Student Handbook

Welcome to the Distance Learning Project and congratulations! You know your goals and have decided that distance learning can get you there. With a commitment to your future and the help of your teacher, you can begin your journey toward reaching your goals.

This student handbook is your starting point on that journey. It is a resource to help you know what to do, when to do it, how to succeed, and where you can turn for help when you need it. As a distance learning student, it is all about you and your needs. The information this handbook contains is organized into several sections, listed below.

If you have questions about anything in this student handbook or about your distance learning journey, call or email your teacher directly, or call the DLP office at 1-888-889-6020.

1. Getting Ready for Your 1st Week of Class page 2 2. Tips for Success page 3 3. Student Responsibilities page 4 4. When a Student Doesn’t Study page 4 5. Your Teacher page 5 6. Personal Study Plan page 6 7. Beginning Your Class page 7

8. Canvas Website for Online Students pages 8-9 9. Fast Forward Website for Online Students pages 10-11 10. Live Online Classes page 12

11. Information for All Students pages 13-14 12. Information for ESOL Students page 15

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1. Getting Ready for Your First Week of Class

Complete the online orientation process • You will receive an email with three steps and the links you will need to

complete the process.

Step 1: Watch the orientation video o The video is approximately 40 minutes long, and it explains how our

program works. o As you watch the video, please answer questions on the Notes Page. You

may use this to help you answer the questions on the quiz in the next step.

Step 2: Take the orientation quiz o Take a brief quiz to show us what you learned about our program. The

quiz will take about 5 minutes.

Step 3: Call us to complete your orientation o Call our case manager to discuss your goals, to provide additional

information, and to get registered for your first class. The case manager’s information is at the end of the quiz, so you will only be able to register for your class after you watch the video and take the quiz.

Distance Learning 101

• DL101 is every student’s first class. This class gives you the opportunity to practice using the software and to explore career options. It gives us writing samples and insight into the kind of support you need.

Look for your materials on the first day of your class

• Online: Look for an email from the Distance Learning Project (distancelearning@tiu11ces.org). Don’t see it? Check your junk or spam folder. Gmail users should check the Promotions tab.

• Workbook: Look for a big envelope to come in the mail to your house.

Call us at 1-888-889-6020 if you don’t receive your class materials by the Tuesday of your first week of class.

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2. Tips for Success

Communicate with your teacherYour teacher can help you in a lot of ways.

Celebrate your successesThink of every assignment you complete well as one step

closer to your goal.

Have a place to studyA quiet place where you can focus is where you will do

your best work.

Set a study timeFind a time in your daily life when you can focus and

be free from distraction and interruption.

Get the support of a friendTell a friend or family member what you are doing with

the DLP and ask them to encourage you.

Keep track of your progressDo your assignments in order and mark down what

you have accomplished already.

Believe in yourselfReaching your goals will be hard work, but with

dedication and the support of your teacher, you can do it.

Get started right awayDive into your first assignment right away and keep going. Don't

let too many days pass without studying.

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3. Student Responsibilities

4. When a Student Doesn’t Study

Testing at your local agency: You must take a test at your local agency to see what your abilities are before starting with the DLP (your pretest). Then, you must take a test at least once a year to see how you are improving (your posttest).

Communicate with your teacher every week

Work on your assignments: You should be ready to work on your assignments for at least 5 hours each week.

Students should work on their assignments and communicate with their teacher at least once each week. If students do not complete the weekly assignments, their teacher will reach out to try to get them to work on their lessons. Any student that does not work for at least six hours per session will be exited from the DLP regardless of the reason he or she did not meet the requirement. If a student is exited, this means that he or she will no longer have access to their class or assignments. If a student is un-enrolled because of inactivity but wants to begin studying again, he or she will have to apply again.

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5. Your Teacher Use this page to collect all the contact information for your teacher. You will likely have more than one teacher during your time with the DLP, so more than one space is provided.

Name: ____________________________________________________________ Telephone: ____________________________________________

Text message: __________________________________________ Email address: __________________________________________ Skype name: _________________________________________

Mailing address: ________________________________________ ________________________________________

Best day/time to talk each week: _______________________________________

Name: ____________________________________________________________

Telephone: ____________________________________________

Text message: __________________________________________ Email address: __________________________________________ Skype name: _________________________________________

Mailing address: ________________________________________ ________________________________________

Best day/time to talk each week: _______________________________________

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6. Personal Study Plan I _________________________ on this date_________ want to begin studying to reach my educational goals. I will use the ideas in the Tips for Success sheet and completing this form to help me with my studies.

I will OWN my learning and take the responsibility needed to make my goals come true.

