Student Handbook

General Information

AMDEC courses are run in a semestered format. In this format, students will follow assignment due dates set by their teacher. Once you have been admitted to an AMDEC course you must:

• login and participate in your course every school day that the course is running.
• complete and submit course work by the deadlines posted by your teacher, and
• read all Course News and AMDEC General News posted in your course website.

 

When your registration is complete, you will be provided with information that will allow you to complete the Orientation process. Once you have completed Orientation, you can work on course material at any time of day, and from anywhere in Ontario, provided you have a computer and Internet access.

Your course website (The Core) is where you find announcements from your teacher, access your course material (lessons, assignments, and readings), complete online quizzes, submit course assignments, and participate online discussions. You will also find announcements from the AMDEC Administration and AMDEC guidance on the AMDEC School page of The Core.

Students register to take AMDEC courses with the permission of the Ontario secondary school where they are enrolled. The registration process will be completed by the student’s guidance counsellor. Once the student has been registered online, students, parents (for students under the age of 18), and the student's guidance counsellor will be informed whether the student has been accepted into a course or if their name has been placed on a waitlist.  If the student is on a waitlist, an additional email will be sent if/when a student is accepted into a course. Students will not be accepted into courses until all required information and documents have been submitted to AMDEC from the enrolling school.

Registration in AMDEC courses closes approximately two weeks after the beginning of each semester.

Students not currently enrolled in a secondary school, who wish to take AMDEC courses, must first enrol at their local Ontario secondary school. Questions regarding the registration process can be sent by email to [email protected]

Students may be responsible for purchasing or acquiring hardware, software, texts or supplies. Check the course description under the "Courses" tab at the top of this page to determine required and recommended supplies for each course.

A successful online student will be:

• Computer literate
• Organized
• Self-directed
• Able to manage their time
• A problem solver
• An effective communicator
• Responsible
• Honest
• Willing/able to access textbooks (if required), a working computer and Internet connection.

Regulations made under the Education Act include the following requirements for pupils:

• the student must be diligent in attempting to master such studies as are part of the program in which the pupil is enrolled;
• the student must be courteous to fellow pupils and teachers;
• the student must take such tests and examinations as are required by or under the Act or as may be directed by the Minister.

Summary of Important Dates

• September 6, 2023: First day of semester 1 classes
• February 2, 2024: First day of semester 2 courses.

AMDEC students must plan to spend at least as much time working on their eLearning course as they would expect to spend in a 'face-to-face' course. Each course requires approximately 110 hours of 'classroom' time with additional 'homework' time.

Realistic expectations and solid work habits allow students to enjoy their learning and their interaction with their teachers and peers. If this is the student's first eLearning course, there may be a period of adjustment as they learn how to navigate the course and learn in an eLearning structure. Students need to ask for assistance when it is required by contacting their teacher.

AMDEC Teachers and General Class Information

AMDEC courses are taught by certified teachers, employed by the Avon Maitland District School Board.

While course work is provided online in The Core, students will also be expected to attend virtual conferences with their teacher throughout the course to assess their learning, answer questions, problem-solve difficulties, and discuss the next steps in their learning.  If students have questions or difficulty, it is important that they contact their teacher for support.

General announcements for all AMDEC students are posted on the AMDEC School page. Teachers will regularly post course-related announcements and/or instructions on their course homepage. These postings will include information such as instructions for submission of work, attendance/holiday/PA Day reminders, links to documents, or extra information related to course content and assignments. It is each student's responsibility to read these messages and follow the instructions provided.

Teachers will normally answer emailed questions within one school day (not including weekends or holidays) and feedback will be provided on assignments in a timely manner. Students should review all teacher feedback provided and use it to improve future assignments,

Attendance in all eLearning courses is recorded every Friday. You should log in and work on your AMDEC course(s) daily in your eLearning period(s).

In order to be recorded as 'present' in your online class, you must actively participate in your course. To do this, you must log into your course and do at least one of the following every week:

• Submit work to a folder in the Assignments area,
• Participate in an online discussion,
• Complete an online quiz or test, checklist or survey,
• Conference with your teacher (virtually or by phone, chat, or email).

 

If you have extenuating circumstances that result in an inability to meet the above criteria you should contact your AMDEC teacher and AMDEC Guidance to discuss your situation.

