While online learning is often associated with modern technology, its roots go back much further than many realize. In 1959, the University of Illinois created PLATO, a digital computer-based learning system that introduced many principles still used today (University of Illinois Grainger College of Engineering, 2020). Over 6 decades later, online education has grown drastically- online high school enrollment in Ontario increased by about 46% between 2018 and 2022 (State of the Nation, 2023). The foundational ideas of systems like PLATO remain relevant in virtual high schools in Ontario because they are effective.
Instructor Support
After completing your registration, you will receive an email from your course instructor containing a link to access your course along with your course handbook. Instructors are available Monday through Friday to answer questions about course material and provide guidance on any other OVS resource that you need. You are also able to reach out to our student success and guidance team for tech support and education path guidance.
Unlike traditional classrooms, your instructor is not bound to fixed hours and will respond to emails within 24 hours. This provides students with direct feedback that can be applied to assignments. No more waiting until school hours to ask important course questions. Without the constraints of a 9-3 school day, you can ask whenever the question comes to mind. This also means that you are not expected to be online at a certain time each day, providing the flexibility to learn when it works best for you.
Accessing your course
With the link you receive in your personal email you will be able to access your course immediately upon enrollment. You can start the course as soon as you would like and have all the materials available to you to start, from unit 1 to unit 4. For courses that require pre-requestites to be approved, you will have access to the lessons, and when administration approves your pre-requisites, the assignments will become available. This ensures that you are in the correct course, not starting work you don’t need to be doing (if the pre-requests don’t match), and are able to succeed with the course material. Students have access to their course for 365 days or until work is completed.
The lessons
Course material, including lessons, are available to you on the course home page. Lessons are given in a variety of formats, including slideshows, video presentations, interactive questions and notes. These lessons are available to you 24/7. This flexibility is one of many elements that contributes to online high school effectiveness. Students can learn at times that work best for them. Whether your sleep is interrupted on Tuesday, or you can’t start your work until 5pm because of hockey, your lessons will be available, as well as support. Research shows that learners who can control when they learn perform better, even when time studying is equal (Tullis & Benjamin, 2011).
Practice
Practice makes perfect! While obvious, it is not always implemented in a traditional classroom because of time constraints. In an OVS course, if a concept is challenging, you can spend additional time mastering it. OVS provides ample opportunity for practice, and our instructors, who are well-versed in subject matter, can provide further guidance and resources.
Practice may be provided in discussion forums, worksheets, interactive modules and more. These low stress, high reward activities allow you to identify what you understand and what requires more attention and are optional.
Learning Skills and Work Habits
While practice work within the course is optional, it speaks highly to your learning skills and work habits. Completing optional work helps you not only succeed academically but also demonstrates strong organizational and self-regulation skills. These skills are essential for future success. Throughout the course, you will be completing a variety of tasks to demonstrate your achievement of these habits. From answering emails with respect to completing optional work, this element really ensures that your online learning works. Your instructor will provide you with feedback on these twice throughout the course.
Formative assessments
Formative assessments refer to graded assignments that contribute to your final mark. Your course handbook outlines the weight of each assignment, allowing you to plan your time effectively. Furthermore, as the material and assignments are available to you throughout the whole course, you may highlight key information during lessons that you know will be relevant for the unit assignment.
For each unit, students submit one formative assignment. Initially, you will be given the opportunity to submit the assignment as a draft. The instructor will review the draft and provide general feedback. You will get the opportunity to revise the assignment and submit it as a final copy. All assignments are submitted to the Dropbox (a tab where you attach the assignment file). Whether you are submitting your grade 12 International Business Culminating Task (BBB4M), or your unit 3 assignment HHS4U (Families in Canada), your instructor will return feedback within 48 hours.
Upon completing all the unit lessons and assignments, you will complete a culminating assignment (also called: ISU [independent Study Unit], Final Assignment) or exam ,depending on the course and what fits best. The culminating assignment integrates knowledge from the entire course. For courses with exams, students choose a proctor, who verifies to the instructor that the exam is completed with academic integrity.
Earning your OSSD credits and University and College applications
Upon completion of your OVS course, proceed to the “Gradebook” tab on your course homepage to request your final report. You will be directed to confirm your main (home) school. OVS will proceed to mail an official report to the school, where it will be marked in your Ontario Student Transcript and Ontario Student Record. This will be counted towards your Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). For those enrolled in OVS full-time, upon completion of your OSSD and upon request (at no cost), we can send your transcript directly to OUAC (Ontario Universities’ Application Centre) or OCAS (Ontario College Application Service).
As you progress through your online OSSD credits with OVS, be comforted in knowing that every element of your education has been carefully thought through by caring and qualified educators. From 24/7 lesson availability to responsive instructors, you are not just receiving your Ontario high school graduation requirements, you are receiving peace of mind. Head over to our website to enroll!
Questions and Answers:
1) What happens right after I enroll in an OVS course?
Answer:
After registration, you receive an email from your instructor with a course access link and a course handbook. You can start immediately, access all units, and contact instructors (Mon–Fri) or the student success/guidance team for support. Instructors respond within 24 hours.
2) How flexible is the learning schedule?
Answer:
Highly flexible. Lessons and materials are available 24/7, and you are not required to log in at specific times. Students can learn when it works best for them, which research shows improves performance when learners control their study timing.
3) What kinds of lessons and learning materials are provided?
Answer:
Lessons appear on the course home page in multiple formats: slideshows, videos, interactive questions, and notes. All units (1–4) are accessible from the start, allowing students to plan ahead and revisit content as needed.
4) How do assignments and assessments work?
Answer:
Each unit includes one formative (graded) assignment. Students submit a draft first, receive feedback, revise, and then submit a final version via Dropbox. Feedback is returned within 48 hours. At the end, students complete either a culminating assignment (ISU) or an exam, depending on the course.
5) How do I earn credits and apply to colleges or universities?
Answer:
After finishing the course, students request a final report through the Gradebook tab. OVS sends an official report to the student’s home school, where it appears on the Ontario Student Transcript and counts toward the OSSD. Full-time OVS students can also have transcripts sent directly to OUAC or OCAS at no cost.
Sources:
Tullis, J. G., & Benjamin, A. S. (2011). On the effectiveness of self-paced learning. Journal of Memory and Language, 64(2), 109–118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jml.2010.11.002
Written by Kaitlyn Van Hezewyk (OVS teacher)