Common use of DISTRIBUTED LEARNING Clause in Contracts

DISTRIBUTED LEARNING. 49.01 It is recognized that in order to fully prepare students for the future, all students need to have access to distributed learning opportunities throughout their public education experience. 49.02 Distributed learning is a method of instruction that relies primarily on communication between students and teachers through the internet or other electronic-based delivery, teleconferencing, video conferencing or e-correspondence. It allows teachers, students, and content to be located in different, non-centralized locations so that instruction and learning can occur independent of time and place. 49.03 All distributed learning courses provided by an Education Entity shall be taught by certified teachers under contract with an Education Entity in a form approved under this Agreement. 49.04 The participation of a teacher in a distributed learning course shall be part of the teacher’s regular assignment and shall not infringe upon the teacher’s access to marking and preparation time, lunch periods, days pursuant to Article 25.05, School Year, or other such times provided to classroom teachers in the school. 49.05 The Education Entity shall provide that each school participating in a distributed learning course will ensure that a student supervision plan is in place. This plan shall include the name of the teacher or teachers responsible for ensuring that the students in the distributed learning class are supervised while at school. 49.06 Each receiving site shall designate a teacher to coordinate distributed learning within the school. The role of the coordinating teacher shall be, as required: (i) to make resources available, when needed, and designate a place where resources are to be stored; (ii) to monitor student progress with the understanding that the distributed learning teacher is responsible for student evaluation; (iii) to coordinate the availability of tutorial help for students when requested; (iv) to ensure that student assignments and evaluations are sent to the delivery site and distributed when returned, where appropriate; (v) to maintain regular contact with the teacher delivering distributed learning; (vi) to maintain accurate registration records for distributed learning students; (vii) to coordinate evaluation schedules under the direction of the distributed learning teacher; (viii) to assist in dealing with parental enquiries and concerns as they arise. The assignment shall be part of the co-ordinating teacher’s regular assignment and shall not infringe upon the co-ordinating teacher’s access to marking and preparation time, lunch periods, days pursuant to Article 25.05, School Year, or other such times provided to classroom teachers in the school. 49.07 Where the same course is offered within the school and fits a student’s timetable, students shall require approval from the Director of Programs, or designate from the Centre/Board office, before taking the distributed learning course. 49.08 The maximum number of students permitted in a distributed learning course shall be twenty- five (25). 49.09 Teachers participating in distributed learning programs shall be provided with access to ongoing professional development in distributed learning. Consideration shall be given to providing professional development activities as part of in-service days pursuant to Article 25 of this Agreement. Necessary costs for Education Entity approved professional development activities shall be paid by the Education Entity and may be claimed subject to Article 60 Professional Development Fund of this Agreement. (i) The structure of the school day for a teacher assigned to teach distributed learning, whether synchronous or asynchronous, may be different but equivalent to the length of school day for teachers assigned to teach non-distributed learning courses. (ii) Any changes to the structure of the school day pursuant to (i) which impacts an individual teacher teaching distributed learning shall not occur without the agreement of the teacher. Should the Employer determine that the structure of the school day is to be different from what was assigned, should the distributed learning teacher decline the change, the Employer may still proceed with the change, in which case local provisions would apply to that teacher. (i) Teachers in schools which transmit distributed learning courses shall have the option to request a distributed learning assignment. (ii) A notice of assignment involving distributed learning shall be subject to assignment provisions in the Local Agreement. 49.12 A standing Distributed Learning Committee consisting of two (2) representatives from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, two (2) representatives from Education Entities and four (4) representatives from the Union shall be established to address issues surrounding the ongoing development of distributed learning. The Committee shall meet at the request of either the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development or Union but in any event not less than twice a year and provide a written report to the parties bound by this Agreement. Without limiting the scope of the Committee, the following are expected topics: • The application of reasonably equivalent hours of work • Appropriate time and resources for those teaching distributed learning courses • Professional development • Technological change

