Distance education
A registered non-government school that has students undertaking all or a significant part of their courses of study by means of distance education must provide a curriculum, including curriculum outcomes, that accord with the requirements of Part 3 of the Act.
A school may deliver all or a significant part of students' courses by means of distance education.
Distance education means the delivery of courses of study during which students and teachers are not regularly in the presence of each other but communicate with each other in writing, by print or by electronic or other means. This excludes situations where a school that does not normally deliver courses by means of distance education provides, either in writing, by print or by electronic means:
- units of work/activities for a student who has been granted leave by the principal
- courses of study that its students access through an outside tutor or external provider.
Many schools use electronic means to enhance the courses of study provided by the school. It would not be considered to be delivering distance education to its students if the teacher with prime responsibility for delivering the course of study is regularly in the presence of students and supplements the teaching with a range of audiovisual aids.
Evidence of capacity to comply
If the proposed non-government school intends to deliver all or a significant part of the curriculum to its enrolled students in distance education mode, additional documentation must be provided which includes:
- the courses that it proposes to deliver on-site and by means of distance education
- policies and procedures for authenticating potential student work
- guidelines for people such as family or community members who may act as on-site supervisors of a student's distance education work
- policies and procedures in relation to providing a minimum of fifteen (15) days of 'residential school' sessions each school year for each potential distance education student undertaking all of their courses of study by distance education. The minimum number of days of 'residential school' sessions that the proposed school intends to provide for students undertaking less than a full program of study by means of distance education is to be calculated on a pro-rata basis
- policies and procedures in relation to providing additional 'residential school' sessions for students undertaking courses that include practical components
- policies and procedures in relation to teacher visits to students
- samples of the teaching programs for each course to be delivered by means of distance education, including teaching and learning activities that would be provided to students
- the proposed annual schedule for teaching programs and activities to be undertaken on the days of 'residential school' sessions
- the proposed annual schedule for additional 'residential school' sessions for courses that have a practical component.