Gwinnett Online Campus

What is a Gwinnett Online Campus course like?

A Gwinnett Online Campus course is similar to a face-to-face class in the following ways: there are lessons, homework, due dates, class discussions, tests and teachers available to students throughout the duration of the course. The difference is that these activities occur over the internet and students may complete course work during the time of day that best fits their schedules. Students are required to log in to class daily and will need a computer and reliable internet access in order to complete their online course work. Such access includes securing a computer with internet after local school hours.

Which classes require face-to-face meetings?

All Science courses and the Introduction to Lifetime Fitness (PE) course require mandatory face-to-face meetings during the online semester. The teacher will provide specific dates and times to the students once classes begin or you can view this information on our website.

Is the first day of class really mandatory for an online course?

The first day of class is vital to student success in an online course. Depending on which course(s) a student has registered to take through Gwinnett Online, some first day of class meetings will be face-to-face at the Gwinnett Online Campus. This information can be found on our website and students will also be contacted by their instructor with his/her expectations for the beginning of the semester.
On the first day of class, students must read through the “Gwinnett Online Campus Orientation” and course-specific introduction modules that are located in the specific course(s) for which they registered. In order to evaluate that students have completely read through and understand the information discussed in both of these modules, a quiz will become available at the end of the course introduction module. This quiz will not appear before students have completely read through these two modules. Completion of this quiz will give students access to the content for the particular course(s) in which they are enrolled. Failure to complete these tasks on the first day will result in being dropped from the course. Students may have additional requirements for the first day of class in addition to the aforementioned items.
Students who have taken an online course previously are NOT EXEMPT from the first day of class expectations.

Do I have to log into my online course everyday?

Yes, students must have daily access to a reliable computer with internet connection in order to successfully complete their course work. Such access includes securing a computer with internet after local school hours. Students are responsible for meeting all class deadlines. The average student taking a twelve-week semester course will need to spend approximately six to ten hours each week on their course work. The average student taking a six-week semester course or a block course will need to spend approximately twenty hours to twenty six hours each week on their course work.

What if I have an IEP? What accommodations does Gwinnett Online support?

Gwinnett Online can support the following accommodations:

• Course calendar with all course assignments and due dates
• Frequent progress updates (Gradebook in Desire2Learn has updated average available at all times. Grades are also updated daily on the GCPS Parent Portal.)
• Extended time on tests, final exams and End of Course Tests
• Extended time on assignments as outlined in the student’s IEP
• Small group testing for final exams and End of Course Tests

 
Other instructional accommodations are not conducive to the online learning environment.

What happens if I go out of town?

Students may travel, however they must have a reliable computer with internet connection in order to continue to work in their course. It is the student’s responsibility to check in daily with their course and continue to communicate with their teacher. All assignments are due by midnight (12:00am) eastern standard time. Any assignments missed while out of town are considered unexcused and will result in a zero.

How many online classes can I take at a time?

Students are allowed to take one course in addition to their regular schedule each semester during the school year and two total courses during the summer. Gwinnett County Public School policy states that students cannot take a full unit of any course where the first semester is a prerequisite for the second semester. GCPS students are provided the opportunity to take Online Campus courses as a part of their school day. If this is something you are interested in, please contact your local school counselor for more information.

Do I have to take my final exam and End of Course Test (EOCT) face-to-face?

Yes, all final exams or End of Course Tests will be taken face-to-face in a proctored setting at the Gwinnett Online Campus. At this last meeting, students are responsible to return any course materials that were checked out at the beginning of the term. Please refer to our website for more information.

What exactly is the Online Campus Program Introduction to Lifetime Fitness (PE) course and how does it work?

Yes, there really is such a thing as online PE! Students are expected to complete written assignments that provide them with basic knowledge and understanding of how to attain a healthful level of fitness. Students are issued heart rate equipment in order to complete the fitness part of the course. Heart rate activity during student workouts is recorded and then uploaded to a website for the student and teacher to track workouts as well as progress towards fitness goals. Due to the online delivery of this course and the fact that workouts are not done in the instructor’s presence, assessment of a student’s workouts is based on the workout’s time and intensity as measured through heart rate activity. This course requires some extra testing days for a pre-fitness assessment at the beginning of the course (establishing base lines for several fitness tests), a mid-testing in the middle of the course, and post fitness testing near the end of the course (showing achievement of fitness goals). ALL DATES ARE MANDATORY. If you are unable to attend the required dates, there are other opportunities to take this course. This course is offered during the Fall, Spring and Summer semesters. Please note that the Polar PE equipment used for this class is NOT Mac compatible.

Can I take any online classes my eighth grade year?

Students are eligible to take the online Introduction to Health and online Introduction to Lifetime Fitness (PE) classes during the summer preceding their ninth grade year. This is the earliest that students can register for any class offered through the Gwinnett Online Campus and these are the only two classes that rising ninth graders can take before officially beginning high school.

What if I want to withdraw and receive a course refund?

 
With parental approval, students can drop tuition online course(s) up until the posted first day of class on our website and request a refund by clicking on the GOC Request a refund link. The refund cannot be processed until five working days after the payment is made and it is confirmed that the payment has not been returned by the bank. The refund will be credited to the original payment method within 7-10 business days once it is processed by our main office. No refunds will be given after the posted first day of class.