Integrating Technology Into the Curriculum
In Compass to 2015, the Strategic Plan for Student Success, the school division states its commitment to using innovative instructional practices and supportive technologies. To ensure this goal is achieved, the school division offers distance learning programs in the high school and middle school levels. The distance learning programs available to Virginia Beach City Public Schools' students include:
Virtual Virginia Beach e-Learning (online)
Students enrolled in this program are able to take a course from the convenience of their home, any day of the week, anytime of the day. These courses are delivered via the Internet using a computer at home. Online courses are not for every student! They require different skills and learning styles than traditional, face-to-face courses. For instance, students in an online course are responsible for scheduling their own "class time" and must have on-demand access to a computer as well as high-speed Internet access (see "Minimum Computer Requirements"). Online students must be skillful readers and writers, and must be very focused and disciplined. The most successful online students have these qualities themselves: parent determination is not a substitute! Contact the student's counselor for enrollment in online courses for the regular school year. Parents and students may register and pay for online summer school classes by clicking on the Summer School 2013 link in the navigation menu on the left side of the page.
Quality Connection (videoconferencing)
Instruction is delivered through videoconferencing (two-way video/two-way audio) equipment that is physically located in Distance Learning Labs in each high school and middle school. This type of distance learning enables a class taught at one school to be broadcast to students at other schools. The Quality Connection program provides students the opportunity to participate in classes during the school day that cannot be offered at their home school due to insufficient numbers of interested students.
