The Durham District School Board (DDSB) has developed various digital learning opportunities for students to explore and achieve success while online. Staff are regularly taking part in training activities to provide students with new and innovative online experiences. DDSB is dedicated to supporting the needs of all students.
Select one of the options below for more information:
The DDSB engages students in digital learning across a variety of platforms and in various settings.
DDSB@Home
As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, our virtual school was created, called DDSB@Home. To find out what the online school experience is like, please visit either of the following websites:
eLearning provides DDSB secondary students with a flexible alternative to the face-to-face classroom. This online setting can support a student's educational plan when courses are not available to them at their home school, when a flexible alternative learning environment is required or when matching student preferred learning styles to programming needs.
eLearning courses are not face-to-face courses. Students who wish to participate in this program should speak to their Guidance Department. For more information about DDSB eLearning click here.
Remote Learning
From time to time, a classroom or a group of students may be required to work from home due to COVID-19. During this time, these classes will meet in their Google Classroom online. Students and families will receive information from their school if this happens.
Families who wish to request a partial or complete exemption from participating in remote learning should connect with the school office to request the exemption form that must be completed and returned.
To support all students who have received a DDSB Chromebook through the 1:1 or Special Education Allocation (SEA) programs, we are sharing some tips on safe and healthy use of the devices.
All DDSB devices are under warranty with our vendor. Any issues with the device should be reported to your teacher or school office so that DDSB staff can action repairing the device. We thank you for not taking DDSB devices for repair outside of the DDSB as this may void the warranty.
What is my student's login?
DDSB students will sign in using the same credentials they do at school (student number followed by @ddsbstudent.ca and their password). If your child does not know their login information, please contact their teacher for help.
DDSB@Home students in grades JK-4 have had their passwords reset to a default. This default password format was sent to families via email. For more information about this default format, please contact your child's teacher.
How can my student change their password?
To change the password, you will need to know the current password and visit http://student.ddsb.ca. Click on "Password Reset" in the upper right corner. You will be required to follow the prompts and enter the current/old password in order to change the password.
We suggest you also register for the password recovery tool in case the password is forgotten in the future. Without registering, you will need to contact the teacher for future password resets.
My student's password is not working or they have forgotten their password
Student passwords can be recovered if parents have registered email addresses at the time of student registration and verification (i.e. if the parent email contact is on file). To do so, go to http://student.ddsb.ca and click on "Password Reset" in the upper right corner. Choose "Recover Password" on the next screen and follow the prompts. More information and instructions can be found here.
If this does not work, contact your student's teacher and they will be able to reset your child's password. They will communicate with you once the password has been reset.
What is the recommended browser?
For the most consistent experience, we encourage the use of a Chrome browser, if possible. The Chrome browser is available on Windows, Mac and Chromebook devices. Signing into a Chrome profile also provides access to certain services such as Read and Write, retains student bookmarks and makes accessing various services easier.
How can I keep my student's info separate from mine on a personal computer?
To avoid “You need permission..." and access errors, families may wish to create a Chrome profile for each student in the household. This will save a student's login information, history, and bookmarks separately from other users of the same computer.
My DDSB Chromebook is asking me to "Unlock and Restore Local Data" after I enter my password
Chromebooks store small amounts of data locally in a user profile. This helps enable offline access to files if network connection is lost. These profiles are cleared regularly on shared devices and are password protected to each user. When a user has changed their DDSB password and signs into a Chromebook they have used in the past, they may be prompted for their old password to unlock this local data. If the user does not know their password, they can proceed without the local data, as all DDSB student data for Chromebooks is stored in the cloud.
Performance of Google Meet can be affected by multiple factors including your home network setup, internet speed and traffic, device being used and more! If you are finding that connections are unreliable or choppy, try some of the following ideas:
Limit other internet traffic from your home (i.e. video streaming, gaming, number of connections) when possible
Determine where in the house has the best wifi signal and try working from there
Close other programs or apps running on your device that aren't required for class
The microphone or camera is not working on certain tools or sites
On some sites (such as Read and Write and WeVideo), users need to allow permission to use the microphone and/or camera. If students click "block" these tools won't work. Check that permissions have been granted in Chrome for the site experiencing issues.
If this doesn't work, contact your teacher to submit an Incident Report (help ticket) with IT Services.
I'm having issues with hardware (eg. touchscreen, keyboard, display)
Contact your teacher so they can submit an Incident Report (help ticket) with IT Services
I'm getting strange popups or notifications
This is often due to the student installing unapproved Google Chrome extensions or add-ons. Try removing unnecessary extensions from chrome and then restart your Chromebook to see if this solves issues being noticed. Report to teacher if this continues to submit an Incident Report (help ticket) with IT Services.
My Chromebook has stopped charging or I lost the charger
Lost or damaged chargers will need to be replaced at the expense of the family. Please contact your campus to order a replacement. For issues charging your device where no physical damage is present on the charger, please contact your child’s teacher and they can submit an incident ‘report an issue’ with IT Services.
I would like to plug my Chromebook into a wired network connection
DDSB Chromebooks do not have ethernet (wired network) ports. Plugging an external ethernet adaptor through USB has been disabled for security reasons on DDSB Chromebooks. Try moving closer to your home wifi access point or different locations in your house as Chromebooks only run off wireless connections.
My DDSB Chromebook is asking me to "Unlock and Restore Local Data" after I enter my password
Chromebooks store small amounts of data locally in a user profile. This helps enable offline access to files if network connection is lost. These profiles are cleared regularly on shared devices and are password protected to each user. When a user has changed their DDSB password and signs into a Chromebook they have used in the past, they may be prompted for their old password to unlock this local data. If the user does not know their password, they can proceed without the local data, as all DDSB student data for Chromebooks is stored in the cloud.
Now, more than ever, students are spending even more time online. DDSB is dedicated to teaching students the value of being smart and engaged digital citizens and how to stay safe online. For more resources and tips on how to navigate online safely, visit the Online Safety and Digital Citizenship page.
Every student whether they are learning online or at school is required to adhere to their school’s Code of Conduct. While online, students in the Durham District School Board are reminded of specific expectations for online learning with the DDSB Student Code of Conduct and Distance Learning.
We have also created Student Guidelines for RealTime Learning that outlines the agreed-upon norms and expectations for student participation in the virtual classroom. It highlights that students should be aware of what others may see and hear in the classroom and how to participate virtually.
Do not block the vents - this could result in the device getting over-heated
Use the charger provided
Do not place heavy items on top of your device
Close the lid during transport
Transport your device with two hands
Privacy
The privacy of students is very important to us. Please see our most recent privacy statement for more information.
DDSB teachers are permitted to use third party websites and apps as long as they have been previously approved by our Technology Approval Process. A list of these educational apps can be found by clicking on the link.
The DDSB invites students, teachers, and members of school communities to bring forward concerns to tap.inquiries@ddsb.ca about any material changes to DDSB approved technology, their terms of use and/or privacy policy.
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