Overview
In WDIS districts can operate online classes through asynchronous and synchronous programs. Asynchronous programs are those programs where the student learning and teacher instruction do not occur at the same time. For example, the program may use recorded materials. Whereas a synchronous program would involve the teacher providing instruction in real time for the student. This article covers some of the important aspects of data entry in Focus for these two different types of online programs.
Note: to offer asynchronous online courses, you must have an online software system that tracks that actual time on task a student is engaged in a course. That time would then represent the instructional hours reported for the student.
Asynchronous Online Classes
Section Fields
Under Scheduling > Courses & Sections on the Vocational/WDIS Tab, enter the appropriate Distance Learning delivery indicator for the course. Also on this tab you will mark the AGE Online Course Delivery Indicator as code A, this field can also be adjusted on the student schedule as well if you have mixture of both asynchronous and synchronous in one class.
Also on the Vocational/WDIS tab, and adjustable on the student's schedule, you will enter the Class Daily Hours for online program. This should be a reasonable estimated number of hours a student might attend each day on average.
The following rules apply to situations in which instruction occurs, in whole or in part, in an asynchronous online environment:
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Instructional contact hours for online courses and course components are reported based upon the following actual hours:
- Hours documented based upon elapsed time that a learner is connected to, or engaged in, an online software program that tracks time, or
- Hours documented and verified by an instructor if such activity is not documented by the online software program.
- A student in a blended learning class, for which a component of the course is delivered in an asynchronous online environment, must have a separate course section scheduled for the online component.
- The sum of instructional contact hours for an online class must be rounded up to the nearest whole number.
Entering Attended Hours on Schedule
For each survey, you will get the actual time the student is engaged in the course from your online learning system, and that time would then needs to entered into Focus for reporting. This is entered in Scheduling > Student Schedule in the applicable WDIS Survey [W/S/F] Attended Hours Override. Note this is also required for preliminary Surveys G & X, you will enter Survey G hours so far in the Survey W field and Survey X hours so far in the Survey S field.
Note: to be able to see and edit the attended hours override fields, the user must have access to the schedule fields 'Cost Reporting Code' and 'Distance Learning'. They also need access to 'WDIS Survey * Attended Hours Override' (* there are three of these fields one for W, S and F).
Synchronous Online Classes
If Districts are offering synchronous, all the rules of an in person class stand. Including attendance, procedural withdrawals for 6 consecutive absences, and all work must be done during the scheduled class time.
Any asynchronous course expectations that are part of the course must be accounted for in a separate section. Literally, District should be able to turn off the online environment and walk into an in-person environment and not notice any difference in expectations or reporting.
The only difference between an in-person and synchronous online class for data entry is that you must enter under Scheduling > Courses & Sections on the Vocational/WDIS Tab, the appropriate Distance Learning delivery indicator for the course.