AMDEC has provided a series of helpful videos and documents to help you navigate your eLearning course and use the tools available in your course.  These can be found by going to the Resources link at the top of this page and clicking on 'Orientation Links and Documents'. The videos and documents explain (but are not limited to) the following:

• Getting Started with your course
• Using GSuite
• Submitting Assignments, Discussions and Quizzes
• Using VideoNote
• Using Portfolio
• Setting Security Questions to Reset your Password

Resolving Login Difficulties

After you receive your AMDEC Orientation email, if you are having difficulty logging into your AMDEC course or your AMDSB Gmail account, do the following:

• If you are an AMDSB student:  Contact the TRA at your school for assistance.  Your guidance counsellor will be able to help you to find your TRA if you are not sure who they are.  If you require further assistance, your school contact will connect with the AMDEC Office
• If you are from outside of the AMDSB: Contact your Guidance Counsellor at your school for help. If you require further assistance, your school contact will connect with the AMDEC Office at [email protected] or by phone at 519-482-5428 ext. 400.

 

AMDSB Password Reset Tool

AMDSB provides the opportunity for you to set security questions on your account. This will allow you to reset your password on your own should you forget your password. It is strongly recommended that you do this. It only takes a minute or two and can be done by following the steps outlined on this How To: Security Questions document or watch the video available on the Orientation Links and Documents page under the Resources link at the top of this page.

How To Set Up Security Questions

 

Your teacher will provide information regarding assignments and due dates through class announcements and/or emails. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are meeting your deadlines each week. If you are having difficulty meeting a due date, please contact your teacher before the due date to discuss your situation.

If you miss an assignment without discussing your situation with your teacher beforehand, you can expect your teacher to contact you, your parents (for students under the age of 18) and/or your school to discuss your situation and create a plan for you to get back on track in your course.

Possible consequences of submitting late assignments could include mark deductions, limited or no feedback being given, or the assignment being checked for completion only.

Students will receive a Midterm report midway through the semester distributed by the home school. Final reports are provided after the completion of the course. In semester 1 final report cards are distributed by the home school. In semester 2, final report cards will be mailed to your home address through Canada Post and a copy of the report will be sent to your enrolling school. All report cards are Ontario Provincial Report Cards.

In all courses, using their professional judgment, teachers assign progress marks and final grades that represent the student’s most consistent overall level of achievement with an emphasis on the more recent assessment. They then convert the levels to percentage grades.
Level 4            80% - 100%
Level 3            70% - 79%
Level 2            60% - 69%
Level 1            50% - 59%
R         failing grade of less than 50%
Mid-term and Final reports will also include student learning skills and work habits. Instead of receiving numerical grades in these categories, students will be given descriptors, from “needs improvement” to “excellent.”

Each learning skill will be evaluated as: excellent, good, satisfactory or needs improvement.

Responsibility

The Student

• fulfills responsibilities and commitments within the learning environment;
• completes and submits class work, homework, and assignments according to agreed-upon timelines;
• takes responsibility for and manages own behaviour.

Organization

The Student

• devises and follows a plan and process for completing work and tasks;
• establishes priorities and manages time to complete tasks and achieve goals;
• identifies, gathers, evaluates, and uses information, technology, and resources to complete tasks.

Independent Work

The Student

• independently monitors, assesses, and revises plans to complete tasks and meet goals;
• uses class time appropriately to complete tasks;
• follows instructions with minimal supervision.

Collaboration

The Student

• accepts various roles and an equitable share of work in a group;
• responds positively to the ideas, opinions, values, and traditions of others;
• builds healthy peer-to-peer relationships through personal and media-assisted interactions;
• works with others to resolve conflicts and build consensus to achieve group goals;
• shares information, resources, and expertise and promotes critical thinking to solve problems and make decisions.

Initiative

The Student

• looks for and acts on new ideas and opportunities for learning;
• demonstrates the capacity for innovation and a willingness to take risks;
• demonstrates curiosity and interest in learning;
• approaches new tasks with a positive attitude;
• recognizes and advocates appropriately for the rights of self and others.

Self-regulation

The Student

• sets own individual goals and monitors progress towards achieving them;
• seeks clarification or assistance when needed;
• assesses and reflects critically on own strengths, needs, and interests;
• identifies learning opportunities, choices, and strategies to meet personal needs and achieve goals;
• perseveres and makes an effort when responding to challenges.

