Frequently
Asked Questions
What
is WVS?
Wisconsin
Virtual School is YOUR Wisconsin Web Academy. The
Wisconsin Web Academy (WWA) is a partnership between
DPI and CESA 9. Wisconsin Virtual School then partners
with school districts throughout the state to offer
online courses to middle and high school students. WVS
"uncomplicates" the process of adding virtual courses
to a district's curriculum,
providing the content, platform, Wisconsin certified
online teachers, technical support, training, server,
online policy development assistance, and much more. With WVS, districts can offer online
options to their students with minimal cost and time.
Districts retain control of key policy decisions and
the enrollment. WVS helps districts define their
policies for online learning.
What
Courses are Offered?
Wisconsin Virtual School offers middle, high school,
Credit Recovery and Advanced Placement curriculum, using
media-rich, high quality, Internet-based course content.
By partnering with local districts, we help districts
extend curriculum, create more options for students, and
custom fit programs to district needs. WVS
courses range from core curriculum such as English,
science, mathematics and social studies to
success-enhancing courses such as life skills and
career planning to electives such as foreign languages,
technology, phy. ed., health, wellness, art, music; Credit
Recovery, and Advanced Placement. These
courses are designed specifically for Internet delivery
at the learner’s pace. A
course list is available
in PDF format.
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Do
Courses Meet Wisconsin Standards?
Yes,
WVS courses meet both state and national standards. We
use Wisconsin content-specific certified teachers,
specifically trained to meet our rigorous Internet-based
teaching pedagogy and students enjoy quality, one-on-one
communication with the teacher.
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What
are the advantages for school districts using WVS?
Partnering
with WVS allows districts to stretch their resources
and offer additional high-quality educational options
that address specific students' needs with flexibility
and ease. Added advantages include:
- Local
control over your virtual education policies and
procedures
-
No contracts to sign or membership fees, single
enrollments welcome
-
Quick and easy online enrollment
-
Enrollment stays in the district
- Low
cost, avoiding the usual "start-up" expenses associated
with beginning an online program
- Wisconsin
certified teachers, trained in online facilitation
skills, that can attend to the needs of nontraditional
students, with one-on-one instruction
- High quality,
media-rich interactive courses, a user-friendly
platform, technical support, training,
administrative support, and more
-
No textbooks to buy (Note: except AP courses)
- Expanded
curriculum offerings with consistently high-quality,
interactive courses
-
Recapture or prevent dropouts
- "Any
time, any place, any path, any pace" learning for
students
-
Help with setting local policies for online learning
- Training
and technical support- both orientation and ongoing
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How
Does the Student Receive Credit and a Grade for Their
Coursework?
Upon
completion, WVS notifies the student's school district
of the student’s course completion and percentage
earned. The district determines and issues the letter
grade, along with local credit if applicable.
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Which
Students Are Viable Candidates for Internet-based
Courses?
Online
courses can be a valuable option for many different
types of students, including:
- College-bound
students in need of advanced or specialized coursework
- Credit
deficient students needing specific courses in order
to graduate
- Students
wanting to improve their skills in specific subject
areas
- Remedial
students who require one-on-one support
- Gifted
or advanced students who want expanded educational
offerings
- Summer
school students
- Students
with scheduling conflicts
- Home
bound students
- Students
who may not otherwise have a particular course offering
available
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What
are the Timelines for Enrolling In and Completing
a Course?
Students
may enroll in a WVS course at almost any time during
the semester and year, including the summer. In the spring and
fall terms, a student
has up to five months to complete a 1/2 credit
course. The summer term is 8 weeks
only. Students set their own pace in the online
environment, so they may complete a course in less time.
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What
Are the Technical Requirements for Participating?
Basic
technical requirements include:
- PC
with a Pentium Processor and Windows XP or Vista,
or Macintosh with Macintosh OSX or higher
-
256 MB RAM
-
800 x 600 resolution monitor
-
DSL or T-1 (preferred) or 56K modem Internet access
-
Sound card and speakers/headphones (microphone
required for certain courses)
- Hard
drive with at least 1G free space available
-
A current browser (Internet Explorer 6.x or higher ,
Firefox 2.x or higher, Safari 3.x or higher (popup
blocking disabled, Javascript enabled)
-
Various plug ins which
are available free-
see System Specs.
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What
is it Like to Take an Online Course?
An
Internet-based approach to learning uses interactive
online technology and requires active participation
in each course. There are frequent one-on-one communications with the
teacher and regular assignments. Online courses provide a
multimedia-rich environment with engaging, high-quality
content for individualized discovery through the learning
process.
This
dynamic content immerses students in imaginative experiences,
using a myriad of learning tools that are unique to
an Internet–based format. Students engage in dynamic
learning activities and student-selected learning
paths, which are multimedia-enforced. Students are
able to self-monitor their progress and create multimedia
portfolios, in a seamless learning environment, not
bound by time and space.
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How
much do courses cost through WVS?
The cost of each 1/2 credit (semester) Middle School, High School and Advanced Placement course is $325.
Credit Recovery courses are $270 per semester course. If the
school district is paying for the course, WVS will bill the district after a
14 day trial period. If the student is paying
for the course, payment must be received at the time
of enrollment. (See parent information)
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How
Do We Get Started?
The
student and their school district decide which course(s)
to take. The district assigns the student a local
contact person to help monitor the student’s progress
and encourage his/her maintaining a reasonable pace
toward course completion (we refer to this person
as a LEG –Local Education Guide).
The school district enrolls the student
online. Once CESA 9 confirms the student’s enrollment
is approved by the district or paid for by the
parent, the student will receive an email with their
log-in instructions. Students and the LEGs are strongly
encouraged to use the built-in Orientation course prior
to beginning their online course.
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For
more information, call CESA 9 at 715-453-2141
or e-mail us at wvs@wisconsinvirtualschool.org. |