Site coordinators act as a friendly motivator for IDLA students because:
- Online courses are highly interactive. Students need to log in and complete work several times a week or they may fall behind.
- Falling behind in coursework is the leading cause of student dropout from online courses.
- IDLA courses are not like correspondence courses where work may be completed at one’s own schedule. Students are expected to match specific schedules set by the IDLA instructor(s).
Role of the Site Coordinator
- The Idaho Digital Learning site coordinator must:
- Complete the online site coordinator course to obtain an understanding of Idaho Digital Learning and to qualify for the fee reduction.
- Assess the eligibility of students interested in taking our courses.
- Register students for Idaho Digital Learning classes. Register a student »
- Maintain a local list of student IDs and passwords.
- Identify special needs of students and communicate appropriate accommodations to Idaho Digital Learning.
- Know the basic skills students need for online learning.
- Support students enrolled in Idaho Digital Learning:
- Ensure students have regular and convenient access to the Internet and the necessary equipment/software to complete Idaho Digital Learning coursework.
- Distribute and collect CD and textbook materials in a timely manner.
- Monitor students’ progress and proctor students’ final exams. Learn about final exams »
- Initiate disciplinary measures for violations of the Acceptable Use Policy and/or campus code of conduct.
- Serve as point person between Idaho Digital Learning and your school/students:
- Communicate regularly with students and parents about progress in Idaho Digital Learning courses.
- Respond to communications from students’ instructors.
- Forward final course grades to the local school registrar for transcription on the student’s home school transcript.
- Disseminate updates about the Idaho Digital Learning program to local school administration, students, and parents.
Determining Student Eligibility
The site coordinator determines eligibility of interested students prior to enrollment with Idaho Digital Learning Academy. A student must meet the following requirements to qualify for enrollment:
- Student must be enrolled in IDLA through the local school district.
- Student must complete all necessary prerequisites prior to registration in a course. To determine these, please reference specific course syllabi within the course catalog.
- Student must have access to equipment that meets the minimum requirements specified in the Idaho Digital Learning course description.
Special Education/504/Limited English Proficient
By law, any services identified on a student’s IEP, Section 504 plan or ELP plan(either under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2004 or under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and/or Education Learning Plan for Limited English Proficient (LEP) Students authorized under Idaho Law: IDAPA 08.02.03 – 111.04.t) must be met by the student’s home campus. The Site Coordinator/District Representative is responsible to fax to IDLA at 1-866-534-2220 the student’s IEP/504/ELP. Upon receipt of the individual plan, the IDLA instructor will provide acceptable accommodations specified in the IEP/504/ELP plan with additional resources of the IEP/504/LEP plan are the responsibility of the home district.
For more information, contact Mont Hibbard at mont.hibbard@IdahoDigitalLearning.org or 208-790-3084.
Credit for Classes
- Credit for Idaho Digital Learning classes is granted through the student’s school district.
- Grading is delivered to the student’s school as a percentage (0% to 100%).
- The school that enrolls the student determines the amount of credit and the equivalent grade.
- Honors points, weighting and other special considerations will be made at the discretion of the local school and should be decided prior to the enrollment of students.
Upon successful completion of all course requirements, the site coordinator notifies the student’s home campus registrar of any credits earned through IDLA for inclusion on the student’s official transcript.
Cost of Courses:
- Course fees are $75 for Fall 2012 per course and $100 for Spring 2013 per course.
Who Pays?
- In many cases, districts pay for students who take Idaho Digital Learning classes as a part of their normal school day.
- Many districts will charge a student but refund the fee if the student successfully completes the course. The district may pass the fees on to the parent/student in overload situations when a student is enrolled more than full-time, such as night school, early graduation, or summer school.
- Check with your local school district's fee policy regarding Idaho Digital Learning.
- Scholarships may be available.
Creating Student Success
Students with a high probability of success in an online learning environment generally answer “yes” to the following questions:
- Are you self-motivated and exhibit characteristics of maturity?
- Do you read and write at or above your current grade level?
- Are you willing to ask teachers for help?
- Have you previously been successful in a distance-learning environment?
- Do you have organizational and time-management skills?
- Are you comfortable with the technology required by the course?
- Are your expectations of distance learning courses realistic?
If a student doesn’t agree with a majority of those questions, it may be best for him/her to take a different type of course. If a student didn’t meet several of the characteristics listed above, he/she may still be successful at a distance-learning course but they may experience difficulties with it. Please consider this carefully to ensure the best chance of success. Idaho Digital Learning recommends students not enroll in more than two distance learning courses at the same time.