Why Choose Online Learning?

Students want to learn online for a variety of reasons. The Foundation for Blended and Online Learning (2017) published a report on why students choose blended and online schools. The report authors used surveys, focus groups, and interviews with students, along with other data to create the report. The report identified three broad reasons students pursue online and blended learning:

• academics; 
• social-emotional health and safety; and 
• interests and life circumstances.

Students may be:

• full-time learners – taking all of their courses virtually; 
• part-time learners – adding online courses to what they take at school; or
• summer learners – enriching, recovering, or advancing learning during summer months.

A student’s ultimate goal for completing a course significantly impacts their choices. Attention to a student’s motivation for enrolling in an online course can go a long way toward eventual success. Students are most successful when there is a genuine desire to succeed; i.e., if I pass this course, I will reach my goal of graduation, acceptance to a particular college, a desired occupation, etc. Conversely, students are more likely to fail an online course when there is little motivation; i.e., my counselor made me take this course; I don’t need this credit to graduate; it doesn’t matter if I pass or fail, so who cares?

Source: Student Guide to Online Learning | Michigan Virtual

From the student’s point of view, online learning is attractive because it is:

1. Personalized to my needs and learning goals. When students select their courses, they take greater ownership.
2. Flexible so that I can try different ways to learn. Online learning allows scheduling to accommodate health, athletic, job and family circumstances.
3. Interactive and engaging to draw me in. Students meet people outside their community in a safe environment, and multimedia used in online learning provides different ways of learning.
4. Relevant to the life I’d like to lead. Students gain more experience using the 21st century technology tools used in college and in the workplace.
5. Paced by my own progress measured against goals I understand. Students can move faster or slower through assignments and track their own progress toward their goals.
6. Constantly informed by different ways of demonstrating and measuring my progress. Educational technology can measure and share student progress quickly.
7. Collaborative with faculty, peers, and others, unlimited by proximity. Students can access learning materials and resources – including local, state, and national experts – using online communication tools.
8. Responsive and supportive when I need extra help. Communicating outside the typical school day is supported by the online learning culture. Many students – and teachers – report they spend more time interacting online than in the face-to-face classroom.
9. Challenging but achievable, with opportunities to become an expert in an area of interest. Online learning reinforces lifelong learning skills and promotes information literacy and communication skills as well as thinking and problem-solving skills.
10. Available to me as much as it is to every other student. Online learning can direct the talents of some of the most skilled educators to the most under-served populations. A zip code does not have to determine learning options any more.

List based on previous work of Next Generation Learning Challenges

Source: Student Guide to Online Learning | Michigan Virtual

Students who have a successful, satisfying experience learning online share several critical characteristics. Review these characteristics and answer these questions.

• Good Time Management: Can you create and maintain a study schedule throughout the semester without face-to-face interaction with a teacher?
• Effective Communication: Can you ask for help, make contact with other students and the instructor online, and describe any problems you have with learning materials using email, text messaging, and/or the telephone?
• Independent Study Habits: Can you study and complete assignments without direct supervision and maintain the self-discipline to stick to a schedule?
• Self-Motivation: Do you have a strong desire to learn skills, acquire knowledge, and fulfill assignments in online courses because of an educational goal? Can you maintain focus on that goal?
• Academic Readiness: Do you have the basic reading, writing, math, and computer literacy skills to succeed in the class?
• Technologically Prepared: Are you prepared to use constantly evolving technology to learn? The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) published a set of Standards for Students designed to empower student voice and ensure that learning is a student-driven process.

 A Special Note About Time Commitment

Experienced mentors and online instructors agree that time management is one of the skills most critical to success. Students who cannot manage time and assignments without direct supervision usually struggle to be successful learners online. Students should expect and be able to spend five to 10 hours a week per course.

Source: Student Guide to Online Learning | Michigan Virtual

Learning online is different and takes some additional skills, but virtual courses are just as important as any other course. Your online course grades are part of your permanent school record. Talk with your parents or guardian and guidance counselor about why you are interested in online learning. 

