- How long will it take me to complete a course?
- Are there limits around how quickly or slowly I can finish a course?
- Do I have to take courses in a certain order?
- How am I graded?
- Is this school accredited?
- Does the program have an age limit?
- How many students are currently enrolled?
- Can students enroll in just one course?
- Can I mix online and correspondence courses or do I have to choose one way or the other?
- Do you supply books with your online courses?
- Can students work at an accelerated pace and move on to the next grade?
- What happens if we are traveling and need a leave of absence? Can we do this?
- When will I be able to start if I enroll today?
- What is the average cost per year for a high school student?
- How much do your courses cost?
- What are the benefits of taking an online course?
- How do I enroll?
- How long do I have to complete a Wapaskwa course?
- How long will it take for me to receive my books?
- What kind of computer do I need to take online courses?
- Do you have real teachers? How do they stay in contact with their students?
- What is the difference between correspondence courses and the online courses?
- How many times can students contact teachers?
- Are teachers different for correspondence vs. online courses?
How long will it take me to complete a course?
Each full-credit course is built for 110 hours of instructional time (or about one hour a day, 5 days a week as a rough guide). But remember, there’s tremendous flexibility around how quickly or slowly you proceed through that course. A half credit course generally takes half the time of a full-credit course.
Are there limits around how quickly or slowly I can finish a course?
Our policy is that a full credit course should be completed in no fewer than eight weeks and no more than a calendar year. Extensions to courses beyond a year are available.
Do I have to take courses in a certain order?
You don’t have to, but many subjects are covered through a sequence of courses. Let’s use math as an example. Students will start with Grade 9 Math 10F, move on to Introduction to Applied and Precalculus Math 20S, then on to Precalculus 30S, then on to Precalculus 40S, etc. Students move through courses at their own speed, and then go on to the next level when they’re ready.
WVC uses several types of assessments including practice quizzes, short answer and essay questions, objective multiple choice exams, and oral examinations (when appropriate). This mix provides the independent learner with checkpoints to monitor his or her progress through each course. Students are also required to practice various styles of writing to help ensure learning and develop communication abilities that they’ll need after high school.
Not at this point. We partner with your home school to provide you an enhanced curriculum. Your course will be taught by WVC’s accredited teaching staff and your course credit will be granted by your home school upon successful completion of the course.
Does the program have an age limit?
The WVC programs are meant for school age student in a current high school program.
How many students are currently enrolled?
WVC will start piloting courses in January 2009 for a select group of students.
Can students enroll in just one course?
Yes. Students enroll in a single WVC course for a number of reasons:
- To take one of our innovative online courses that enhance the learning experience through many interactive and visual games;
- To take courses that aren’t available in their regular school curriculum;
- To get ahead in their studies;
Can I mix online and correspondence courses or do I have to choose one way or the other?
Yes. Feel free to mix online and correspondence courses in whatever combination works best for you. Our innovative, flexible, and student-focused program allows you to earn an education that fits your own learning style and interests. By managing your own education program and working at your own pace, we believe that you’ll develop valuable time management and organizational skills.
Do you supply books with your online courses?
Most of our online courses include high quality industry-leading textbooks as part of your tuition. Some online courses, however, do not require a textbook as all course materials are provided online. For online courses, all of the supplementary information is contained in the online lessons. Online courses also enhance your learning experience with games, animated visuals, and live chats with teachers and students.
Can students work at an accelerated pace and move on to the next grade?
Yes. WVC helps you to reach your individual potential by encouraging you to study on your own time and at your own pace. Keep in mind, however, that WVC policy states that you may not complete a course in fewer than eight weeks from the date of enrollment. (This policy is based on a belief that a course of any material value takes a minimum amount of time for the student to properly absorb, apply, and be assessed on the content.)
What happens if we are traveling and need a leave of absence? Can we do this?
Possibly. If you need to temporarily stop your studies for emergencies or medical situations, it may be possible to continue. These decisions are made on an individual basis.
When will I be able to start if I enroll today?
If you are taking online courses, you may begin exploring your course as soon as you receive your password from us — normally 3-5 days from when you enroll!
What is the average cost per year for a high school student?
Tuition varies depending on the number of courses a student takes and the method in which those courses are delivered — online or correspondence. As such, a full school year — considered to be five one-credit courses — varies between $ 2500 – $3200.