Students are assessed and evaluated on their work to help them know what is required to improve. Teachers plan assessments in accordance with the Avon Maitland District School Board and Ministry of Education assessment and evaluation policies. Students have significant responsibilities for assessment and evaluation and are expected to:

• communicate with teachers in advance when legitimate difficulties interfere with meeting deadlines;
• complete and submit assignments according to their posted deadlines;
• understand the role of the categories of the Achievement Chart in order to help them identify areas of strength and weakness;
• develop time management skills and set goals for academic success;
• view assessments as a way to help achieve better results when their work is evaluated;
• request teacher assistance when needed;
• think about and use teacher feedback to improve grades;
• understand that teachers are responsible for teaching a specific curriculum and have administrative deadlines for assessment and evaluation.

Information adapted from “The Learning Consortium: Building Quality Learning Environments”

Course Assessment and Evaluation

All assignments in your course serve an important function in your learning in the course. Your teacher requires you to complete assignments for one or more of the following:

• Assessment for learning - these assignments enable your teacher to use information about student knowledge, understanding, and skills to inform their teaching. They can then provide feedback to students about their learning as well as the next steps/direction in moving your learning forward.
• Assessment as learning - these assignments provide students and teachers with information about student learning and help to guide and provide opportunities for students to monitor and critically reflect on their learning. Through teacher feedback and student self-assessment and reflection, students identify gaps in their learning and next steps toward reaching their learning goals.
• Assessment of learning - these assignments allow the teacher to evaluate the extent to which the student has been able to demonstrate their understanding of the key concepts, knowledge, skills, and attitudes outlined in the course curriculum

Unless informed otherwise by your teacher, all assigned work, including any tests, must be completed by the stated due date. You may not put off writing a test and continue working on subsequent weeks' work.

In all courses, term work is worth 70% of the final grade and the final evaluation (culminating activity and/or exam) is worth 30%.

In an online discussion, students may be required to post messages, and/or provide constructive feedback to the posting of a fellow student.

A test is one type of assessment that is included in some modules. There are two different types of tests that you may be required to complete: online tests and traditional tests (completed using either a word processor or with paper and pen/pencil). Your teacher will provide you with specific instructions regarding each test for your course(s). Please ensure that you pay particular attention to the test instructions. Your allotted test time begins as soon as you open the test.

Regardless of the test method, to verify that a test has been completed according to the teacher's instructions, you must have a responsible adult (over the age of 21) supervise when you are writing a test. You will be required to provide your teacher with your test supervisor's name and email address, either on the test or via an email to your teacher.

During the test, the student should only communicate with the test supervisor. If there are any technical issues, students should contact their teacher and the AMDEC Office right away. If the AMDEC teacher has any questions or concerns about the student's test they will address them with only the student and/or the test supervisor. This will ensure that the integrity of both the student and the test is maintained.

There is one thing that we know about electronic devices; they are not always reliable. As a student taking an eLearning course, device failure is something you must be prepared to deal with. It is recommended that you use the Google Drive or O365 account provided to you to complete your assignments whenever possible. These assignments are automatically saved and because it is cloud-based, your work is accessible from any computer device with internet access. On the Resources page of this website, under the Orientation Links and Documents, see the video and document provided for more information about how to use your GSuite account effectively.

It is your responsibility to save copies of all assignments submitted to your teacher. Technical issues or device failure will not be considered an acceptable reason for falling behind with your work. If your device malfunctions or if you experience technical issues, the expectation is that you find an alternate device on which to continue your work. Students should check for access to additional computers, tablets, or other devices at their enrolling school, at a friend or relative's house, and/or at a local public library.

Note: You must have up-to-date virus protection software on your computer.

AMDEC teachers are able to accept the file formats listed below. In most courses, however, the preferred file format for regular coursework submission is PDF. There may be some exceptions if your course requires specialized software. If in doubt, be sure to contact your teacher for clarification.

• PDF - Portable Document Format (.pdf)
• LibreOffice Writer (.odt)
• OpenOffice Writer (.odt)
• Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx)
• Rich Text Format (.rtf)

When completing assignments, unless you are using specialized software specifically required for your course, please ensure that all assignments submitted are in one of the acceptable file formats noted above. When working in a software program you can usually save your document as a new file type by clicking the ... File - Save As - function, selecting an acceptable file type, and clicking Save. If you are working in Google Docs, you can save your document in an acceptable file type by clicking the File - Download As - ... function, selecting an acceptable file type, and saving the document to your hard drive. You can then upload the document to the appropriate folder in the Assignments area of the course from your hard drive.