DISTRIBUTED LEARNING. 49.01 It is recognized that in order to fully prepare students for the future, all students need to have access to distributed learning opportunities throughout their public education experience. 49.02 Distributed learning is a method of instruction that relies primarily on communication between students and teachers through the internet or other electronic-based delivery, teleconferencing, video conferencing or e-correspondence. It allows teachers, students, and content to be located in different, non-centralized locations so that instruction and learning can occur independent of time and place. 49.03 All distributed learning courses provided by an Education Entity shall be taught by certified teachers under contract with an Education Entity in a form approved under this Agreement. 49.04 The participation of a teacher in a distributed learning course shall be part of the teacher’s regular assignment and shall not infringe upon the teacher’s access to marking and preparation time, lunch periods, days pursuant to Article 25.05, School Year, or other such times provided to classroom teachers in the school. 49.05 The Education Entity shall provide that each school participating in a distributed learning course will ensure that a student supervision plan is in place. This plan shall include the name of the teacher or teachers responsible for ensuring that the students in the distributed learning class are supervised while at school. 49.06 Each receiving site shall designate a teacher to coordinate distributed learning within the school. The role of the coordinating teacher shall be, as required: (i) to make resources available, when needed, and designate a place where resources are to be stored; (ii) to monitor student progress with the understanding that the distributed learning teacher is responsible for student evaluation; (iii) to coordinate the availability of tutorial help for students when requested; (iv) to ensure that student assignments and evaluations are sent to the delivery site and distributed when returned, where appropriate; (v) to maintain regular contact with the teacher delivering distributed learning; (vi) to maintain accurate registration records for distributed learning students; (vii) to coordinate evaluation schedules under the direction of the distributed learning teacher; (viii) to assist in dealing with parental enquiries and concerns as they arise. The assignment shall be part of the co-ordinating teacher’s regular assignment and shall not infringe upon the co-ordinating teacher’s access to marking and preparation time, lunch periods, days pursuant to Article 25.05, School Year, or other such times provided to classroom teachers in the school. 49.07 Where the same course is offered within the school and fits a student’s timetable, students shall require approval from the Director of Programs, or designate from the Centre/Board office, before taking the distributed learning course. 49.08 The maximum number of students permitted in a distributed learning course shall be twenty- five (25). 49.09 Teachers participating in distributed learning programs shall be provided with access to ongoing professional development in distributed learning. Consideration shall be given to providing professional development activities as part of in-service days pursuant to Article 25 of this Agreement. Necessary costs for Education Entity approved professional development activities shall be paid by the Education Entity and may be claimed subject to Article 60 Professional Development Fund of this Agreement. (i) The structure of the school day for a teacher assigned to teach distributed learning, whether synchronous or asynchronous, may be different but equivalent to the length of school day for teachers assigned to teach non-distributed learning courses. (ii) Any changes to the structure of the school day pursuant to (i) which impacts an individual teacher teaching distributed learning shall not occur without the agreement of the teacher. Should the Employer determine that the structure of the school day is to be different from what was assigned, should the distributed learning teacher decline the change, the Employer may still proceed with the change, in which case local provisions would apply to that teacher. (i) Teachers in schools which transmit distributed learning courses shall have the option to request a distributed learning assignment. (ii) A notice of assignment involving distributed learning shall be subject to assignment provisions in the Local Agreement. 49.12 A standing Distributed Learning Committee consisting of two (2) representatives from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, two (2) representatives from Education Entities and four (4) representatives from the Union shall be established to address issues surrounding the ongoing development of distributed learning. The Committee shall meet at the request of either the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development or Union but in any event not less than twice a year and provide a written report to the parties bound by this Agreement. Without limiting the scope of the Committee, the following are expected topics: •  The application of reasonably equivalent hours of work •  Appropriate time and resources for those teaching distributed learning courses •  Professional development •  Technological change