Online courses, which are $579 each (for a full year), enhance the student’s learning experience with games and other interactive activities, proactive online teacher support, a 72-hour turnaround time on student assessments and links to outstanding course-related web sites.
How much do your courses cost?
The price for a full-credit online course is $579.
What are the benefits of taking an online course?
There are many! Online courses:
- Include animated graphics to make learning more interesting, to make the lesson come to life, and to present concepts in a visual way;
- Include games and other interactive activities that reinforce concepts in a fun and interesting manner;
- Offer proactive online teacher support through email and a bulletin board;
- Provide online testing with instantaneous scoring of objective questions and a 72-hour turnaround time on subjective questions so that your course progression is as quick as your pace allows; and
- Include links to outstanding course-related web sites, access to the online library, and connection with online tutorials so that your learning continues beyond the course content.
WVC’s online students receive the same high-quality textbooks used in our correspondence program. (Note: some courses do not require a textbook.)
If you are looking to supplement your current education with one or more WVC courses, you can enroll in a number of ways, whichever is most convenient for you:
1) Call our MFNERC ICT Unit — 204.471.0804
2) Online Enrollment System — go to our website (www.wapaskwa.ca) and click on the Register Now tab in the navigation bar and click online enrollment
3) Fax Application Form to the following number — 204.477.4314
If you need application forms, you can find them most quickly by printing one off our website. To do that, go here now: www.wapaskwa.ca
How long do I have to complete a Wapaskwa course?
Students are given up to a full calendar year to complete a full credit course.
How long will it take for me to receive my books?
Your books should arrive 7-10 business days after you enroll, but if you enroll in online courses, you can begin your work in a couple of days after receiving a password and access to your courses.
What kind of computer do I need to take online courses?
You can take our online classes using either a PC or a Mac. For a list of the hardware and software that you will need to take our online courses, click here.
As of right now, Linux is not officially supported as an operating system by Keystone. If you are running a current version of Firefox and a current version of Adobe Flash Player, our courses should work just fine; however, there may be issues. If such issues come up, we cannot provide support for them at this time.
Do you have real teachers? How do they stay in contact with their students?
Yes, our teachers are a fundamental part of our school. Parents can have confidence that Wapaskwa Virtual Collegiate teachers will help their children achieve their potential.
Wapaskwa Virtual Collegiate faculty members are all certified teachers with an average of 15 years of instructional experience. More than 45% percent of Wapaskwa Virtual Collegiate faculty members have earned master’s or doctoral degrees in education or areas of instructional specialty.
There are many ways for students to contact their teachers. All students can connect with their teachers by phone, fax, email (for online courses only), or in traditional correspondence. Students that take online courses can also connect through class online bulletin boards, virtual classrooms, two-way chat, and two-way voice IP connections.
What is the difference between correspondence courses and the online courses?
Wapaskwa Virtual Collegiate fits students’ lives by allowing them to study on their own time and at their own pace. This extends to the choice of format that is offered to them — correspondence or online. Most of our courses are supported by high-quality industry-leading textbooks, a provincially-recognized curriculum, and certified teacher instruction.
Wapaskwa Virtual Collegiate’s online courses offer students more interaction with teachers and 72-hour turnaround on assessments. Online courses include engaging interactive activities, supporting graphics and flash demonstrations to enhance the learning experience. Online courses use the internet to send and receive work and communicate with other students and faculty. To see a demonstration of our online courses, click here.
Provincial correspondence courses are paper-based courses delivered primarily by postal mail. They are available for students who require or prefer a more traditional distance learning experience. For example, correspondence courses may better meet the educational needs of students who are living in remote locations where internet access may be unreliable.
Either format will provide the student with a sound, accredited, self-directed program of study that helps them achieve their potential.
How many times can students contact teachers?
There is no limit to the number of times you can contact your teacher. It will ultimately be determined by your needs as you manage and organize your studies.
We encourage you to build a working relationship with your teacher that includes instructional support and advice when and if you need it.
Are teachers different for correspondence vs. online courses?
Sometimes. Although regardless of which format they teach, all of our instructors are certified and knowledgeable in their subject area. Their focus in all cases is the same: to help you learn, grow, and achieve your individual potential.