On the Resources page of this website, under the Orientation Links and Documents, see the video and document provided for more information about saving work and submitting your assignments.

When creating files to send to your teacher, your files should have meaningful names which reflect the contents of who you are and what you are sending. This will help you keep your work organized.

Tips for Word Processing Programs (Word, OpenOffice, Pages):

• Do not use spaces in file names,
• Do not use special characters: Such as ! ~ : $ ( ,
• Files must have the proper extension assigned by the computer. The extension is the three or four letters that follow the period, e.g. .pdf, .docx, .xls. Never manually change the extension; Use the Save As function to change the extension/file type of your document.

All email correspondence with your teacher or anyone else in AMDEC should take place through your assigned AMDSB Gmail (if you are from AMDSB or a private school) or through your board provided email (if you are from another publicly funded Ontario school board). You can find a link to email anyone in the AMDEC Office for support, through the Contact Us link on this website.

Every email you send must contain a meaningful subject line and sufficient description for your teacher to know what you are working on. Each email sent to your teacher must contain your course code and a module number. In order to help your teacher answer your emailed questions effectively, you must be as specific as possible when asking your question. For example, if Jane Doe wants to send an email to ask her ENG2D teacher a question about module 4, the subject line will read: ENG2D M4 Question. In the body of the email provide as much detail as possible about what you are having difficulty understanding. Sending an email to your teacher that says, 'I don't understand Module 4' makes it difficult for your teacher to provide a helpful reply. By telling your teacher specifically which Unit, Activity, and Assignment you are having difficulty with, as well as an explanation of what you are finding confusing, your teacher will be able to provide you with an answer that will assist you to move forward with your work. You could also email to request a conference time for assistance.

If you are taking more than one AMDEC course, it is a good idea to create a separate label for each class and move your mail messages into the appropriate class label. This will keep your mailbox organized and will make it easier to locate correspondence with your teacher for individual courses.

On the Resources page of this website, under the Orientation Links and Documents, see the video and/or document provided for more information about using your AMDSB Gmail account.

Much of your work will be submitted to your teacher in the folders in the Assignments area of your course, although you may also be required to complete Discussion posts, portfolio uploads, and tests and/or quizzes. You can access the Assignments folders by clicking on the links within your course content (if available) or by clicking on the My Class icon in the Navigation Bar at the top of your screen and selecting 'Assignments'. Before submitting a file, double check to ensure you are submitting it to the correct Assignment folder.

Your teacher will provide feedback on your work right in the Assignments folder. The feedback can be in several different forms - written, audio, video or by marking up the file you submitted. You must check the Assignments area regularly to review your teacher's feedback. If you have questions about your teacher's feedback, please contact your teacher. When you receive new feedback on your work, you will see a notification in the Updates widget on your Course Home page, and if you go into your Assignment folder, you will also see the bolded word 'Unread' in the Evaluation Status column beside the assignment that has been given feedback.

On the Resources page of this website, under the Orientation Links and Documents, see the videos and/or documents provided for more information about submitting assignments, discussion posts, and quizzes.

Math Courses

The technology surrounding math courses presents a unique challenge to our students. Therefore, students taking math courses must have access to a scanner so their assignments can be scanned to PDF and submitted to the assignment folders for their course.

Science Courses

Students may be required to perform scientific experiments or work on laboratory type tasks. Parents are required to ensure that adult supervision is provided for these activities if they are completed at home.

Your AMDEC teacher will indicate whether your course has a final exam or a final assessment, or both.

Final exams are required for some AMDEC courses. These exams must be written on the date specified by your AMDEC teacher.

Your final assessment information (including due dates and/or exam dates) will be determined by your AMDEC teacher and posted in your course and/or communicated to you through class emails. 

All AMDEC students have access to the AMDEC Guidance Office for resources and to problem-solve difficulties with their AMDEC course. Students should always speak with their home school guidance department regarding personal issues, post-secondary options and career choices. If required, private guidance chats with the AMDEC guidance counsellor may be requested by emailing AMDEC Guidance at [email protected].

Course Information

General Information

• AMDEC Course selection and timetable change questions
• Inquiries about AMDEC report cards
• Student success support in AMDEC courses

Career Exploration

• Postings about career exploration resources
• Information about fields of work
• Information about government programs
• Educational Opportunities

Post-Secondary Exploration and Information

• Information on application and mark submission procedures to OCAS and OUAC
• Scholarship Information
• Information about post-secondary pathways

Please note: It is your enroling school’s responsibility to submit marks to OUAC and OCAS for their student’s AMDEC courses.