Not all students are well prepared for online learning. Use this one-page rubric created by Michigan Virtual to help you understand what is required of a successful online learner: Online Learner Readiness Rubric. Be honest and identify those areas you think could be a problem. The rubric asks you to evaluate your basic skills and competencies in the following areas:

• Technology Skills
• Work & Study Habits
• Learning Style
• Technology/Connectivity
• Time Management
• Interest/Motivation
• Reading/Writing Skills
• Support Services

Source: Student Guide to Online Learning | Michigan Virtual

Your decision about enrolling in Davis Connect is an important one. It may be helpful to consider some of the following questions as you decide:

• Do you enjoy online learning?
• Do you like learning from home?
• Do you want to take one or two classes online, while still attending your in-person school?
• Do you want to attend in-person half the time or less, while taking the bulk of your courses online?
• Do you want to take all of your classes online?
• Where will you work on your online classes — in a designated location at your current school (classroom, library, or lab, for instance) or outside class hours at home or another location?
• How much contact will you have or do you want to have with the online teacher and other online students?

It may be helpful to review the PDFs and videos about our Online Program Options to help you determine if Davis Connect is the right place for you.

We also recommend that you schedule an appointment for you and your parent/guardian with your school counselor. If you are home schooled, you may schedule an appointment with one of our Davis Connect school counselors.

Adapted from: Student Guide to Online Learning | Michigan Virtual

If you are blending your schedule to Davis Connect, but staying enrolled in your current school, your school can help provide a device for you to use for your online courses. If you enroll in Davis Connect (whether full-time or part-time) we will provide a device for you to use.

If you have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or a 504 Plan at your school, our teachers will make the appropriate accommodations listed that are applicable to online school. It is helpful to communicate your specific learning needs with your online teacher, your school counselor, and your mentor (if you are enrolled in Davis Connect, you will be assigned a Student Success Mentor). Advocating for yourself and communicating your learning needs is an important skill to learn for your continued success.

There are also many people in Davis Connect who are here to support you in online learning:

Teacher: This is the person who is teaching your online class and is the first one to go to when you have questions about assignments or need help. Send your teacher a message using Canvas Inbox or schedule an appointment with them to get additional help as needed.

School Counselor: If you enroll in Davis Connect either full or part-time, you will be assigned a school counselor to check in regularly with, to create your career and college plan, to build your school schedule, to get emotional support and resources, and to ensure you are on-track for graduation.

Student Success Mentor: If you enroll in Davis Connect either full or part-time, you will also be assigned a mentor, who will check in regularly with you, help you set and achieve learning goals, and be a support and cheerleader.

Tech Support: At Davis Connect, we have a Technical Support Center, with a School Technology Specialist and part-time Tech Aides. They are available during the school day to answer questions over the phone, online, or in-person. For more information about our Tech Support visit their webpage.

Parent/Guardian: Your parents or guardians should be partners in your online learning. One way we recommend that parents/guardians stay informed is by creating a myDSD parent account. This is where schedules, grades, school documents, and fees are posted. We also highly encourage parents to create a Canvas Parent Observer account, so they may have access to your course, too. With this account, parents are able to see all of the courses you are taking in Davis Connect, the assignments, your submissions, your assignment scores, and teacher feedback to you. 

Classmates: Some of our students have been with Davis Connect for several years and are adept at how things run. They can provide you with advice, technology tips, and encouragement as you work through your online classes. Our Student Body Officers are particularly helpful and friendly, always willing to help fellow students be successful in Davis Connect.

Other Staff: We have additional staff who support Davis Connect online learners, for example, our secretaries, registrar, Speech Pathologists, Special Education case managers, and administrators. They are always happy to meet with (either in person or online), answer questions, and offer support.

Adapted from: Student Guide to Online Learning | Michigan Virtual

Check out our PDFs and instructional videos on our Davis Connect program options, as well as the details for each.

Read what our Davis Connect families have to say about why they love online learning!