Innovation at Dalat #4 Independent Study

Last time in this “Innovation newsletter” I talked about our e-learning program that offers online classes from teachers and schools around the world. It gives HS students opportunities to take classes that otherwise are not offered here at Dalat. But even with that option, sometimes students have a different idea for a course of study that they may want to pursue.

A good example is the students who approached me two years ago with the desire to learn how to 3-D print. The school owned a 3-D printer, but we didn’t have a course that taught students how to use it.  The students wrote a proposal of study using our “Independent Study” guidelines. They received approval to print a 3-D model of the Dalat campus development. At the time Dalat had only finished the Castle building. The Lighthouse and Harbor building were just a dream but the independent study students gave us the first vision of what the campus would look like when the development was completed. 

The printing project was full of challenges and difficulties that forced students to come up with creative solutions. One of these challenges was that when the school printer print did not have the fine resolution needed to complete the model, the students solved this by printing and fabricating, from the first printer,  a second printer that was then used to print the campus model. The completed campus model, printed with the second printer, now sits in the entryway to the library.

The independent study program gave these students the opportunity to engage with learning in a way that satisfied their curiosity. Their work earned them school credit towards graduation and gave them something very interesting to share on their college applications.

Students, what area of study would you like to propose? If you have a project that you would like to pursue, take a look at the “Independent Study” guidelines or talk with Mr. Dobson in the guidance office for more details. This is the time to get serious about submitting a proposal as we will soon be enrolling for next year’s courses and finalizing your schedules.

Innovation at Dalat #3  e-learning

“What if Dalat does not offer a class about a concept that I really want to study?”

If a student has a passion or area of interest that they would like to engage in at a deeper level, occasionally the answer is to take one of the many online courses through outside providers. Our e-learning coordinator is available to help parents and students find just the right course. We will then support families by helping with the enrollment process and even giving financial support to help pay for the course. Then during the school year, we will give space in a student schedule each day to work on the class, provide academic support to the student in the class, and even include the final work on a student transcript. These courses count toward graduation requirements. In fact, online learning is becoming so important for all students Dalat is moving one-quarter of one of our 11^th grade English classes completely online (even though the teacher is on campus) just so that students have some exposure to online learning before they leave high school.

Over the years the number of online courses available and the quality of the courses has continued to improve. Some of the courses even give students the option of “dual enrollment”. This means that they can earn University credits at the same time they are earning high school credit.

No matter what the interest, (maybe not “underwater basket weaving J) we are likely to be able to find something that works. If you have questions please talk with our e-learning coordinator  Mr. Yost (dyost@dalat.org).

Innovation at Dalat #2 Portfolios

Portfolios are simple in concept. They give students a digital platform to record, save, and organize important information about themselves. They are an important “digital locker” to use for sharing when applying to universities that can help students record all of their achievements. This includes information such as service hours, awards, leadership experience, and extracurricular involvement. Students will use their portfolios to record growth in our Student Outcome Statements in the areas of Leadership, Scholarship, Discipleship and Citizenship. And they will be challenged to record important academic classroom work that demonstrates growth.

The Dalat Student Portfolio is actually a notebook in the Microsoft program “OneNote”. The framework for the notebook and all of the sections and pages has been organized by a team of HS teacher leaders with the key pieces that will continue to be optimized and developed. Over the next few semesters, both students and teachers will be learning how to use their portfolios to capture information. We will be sharing the value of this tool through our guidance department and teaching students ways to make the most of this space.

Below is a snapshot of the front page of a student Portfolio. If you would like more information talk with Mr. Dobson in the guidance office as he will be giving students leadership in this area. So far these only have been shared with students in the current freshman class. The rest of the HS will gain access to their portfolios over the semester with guidance on best practices to use them. Ask your student to show you around their portfolio and imagine the ways it could be useful.