Making Changes to Your AMDEC Timetable

All changes to your AMDEC timetable must be made through the school where you are registered. Your guidance counsellor will submit a request through PRISM to add you to a course, or remove you from a course.  You, your parent and your guidance counsellor will receive an auto-generated email from PRISM when you have been added to a course (either directly, or from a waitlist) or when you have been removed from a course.

If a student withdraws from a grade 11 or 12 course within five instructional days following the issue of the midterm report card, the withdrawal is not recorded on the Ontario Student Transcript (OST). If the student withdraws from a course after the time allowed, the withdrawal is recorded on the OST by entering a “W” in the “Credit” column. The student’s percentage grade at the time of the withdrawal is recorded in the “Percentage Grade” column.

Your guidance counsellor can locate full disclosure dates in Prism. 

Ontario Student Transcripts can only be issued by a student's enrolling school (that is, the school that holds the student's Ontario Student Record, or OSR). If you would like a copy of your Ontario Student Transcript, please contact your enrolling school.

Email and chats (public and private) may be read by your teacher, the AMDEC guidance counsellor, the AMDEC administration, other Avon Maitland District School Board administrators, and/or the AMDEC technicians. They may also be shared with your home school and parents/guardians (for students under the age of 18).

Information acquired through phone conversations, in person, or contained in emails sent to to AMDEC, will be stored, either electronically or on paper, in the administrative system of AMDEC, or in the student’s file. This information may be retained as long as the student attends AMDEC and for the following five years. This information will remain confidential within the AMDEC office.

Staff may be required, by law, to report to the proper authorities when a dangerous or illegal situation involving a student is suspected.

"Students who are at risk for imminent self-harm may need to have a mental health assessment and information may need to be shared without their consent. A counsellor who possesses information about a student who poses a physical threat to another person may also need to act without the consent of the student."

(OSCA Ethical Guidelines for Ontario School Counsellors, 2014)

In addition, Bill 157 was enacted into law on June 1, 2009, as the "Education Amendment Act (Keeping Our Kids Safe at School), 2009", and came into force on February 1, 2010.

Under the new legislation:

• all school staff are required to report serious student incidents, such as bullying, to the principal, so the principal can respond appropriately;
• principals are required to contact the parents of victims of serious student incidents;
• school staff who work directly with students are required to respond to incidents that could have negative impact on school climate (e.g., racial or homophobic slurs), as well as to those that could lead to suspension or expulsion.

Begin your post-secondary research by exploring the many resources offered through the Ontario College Application System (OCAS) and the Ontario University Application Centre (OUAC). Be diligent in your attention to detail and your communication with the Guidance Office at your enrolling school in order for your university or college application process to proceed accurately.

When applying to a college or university in the province of Ontario, you will apply through OCAS or OUAC. It is very important that you understand the application process, that you observe important dates, and that you communicate your plans with the guidance office at your home school. If you are applying to college or university for the upcoming winter or fall session, you should make sure to inform your AMDEC teacher(s) that you have, or plan to apply for college or university acceptance.

Please understand that it is your responsibility to ensure that you are aware of all OUAC and OCAS mark submission dates. It is also your responsibility to make sure that all required work is completed and submitted at least 2 weeks prior to OUAC/OCAS mark submission dates so your mark will be available in time for the mark submission dates. Your local/home school will submit your information and marks (including marks in your AMDEC course(s)) to OUAC or OCAS.

It is imperative that the home school principal and SERT discuss special education requirements with the student and family prior to enrollment in an eLearning course.

It is the responsibility of the principal of the home school to recommend to the student whether an AMDEC eLearning course is appropriate for the student and to correspond with the principal or vice principal of AMDEC regarding any special needs.

The provision of accommodations for a student with an existing Individual Education Plan (IEP) is limited, and restricted by the nature of the program. For those students whose local/home school provides accommodations based upon those assessed needs described in the IEP (e.g., extra time, quiet assessment setting, access to technology such as a computer and software), it is the responsibility of the home school in which the student is registered to consult with the principal or vice principal of AMDEC and to provide these accommodations as deemed appropriate.

