Our Program
Is SelfDesign High For You?
SelfDesign High is a Class One, independent, distributed (online) learning high school fully accredited by the B.C. Ministry of Education. Click here to view all of our courses
Click here for important information and dates regarding Provincial Exams.
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You want to be one of our Learners if:
- you are a self responsible learner
- you desire the freedom and responsibility of independent learning
- you value meaning in your learning activities
- you are interested in a mentorship approach
- you want to do/create/investigate what it is you are learning about
- you want to be successful and are interested in how you learn
- you value mentors who are both knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the subjects they teach
- you desire the freedom and responsibility of independent studies
Expectations of Learners who attend SelfDesign High
Learners who take courses through SelfDesign High are expected to: engage in their educational experience as fully as they can at any given time; to bring their questions or concerns to the learning centre via their mentor; to offer their ideas on how to improve and develop their learning experience with SelfDesign High; be self-responsible individuals willing to be supported, challenged and accountable for their choices.
Online learning
Learners engage in the course through our online platform, Moodle.
'Moodle' is the web based platform we have chosen to use for delivery of our courses online. Downloads of your course outlines and materials, as well as useful links, glossaries, discussion boards, journals, messaging and calendars will be available for you to access, once your account has been created and you log into your course.
A mentor is assigned to support your learning and assess your work. The learner and mentor communicate through telephone, email, skype or ichat. There is no timeline for completion (other than completing within one year), we do find that learners who complete a course within 3 to 4 months are the most satisfied with their experience.
Workshop courses
All courses for a graduation program can be offered as a workshop!
Workshop courses are designed to give learners the opportunity to collaborate and contribute to discussions, etc in a group setting, yet, move through the course content at their own speed using the courses available on-line. Workshops are ideal for learners who benefit from the structure and rhythm of a schedule and who crave connections with others in order to fully realize their individual learning.
When 6 or more learners wish to gather to take a course, or create an independent study around a topic or activity that they wish (like animation, acting, fashion design, game creation) the group can request to host a Local Workshop anywhere in B.C. with:
- a local specialist that you want to learn with, or
- a SDH Mentor that you choose to guide you, or
- an online specialist with whom you can Skype.
Each situation is unique with local workshop courses. You can email barbarah@selfdesignhigh.org if you are interested in a local workshop course.
Students enrolled in workshop courses work independently online and meet in a small group with a mentor once per week for 2-3 hours for 12 weeks.
SDH Full Time Directed Program
Learner is assigned a Guardian Mentor, creates a Learning Plan with the Guardian Mentor for the year, can have a mix of OnLine Courses.
IDesign
IDesign is a course approach where the learner and the Mentor create the learning plan to meet the learning outcomes for the course and decide what artifacts* the learner will create to show their learning to the mentor. SDH Learning Support of $125 is available to support the purchase of resources related to the learning plan for the course. *artifacts are items that show the learning and knowledge gained by learner in the course i.e. video, essay, slideshow, math assignments etc.
IDesign is a course approach where the learner and the Mentor create the learning plan to meet the learning outcomes for the course and decide what artifacts* the learner will create to show their learning to the mentor.
SDH Learning Support of $125 is available to support the purchase of resources related to the learning plan for the course.
*artifacts are items that show the learning and knowledge gained by learner in the course i.e. video, essay, slideshow, math assignments etc.
Assessment
All SelfDesign High courses receive approval from the BC Ministry of Education and meet the learning outcomes prescribed by the Ministry.
Most SelfDesign High courses use a portfolio method to assess learners' grasp of the concepts presented and their progress towards meeting the course objectives. A learning portfolio is a compendium of a learner's work that encourages introspection as well as engagement with the material throughout the course. In many instances a journal is an important part of the learner's portfolio.
SelfDesign high is always curious and interested in the ideas that the learners may have about how an assignment or activity works for them. We invite them to discuss with their mentor alternative ways that they can demonstrate not only how they're meeting the course objectives, but that they've added some of their own ideas to the understanding of the course material. Is there another assignment or activity in mind that works better for them? We want to know.
Scholarships
Post secondary may seem like a daunting and expensive undertaking and while it is, there are many resources out there that become easier to find the more you look. Ask lots of questions, talk to financial advisors at schools, and don’t give up. There are many loop holes and people who are out there to help you find them. Check out our scholarships page for more information on scholarship basics to begin navigating through all that is financially offered to learners.
To learn more about our Program, check our FAQ page here or contact us 250-354-1310.