Best time of the day for me to study is:__________________________________

Best place for me to study is:__________________________________________

I can schedule to study at this place______________at this time_____________

My preferred learning style(s) is/are:____________________________________

I can ask the following people questions about my studies:

1)______________________ phone:_____________email:____________

2)______________________ phone:_____________email:____________

I have a GOAL(s) I will achieve. My GOAL(s) is/are:

1)___________________________________________________________

2)___________________________________________________________

The REWARD(s) for achieving my goal(s) is/are:

1)__________________________________________________________

2)___________________________________________________________

By working on my studies, I will be ready for a posttest by: __________________

I will contact my local agency to schedule my posttest so I can see what new skills I’ve learned: _____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

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7. Beginning Your Class Online student

1. Receive your Welcome Email You should get your Welcome Email by the first day of class. This email contains everything you need to get started with your class, including your teacher’s contact information, your usernames and passwords for the course websites, links those websites, and a and information for your weekly live online class.

2. Look over your online materials Using the information in the Welcome Email, log into Canvas, which is the website you will use to retrieve your weekly lessons. Canvas will let you know if you ever need to go to another website (e.g., Fast Forward).

3. Contact your teacher It is important that you talk with your teacher every week, and your first conversation is very important. You should discuss:

□ Your goals for doing distance learning □ The best day and time to talk each week □ What you think will challenge you □ What you want to accomplish in 6 weeks □ Questions about how distance learning works

4. Start your week 1 assignments You will need to go to Canvas to locate your weekly assignments. Click on the link in your Welcome Email to get to the Canvas website and get started. The orientation video that is in your Welcome Email can answer many questions you might have. Getting off to a strong start right away on your first assignment is very important. Dive right in and let your teacher know if you have any questions. 5. Attend your first live online class See your Welcome Email for the time and date of your weekly live online classes. A few minutes before class begins, click on the link provided in the Welcome Email to login.

Workbook student

1. Receive your materials You should get a packet of workbook materials by the first day of class. It will have the workbooks and everything that you will need to get started. Write your answers on the worksheets provided and mail them back to your teacher each week.

2. Look over your workbook materials Take a few minutes to look through the workbook materials that you received. Look at the Assignment Checklist for what assignments are due in each of the six weeks of the session. Let your teacher know if you have any questions about what you will need to do or what you should return.

3. Contact your teacher It is important that you talk with your teacher every week, and your first conversation is very important. You should discuss:

□ Your goals for doing distance learning □ The best day and time to talk each week □ What you think will challenge you □ What you want to accomplish in 6 weeks □ Questions about how distance learning works

4. Start your week 1 assignments Look at the Assignment Checklist to locate your first assignment. When you are done, you will mail your answers on the worksheets for that week in the stamped envelope provided. Getting off to a strong start right away on your first assignment is very important. Dive right in and let your teacher know if you have any questions.

5. Want to attend live online classes? Workbook students who have the capability are able to attend weekly live online classes. Let your teacher know if you are interested in attending these classes.

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8. Canvas Website for Online Students

Canvas is the website where most of the assignments

for our High School Equivalency level classes are found.

When you login with the username and password that we give you, Canvas will record all of the studying that you do.

After signing in, the subject you are studying will appear on the screen. Click on the subject that you are studying with the DLP to begin working on your assignments. This is what the screen would look like for a student studying math.

Here you can see which assignments to work on next. There are also notifications here when your teacher provides you with feedback on your assignments.

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You have assignments to complete every week for six weeks. During the first week of class, this student needs to complete all of the Word Problem assignments listed under the heading, “Week 1-Word Problems.” There are many different types of lessons to complete in Canvas. Make sure you always go to Canvas when you are ready to work on your lessons, and you will always know what to do next.

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9. Fast Forward Website for Online Students

Fast Forward is one of the websites that you will

be asked to go to while working from the Canvas website.

Click on the subject that you are studying with the DLP to begin working on your next assignment

When you login with the username and password that we give you, Fast Forward will record all of the studying that you do so you will never lose your place.

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.” Antoine de Saint-Exupery

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In Fast Forward, you will work on the lessons as specified in Canvas. Each week you have to do various lessons, so be sure to take note of the ones you are to do before leaving the Canvas website.

After you do a lesson and look at the menu, the “Lesson Review” will appear underneath that lesson for you to click on and complete. Make sure that you do these lesson reviews because they are where you will practice the skills and knowledge you need on High School Equivalency tests.

“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” Albert Einstein

“Life is not easy. Life is tough. But when you’re tough on yourself, life is going to be infinitely easier on you.”

Zig Ziglar

Aim for 80% on each lesson review. Make sure that you are only working on the lessons that are specified on the Canvas website.

unit

lessons

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10. Live Online Classes Each week, online students have a one hour class with a teacher and other students to learn new skills. These classes are a great way to build on the work you are doing when you study on your own. How long is my LOC? Your weekly LOC is a one hour long class where a teacher presents a lesson that is meant to be in addition to the studying you are doing online on your own. It will be held the same time and day each week for the entire six-week session. How do I get there? Your teacher, you, and a handful of other students will login online and listen and talk using the website shared with you in your Welcome Email. What will we do? Just like sitting in a classroom, you can work on things with other students or ask your teacher questions. What if I can’t make it? If you ever know you will not attend the LOC that week, please let your teacher know ahead of time. “Call off” just like you would for a job.