Avon Maitland District School Board’s Statement on Academic Honesty

The Avon Maitland District School Board values the highest standards of academic conduct. Research for essays, assignments, and projects is an important part of the academic process. We want our students to learn proper procedures for citing the work of others and succeed by being honest about the work that they submit. A variety of research methods which are appropriate to the subject, grade and course type are taught to help students avoid plagiarism (the uncredited work of someone else from sources such as the Internet, books, magazines and other sources), a kind of fraud. Students are strongly encouraged to work with their teacher to ensure that the work submitted is honest and reflects the student’s best work.

AMDEC prohibits dishonesty in connection with any school activity. Cheating, plagiarism, or knowingly furnishing false information to the school are examples of academic dishonesty.

More specifically, the following are a few examples of academic dishonesty:

• substituting on an exam for another student
• substituting in a course for another student
• paying someone else to write a paper and submitting it as one's own work
• copying with or without the other person's knowledge during an exam or test or on an assignment
• doing class assignments for someone else
• plagiarizing published material, class assignments, or lab reports
• using ChatGPT or other AI to complete your work
• turning in a paper that has been purchased from a commercial research firm or obtained from the Internet
• padding items of a bibliography
• obtaining an unauthorized copy of a test in advance of its scheduled administration
• using unauthorized notes during an exam
• collaborating with other students on assignments when it is not allowed
• fabricating data
• giving an assignment, test, test answers, exam, or exam answers to current or potential students

Plagiarism is a specific kind of academic dishonesty in which one person steals another person's ideas or words and falsely presents them as the plagiarists' own product. This is most likely to occur in the following ways:

• using the exact language of someone else without the use of quotation marks and without giving proper credit to the author
• presenting the sequence of ideas or arranging the material of someone else even though such is expressed in one's own words, without giving appropriate acknowledgment
• submitting a document written by someone else but representing it as one's own

Careful attention to your own academic duties is the best way to avoid allegations of academic dishonesty. If you are asked to do something that you feel is wrong or unethical, it probably is. Aiding someone in committing an academically dishonest act is just as serious as receiving the aid. The following tips may help you avoid problems:

• Protect your login information. Never share usernames and password.
• Since it is impossible to write everything with complete originality, use quotation marks, footnotes, and parenthetical textual notes to acknowledge other peoples' words or ideas employed in your paper.
• Check with your teacher for proper techniques for citations and attribution if you have any doubts.
• Do not include sources in a bibliography or reference list if you have not used the sources in the preparation of your paper. To list unused sources is called padding the bibliography.
• Do not acquire previous papers, lab reports, or assignments used in a course with the intention of copying parts or all of the material. Consult with your teacher on how such materials may be used as general guides.
• Keep rough drafts and copies of papers submitted in courses.
• Do not share your current or former assignments, projects, papers, etc. with other students to use as guides for their work.
• Check with your teacher before turning in a paper or project you submitted in another course.

All instances of academic dishonesty will be investigated thoroughly and reported to AMDEC’s principal, vice principal, the student's parents (if the student is under the age of 18), and the enrolling school. Students who are found to have violated AMDEC's academic honesty policy will receive a consequence determined by AMDEC's principal and/or vice principal. These consequences may range from having to redo the original assignment or completing an alternative assignment, to receiving a mark penalty on the assignment, or to ultimately being removed from the course.

If you have questions about, or would like to appeal an allegation of academic dishonesty, follow these steps:

1. Contact your AMDEC teacher to discuss your situation and work together to find an acceptable resolution. The majority of concerns will be resolved through open and honest dialogue between you and your AMDEC teacher.
2. If you are not able to come to an acceptable resolution with your teacher, contact the AMDEC Principal to discuss the situation.

Please feel free to include your parents and/or your school contact in any of the steps above so that we can work together to find an acceptable resolution to your concerns.

These steps are in place to ensure that you have have been involved in a fair process due to the serious nature of these types of allegations.

Improving communication skills is a key focus for the Avon Maitland District School Board. Therefore, all AMDEC communications should reflect the writer’s best use of writing rules and conventions. Each student is unique and different from every other person.

In order for students and teachers to work together successfully, given our individual differences, we must practice common courtesy and display good manners in all our interactions with each other and this is even more important in an online learning environment.

