FAQ

Frequently Asked (and Answered!) Questions

Q: What are the differences Between Continuing Education and e-Learning Summer Programs?

A: Click here to learn the differences.

Q: Do e-Learning courses count towards the Online Learning Graduation Requirement?

A: Yes. e-Learning courses count towards the Online Graduation Requirement. To learn more, please click here

Q: How do I log in to my online course?

A: Everyone logs into Brightspace at https://tdsb.elearningontario.ca/d2l/local

Students will receive a username and a password reset link by email. You'll create your own password for Brightspace. When you've logged into Brightspace you'll land on your “My Home” page and you'll see a link to the specific course you're registered for this summer.

Q: I forgot my password. What should I do?

A: Please follow the steps on this document. If you still have trouble please request a password reset by going to this site: https://www.tdsb.on.ca/In-Person-Learning/Student-Virtual-Learning-IT-Support. Once you have reset your password, continue to use the external login site to access your course.

Q: What if I can’t attend the orientation session?

A: In order to complete enrolment in a TDSB e-Summer School course you MUST complete an orientation. If you unable to attend either day of the online Orientation, wait until the first day of class and email your Teacher from within your Brightspace class to request an alternate orientation via Zoom.

Zoom is a web conferencing tool that lets you see, hear and interact with your teacher and classmates. You will use Zoom to conference with your teacher and participate in tutorials and lessons. If you can't attend a particular Zoom session live, you can watch a recording of the session that your teacher will post in your Brightspace classroom. Please note that teachers do not use Google Classroom to deliver the e-Summer program.

Q: How does my synchronous learning take place?

A: e-Summer teachers use Zoom to deliver synchronous lessons. Zoom is a web-based conferencing tool designed to hold online meetings, conferences and deliver academic lessons and tutorials using a computer or a laptop. The synchronous lessons are about one hour a day and may be split into two parts. For Civics and Careers, which are half courses, the synchronous lesson are about 30 minutes a day. Through the Zoom meetings you can see, hear and interact with your teacher and classmates. You will use Zoom to conference with your teacher and participate in tutorials and lessons. If you can't attend a particular Zoom synchronous class session live, you can watch a recording of the session that your teacher will post in your Brightspace (online) classroom.

Q: How often are the synchronous Zoom sessions held?

A: There is a Zoom meeting every school day. You are strongly encouraged to attend all synchronous Zoom sessions scheduled by your teacher. e-Summer students are required to participate in tutorials and lessons conducted by the teacher on a daily basis. Students who are unable to attend a live session are required to view the recorded session posted on the course homepage at the earliest possible date.

Q: Do I need to install the Zoom App on my computer?

A: No, there is no need to install Zoom App on your computer. To access Zoom (classroom video session), all you need is an Internet browser and to login to your class. However, you need to make sure that you are signed on with your TDSB login. Alternatively, if you are trying to access your Zoom meetings through your phone you will need to download the zoom app. We do not recommend using your phone for e-Summer courses.

Q: How do I login into my synchronous class session (Zoom Meetings)

A: After the first time you have logged into Zoom with the TDSB, no additional login to Zoom is required. The first time you log into Zoom you will be prompted to use your TDSB email address, usually firstname.lastname@student.tdsb.on.ca. Enter your Brightspace (online) classroom. Click on the Zoom meeting link that your teacher provides. This link may be found in the announcements, in the calendar or in a widget. Here are instructions for “Joining a Zoom Meeting from Brightspace”

Zoom session times will be scheduled differently for each course. Please consult with your teacher for the schedule. As Zoom sessions do not have mandatory attendance, recordings of the sessions will be posted for all students to access. There will be no penalty for missing Zoom sessions and students are encouraged to email their teacher questions about recorded Zoom sessions, or to post in the class discussion section for support.

Q: Do I have to log in to my online course at a specific time of day?

A: No. Asynchronous learning does not occur in real time.  You don't have to work on your e-Summer School course at a particular time of day.  

You just need to login to your course every school day and complete and submit assignment work by the dates set out by your teacher. Expect to spend 6-8 hours per day on a full credit course. Missing one day of e-Summer School is like missing an entire week of classes during the regular school year. 

Q: How many e-Summer School courses can I take? 

A: You can take one full credit course per session during e-Summer School. That means a maximum of one full credit course in July and one full credit course in August. With the exception of Civics and Careers, all other courses are counted as one full credit.

Q: How much does it cost to take an e-Summer School course?

A: For the majority of students, there is no cost to take an e-Summer course. Some students who are studying on a Student Visa may have to pay a course fee. The fee for Visa students for e-Summer 2024 is $1500 CDN per course. Visa students please complete this form. Please realize the value of your time and treat your course with the respect that a valuable opportunity like this deserves.

Q: As a Grade 8 student how do I enroll into the GLD2OE Reach Ahead Credit?

A: Go to our registration tab and follow the instructions to access the e-Reg System. When you are in the e-Reg System, select the session that you would like to enroll into your choices are Grade 8 Reach Ahead July or Grade 8 Reach Ahead August. You will see only one course GLD2OE which has the title of Discovering the Workplace. This is the correct Reach Ahead course for the summer of 2024. Once you submit your request you will be sent an email that has a permission form link. Please scroll down to the information for Grade 8 students and make sure you fill out the permission form specific to the GLD2OE Reach Ahead program. Please upload this permission form to the e-Reg system in the supporting documents section. Steps will be provided in the same email. There is no need to request approval or signatures from the Grade 8 school or the secondary school. All approvals will be made by the e-Learning office.