Your teacher can share their screen to view a lesson. Or they can let you share YOUR screen!

Use a headset, or use the microphone and speakers in your computer or device.

The chat box can be used to write an answer or to talk to your teacher.

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11. Information for All Students What courses does the DLP offer? The Distance Learning Project offers adult students a variety of courses to study to prepare for their educational goals. Many of our students have the goal of getting their high school equivalency diploma, so we offer classes that cover the subject areas tested on the GED® and HiSET® exams including, math, social studies, science, language arts, and writing.

o High School Equivalency / Adult Basic Education – This group of courses often prepares

students to pass a High School Equivalency Exam. Students study one subject at a time to cover math, language arts, science, writing, and social studies.

o ESOL – ESOL stands for “English for Speakers of Other Languages.” Our ESOL classes are available only online and can help you improve your English skills if it is not your first language.

o ESOL/Adult Basic Education “Bridge” Class – For ESOL students who have tested above our ESOL levels and want to continue to improve their reading and writing skills, we offer this “bridge” class. Bridge class students work with higher leveled reading passages and more advanced grammar and writing skills.

o Transition to Postsecondary Education – Students who already have their high school equivalency diploma and who want to prepare themselves for further education can take this course to get ready for the next level of their education.

How long is a class? We work in six-week sessions. The goal is for students to work individually with the help of a teacher to complete their weekly assignments by the end of the six week session. When you finish a course, you can move on to the next class or another subject.

Should I study online or with workbooks? By now you know that you can choose to be a workbook or an online student with the Distance Learning Project, and you have already made that choice. Workbook students receive a packet of materials to study in the mail and use the stamped envelopes we give them to return their answers to their teacher every week. However, not all of our classes are offered via workbooks. Online students work entirely online using various websites to do their assignments. Online students also should attend a weekly one-hour live online class with their teacher. Both formats have assignments broken into six-week sessions and have the support of a teacher.

What if I have a problem? Any time you have a problem or question about your distance learning, the first place you should turn is your distance learning teacher. If he or she is not available at the phone number or email you have been given, you can call the DLP office at 1-888-889-6020 to talk with another teacher.

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When can I go to take my High School Equivalency exams? When you take your High School Equivalency exams is still up to you. Talk with your teacher and ask if he or she feels that you are ready to pass the exam. We usually recommend that students take High School Equivalency exams one at a time after studying each subject with the DLP, but every student’s situation is unique. You should consider taking an official practice exam online before scheduling your High School Equivalency exam. Is the DLP on Facebook or Twitter? Yes! You can connect with the Distance Learning Project on Facebook at “PADistanceLearningProject”. On Twitter, the DLP is @PADLP. What other resources are available?

o Transitions counseling – If you know you’d like a job but aren’t sure what kind of job or if you’re thinking about going to school and need some help, our Transitions Counselor can help. Ask your teacher to connect you with our Transitions Counselor. The Transitions Counselor helps students to identify and explore career options and to create a plan to reach the career they choose.

“Striving for success without hard work is like trying to harvest where you haven’t planted.”

David Bly

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12. Information for ESOL Students What classes does the DLP have for English language learners?

o ESOL levels 3 (intermediate) through level 6 (advanced) – These courses are for adults who don’t speak English as their first language. You will need register for the class and then take a placement test at your local agency to be put into the correct ESOL classes.

o ESOL/Adult Basic Education “Bridge” Class – For ESOL students who have tested out of regular ESOL levels and want to continue to improve their reading and writing skills. Bridge class students work with higher leveled reading passages and more advanced grammar and writing skills.

Where do I start? Before you begin your first class, you must participate in an orientation for ESOL students. This orientation takes place in our live online classroom. You will sign into the orientation using link you receive in your email. One week before your class begins, you will get an email from the Distance Learning Project. Please be sure to check your junk and/or spam folders, if you do not see an email from the DLP in your inbox. This email will give you the name and contact information for your teacher, all the usernames and passwords you will need, and links to the websites that you will use to complete your assignments. You will receive a new Welcome Email at the beginning of every six-week session, and it is a good idea to keep them until you get a new one.

What are the commitments of being an ESOL student? All ESOL students have the responsibility to talk with their teacher every week and to work about three to five hours per week. The weekly assignments can be located in one the assigned web pages (Burlington English or Reading Horizons). Also, students should join two live online classes each week. Sometimes, teachers will assign additional homework in the live online classes. Students have the responsibly of letting their teachers know if they cannot be in class.