In order to be a successful online communicator, keep in mind the following:

• You are expected to be courteous and considerate in your dealings with others.
• You are not permitted to harass others verbally or physically nor are you allowed to use profane or improper language during chats, email or any other personal or electronic communication.
• While personal email communication often involves short forms, creative spelling and slang, you are reminded that AMDEC is a school. Any and all communication with your teachers, the Administration, the Guidance office, the office, and/or tech staff must be in full sentences and include appropriate grammar, punctuation and correct spelling. Include a meaningful subject line with every email that you send.
• Do no give any personal information to your classmates. As with any online environment, you should never give out your address, telephone number, personal email address or descriptive personal information about yourself. Whenever you voluntarily disclose personal information online (e.g., on social networking sites, blogs, through email, or in chat areas) that information can be collected and used by others. In short, if you post personal information online that is accessible to the public, you may receive unsolicited messages from other parties in return. Ultimately, you are solely responsible for maintaining the secrecy of your passwords and/or any account information. Please be careful and responsible whenever you're online.
• You are required to communicate with your teacher with the same degree of respect that is required in a traditional classroom setting. If you are disrespectful in an email, a conference, or in the discussion area, a copy of the email or conference will be forwarded to AMDEC's Administration. Where appropriate, your school and parent(s)/guardian(s) (if you are under 18) will also be informed. You will be warned about unacceptable behaviour and in some cases suspended. If the behaviour persists, you will be removed from the course.
• Discussions are places for discussion related to the course, not for conversations of a personal nature. "Spamming" is strictly prohibited.

The following statements below highlight acceptable email practices that you are expected to follow:

• Do keep emails short and to the point.
• Do review emails before you send them to make sure they are clear.
• Do be as polite as possible; terseness can be taken as hostility.
• Do give correspondents the benefit of the doubt; try not to assume the worst. Body language and tone are difficult (often impossible) to read accurately in email communication.
• Do be sure to include the portion of the message you're replying to in your reply - people often forget the original context.
• Do be sure that the subject line of your email reflects the subject of your message.
• Do read your email often and regularly.
• Do answer your email promptly.
• Do use abbreviations and emoticons cautiously. Abbreviations and emoticons may be a way to save keystrokes, but if the person receiving the email doesn't understand, the point to the email may be lost, or worse yet, misinterpreted.

The following statements summarize unacceptable email practices which you should avoid.

• Do not send a message when you’re angry; cool down, look at the message again and then decide whether you really want to send it.
• Do not copy an entire, large message in your response just to add a line or two of commentary.
• Do not reply to “all recipients” unless they all need to see your reply.
• Do not type in capital letters; this is SHOUTING and is considered rude.
• Do not use unusual fonts and text colours which can make your message difficult to read.
• Do not “spam” (broadcast messages to multiple lists and/or individuals regardless of their interest in your message).
• Do not send chain letters or messages. This not only violates AMDEC policies, but may also violate federal law.
• Do not edit quoted messages to change the overall meaning.
• Do not forward a personal message without the author's consent.

The following is required for all courses:

• Adobe Reader
• Google Docs (provided by AMDSB as part of your AMDSB GSuite account) or OpenOffice/LibreOffice or Microsoft Office
• The ability to record and submit voice and video files
• Reliable internet access

 

The Internet Service Provider (ISP) and the speed of your internet connection will have a big impact on ability to navigate webpages. We recommend high speed service. Of course, the faster your connection, the lower your wait times and frustration rate.

You must install and maintain anti-virus software on your computer if you are taking an AMDEC course. We also encourage users to exercise discretion when opening any email attachment. There are many email and other viruses floating around out there. AMDEC runs the latest virus updates on our servers and work hard to keep our systems virus-free. Please be sure that your virus checker has the latest updates.

AMDEC courses require that pop-ups be enabled for your course. If you are using blocking software, you will need to configure it to allow pop-ups. You can set up your pop-up blocker to allow pop-ups from certain sites automatically. This setting is usually found in the internet browser under tools > Pop-up Blocker.

AMDEC has a Tech Support department that is available to help students resolve technical difficulties. AMDEC Tech Support can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at 519-482-5428 ext. 400. When contacting Tech Support, please be as specific as possible when describing your problem and include emailed screen shots when possible.

If you are having difficulty logging in, please do the following:

• If you are an AMDSB student: Contact the TRA at your school for assistance. Your guidance counsellor will be able to help you to find your TRA if you are not sure who they are. If your TRA is not available or is not able to help you, contact AMDEC Tech Support by email at [email protected] or by phone at 519-482-5428 ext. 400.
• If you are from outside of the AMDSB: Contact AMDEC Tech Support by email at [email protected] or by phone at 519-482-5428 ext. 400.