Delivery of curriculum by 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 Education Act.
The Education Act makes provison for a school to deliver to its enrolled students all or a significant part of courses in distance education mode.
Distance education means the delivery of courses of study during which teachers and students enrolled in schools 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 distance education if a teacher with prime responsibility for delivering a course of study was regularly in the presence of students and supplemented the teaching with a range of audio-visual aids.
Under the distance education provision, a school may deliver all or a significant part of courses from Kindergarten to Year 12 by means of distance education. Under these circumstances, the school must have in place additional policies and procedures that are appropriate to ensure the personal and social development of its students.
A minimum of fifteen (15) school days of 'residential school' sessions for all students undertaking a full-time distance education program (pro-rata for students undertaking a part-time program) must be included as part of the program.
'Residential school' sessions are times when students and teachers are in the presence of each other at the same physical location undertaking learning activities related to the school's education programs. 'Residential school' sessions are also used to supplement those aspects of the program that develop students' personal and social skills.
Also, students undertaking courses with practical components must be provided with additional 'residential school' sessions to ensure that they have opportunities to achieve the course outcomes for practical work.
If a registered non-government member school intends to deliver all or a significant part of its students' courses of study by means of distance education, the registration system must notify NESA nine (9) months prior to the implementation of such a change to seek approval.
Evidence of compliance
In addition to the evidence of compliance required for section 5.3.1.1 and/or sections 5.3.1.2 and 5.3.1.3 above, the registration system and/or member school delivering all or a significant part of the courses of study to its students by means of distance education must maintain documentation for each calendar year of the current registration period that includes:
- policies and procedures for authenticating student work
- guidelines for people such as family or community members who 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 student undertaking all of their courses of study by distance education. The number of days of 'residential school' sessions provided 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
- teaching programs, including specific details of all teaching and learning activities provided to students, for each distance education course offered
- the annual schedule for teaching programs and activities undertaken at 'residential school' sessions
- the annual schedule for additional 'residential school' sessions for courses that include practical components.
For each of its students undertaking all or a significant part of their courses by means of distance education the school must maintain documentation that records:
- learning progress in relation to syllabus outcomes
- attendance at 'residential school' sessions
- the mechanisms by which each student is able to interact with relevant teachers each week
- the dates of teacher visits to the student
- procedures for the formal supervision of students undertaking external examinations/tests.