INDEPENDENT LEARNING WITH LYNDA.COM

What’s the short story?
This pilot program is limited to 25 high school students.
You choose a tech-oriented course on Lynda.com that interests you, apply to participate, complete the online course, complete a project to demonstrate your understanding, then receive ¼ elective credit.
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  • Details
    • Choose a 1 hour (or more) technology-oriented course on Lynda.com
    • Complete the application  
    • Once approved, complete the course and exercises at your own pace
    • Create a project demonstrating your new skills and knowledge
    • Share your final project and course certificate
    • Upon completion and approval, you'll receive 1/4 credit and an "A" for the course

  • Who can participate?
    • Currently this program is being piloted with 25 high school students
    • Additional applicants will be added to a wait list for semester 2 and notified if the pilot continues
    • Non-credit Lynda.com courses are available 24/7/365 to all PA Virtual students

  • How do I access Lynda.com?

  • What is provided?
 
  • What if I want to do a course beyond school-provided tools?
​You can still do it, but you’ll need to provide your own additional tools/software, or choose a similar course that works with what what the school provides. 

For example, if you want to do a course on PhotoShop, but don’t have PhotoShop on your personal computer, the school isn’t going to buy you PhotoShop. However, we do provide GIMP (a comparable app) on your student laptop. 

If you want to do a course, but don’t have the tools/software, check with Corbin (canderson@pavcs.us) and see if there is a comparable tool available from the school.​
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  • Is this graded? 
Sort of. You either finish the program and receive an A for the course, or don't finish and exit with no change to your transcript.

  • What if I don’t finish?
You have a full semester and we want you to finish.  But if this doesn’t work out for you, as long as you complete the exit survey, there is no negative consequence or grade.

  • How long do I have to complete the course?
For this pilot group, all courses must be complete by the end of semester 1 - January 26, 2018.

  • What should my final project be?
Your final project should demonstrate the skills you learned during the course.
If you took a photography course, you could create an online photo album, a montage, or a website. 
If you're learning to code, you could create and share a website, game or app. 
Learning to create videos with your phone? Submit your final video on YouTube. 
Get it? Don’t limit yourself. Be creative and have fun. Above all, shoot for high quality, “A” level projects that make people go “Wow!”
Not sure if your project idea works? Check with Corbin - canderson@pavcs.us

  • How good does my final project need to be?
Make it the best you can. All submitted work should be “A” quality. It should reflect the skills and difficulty level of the course.  If it’s not up to par, you’ll always have an opportunity to improve it.

  • What if I want to do a course that is not technology oriented?
You can still do the course...of course, but currently we are offering credit for technology courses only. It’s a pretty wide field. If you’re not sure your course is tech-oriented, just check with Corbin - canderson@pavcs.us

  • Can I use my personal computer, instead of the school-issued laptop?
Yes.

  • How much credit is each course worth?
¼ credit.
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  • How many credits can I earn?
You can do as many courses as you like, but you can only earn as many elective credits as you have available.
Example: if you need 1/2 additional elective credit to graduate, you can do 2 one-quarter courses for credit, totalling 1/2 credit. 

  • Can I do more than one course for the pilot group?
Yes. After you complete your first course, you’re welcome to lather, rinse and repeat. 

Contact Corbin - canderson@pavcs.us -  if you find yourself in this position. He’ll work with you to find a path to complete or exit the program.