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Is the DECV a school? |
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Yes. The DECV is a Victorian government school that operates in the same environment as all other Victorian schools. We offer all levels of education from Primary through to Year 12. Our curriculum, policies and structure conform to the Department of Education and Training guidelines. |
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What is distance education? |
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Distance education simply means education that is not based in a physical classroom. Teaching and learning programs can be delivered in many ways – online, via disk, in print. Contact methods can include phone, email, chat, bulletins or simply by post. |
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| Does the school have a physical location? |
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It certainly does. Since 2001, teachers and staff are located in one building in Thornbury, in the inner north of Melbourne . Students (and families) can visit the school, and opportunities for seminars are provided regularly throughout the year. |
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| Who does the teaching? |
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Teachers working at the DECV are qualified professionals with current VIT registration. They are teachers with proven ICT competencies who have embraced the possibilities and challenges of teaching via distance modes. |
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| Where do the courses come from? |
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All courses are developed by teachers within the DECV. Generally the teachers who have developed the courses then teach the material. And naturally, all courses fit into DE&T guidelines – VELS, VCE, VCAL, VET. |
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| How do students do their work? |
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Students can choose to work in a number of ways. They may finish lessons in a book, and send work in the post. They might like to use the online environment to complete and submit work on line. They may join an online lesson with other students and their teacher, or maybe even just give their teacher a call. And of course they can do all of these. |
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| Do you have to be online? |
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The DECV has embraced the technological possibilities of distance education that now include immediate teacher contact and feedback as well as instantaneous course delivery. However, the flexibility in our programs means that students can still complete courses using traditional methods. |
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| Do students ever meet? |
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More and more students are meeting online in the DECV's secure online environment. They also have the opportunity to attend seminars and excursions which form a part of the teaching program – real people interacting with real people. 2005 saw the inaugural DECV camp. It is now an annual event. |
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