Q: Can I take one e-Summer School course in the July Session and one in the August Session?

A: Yes, but please be aware that you will be spending the majority of your summer participating in your e-Summer courses. Please discuss this option with your parent/guardian as well as your Home School Guidance Counsellor before committing to an e-Summer course in each session. Remember, you need to devote 6-8 hours/day to your course.

Q: Can I take two summer school courses at the same time?

A: You should not take an e-Summer course and a second summer school course elsewhere at the same time.

There is no rule to say you can’t. However, taking one e-Summer course is like going to school full time! You're taking a full high school credit in under four weeks. That's 110 hours of instruction in only 19 days. That's six hours of school per day plus major assignments and preparing for evaluations for a total of 6-8 hours/day. Our experience is that students who take two full credit courses at the same time rarely achieve good results in both courses. We do not recommend any student take more than one credit as the time commitment will be overwhelming!

Q: Can I take Civics and Careers at the same time?

A: Yes! Civics and Careers are half credit courses; two of them together equal one full credit course. They both run for the full length of each session and you can take them at the same time. However, we do recommend that you take one of the half courses per session, to reduce the workload.

Q: Are my Civics and Careers course the same course in Brightspace (similar to my regular day school)?

A: No. Civics and Careers will be two separate courses in your Brightspace learning environment and you will have two different teachers.

Q: I've submitted my course request online, is there anything else I have to do?

A: Yes! You haven't finished the registration process yet! Please check out our Registration section on our website.

Q: How do I drop an e-Summer School course?

A: Use the e-Summer School Course Withdrawal Form to drop a course: https://schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/elearning/e-Summer-Online-Program/Withdrawal-Form.

While we hope as many students as possible will be successful in e-Summer School, every student needs to make the decision that is right for them. Keep in mind that if you drop a grade 11 or 12 course after the Full Disclosure Date the mark will appear on your official transcript. If you intend to drop, do so before the Full Disclosure Date. Please note that emailing your teacher about your intention to drop is not the same as completing the form, and if you do not complete the form you will not be removed from the course!

July Course Session Dates

August Course Session Dates

Q: I'm traveling for a few weeks this summer; can I still take an e-Summer School Course?

A: Yes, if you can access the internet continuously and you can commit to working on your course for 6-8 hours per day. You’ve signed up for an online course; it is your responsibility to ensure you have internet access throughout the duration of your e-Summer School session.

Q: Does it matter if I use a Mac or a PC?

A: It does not matter which type of computer you use. Brightspace (the platform for all TDSB e-learning courses) works fine on both Macs and PCs. What's more important is to always use the most recent version of your browser. The most up-to-date versions of Chrome, Firefox, and Safari all work with Brightspace.

Q: What textbooks will I need for the online course?

A: None. No textbooks are required for your course. All content will be provided to you online through the Brightspace learning environment.

Q: Does it matter which browser I use?

A: Yes. Do not use Internet Explorer. It isn’t fully compatible.

Q: Whom do I call for the tech support when I run into technical issues with Brightspace?

A: For technical help call Brightspace Tech Support 24/7 at 1-800-222-0209

Q: I am studying on a Student Visa. Can I take an e-Summer school course?

A: Please connect with your day school Guidance Counsellor to check what your options are - there may be associated fees depending on your course load. For Visa students applying for e-Summer 2024 the fee is $1500 CDN for each course. Payment details are available through this form.

Q: I have applied for Post-Secondary School for the upcoming September session. How can my marks be transmitted to OUAC/OCAS?

A: Non-TDSB students who are requesting a submission of their final mark to OCAS and OUAC need to complete a form that will be provided to them before the third week of the summer school e-session.  Please note that this form should only be completed for Non-TDSB students who are attending a Post-Secondary Institution in September of the current year. Students who are planning to attend a Post-Secondary Institution in the following school year do not need to complete this form.

Students will have OUAC/OCAS marks transmitted on July 29, 2024 for the July Session and August 28, 2024 for the August Session.

Q: How do I access my TDSB email?

A: You access your TDSB email through Academic (AW) Workspace aw.tdsb.on.ca by selecting the “Mail” tab. You will be prompted to login using your TDSB Username and Password. Your TDSB student number is your Username. If you need support accessing your TDSB email address, please follow the instructions listed here: Student Email – Logging In

Q: How do I access my Brightspace email?

A: The majority of emails sent by your teacher will be through your Brightspace Account. Students will access their Brightspace email by logging onto Brightspace and clicking on the envelope icon on the top of the page.

Q: How will I receive my final report card?

A: e-Summer report cards will be sent to your TDSB email address. Before receiving your report card you will receive two emails, one with the online location of your report card and a second email with your password information to access the report card. It is essential that you have access to your TDSB email account. If you need support accessing your TDSB email address, please follow the instructions listed here: Student Email – Logging In

Q: How much work is an e-Summer course?

A: Taking a full credit course online is like going to school full time! You're taking a full high school credit in only four weeks.  That's 110 hours of instruction in only 19 days. That's six hours of school every day plus major assignments and studying for tests and exams. We do not recommend any student take more than one credit as the time commitment will be overwhelming! We also recommend you not combine full-time work with an e-Learning credit. Our experience says you won't have time to successfully meet both obligations.

Q: Do e-Summer courses have Final Exams?

A: There will be no face-to-face final exams. Students will complete culminating activities for their course, which may take place over a series of days.