie Spirit Distance Learning Colony Blended Learning Code of Conduct with colony students.  This document must be reviewed with students and shared with parents/guardians at the beginning of each course.

• Additional forms may be required depending on the host of the course

To be successful in any online class, a student must be a ‘self-starter’ with a strong sense of direction and the ability to set goals and follow through.  A successful online student can work independently, stay on task, and maintain a regular schedule of logging on and keeping up with the reading, course assignments, homework, and other expectations. The content of online courses is generally as rigorous or as difficult as that found in face-to-face classroom courses. 

The PRAIRIE SPIRIT SCHOOL DIVISION DISTANCE LEARNING AGREEMENT form included in the “Prairie Spirit School Division e-Learning Guidelines and Procedures” must be completed (See Exhibit IFJ-E1). 

Administrative Procedures

1. Enrolments for possible course offerings will be discussed prior to each school year. 

2. Each school will identify a mentor to assist students with the requirements of the course, provide assistance with assignments, or help with technical issues.  The mentor may be more than one person.

3. Blended classes will operate on the schedule of the sending school.  Receiving schools not in session on a day the class is operational will make appropriate arrangements for the student. This may include permitting students to attend by supplying their own transportation. 

4. Participating schools will attempt to coordinate “down” days to facilitate Blended course offerings. 

5. Each school will provide Substitute Teachers with classroom and student discipline policies before substituting in the classroom. 

6. Students and their parent/guardian(s) will complete their respective forms prior to enrolling in the course. 

Attendance 

1. The attendance and late policies of the sending school will apply to all students in the course. It is the responsibility of the sending Teacher to notify all students of the policy and to clarify any questions concerning the policy. Special attendance considerations must be presented to the sending Teacher for approval prior to the class affected if they are to be considered. The attendance should be sent to the receiving schools as well. 

Grading and Evaluation 

1. It is the responsibility of the sending Teacher to notify all students of the evaluation policy and formula to be used in the course by the end of the second complete week of the course. Said policy will be consistent with the Prairie Spirit School Division e-Learning Guidelines and Procedures, as well as divisional policy.  A copy of the policy must be filed with the Principal of each school participating in the course by the same date. 

2. If the sending Teacher wishes receiving schools to provide supervision for testing, a request must be sent to the Principal two days prior to the testing session. 

3. If extended class times are required for the writing of mid-term or final examinations, it is the responsibility of the Teacher to request scheduling time from the Principals of receiving schools one month prior to the examination. 

4. Reporting to parent/guardian(s) by the Teacher will be on a schedule consistent with the sending school, using the reporting forms of the sending school.  This schedule is to be provided to students at the beginning of the course. 

5. All grading will be reported as determined by the province . 

6. Parent conferences will be scheduled by the sending teacher using the schools preferred virtual means.

Intervention Policy

1. When the teacher has followed Section F: Grading Practices and Academic Responsibility: Learning Takes Practice from Procedure IH-P of this document, and the student work is not getting done, the Divisional Intervention Policy would be implemented.

(See also: Procedure IH-P section G, Intervention)

Text Books 

1. It is the responsibility of each receiving school to supply textbooks and all relevant materials for all of their students. The instructor will notify each School Principal by June 15th/December 15th all relevant materials required for each course.  Schools may be able to borrow from one another. 

In the case of conflicting policies, the order of priority in determining which policy shall apply will be as follows: 

1. School Division policy 

2. School policy 

3. Special policies/procedures for blended/online courses